Served Right Author : Dr.K. S.Kang

 

Served Right

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

Devnath was a devout religious man who had strong faith in non-violence and vegetarianism. He did not like any creature, beast or bird, taking away another dead bird or beast to fill its belly. One day he saw a dog carrying a pigeon in its jaws. He bounded towards the cur at once and hound seeing was taken aback at his aggressive posture, so it left the wounded pigeon and moved away. Though Devnath could not save the wounded pigeon but he denied the dog its meal. Another day a cat had grabbed a dead rat in its jaws and placing it before Devnath’s house it started gorging on the dead rat calmly. At that time Devnath was busy at his prayers so though he saw it but he could not disturb his prayers to chase away the cat and cat calmly finished the rat by eating it to the bones just in the front of the house of a Pious man named Devnath. That perhaps entire nature was conspiring to teach Devnath a lesson that denying any creature is as bad as killing another creature as it is perfect nature’s law and biological cycle that one creature becomes food of another, and it is nature’s way to maintain equilibrium.

There has also been growing trend observed recently among the people that they throw fodder for the cows and bulls before the houses of others so as to earn a place in heaven for themselves after death. But they do not know that by creating chaos and filth at the other’s doorsteps is not going to help gain any place anywhere after their deaths, as though they may be gaining the blessings of the mute beasts, if beasts can bless, but surely they are earning the abuses and curses of those people before whose homes they create chaos and filth and untidiness. In this context I came across one incident where the very cow and bull whom a person used to feed daily, threw him on horns and he is still lying unconscious in the hospital as perhaps ever the Almighty is unable to decide whether to give him place in heaven or not, as he has earned more dispraises than the praises in his so called pious life.

Education Resists Social Evils Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Education Resists Social Evils

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

As I was sitting in my office I heard loud arguments. By the voice I could recognise that Manav, who was otherwise a silent and reserved boy,was talking loudly with somebody. I sent some body to bring Manav to my office. He entered the office with an elderly gentleman. As I was his Hostel Incharge, so I asked Manav why he was talking loudly with somebody just outside the office of the Hostel Incharge. Looking at the old man now I recollected that that man had came to my office handing over Manav, who was lean, thin young boy of eleven years to me, with a request to look after him well. Manav instantly replied, ‘Sir, I don’t want to go to my home in vacations’. I was taken aback and amazed at his reply because most of the inmates of the hostel looked forward to vacations when they can go home and spend a few days with parents. So I again asked Manav the reason for not going to his home during the vacations. He replied hesitantly, ‘ Sir, I don’t want to get married and my father has decided to marry me during the vacations and they have already seen the girl whom I am supposed to marry even without asking me’. He again repeated, ‘ sir , I don’t want to get married, as I want to join security services of the country as per the aim of this institution where I am studying and I know that only unmarried males can join security services of the country.’ He was nearly breathless and panting with passion by the time he ended his long reply. Now I looked at the old man and asked him enquiringly, ‘ Is what Manav saying true ?’ The old man whose name was Mali Ram replied at once, ‘ Sir, in our society we marry our children at young age as we don’t get bride in our society at an advanced age, and secondly his grandmother wants to see her grandson’s wedding before saying farewell to this world’. With that he fell silent. I was in a fix what to do. Though I had strong belief that Mali Ram had no right to spoil the dream of Manav with the just the stupid superstitious belief of the society and ruin Manav’s career and thwart him from fulfilling the aim of the institution in which he was studying. Since I was no authority to give verdict on this matter and so I took both son-father duo to Principal and narrated the matter to him . Principal heard me patiently and looked both at Manav and Mali Ram and then spoke after clearing his throat, ‘ Mali Ram ji, you can’t destroy the dream and career and spoil the aim of our institution just due to old rotten custom and superstition of your society. As I respect you due to your old age, so I request you to leave your child in our hands and leave the school premises at once. I promise to look after your child in vacations too as we had been looking after him during the rest of the session.’ After listening to the determined voice of Principal, Mali Ram left Principal’s office with bowed head, without looking even once at Manav. Principal got up from his chair and placing his head on the head of Manav, ‘Don’t worry child, from today you are my son, during the vacations you will have all your meals with me till the end of the vacation, and that’s an order.’ Manav felt relieved at once and came back to hostel getting a snoring sound sleep that night as his problem was resolved and Education has thwarted the social superstition from spoiling the dream and career a young boy. Later on Manav joined Army and retired as Brigadier after putting in decades of service.

Home, other than Home Author : Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Home, other than Home

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

As school drew to a close for vacations,all children were excited to go to their homes and spend a few days with their parents as this was a hundred percent residential school. One student, named Jaipal, turned sedate and morose as the vacations were announced. I observed it and called him to my office on the pretext of knowing the place that he will visit during the vacations. But he gloomily replied, ‘ I ‘ve nowhere to go as my parents have migrated to America last year, I do not have any relative to look after.’ I asked him emphatically, ‘ Are you serious, there is no relative of you to look after you in the country’. His demure reply was, ‘ No I have a distant cousin, who is in Police service but he too busy in his problems to care about me’. Now I wondered whether Jaipal was telling lies, so I asked him raising my tone a little, ‘ You’ve said that your parents migrated to America last year, then where did you spend your Summer Vacations, are you befooling me’. To my natural query he replied with downcast eyes, ‘ if it had been summers it would not have been much of the trouble, but as this is time of winters, so I am worried more about spending my vacations and that’s why I am reluctant to leave the school premises during vacations. I must tell you that I am not telling lies, my parents really migrated to America last year and I spend the subsequent Summers Vacations in the golden complex Amritsar, where I used to get two fair meals a day and for the rest of the day I cleaned the premises of the temple and utensils at the Langar.’ Looking at me I vividly remembered his father who handed Jaipal, who was ten years old at that time, over to me saying, ‘ Now you are his father, mother and everything for him,do whatever is best for him’. I felt responsible for his well being all over the year, not only during his stay in the hostel but still I took him to Principal and narrated his problem to him, who kept moving from one place to another in his office while listening attentively to my narration with Jaipal standing with bowed head in one corner of his office. Principal looked at Jaipal for some time, and he also knew that Jaipal was a great foodie at school as the accompanying officer to NCC camp reported about him that when Mess Havildar was asking from every cadet how many chappatis they will take in lunch. Jaipal calmly replied ‘sixteen’,. Mess Havildar was stunned and amazed by this reply and said in surprise, ‘Are you mad ?’. To it Jaipal replied calmly, ‘ It is up to you, if you will give at once, then it will be sixteen chappatis and if you will give in instalments then it will be thirty two chappatis, as my chapptis will get digested in the path that I will cover in coming to you to ask for more chappatis.’ Though Principal knew his reputation but still fondling his head with affection said, ‘ I cannot open school mess for one inmate, but don’t worry you will not have to go anywhere because as long as you are in school, you are my responsibility. From today he will take one meal at the residence of the staff staying in the campus till vacation ends, and today he will take meals at my residence to begin with’. Principal took Jaipal affectionately to his home that day and he issued the orders to each faculty member staying in the campus to host him at least for one meal till the vacation ends. Seeing the liberal gesture of Principal, both Jaipal and I came out of Principal’s office smilingly.

