They both stopped in front of a house. It wasn’t an ordinary house. It was a palatial mansion. The mansion had a huge old door that had turned black due to frequent polishing. The area on which the mansion stood was also very large; at least it seemed so from outside. To the left of the mansion and attached to it was a large cattle shed. It was empty at the moment. Perhaps Sarpanch’s cattle had gone to the forest in the morning for grazing. Sada led Ganesh through the huge door and made him sit in the drawing room. It was a room built at a little higher level and furnished with comfortable beds and long cushions. Ganesh entered the drawing room taking it in all over. Sada went inside. Perhaps to inform the Sarrpanch. The walls of the drawing room carried several photo frames. Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Mahatma Gandhi. Looking at them Ganesh sat on a bed. His attention was caught by the photo of a man wearing a rich headgear and having an impressively long thick moustache. Perhaps he was Sarpanch’s father, or grandfather. Just then Sada came out carrying a bucket of water.
“Come, Sir. Wash your hands and feet. The long journey must have made you tired.”
“Hmm” Ganesh said and walked to the outer platform. Taking out water from the bucket in a small round pot called ‘lota’ Ganesh washed his hands and feet and took water in his mouth to gargle. After a while, he began to look around for a place where he could spit the water out.
“Spit there itself, Sir,”
Feeling uncomfortable Ganesh spit a little aside even as Sada smiled to himself.
“Sarpanch Saheb is at his pooja. He’ll join you after finishing it. Meanwhile you can relax in this drawing room. I’ll arrange for some tea.” Sada said and handed a cloth to Ganesh for wiping his hands.
Ganesh began to wipe his hands while Sada hurried inside. After washing hands and feet, Ganesh felt refreshed. During the bus journey his face was completely covered with dust and sweat. After wiping his face he kept the cloth aside and, leaning against a long thick cushion, he stretched his legs. To overcome his tiredness he also stretched his arms and loosened his joints. Just then Sada brought water to drink. The manner of serving drinking water here seemed a little different. Sada handed him a small brass round pot called lota filled with drinking water. A brass cup was kept on the mouth of the pot. He had seen such manner of serving water in the Baramati region. One poured required quantity of water into the brass cup and drank it. After drinking the water, the brass cup was replaced on the round pot. Somehow, even earlier, when he had seen this way of serving water, he had not liked it. He was apprehensive that water from the replaced brass cup would trickle back into the pot.
But this was his way of looking at it. In the Baramati region all top people drank water in the same manner. Moreover Ganesh’s throat was parched. He had not had even a sip of water since leaving home early morning. He tilted the round pot above his opened mouth and drank some water. Only after emptying the pot did he keep it down and gave a sigh of satisfaction.
“You seem to be very thirsty, Sir. Shall I get you some more water?” Sada asked.
Ganesh shook his head and declined the offer.
Having finished his pooja, the daily routine morning worship, the Sarpanch calmly walked into the drawing room. He wore a sparkling white dhoti and, above it, a white vest made of cloth. On his forehead he sported a vertical mark of wet red vermillion. He had taken a bath just before his pooja. As such his oiled wet salt-pepper hair and his face were gleaming with freshness. On the whole his figure looked spiritual. Ganesh had already met the Sarpanch in the taluka town. As soon as the Sarpanch entered the drawing room, Ganesh sat upright.
“Good morning, Ganeshrao”
”Good morning sir”
The Sarpanch sat next to Ganesh reclining against a thick long cushion.
He gently slapped Ganesh on his back and asked, “So, was the journey tiresome?”
Ganesh was in a dilemma. He could not decide whether to agree that it was tiresome or not.
Seeing his dilemma, the Sarpanch said, “In the beginning it always is tiresome… to come all the way to this village on a bumpy road in a bus. But you will soon get used to it.”
Unlike the language of other villagers, the Sarpanch’s language, except for a word here and there, was not at all rustic.
Just then Sada came in with tea.
“Only tea?... Go, also get some snacks,”
Sada had brought two cups of tea in both his hands. Hearing Sarpanch’s new instruction he fumbled in the doorway.
“Let it be, Sarpanchji. I already had snacks before starting. I am in the habit of having breakfast as soon as I get up.”
“How can you not have anything? You are coming here for the first time and going without eating anything…?”
“No, Sarpanchji, I really don’t feel like having anything now.”
“Alright ..alright. But Sada, tell inside to arrange for his lunch and dinner.”
With a smile Sada nodded and with cups of tea in both hands stood before them. He handed each a cup and hurriedly went inside.
“Seems quite a helpful person,” Ganesh exclaimed looking in the direction in which Sada went.
The Sarpanch gave a startled look and asked, “Did he bring you here?”
“Yes”
“Oh God,” he said in exasperation.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
When the Sarpanch did not elaborate and went back to sipping tea Ganesh further said,
“Though he did not know me, he carried my suitcase all the way from the bus station to here…. Besides, he nicely entertained me with his talk. Truly such selfless and good people can be found only in villages. That too, only a handful of them.”
“Selfless and good? Who? Sada?’ Sarpanch exclaimed in surprise.
“Why isn’t he so?.... At least that’s the impression I got.”
“You’ll learn about him soon.” Sarpanch said and changed the topic.
“What would you like to do today? I mean would you like to take some rest and immediately start your work, or ….”
Ganesh realised that the Sarpanch had deliberately ceased talking about Sada. But he did not feel it proper to carry the subject further. He was tired after the tedious 3-4 hour journey and, as such, wasn’t very keen to start his work immediately. He fell into thinking.
“What must I do?”
“Start the work immediately?”
“Or rest for a while and then… “
The Sarpanch guessed the direction of his thinking.
“Alright. First, you lie down and take some rest. Meals will soon be ready. We can have our meals and then start the work.”
“Yes, that would be fine,” Ganesh said and tried to stretch his tired legs.
“Now, relax and take rest... I’ll ask Sada to shut the door,” the Sarpanch said and left the drawing room.
Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
Re: Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
In the afternoon, Ganesh and Sarpanch took meals and started from the house. One of the Sarpanch’s servants followed them. “First of all you must make some arrangement for your stay and food here. Regularly travelling up and down would not suit you… “
“Yes, I too felt the same way. At least as long as I am here, it would be nice if I can get a room.”
“You can easily have one. …. We have a house here. No one lives in it, But we use it to store farming tools such as plough, sickles, axes, chains, ropes and reins for the bullocks. We can let you use the front room.”
“Yes, that way our tools can also be under guard,” the Sarpanch’s servant unexpectedly interrupted them.
Sarpanch gave the servant an angry glare and asked him to keep quiet.
These stupid servants .. they have no sense to know what to speak and when....
Sarpanch thought.
What would Ganeshrao think? That we are letting him the house to keep an eye on the tools?...
“But Sarpanchji, I won’t be able to pay much towards rent”
“Don’t worry about the rent. What rent can I take from you?” Sarpanch slapped Ganeshrao’s back and said.
“How can that be? Whatever is the rent you should let me know, frankly.”
“Ganeshrao is this city to charge rent? If I take rent from you the entire village will begin talking about it and I would be put to shame.”
Ganesh realised that he was going the same way by which he had come from the bus station.
“This was the way we had come from the bus station.”
“Yes… Our house is also on this street. Possibly you might have passed it on your way.”
The three of them came near the provision store that Ganesh had seen before.
The beautiful woman was still at the cash counter. Looking at her, for some strange reason, Ganesh again felt enchanted. He felt his heart beat faster. Even now she did not take any notice of him. But Ganesh thought her agile and confident movements are eye catching.
“That’s Madhurani’s shop,” Sarpanch said noticing that Ganesh was looking at it.
“Is it?” Ganesh said without showing much interest.
“Look, our house is just opposite her shop” Sarpanch stood in front of a house that was opposite the provision store. It was not clear whether his voice was really mischievous or not, but at least Ganesh suspected that it was so.
The house comprised 3-4 rooms built from brick and mud. The rooms were covered with sloping tins that were fastened with nuts and bolts giving rise to several small hollows all over.
Sarpanch gave the keys to the servant and asked him to open the house. The servant hastily took the keys from Sarpanch’s hand and opened the door.
Just then Ganesh was startled by some movement very close to him. Madhurani had come and was now standing beside him.
