In a small village-II

The story begins from "In a small village". The story is all about a boy called Alok, his childhood days spent in a village. Explore the world of Alok. Read...

By Jyotirmoy Sinha, New Delhi

Alok's aim in life at the age of eight was to learn English. So, he prepared himself and passed the 4th standard with flying colours. But God had something else in store for him. The headmaster of his school convinced his parents to keep him in the same class for one more year as he was only eight years old and to be in class V a student has to be nine years old and also as Alok was a good student the headmaster wanted him to attempt for the scholarship exam.

But Alok was not aware of all this. One day when he was digging a drain with his elder brother for playing purpose, a friend of him came running and told him that his parents would not allow him to go to class V. Hearing this anomalous news, he was numb, he hurriedly put out his right hand from the drain and was about to climb up, that time his elder brother hit the spade down to the drain. The spade accidentally hit Alok's right index finger very badly. But Alok was so shattered by the news given by his friend that he did not feel the pain in his finger. He just once screamed the word 'Maa". His mother hearing his scream came running, when she saw him soaked in blood. Alok was calm, he was not bothered about the accident. He instead told his mother with tears in his eyes that he wanted to learn English and that he wanted to go to the next class. But his parents had made up their mind and thus he had to be in the same class for one more year. After that Alok became indifferent to all. He stopped having fun with his friends.

After one week of the incident in which he injured his right index finger, his classes started. He was very upset that he had to be in the same class but he even did not want to disobey his parents. So, he sat out for his school which was at a distance of one kilometer from his home. On the way to school there was a Shiv Temple. Alok sat there for sometime and recollected his memories with his class mates. He remembered how, when there was a half day in school, he and his friends used to sing "Aajke school bondho, golap fhuler gondho". Also when somebody was not supposed to be touched due to some reason, Alok and his friends used to utter with crossed fingers "bakor khat mankai". All those memories were hurting him from inside. In the meantime he heard the school bell ring. At that moment a boy came and asked Alok if he had failed in class IV. Alok replied that he had not failed but was dropped to be able to attempt for the scholarship exam. The boy refused to buy his words and asked him not to give excuses. This hurt Alok and instead of going to school he headed towards home.

But, while come back home he saw his elder brother and he tired to hide himself under his big umbrella. But his brother saw him and dropped him in his class. During the break time his new batch mates started teasing him saying that he was a looser and that he had lost one year. Alok tried to explain them that he had not failed but no one was interested. Somehow he adjusted with his new batch mates but he stopped studying at home. His parents insisted him to study and prepare for his scholarship exams but Alok, an obstinate child, had changed his mind without knowing that he had obstructed his path himself by his wrong step.

However, Alok again passed out with flying colors. As per his parents wish he had to sit for the scholarship exams. But his mind was not prepared for the exam. His mind was somewhere else. Yet he appeared for his scholarship exam and was waiting for the result. But Alok was not much concerned about the results of his scholarship exam.His mind was flying high. He had a content grin on his face. He was about to get admission in class V and that he would start learning English.

After few days Alok's scholarship result was out and he did not qualify in it. He got a good scolding from his parents. He dis not say anything but he was least bothered about the result, after all he was going to get admission in higher class and he was happy with that.

Alok's parents were almost ready to give him admission in a good school, but in the mean time his uncle, a headmaster of a school, that had classes from class V to class VII came to their house and interdicted them to put Alok in his school as his school had no good students. He emotionally convinced his parents and they had no options but admit Alok at his school.

But Alok was not aware of all this. During the term break he collected notes and books from his old friends and was ready for the next class and he even told some of his friends that he would be going to the same school his old friends are going. On the day of admission Alok was ready, taking an early bath. But his parents told him that he was not going to get admission in that school and that they want him to study in his uncle's school. Hearing this he had nothing to say. He was fed up of all this. He just sobbed and told his parents that he was away from his friends and that he was disappointed with what they are doing. Then...

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