Renunciation Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Renunciation

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

Today was the last day of service for Sujata, though she had not superannuated but she had applied for voluntary retirement, three months ago and her request was accepted and today was the last day of her job. As she was moving towards the porch of the college, after parking her ev two wheeler in that portion of college cycle stand that was reserved exclusively for the faculty and Principal of the college, her whole career of two decades of teaching in different colleges moved like a movie in her mind. She clearly remembered the day when she received the appointment letter and when she came to join enthusiastically. She thought of changing the lives of the students through her teaching and ultimately change the nation and world as per ideals. But various factors combined to arouse her dislike for her profession like bureaucratic hurdles, irregularity of classes, political interference and apathy of the administrations. No doubt she loved and respected real and genuine students who came to the institution to learn something new and these students also regarded her in high esteem but their efforts were thwarted due to degraded politics among the students. This disillusioned her a lot and though she was never lax in taking classes though Principal and administration wanted to give more attention to non-academic jobs like hostel supervision, scholarships and like. Today, also she had assured Principal that though not on the payroll of the college any more from tomorrow but she will continue to take classes and finish her syllabus before leaving the town for her unknown future journey. Her decision was opposed vehemently by her parents as she was unmarried and even her friends and well wishers too wanted to continue her job till superannuation but she was fed up of the worldly life and worldly ways of affairs. She wanted to tread the pilgrims path and walk on the way leading to spirituality and divinity, though she was not sure whether it will lead her to anywhere or not. She wanted no ceremony at her farewell, she simple signed the attendance register and her relieving papers, she had declined to take any farewell girt or function form the staff and she had taken excuse form secretary staff club, but despite her protests Principal and a couple of faculty members arranged a tea party and honoured her by wrapping a shawl around her shoulders. She was simply over whelmed at the gesture of her colleagues and picking up shawl and her papers she quietly walked out of Principal’s office with tears in her eyes.

Chasing the Train by Cab Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Chasing the Train by Cab

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

This incident is related to hill toy train that runs between two stations in Himachal Pradesh and the hilly terrain of West Bengal from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri. A few servicemen had gone for Mountaineering Camp at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute at Darjeeling. After the successful conclusion of the camp they came to Darjeeling station to catch this train. First of all they went to get the ticket at the ticket window. One of the soldier had to go to a place in Madhya Pradesh known by the name of Mandasaur. Clerk at the window was unable to locate Mandsaur in his railway map so he was unable to decide the fare. But this soldier was insisting and convincing the clerk to give him the ticket up to Mandsaur and he even pointed the exact location of Mandsaur in the railway map hanging behind the clerk. At last clerk was convinced and he issued the ticket saving the soldier from inconvenience of taking ticket again and again at different stations. But by the time this matter was sorted out, this toy train running between Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri gave the whistle and started moving from the platform. By the time these soldiers came on platform the train had left the platform. Soldiers went to station master to tell him about their problem. Listening intently to their problem he calmly replied, ‘ No problem if you have missed the train, hire a cab out side the station you will surely catch it at the next station as this is Himalayan narrow gauge train that moves slowly through the winding mountain path’. Soldiers turned at once and came out of the station and hired a cab asking him to take them at the next station quickly so that they can catch that train. Cab driver replied calmly, ‘Don’t worry sir, I will take you to the next station easily much before the time the train reaches there, that you will receive the same train at the next station that you wanted to catch at this station’. Putting their luggages inside the cab they were quickly on the road chasing the train and soon they were at par with train and crossed it just in time the gates were being closed to let that train pass. Cab driver, true to his word, reached the next station well in time, so soldiers on the platform received the engine of that train chugging slowly with the trail of half a dozen coaches,that they had missed at the earlier station.

A Poem Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

A Poem

Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

It’s a pity,

that could not find venue for your kitty,

though your efforts were quite gritty.

You wanted to assure that venue should not be shitty,

I have tried to put it in words, though you may not find it so witty.

Getting on Wrong Train Moving in Wrong Direction Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Getting on Different Trains but moving in Wrong Direction.