“Good Afternoon Sarpanchji,” Madhurani’s sweet voice fell on his ears.
What a sweet and friendly voice.
“Good Afternoon ” Sarpanch turned and reciprocated her namaskar.
“You have come here after a long time… are you thinking of white-washing the house? If so, let me know… lots of paint is available in my store.”
Standing close to her Ganesh watched her body language and took in the way of her talking. When she talked, the opening and closing of her wet pink lips and her teeth that seemed like a row of white grains of rice held him enchanted. Mesmerised, Ganesh kept staring at her.
“No, nothing like that. … This is Ganeshrao. ..He is the new Gramsevak of our village. ..I wanted to give him a room to live in.”
“Aggabai?! Is that so? Seems to be from city. I didn’t notice at all. I thought he was one of your new guests.”
Now she moved a little away from him. Ganesh’s heart sank. He had liked the warm closeness of her body. But his heart once again soared as she looked directly into his eyes with her deep, mysterious and sad gaze captivating his heart.
Looking at her Ganesh gave a gentle smile.
“You are going to live here … that makes you my neighbour… I am sure we’d both get along very well,” she commented.
By this time, Sarpanch’s servant had opened the door and stepped in.
“Ganeshrao, I would suggest that you take this front room.”
“Okey Sarpanchji, I’ll get along” Madhurani said and began walking towards her shop.
Sarpanch nodded. While going she threw a glance at Ganesh and gave him a smile. Ganesh returned her smile.
After she went away, Sarpanch and Ganesh followed the servant into the room. The servant, looking here and there, had begun to search for something.
“You fool. First switch on the light. These servants are such great idiots,” an annoyed Sarpanch grumbled.
The servant traced his steps back to the door and turned on the switch. A yellow stream of light flooded the room.
In the room farm implements, such as plough, were lying scattered. They were all covered with fine dust. There were also a few bundles tied in gunny bags.
“The room is fine, isn’t it? … Hey you, remove all things from here and place them inside. Clean the room for him. He is going to live here from today.”
“Yes, Sir” the servant replied.
“And yes, the bathroom is inside,”
“The bathroom?”
“Yes, you can indeed call it a bathroom,” Sarpanch said with a smile.
Ganesh went in and had a look at the bathroom. While coming out he softly muttered, “And the toilet? I didn’t see any”
“Ganeshrao, this is village Ujni. So far there is not a single latrine here. Everyone is used to sitting in the open. Once, the government had built 3-4 latrines. But no one used them. Finally they pulled them down. They ought to have left at least one. It would have come handy for people like you.”
Ganesh was thoroughly embarrassed. Trying to hide his disappointment he said,
“The room seems alright. Of course, I won’t be staying here for long … maybe, three days in a week”
“Hey you, there’s another work for you. Whenever he is here you must bring and store water for him,” he instructed the servant.
“Water?” Ganesh asked in surprise.
“Now, don’t ask me where the tap is?” Sarpanch asked mischievously.
Ganesh gave an awkward smile.
“The servant will get water for you from the well over there,” Sarpanch said.
“Come, let us go to the office in the bazaar. Meanwhile, you clean the room and keep it ready” Sarpanch instructed the servant who immediately got engaged in the task.
Sarpanch and Ganesh came out of the room and began to walk towards the office. While on the way, though Ganesh tried hard he could not help throwing a glance at Madhurani’s cash counter.
“Yes, I too felt the same way. At least as long as I am here, it would be nice if I can get a room.”
“You can easily have one. …. We have a house here. No one lives in it, But we use it to store farming tools such as plough, sickles, axes, chains, ropes and reins for the bullocks. We can let you use the front room.”
“Yes, that way our tools can also be under guard,” the Sarpanch’s servant unexpectedly interrupted them.
Sarpanch gave the servant an angry glare and asked him to keep quiet.
These stupid servants .. they have no sense to know what to speak and when....
Sarpanch thought.
What would Ganeshrao think? That we are letting him the house to keep an eye on the tools?...
“But Sarpanchji, I won’t be able to pay much towards rent”
“Don’t worry about the rent. What rent can I take from you?” Sarpanch slapped Ganeshrao’s back and said.
