The teacher in trouble (1335)

 

Shanmugam was walking along Pondy bazaar  with his son Kumaran when the boy suddenly dragged his father to the opposite platform. When asked why, the boy pointed out to a tall man in his late thirties in dhoti and ochre coloured  jibba,  with ash mark and kumkum prominently  on his forehead,  coming towards their direction and said in a timorous voice that he was his class teacher Masilamani Sir and  he wished to avoid him.

Ignoring the boy’s fear, Shanmugam went towards the teacher and introduced himself as Shanmugam father of  Kumaran. Masilamani put his hand around the boy and said,”Kumaran is  a well behaved and obedient boy but needs to improve much in arithmetic, algebra and geometry where his marks were consistently poor while in other subjects they were satisfactory.

“I am working in Pondicherry and visit home only on weekends and unable to devote time for the boy. Can you kindly coach him specially in the weak subjects and generally guide him in other areas. I am willing to pay whatever you demand.” said Shanmugam.

“Money is not important. You can pay whatever you deem fit after watching his progress. I am in Nana  street adjacent to post office and I hope your house is not far,” replied the teacher.

“Very well. He can start coming to you from tomorrow at whatever time is convenient for you. We live close by near Agastiyar ashram temple..

Within a month there was a dramatic improvement with the boy scoring good marks not only in arithmetic, algebra and geometry but high marks  in other subjects. It was not only the gentle and affectionate manner in which the teacher handled him but also the way he kindled the interest of the boy in a wide range of areas. He gave often the boy cookies, sweet balls of groundnut mixed with gur and other snacks to eat. Within six months, Kumaran with his new studious habits  was  within the first three positions in the class with centum in arithmetic every time.

After about three years Shanmugam was transferred to Delhi and the family also moved with him. Masilamani lost touch with Kumaran.

More than two decades had elapsed and Kumaran who had finished PG in economics in Delhi school of economics had become an IPS officer in the central government at Delhi. He had visited Chennai many times but never went  so far to the place where  he lived or studied. Impelled by a strong desire to visit the temple at Agastiyar ashram he was there at 7 am on a Friday during the current visit. The temple was his  childhood haunt and brought back many fond memories of his house, the school where he studied and most of all his teacher, Masilamani Sir. He even wondered whether he would have time to pay him a surprise visit.

When he went to the main sanctum, he found a figure on the steps with his head bent towards the sanctum and sobbing softly. Wondering whether it could  be a person crying emotionally before the lord or someone who needed medical help, he went near him. The trademark ash marks with kumkum on his forehead, the aquiline nose and the ochre coloured jibba gave away unmistakably  who he was. He. had grown old and the body was emaciated. He gently touched him and asked  “Sir, I am Kumaran, your old student. Why are you in this position? Are you unwell or what?”

The figure sat up with a start and blinking unbelievingly at Tall and grown up Kumaran in his mid-thirties asked, “Are you Kumaran the bright boy in my class who visited my house  for three years and later left for Delhi?”

“Yes Sir, I am the same Kumaran,” he said as he bent down to touch his feet. “What is bothering you? Why are you crying? Is anything bothering you? I can be of some help if possible if only you deem fit to tell me,” he said holding Masilamani's hands.

“It is a serious matter. It is all my destiny. Today is fixed for my daughter’s marriage  in the adjacent marriage hall. The muhurtam is fixed at 9 am. The bridegroom’s father demands that I pay immediately the promised dowry of Rs.5000 if the marriage were to proceed further. All the guests had assembled and were having breakfast. The purohit had started the rituals.I explained I could not muster the resources within the promised date and that I would pay within a fortnight. He is adamant and not agreeable. He shouted that they would pack their bags and leave. Everything stopped abruptly. I did not know what to do. Embarrassed by the muffled murmur among the guests, I came running here to plead before  God to save the marriage,” he said at one go.

“Have no worry, Sir. Let us go to the marriage hall. Get into my car. I have a meeting at 10 am at Fort St George and there is  no time to waste. I can surely help you out,” assured Kumaran. The car followed by a jeep with two men in Khaki stopped before the nearby marriage hall.

Seeing Masilamani alighting from the car with a tall gentleman and followed by a  jeep with two khaki clad men, the bridegroom’s father got scared that policemen had come to arrest him and rushed inside in a hurry.

“There is nothing to fear. You don’t have to rush. Please wait. We intend to resolve the matter amicably,” said Kumaran loudly followed by Masilamani pleading with his would-be-sammandhi to stop. Kumaran suggested that they go inside a room to finalise the issue and it was readily accepted.

Meantime, Kumaran handed over to Masilamani a packet containing Rs5000/ and said, “Here is the amount you need. I had brought this amount to be put in the Hundi at the temple. If today  I am in a good position , it is entirely  because of the hard work you put in to guide me. There was no turning back after the kickstart you gave me. Acharya or Guru is also considered like parents as equal to god. Instead of the other god at the temple, I offer this to you with grateful thanks,” and added  as he bent to touch his feet,” Kindly  accept it and bless me.” Dumbstruck at the unexpected and happy denouement, Masilamni embraced Kumaran with tears of joy flowing from his eyes.

The bride groom and his  father were summoned to the room when the money was handed over. Kumaran gently admonished the father, “What you have done is highly improper and unlawful. I hope there will not be any more demand or  harassment of the bride in future. Beware, she is like my younger sister. Turning to the groom, he said," I learn you are an ASI at Vellore. Give me more details about you through my teacher. You can all go to the hall and get started immediately.”

Turning to Masilamani,he asked, “ Sir, can you please  call your daughter? I am in a hurry to go to the meeting after visiting the temple.”

When the bride came and prostrated before him, he gave her a cover containing Rs.1000/ and said, “Have this small gift. I bless you both  with everlasting happiness.” Turning to the teacher, he asked ,”Can you give me a cup of coffee? I am in a hurry. One more thing lest I forget. I learned your son is a SSLC,24 years old and unemployed. Please send me his resume to the email address  in  this card of mine .I will  forward it to a  friend who is running a big Security Agency.”

As he stood up to take leave, surprisingly the temple bell tolled  and as if taking it as a cue, the nadaswaram and melam also started playing enthusiastically. The hall that was silent hitherto  came alive humming  with activity and noise amidst the rustle of silk saris and laughter from the ladies moving hither and thither.