Author : Dr. K. S. Kang

Sarla was instructed by her parents to change the train at a particular station, after the travel of two hours, so as to reach her desired destination. She started her journey on Green Express and after a couple of hours of uneventful journey train reached at the station where Sarla had to change the train. On getting off from the Green Express she saw another train parked on platform no. 2 which was Red Express. So she ascended overbridge and came to Platform no. 2 where this train was waiting. She got into this train and after about fifteen minutes train started moving. However, she did not enquire about the destination of this train from anybody. As the train cruised she dreamt of meeting her husband after a long absence. In fact she was eager to meet him as it is said “absence sharpens love and meeting strengthens it”. But she observed that the name of the stations were strange that she had not heard earlier when she came along with her husband to spend vacations at her home. She also saw that people were talking about different destinations. To remove her doubt she asked a fellow passenger demurely, ‘ when this station will reach Ratlam’. To her horror and astonishment the passenger replied ‘ Madam, perhaps you are on wrong train as this train is going to Jaipur and not Ratlam’, Protestingly she said, “ but my parents had instructed me to change the train so as to reach Ratlam, and I travelled by Green Express”. Comprehending her innocence Ticket Examiner who had come to check the tickets asked ‘ look out of the window, Madam, your Green Express is following this train’. Again to her dismay Sarla found Green Express by which she had travelled following Red Express and both of them were moving in the same direction which meant that she was moving away form her desired destination. Ticket Examiner explained to her that at the station where she had left Green Express, both Green Express and Red Express coming from different direction are joined and then they move towards the same destination, but certainly not the destination where Sarla wanted to go. Ticket Examiner suggested her to get off this train at the next station and wait at the station for half an hour, when a train will come and suggested to board that train which will surely take her to the right direction desired by her. So complying Ticket Examiner’s suggestions Sarla got off at the next station and boarded the train after asking the Station Master at least thrice whether that train was going to Ratlam, as she did not want to be duped again. Though she reached her destination but she was couple of hours behind schedule. However it averted further trouble as her husband Rohit had already said that as he will be busy in the factory so Sarla will have to reach the house herself. He hoped to find her at the home but when he returned he was amazed to find lock on the house, that meant that Sarla had not come so far, other wise she should have come at least two hours before. But as he came to Railway station he heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Sarla coming out of the station with suitcase in her hand and a bag on her shoulder. However more trouble was averted as Rohit had not informed Sarla’s parents that she had not reached home at specified time.

Same Station, Same Destination, Same Time: Two Trains Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Same station, Same Destination, Same Time: Two Trains

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

Tara had booked his seat in the 3^rd AC coach of a train taking him to desired destination. When he reached station taking the margin of time one train was already had arrived on platform no. 2 which was heading to the same destination where Tara wanted to go. So he was quite confident with full moustaches flying in air, as a mark of pride of the years of his life that he had given to the security services of the country. He entered the designated coach and reached his allotted seat but he did not check train number in his ticket and settled peacefully in his seat which was vacant at that time. He did not see that another train heading towards the same destination where he wanted to go , which was his actual train had arrived on Platform no. 2. He continued his journey peacefully, reading journals that he had brought with him, for about a couple of hours till a family at the next station entered the coach and claimed that this seat had been allotted to them. This led to an argument and Tara went with his ticket to ticket examiner, while arguing with the fellow passenger his moustaches which were high in the air had drooped a little. But when ticket examiner informed him that he was moving on wrong train ,though to the right destination as the train number marked on his ticket did not tally with the number of the train in which he was travelling, so technically he was travelling without ticket, his moustache drooped more and nearly became flat. He told Ticket Examiner about his services in army and requested him to bring him out of this predicament. He informed Tara that considering his armed forces service, he is letting him go and he suggested to get off the coach at the next station and as that train in which he was entitled to travel was late so it was following this train, so he will get adequate time to catch the right train marked on his ticket. Accepting his suggestions Tara got off the train at the next station and was just in time to catch the right train in which he was supposed to be travelling, despite his luggage. He reached his allotted coach and seat no mentioned in his ticket and thank God ticket examiner of this train did not allot this seat to somebody else, otherwise he would have been in serious trouble. From that day Tara had made it a point to double check the train number on his ticket before boarding it in his life.

Railway Mix ups Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Railway Mix ups

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

There are a number of humorous incidents, associated with railways, witnessed by me in my life. One such incident is related to station ,where two trains were moving in the same direction for some time and with confusing boards, but to different destinations. An old man reached station to see off his daughter-in-law and her two grandchildren, who were moving to another station. When he reached the platform one train with the board Ajmer-Udaipur-Ajmer was standing on platform no. 1 while the other train with the similar board was standing on the other train. As the old man after buying the tickets, including a platform ticket for himself, as he belonged to that generation that had an odd belief that they should not give loss to Railways by not buying the platform ticket, reached the platform he came across an old acquaintance and was soon engrossed in the conversation with him. After some time one of the train gave whistle for departure, so he quickly handed over tickets to his daughter-in-law and helped them board the train as it started moving after giving the mandatory second whistle. After that old man came back to his home and after a hearty lunch soon started snoring in the sound sleep.

After some time daughter-in-law, who was educated, realised that they have got on wrong train as the houses of Zinc colony passed before them instead of iconic cement factory plant of the town. Just across them a convict with handcuffs was sitting accompanied by two constables, who were taking him for trial to the court. He comprehended the situation at once that this lady and her two children have got on wrong train. He told her not to worry and told her that he belongs to the next station. So she can easily get off at the next station and walk on a kutcha path that will lead her to a road from where she will get the minibus easily. Following the instructions of a convict, as she had no other option but to believe the convict. As train came to a halt at the next station she got off easily as other passengers also helped her to get down along with her luggage and of course her two children. She walked on half a mile on the kutcha path leading her to a metalled road. At one point children felt thirsty, so from the villagers working in the farm she took some water and quenched her thirst as well as her kids thirst. Soon they got the minibus that brought them back to the town from where they had started the journey. Daughter-in-law thought not to disturb her parents-in-law so she decided to take a bus that was about to go to her destination. So she took the bus and sat comfortably along with her children in the bus.

Meanwhile before going for sleep after lunch old man had already informed brother of his daughter-in-law that she was coming along with two children. Her brother went to receive her at the station but to his surprise and horror he could not find any of them in the train and train after waiting for some time went ahead. Now her brother got apprehensive that perhaps some body had thrown them off from the moving train in greed of getting some jewels, though they were artificial, and some money in her purse. So he contacted the railway police who at once sent the message to all the station masters on the route. Her brother also contacted old man that he could not find them on the train specified by him. Old man roared bach the he, himself had seen them board the train and he came back from the station only after train had left the station. Then it occurred to old man also that perhaps they had got on the wrong train, so he also went at once to report the matter to the railway police and they too sent immediate wireless message to the station masters of the stations. Soon the station master of the next station soon replied that he had seen a lady with two kids getting off from the train but they soon disappeared from the platform. Meanwhile as the hectic search was going on both by Railway police and Civil police, somebody saw her along with her kids coming towards the house on a cycle rickshaw. Her brother contacted old man again to say that she had reached safely along with the children. But those were days of landline phones only, as mobile phones had not become so common. So when the phone rang old man was at railway station thinking about filing a report of lost people at the police station. So at house old man’s wife received the message and sent one of the neighbour to inform that they had reached the destination safely. This brought this incident to a close.

After Life Experiences Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

After Life Experience

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

An old lady named Munni suddenly fainted in her house, while doing her domestic chores. His son and grandchildren laid her on the bed and then somebody suggested to put her on ground as she was about to die. As she was put on the floor of the room, some young members started making preparation for her funeral. While family members wanted to wait for her nephews to come, but neighbours were eager to dispose off the dead body as soon as possible. As they were contacting the priest and preparing a list of objects needed for a funeral,somebody noticed her toe finger moving, at first he dismissed it as some illusion, but soon breath returned to her body and after sone time she came back to senses and was surprised to find herself on the floor of the room. However, she got up with support of her grandson and sat on the bed. Soon her relatives surrounded her though they were feeling belittled before her for taking her to be dead and had started making preparation for her funeral. Without being perturbed she started telling about her experiences after she fainted in her morning. After fainting she came out of the body through the toe of her left foot when she was beckoned by two strange clad men who took her to a strange place and made her stand against a wall. Facing her was a bespectacled old man whose flowing beard nearly reached his navel. Looking over his red bound ledger records and gave her a full look through his spectacles and then beckoned to one of the man who had brought her here and talked to him in whisper ‘ you have brought a wrong person, She is Munni of Jaisinghpura, I had ordered you to bring Munni of Raghunathpura, take her back at once from where you have brought her and do it quickly before her body is destroyed by her family’. And he gave a sturdy push to her along with these people and she saw herself lying on the floor and the two men who had taken her forced her again to re enter body through the toe of her foot and she got senses to find herself on the floor of the room. After a couple of hours villagers got the news of the demise of an old lady named Munni belonging to neighbouring village Raghunathpura.