“How can that be? Whatever is the rent you should let me know, frankly.”
“Ganeshrao is this city to charge rent? If I take rent from you the entire village will begin talking about it and I would be put to shame.”
Ganesh realised that he was going the same way by which he had come from the bus station.
“This was the way we had come from the bus station.”
“Yes… Our house is also on this street. Possibly you might have passed it on your way.”
The three of them came near the provision store that Ganesh had seen before.
The beautiful woman was still at the cash counter. Looking at her, for some strange reason, Ganesh again felt enchanted. He felt his heart beat faster. Even now she did not take any notice of him. But Ganesh thought her agile and confident movements are eye catching.
“That’s Madhurani’s shop,” Sarpanch said noticing that Ganesh was looking at it.
“Is it?” Ganesh said without showing much interest.
“Look, our house is just opposite her shop” Sarpanch stood in front of a house that was opposite the provision store. It was not clear whether his voice was really mischievous or not, but at least Ganesh suspected that it was so.
The house comprised 3-4 rooms built from brick and mud. The rooms were covered with sloping tins that were fastened with nuts and bolts giving rise to several small hollows all over.
Sarpanch gave the keys to the servant and asked him to open the house. The servant hastily took the keys from Sarpanch’s hand and opened the door.
Just then Ganesh was startled by some movement very close to him. Madhurani had come and was now standing beside him.
“Good Afternoon Sarpanchji,” Madhurani’s sweet voice fell on his ears.
What a sweet and friendly voice.
“Good Afternoon ” Sarpanch turned and reciprocated her namaskar.
“You have come here after a long time… are you thinking of white-washing the house? If so, let me know… lots of paint is available in my store.”
Standing close to her Ganesh watched her body language and took in the way of her talking. When she talked, the opening and closing of her wet pink lips and her teeth that seemed like a row of white grains of rice held him enchanted. Mesmerised, Ganesh kept staring at her.
“No, nothing like that. … This is Ganeshrao. ..He is the new Gramsevak of our village. ..I wanted to give him a room to live in.”
“Aggabai?! Is that so? Seems to be from city. I didn’t notice at all. I thought he was one of your new guests.”
Now she moved a little away from him. Ganesh’s heart sank. He had liked the warm closeness of her body. But his heart once again soared as she looked directly into his eyes with her deep, mysterious and sad gaze captivating his heart.
Looking at her Ganesh gave a gentle smile.
“You are going to live here … that makes you my neighbour… I am sure we’d both get along very well,” she commented.
By this time, Sarpanch’s servant had opened the door and stepped in.
“Ganeshrao, I would suggest that you take this front room.”
“Okey Sarpanchji, I’ll get along” Madhurani said and began walking towards her shop.
Sarpanch nodded. While going she threw a glance at Ganesh and gave him a smile. Ganesh returned her smile.
After she went away, Sarpanch and Ganesh followed the servant into the room. The servant, looking here and there, had begun to search for something.
“You fool. First switch on the light. These servants are such great idiots,” an annoyed Sarpanch grumbled.
The servant traced his steps back to the door and turned on the switch. A yellow stream of light flooded the room.
In the room farm implements, such as plough, were lying scattered. They were all covered with fine dust. There were also a few bundles tied in gunny bags.
“The room is fine, isn’t it? … Hey you, remove all things from here and place them inside. Clean the room for him. He is going to live here from today.”
“Yes, Sir” the servant replied.
“And yes, the bathroom is inside,”
“The bathroom?”
“Yes, you can indeed call it a bathroom,” Sarpanch said with a smile.
Ganesh went in and had a look at the bathroom. While coming out he softly muttered, “And the toilet? I didn’t see any”
“Ganeshrao, this is village Ujni. So far there is not a single latrine here. Everyone is used to sitting in the open. Once, the government had built 3-4 latrines. But no one used them. Finally they pulled them down. They ought to have left at least one. It would have come handy for people like you.”
Ganesh was thoroughly embarrassed. Trying to hide his disappointment he said,
“The room seems alright. Of course, I won’t be staying here for long … maybe, three days in a week”
“Hey you, there’s another work for you. Whenever he is here you must bring and store water for him,” he instructed the servant.
