We have just finished lunch. But I am not ready for my afternoon nap. Frankly, when it's this pleasant, one does not even feel like a nap. It's neither hot nor cold. The day is bright. The breeze is gentle. Perhaps a little later, I'll lie down for a while and rest because tonight is going to be hectic in a fun sort of way.
The kids came to school today. But there were no classes. Instead, they spruced up the classrooms, cleaned up the temples and other "public" areas and went home to come back this evening to light up the lamps and burst the few crackers we bought and also partake of the sweets we have ordered for them.
Bhola went to Devdanr to fetch all this. Unfortunately, there's a tractor stuck on the only bridge on the only road connecting Devdanr to Roldih and so he can't come through. He's stuck there and couldn't even make it for lunch. Meanwhile Chandrama from Cheo came to collect the sweets for the kids up in the hills. So I asked him to go to the bridge on his motorbike and collect Cheo's share. No point in his waiting here. It's so convenient that he now has a bike.
Acorrding to him almost every family now has a motorbike! Wow!! That's progress for you. Not so long ago, the Paharias did not even possess bicycles. And now, all the young people that I know, have shiny new motorcycles. Even Chandrama, who claims that the honorarium we give him is the only income he has, bought a motorbike! It's second hand, but it did not come cheap.
I asked Ramnath if he has one and he made a sad face and said he has no money. But today I discovered that his son, who is in college and has no source of income, has a new motorcycle! Where did that come from? Hence, it's obvious that the Paharias are definitely earning enough money from the sale of forest produce and the sale of cash crops such as beans and oilseeds.
Now my next question is, why can't they pay for the education of their children? Some do. They spend good money to send their kids to government schools elsewhere. And I've been told they often have to give a "bribe" of upto 5,000 Rupees to get their children admitted to these schools that are free. So why can't these people pretend to be peniless when it comes to paying a few rupees fees to the project school in Cheo?
I am now, no longer feeling guilty about thinking of closing down the Cheo centre. Ramnath and Chandrama can continue teaching theire and getting the parents to pay them a "tuition fee". Whatever they get will be extra income. I'm sure they are not dependent of Dakshinayan for their bread and butter. In fact, no one is. Everyone here owns some land -- especially the tribals. So even if the Cheo centre closes down (even Roldih) the "teachers" won't be affected in any way. I do admit that the children of Cheo may be deprived of "quality education". But it's not as if they won't be getting any education at all. There is always the option of the government schools. The Cheo school is more like a preperatory school. It prepares the kids to gain easy entrance to the government schools.
Bhola is here now. The road is clear. Chandrama has taken his sweets and gone back to Cheo. Some of the school kids have started drifting in. The celebrations are going to start early it seems. So let me wish all of you a Very Happy and Enjoyable Diwali this evening with family and friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment