Padma Massi

                                                         Padma massi                               

                     “Oh! What happened to our massi? Who gave this news? Why, she resigned?” one of V.N.GODHANI teachers asked to sweeper at the washroom. He came directly from a tea room and was discussing with the teacher about Padma massi who resigned from her work. It was morning time and the news spread on the premises like fire. Initially nobody was ready to gulp it, but it was a fact.

                                 Padma massi was a tea maker at V.N.Godhani school for 40 years. One day she submitted a resignation letter to the school management. She put everyone into dilemma. Everybody was habituated with her tea and its taste. So everybody inquired about her and reason of resignation. Some of teachers as well as the management started asking her why she gave the resignation letter. Whether anybody insulted or hurt her feeling. But she kept silent and said nothing. On the other hand, the management was in serious mood about her because of her service at the school had been since 1978.

                   The main trustee thought of giving farewell to her. So he asked all teachers about what manner they had to give it to her. It was suggestion to all of staffers. Everybody tried to tell the different thing. Somebody suggested offering a set of jewellery. Other pointed out about a set of some Bengali sarees. The principal put a request of an insurance policy and security to her old age. All of them were thinking of the best one to give on her farewell. In the midst of the school discussion, everyone got to know that her son returned to city and insisted her to come with him to USA. He was living in New York with American wife and two children. At first Padma massi turned him down and declared that she would live and die there only. But he was very obstinate, so she surrendered herself before him.

                            Then suddenly the management announced that she would be a chief guest of upcoming Independence Day celebration and to hoist the flag on that day. It was pointed out from one of the members of school family. The invitation cards were being printed and likely to be distributed everywhere in a week. It was convinced by school to her. Still everybody was in tension and asking each other why she was going and leaving them.

                The preparation as well as band practice was going in full practice. The day came, on that day she was the chief of the programme. She was in same saree which she used for many years. That day she was simple, shy, afraid and silent. Somehow she tried to manage herself and in deep thought. Everybody looked at her and all eyes were upon her. And she all time was looking down. As the head boy and the girl declared the agendas of the celebration. It was started with national pledge and Vande Mataram. Then two boys went toward her and welcomed her. Then they invited her at hoisting the flag. Slowly and gradually she started walking, not as the boys. Then the head boy announced loudly,

                     “Be ready to salute the Indian flag”, but the massi was quivering, her whole body started to vibrate. Even her hand also started shivering, as if something caught to her. She somehow hoisted the flag with shivering hands. Some of the teachers thought of assisting her, but had question of who to be supposed to go there and help her. All including outside people looked at her with self-pity. But she at last did it successfully and the head girl put a plea before her to give the speech on Independence Day.

                                     At a time everybody was curious to know her thought and opinion about the life and independent. It seemed to her that it was put a big stone on her heart. She didn’t know what and how to deliver it. At first she became emotional and shaky. Somehow she started to utter, but something stopped her. That was her tears as if water of the Ganges was flowing full in both side of it. She wiped her tears with torn saree, showing how she was facing the speech. Again she collected her courage and began the speech. The flow of tears were coming down when she started it, she said that first time she got a chance to speak before all of them. Otherwise she had been only chattering with gas stove, strainer and cup etc. In four walls she lived for 40 years at school and didn’t get freedom to speak out her mind. That day she understood the meaning of it. She expressed her feeling,

“Today I get it , thank to you all and gave a chance to be a chief guest , but still I don’t know about India Independence and feel that I am also like India. Get freedom to speak, stand and show my feeling before you all. Ahhh …….. I serve this school for 40 years; don’t know outside world   whether it is free or not”       

                    Then she again started weeping. Even one of the principals went at her and tried to wipe her tears. As soon as the principal wiped, Padma massi extended thank, “Thank, Divya mam”    

                                            Then she raised the questions, self doubt, depression and pain of her life. Still she was speaking with flow of tears on dried and wrinkled face. Silent occupied there and only she had independent to speak, others listened to her. Some of teachers also became emotional and started weeping. They had a lot of questions and regrets. But nobody shared anything with her up to the time. That day exposed how many people of Godhani School were with her. Even some teachers put self blame and others remarked negative on management. Further one of teachers exclaimed,

            ” I think, we will have to request to son of our Baa.” Others immediately agreed by saying, “absolutely, good but………………………….” He might be in doubt that who would support them. By that time the massi concluded her speech, “Now I am feeling totally free like Bharat Mata, thank you all.”

      All clapped thunderously and it was for two minutes. Slowly everybody went to staffroom for the refreshment and the massi directly went the tea room with tears on her cheek. There fell total silent in the campus for some time and waiting someone to begin a prating. They had a lot of grievances about themselves. They were ready to show pity to others about the massi that they cared much. At least they were in the situation to show attachment. As soon as tea and refreshment were served, they started to chat among themselves. By that time the teachers had view to put a plea before her stubborn son not to take her. They tried showing as if she was their real mother. They were ready to combat the battle for her. As soon as all of them finished refreshment, rushed to the principal’s office and shared the view.

                                      “Divya mam, we think to request her son about our massi, not take her to USA” She replied, “Yes, but uncertain about his permission, let’s see what we can do for her.” All were in agreement and gladly went to their home. The following day, all gathered at the massi’s tea room as if a queue for railway tickets. At 10.o clock, Nanu kaka sent for her son. Afterward he turned up there at management office. All teachers gathered outside during recess to see what the things transpired between them. Everybody had doubt of convincing her son. They were talked that he was very arrogant, obstinate and western cultured. They didn’t know what and how to pursue him. They saw long meeting of management and him. Simultaneously the teachers decided mentally to fight for the massi and might consider going for legal action. They had the view that he was not worrisome about her. And suddenly he appeared like the lord Shiva who asked for a bowl of poison. In between they were an eyewitness of heat argument of her son and management. Sometime he stood while talking with Nanu kaka, a trustee, who was trying to convince. All of sudden he came out of the office and speaking loudly, “Why I need to understand your feeling.” He went straight to the tea room, started to argue there and asking the massi whether she would come.

                                        All teachers followed and listened to him. Some of them appalled him and others became emotional. Even the massi didn’t know how to handle and convince him. At that time one of teachers whose brother studied law, so started asking him about his care for many years. He bluntly asked him why he had not come during 40 years and showed his tending nature toward his mother. He stated that they might surrender at the court on Padma massi. At that time her son got shocked when he listened to them and one of them argued like a well known lawyer. He was in tension as if they were fighting for his mother like Mahatma Gandhi and his companions for India.

                          The massi requested all of them to keep silent and offered a cup of tea to him so that he might cool down. She too started weeping while talking with him, telling that she was habituated to live there and happy with the work. That day she was also surprised about the school and teachers’ affection for her. Therefore she was trying to tell him that she would live and die there. She assured him to give whatever she had. All teachers and the management stood there and tried to make him understand their emotions.

                    Some of them were in position to take action if not accepted by him. But he had agreed to get back after his mother convinced him of her property. That was to be handed over him after her death. Then it was assumed that he came only for the property and not the massi. He was in tension about who would get his mother’s property. That’s why he was there, but he got what he had wished and returned to America without taking blessing of the massi. On the other hand, all teachers including management were in full joy and expressed their thank to her. Some of them began to leap on the place like the Jester at Royal court.

         That day united all in one bond like joint family and all of staffers extended gratitude to the Godhani School.