“Water?” Ganesh asked in surprise.
“Now, don’t ask me where the tap is?” Sarpanch asked mischievously.
Ganesh gave an awkward smile.
“The servant will get water for you from the well over there,” Sarpanch said.
“Come, let us go to the office in the bazaar. Meanwhile, you clean the room and keep it ready” Sarpanch instructed the servant who immediately got engaged in the task.
Sarpanch and Ganesh came out of the room and began to walk towards the office. While on the way, though Ganesh tried hard he could not help throwing a glance at Madhurani’s cash counter.
Re: Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
Ganesh sat in the office waiting for the former Gramsevak. The government had given a grant and had got a nice office constructed in the ground where the weekly bazaar was held every Thursday. Ganesh could not start work until he officially took charge from the previous Gramsevak. Just then he sensed someone at the door. He looked up.
So, the former Gramsevak seemed to have arrived.
He waited for him to come in. But for a long time no one came in. Once again staring at the walls Ganesh waited for the Gramsevak. Again, he saw a movement at the door.
Some villager must have come on work.
Bastards, I have not yet taken charge and already people have started coming....
“Who is it?” Ganesh raised his voice and called out from his seat.
“It’s me, Sir. Pandu.”
“Look! I have joined just today. I haven’t even taken charge of my work. Come tomorrow.”
“No, Sir. I am the peon here.”
“Peon? But when I arrived to take charge I was told that no one else was here.”
“No.. it is not like that..Sir”
He came near like a dog wagging its tail and walking towards its master.
“How come, Kharade Saheb hasn’t yet come?” Ganesh asked.
“He’ll be coming now, Sir. He has to come from his village. As such, at times, he is delayed.”
“Delayed? He was supposed to be here in the morning. It is already past noon and he has not yet come.”
“He’ll come, Sir. At times, things like this do happen.”
“And where do you stay?” Ganesh asked.
“Just on the other side. I heard movement in the office. I thought that Kharade Saheb had come. Then, I met Sarpanch on the way. He told me that the new Saheb has come.”
It was clear that there was no fixed time for the former Gramsevak to come to the office. Ganesh did not say anything.
Once again he looked into his watch impatiently.
“Shall I get you some tea, Sir?”
“Tea? Is there a hotel nearby?”
“No, Sir ”
“Then, from where would you get the tea?”
“I’ll get it from a neighbour… from someone.”
“And money?”
“Who can dare to take money from you, Sir ?”
“But how can we … how can we take anything free of charge, without paying?”
“Sir , the public here is a fool. It will not accept money even if we force it into their hand … then why should we bother? Whether it is free or not?” He held out a hand to Ganesh expecting Ganesh to clap on it in appreciation of his wit.”
Ganesh looked at his soiled clothes and sweaty body and drew back the hand that he was about to give him an appreciative clap. Obviously the peon was trying to make him open up and feel free.
Once again there was a movement at the door. Ganesh and Pandu looked up. At last, Kharade Saheb had come. Kharade Saheb was in white pyjama and a coloured silk shirt, his face was oily, the thinning hair that was heavily oiled were still dark.
So, at last Kharade Saheb had arrived.
“Namaskar, Sir,” Pandu greeted him.
Ignoring Pandu’s greeting, Kharade Saheb spat red betel leaf juice on a wall in the corner.
“What could I do? I left home in the morning itself. But managed to reach here only now, in the afternoon,” Kharade Saheb said looking at Ganesh and sitting in a chair.
Ganesh merely gave a weak smile. He knew that instead of dwelling on the subject of his arriving late, the task of handing over the charge would be completed soon, if he straight away plunged into the work. Otherwise it could easily take another day.
“How much time it would take to take over the charge?”
“You see Ganeshrao, it would not take much time for me to hand it to you. It’s just a matter of five minutes. But it is up to you to decide, how much time you would need to take it,” Kharade Saheb said, chuckling at his own wit. He stretched his legs under the table.
Pandu came nearer and he handed his bag to him. Pandu kept the bag in a door-less cupboard built in the wall nearby. There were several more papers in the cupboard catching dust. In a corner there was a steel almarah.
