Unencumbered (Part III)

 

It has been two days since the dark clouds in the sky had cleared. The bright beautiful blue sky of the autumn is visible. Clouds are floating like fluffy cotton balls. Sometimes they’re covering the sky completely for a moment and again clearing out the next moment. Kansh grass flower has started blooming in the distant fields. The southern breeze has started blowing. The scent of Alstonia and night flowering jasmine has begun to waft through the distance. The beautiful golden sun began to scatter gold everywhere; Pujo's instrument sounded. The world danced with joy to the beat of the drum. Around the sky, in the air, in the water, in the trees, as if the news of Pujo was echoing. The whole village was overjoyed.

But the shadow of sadness came down on the school. Where is the joy of pujo in school? Not a trace of exhilaration entered, or was allowed to do. It was heard that after Pujo our mathematics Sir would retire and go to Calcutta; in his new home. A new young teacher is joining in his place.

The entire pujo celebration got wasted for us. No one, in the school, was excited about the pujo celebrations. In our village, only the Jamidar conducted the Durga Pujo. The idol entered the Mandap on the fourth day called Chaturthi. We were not happy to see the indescribable smiling face of the goddess. Mahisasura seemed to be mocking us by developing his huge white teeth. The soul of the goddess was established on the sixth day called Shasthi, but there is no life in that soul. The Naba Patrika entered on the seventh day, Saptami, but there is nothing new in it. Anjali was performed on the eighth day, but there is no joy in it. Sandhi pujo is worshiped, but there is no pomp in it. After the ninth, it seemed as if evil forces had won. Sadness came down to nature this time, Sir went to Calcutta. He was replaced by Akhilesh Bhattacharya. Fair-skinned, tall, handsome. The women of the village found god Kartikin him.

It has been several days since Bijaya Dashami. Lakshmi Pujo has also ended on the full moon day. The school has re-opened. Already we have discovered a strange weakness in our new Master. We were village boys; we had no idea that anyone could love a dog so much. Sir had a wonderful white dog. That dog used to fill the absence of the family. The name was Tutan. He brought it to school twice. The whole school seemed to be in awe. Sir became popular in the village. A stray dog that fell in the well that other day. if sir wasn’t present, who would have saved? Sir had a special love for speechless animals.

Why only animals? Sir's contribution to the life of the people of the village is also noteworthy. The old tube well in the school, which was broken down for the last five years was made right as his initiative. The bathroom in the school hall is his initiative. Then he saved the huge tree from being cut down. He took full charge of various constructive works of the village.

Algebra class was going on, in the school, on that day. Everyone has been told to memorize the formulas. If the person is wrong, he has sorrow waiting. I could not memorize the formulas. I have no fault or hand in this. There are obvious reasons for this incident.

The only Deepavali or Kali Pujo in the village was held at our house. I failed to memorize the formulas the night before, for the special task of going to pay the idol’s deposit to the potter.

Math’s Period! Sir entered the class. He started asking everyone the formula one by one. Then he turned to me and said, ‘Hey Mana, get up. Answer this question. What is (x-a) (x-b) (x-c)?’

Oh No! What a great problem.  First of all, I didn't read, on top of that, the biggest one is for me.

‘Sir, (x-a) (x-b) (x-c) is X2 + (a + b + c) X2 (ab + bc + ca) x + abc’.

Suddenly a heavy object flew out of nowhere and hit me hard on the forehead. A duster! Sir threw it. As the hunter waits for the prey for a long time, and when he finally finds a deer and jumps on it, Sir seems to have expressed that kind of feeling. The black side of Sir's real character was revealed. I was poisoned in Sir's eyes. He never missed a chance to beat or insult me. His special beating was a scale bar in a closed fist; that too continued. Almost everyone silently endured these blows at school. The parents back at home found it was necessary for the boys’ correct upbringing. An extreme rage began to float around the school. Sir’s appearance inside the school and the appearance outside the school are completely different.