Well, Well, Well....

It was a routine morning. Breakfast. School. Lunch. The well diggers came on time and were busy digging all morning. By lunch time they had finished digging and were pouring in the concrete for the well wall. Still no water. But the diggers are confident that we will definitely strike water at 20 feet. The well, today is 14 feet deep. They'll work tomorrow. But not on Sunday. So from the looks of it, we can't expect any water in the well till next Tuesday or Wednesday -- all fools day!

I fell asleep after lunch. When I woke up the cup of tea and the plate of cauliflower pakoras on my table had turned cold. Suman must have left them there at 3:30 pm. I wasn't aware of anyone having entered my room. I was dead to the world. When I came out of my room after munching on a few cold pakoras, Sharad was walking towards his room. The team had just returned from the village visit.

They had gone to Rai Tola (Haripur) today to Hemanti's house. Her father was not it. And her mother was too shy to talk to them. Apparently she kept her head and face covered all the while they were there. She, however, claims that her daughter studies till 10 pm every day! And apparenlty her father teaches her!! Jagdish, her father, who used to supply us milk, is drunk whenever I've seen him. Wonder what he teaches her till that late at night. He can hardly sign his name. Anyway. At least he's taking some interest in his daughter's studies.

Nilambar is slowly taking a very active interest in the project. He was painting the main gate after he got back this evening. A few of his ex-students -- mostly from Burhikura -- came to chat with him. Sharad and I couldn't help but evesdrop. They kids were talking about how much they had to bribe the government teachers to mark their papers! These are middle school kids. And they are already talking about bribing teachers to get pass marks! And I wonder what kind of people become teachers here. I think such teachers should be lined up and shot. They are causing more damage to this country than all the terrorists put together!

In the evening, Bhola, Sharad and I chatted a bit. Mostly about solar panels, the prospect of electricity coming to Roldih, etc. After dinner Bhola went home. Bansi and Nilambar have retired to their rooms. Sharad too. And I'm writing this blog and wondering if I'll get any sleep tonight.