Perhaps all files must have been stored in it.
Ganesh was thinking. Seeing that Kharade Saheb did not show any sign of starting the work, Ganesh suggested, “Shall we begin?”
“Have patience, Saheb. What’s the hurry? First let us have some tea and then we can start our work. Have you ever seen government works getting finished so quick …. Of course, you are new … but slowly you’ll get used to it. When I was new, I too was like you. But shall I tell you something … earlier I used to become very angry .. at the government employees …I had decided to change the entire system,.. but, look, I had started to change the system and it was the system that changed me… “ Kharade Saheb rambled.
Ganesh heard him out silently. He knew that there was no use saying anything. It would have only added to the delay.
“Hey Pandya …go and get tea from Shantabai,” Kharade Saheb ordered. Pandu quickly ran out. Kharade Saheb moved his chair to a more comfortable position. “So… will you be living here or daily make up and down trips?” Kharade Saheb asked
“Sarpanch has given me a room here.”
“Is that so? Sarpanch is very generous.”
Kharade Saheb looked around to see that no one was within hearing distance. Then he leaned over Ganesh and said, “One personal thing … I want to give you a sincere advice… “
Ganesh waited to find out what Kharade Saheb’s sincere advice was.
“People here .. are very bad… Don’t get involved with them… Here, it is best to keep to our self. … If you advice one, another pounces on you … If you bring another one closer, third becomes angry… the village is very bad. In my entire career I have not seen any other village that is so bad,” Kharade Saheb kept telling him.
Ganesh had no interest in listening to Kharade Saheb’s chatter. He was anxious to take charge as quickly as possible.
“I think all files must be in this almarah, are they?” Ganesh again tried to raise the original issue.
Kharade Saheb did not answer him. Once again he got up, spat out a stream of betel and tobacco in a corner and returned.
“You must be keeping the almarah keys with you…” Ganesh said trying to hasten things.
“What Sir … You are in such a great hurry .. But in a government office such sincerity is of no use … Such sincerity only fetches us trouble… I am saying this out of my experience .. If you want I can give you in writing… “
Ganesh was at a loss to know how to handle this person. He was getting irritated and was also amused. But there was no use getting annoyed. Laughing also would not have helped. It would have further spoilt matters. At last Ganesh decided to go along with Kharade Saheb’s mood even if it took a couple of days more. Even otherwise what alternative did he have? As Kharade Saheb went on chattering Ganesh got immersed in a different world where he was able to hear Kharade Saheb’s chatter but was neither annoyed nor amused.
So, the former Gramsevak seemed to have arrived.
He waited for him to come in. But for a long time no one came in. Once again staring at the walls Ganesh waited for the Gramsevak. Again, he saw a movement at the door.
Some villager must have come on work.
Bastards, I have not yet taken charge and already people have started coming....
“Who is it?” Ganesh raised his voice and called out from his seat.
“It’s me, Sir. Pandu.”
“Look! I have joined just today. I haven’t even taken charge of my work. Come tomorrow.”
“No, Sir. I am the peon here.”
“Peon? But when I arrived to take charge I was told that no one else was here.”
“No.. it is not like that..Sir”
He came near like a dog wagging its tail and walking towards its master.
“How come, Kharade Saheb hasn’t yet come?” Ganesh asked.
“He’ll be coming now, Sir. He has to come from his village. As such, at times, he is delayed.”
“Delayed? He was supposed to be here in the morning. It is already past noon and he has not yet come.”
“He’ll come, Sir. At times, things like this do happen.”
“And where do you stay?” Ganesh asked.
“Just on the other side. I heard movement in the office. I thought that Kharade Saheb had come. Then, I met Sarpanch on the way. He told me that the new Saheb has come.”
It was clear that there was no fixed time for the former Gramsevak to come to the office. Ganesh did not say anything.
Once again he looked into his watch impatiently.
“Shall I get you some tea, Sir?”
“Tea? Is there a hotel nearby?”
“No, Sir ”
“Then, from where would you get the tea?”
“I’ll get it from a neighbour… from someone.”
“And money?”
“Who can dare to take money from you, Sir ?”
“But how can we … how can we take anything free of charge, without paying?”
“Sir , the public here is a fool. It will not accept money even if we force it into their hand … then why should we bother? Whether it is free or not?” He held out a hand to Ganesh expecting Ganesh to clap on it in appreciation of his wit.”
Ganesh looked at his soiled clothes and sweaty body and drew back the hand that he was about to give him an appreciative clap. Obviously the peon was trying to make him open up and feel free.
Once again there was a movement at the door. Ganesh and Pandu looked up. At last, Kharade Saheb had come. Kharade Saheb was in white pyjama and a coloured silk shirt, his face was oily, the thinning hair that was heavily oiled were still dark.
So, at last Kharade Saheb had arrived.
“Namaskar, Sir,” Pandu greeted him.
Ignoring Pandu’s greeting, Kharade Saheb spat red betel leaf juice on a wall in the corner.
“What could I do? I left home in the morning itself. But managed to reach here only now, in the afternoon,” Kharade Saheb said looking at Ganesh and sitting in a chair.
Ganesh merely gave a weak smile. He knew that instead of dwelling on the subject of his arriving late, the task of handing over the charge would be completed soon, if he straight away plunged into the work. Otherwise it could easily take another day.
“How much time it would take to take over the charge?”
“You see Ganeshrao, it would not take much time for me to hand it to you. It’s just a matter of five minutes. But it is up to you to decide, how much time you would need to take it,” Kharade Saheb said, chuckling at his own wit. He stretched his legs under the table.
Pandu came nearer and he handed his bag to him. Pandu kept the bag in a door-less cupboard built in the wall nearby. There were several more papers in the cupboard catching dust. In a corner there was a steel almarah.
Perhaps all files must have been stored in it.
Ganesh was thinking. Seeing that Kharade Saheb did not show any sign of starting the work, Ganesh suggested, “Shall we begin?”
“Have patience, Saheb. What’s the hurry? First let us have some tea and then we can start our work. Have you ever seen government works getting finished so quick …. Of course, you are new … but slowly you’ll get used to it. When I was new, I too was like you. But shall I tell you something … earlier I used to become very angry .. at the government employees …I had decided to change the entire system,.. but, look, I had started to change the system and it was the system that changed me… “ Kharade Saheb rambled.
Ganesh heard him out silently. He knew that there was no use saying anything. It would have only added to the delay.
“Hey Pandya …go and get tea from Shantabai,” Kharade Saheb ordered. Pandu quickly ran out. Kharade Saheb moved his chair to a more comfortable position. “So… will you be living here or daily make up and down trips?” Kharade Saheb asked
“Sarpanch has given me a room here.”
“Is that so? Sarpanch is very generous.”
Kharade Saheb looked around to see that no one was within hearing distance. Then he leaned over Ganesh and said, “One personal thing … I want to give you a sincere advice… “
Ganesh waited to find out what Kharade Saheb’s sincere advice was.
“People here .. are very bad… Don’t get involved with them… Here, it is best to keep to our self. … If you advice one, another pounces on you … If you bring another one closer, third becomes angry… the village is very bad. In my entire career I have not seen any other village that is so bad,” Kharade Saheb kept telling him.
Ganesh had no interest in listening to Kharade Saheb’s chatter. He was anxious to take charge as quickly as possible.
“I think all files must be in this almarah, are they?” Ganesh again tried to raise the original issue.
Kharade Saheb did not answer him. Once again he got up, spat out a stream of betel and tobacco in a corner and returned.
“You must be keeping the almarah keys with you…” Ganesh said trying to hasten things.
“What Sir … You are in such a great hurry .. But in a government office such sincerity is of no use … Such sincerity only fetches us trouble… I am saying this out of my experience .. If you want I can give you in writing… “
Ganesh was at a loss to know how to handle this person. He was getting irritated and was also amused. But there was no use getting annoyed. Laughing also would not have helped. It would have further spoilt matters. At last Ganesh decided to go along with Kharade Saheb’s mood even if it took a couple of days more. Even otherwise what alternative did he have? As Kharade Saheb went on chattering Ganesh got immersed in a different world where he was able to hear Kharade Saheb’s chatter but was neither annoyed nor amused.