MY LORD, THE BABY - Rabindranath Tagore

             Rabindranath Tagore is one of India’s national icons. He was a mystic, poet, dramatist, novelist, educationalist and reformer. He has authored many short stories that embody the Indian ethos. They reveal his essential humanity and deep understanding of human nature. “My Lord, the Baby” is a tale of love and loyalty that goes beyond all castes, creeds and social hierarchies.

When Raicharan was 12 years old he joined as a servant in a master’s house who was of the same caste. He nursed the master’s little son, Anukul. Anukul grew up and joined the judicial service. Anukul got married and when he had a son born to him, Raicharan took care of the little one too. Raicharan’s whole attention was upon the little one. He wondered at the little one’s skill and judgment and used to say that the little one will become a judge. Raicharan was almost like a playmate for the little one. When the little one called Raicharan as “Chan-na”, Raicharan was extremely happy.

Anukul got transferred to a district on the banks of Padma. On their way through Calcutta they bought a go-cart, a yellow satin waist coat, a gold-laced cap, and gold bracelets and anklets for the little one. Raicharan wore all these things to the little one whenever they went for walk with pride. During that rainy season, rain poured down in torrents and all the rivers banks crumbled and overflowed because of the flood.

On one afternoon, when the sky was almost clear, the little one refused to stay inside the home and the little one and Raicharan went out to the rice-fields on the banks of the river Padma. Since the little one was very adamant in getting the Kadamba flowers, Raicharan left the little one in go-cart, after a warning to stay still, and went near the tree to pluck the flowers. In the midst, the little one went near the Padma and acted as if catching fishes. When Raicharan returned with handful of flowers he was shocked on not finding the little one. Even after searching till evening, Raicharan could not find the baby. Anukul too sent his servants in search of the child but it’s of no use. Everyone thought that Padma is the reason for the little one’s disappearance except Anukul’s wife. She blamed that Raicharan stole the baby for the jewels and asked him to leave the house immediately.

Back in the Village, Raicharan’s wife gave birth to a child and died. His windowed sister took care of the baby and named him Phailna. Initially Raicharan felt that it was a grave offence to rejoice with his own baby, when he was the reason for the death of his master’s baby. So he hated his own baby. But as the baby grew up and started to talk, he found many resemblance between the little master and his own baby. He thought that the little master himself has born to him. So he started to take good care of the baby. He decided to bring up the baby like the little master, with all richness. He even melted the ornaments of his dead wife and made gold bracelets and anklets for Phailna. He didn’t allowed the baby to mingle with his village kids and the grown up laughed at his craziness.

Raicharan sold his small piece of land and went to Calcutta and joined Phailna in a good school. After a lot of difficulty he got a job for himself. Raicharan gave good dress, good food and good education to Phailna but he starved. Phailna too grew up into a handsome boy. Raicharan never said to anyone that Phailna was his son and though Raicharan was fatherly in affection, he had a manner of servant. Raicharan’s health condition was getting worse due to lack of food and rest. He could no longer fulfill his duty properly. Phailna too was asking for more money. Coming to a decision, Raicharan left his son with some money and went to meet Anukul, his old master, who was now in Baraset as a magistrate.

Anukul had no other son after the little one and Anukul’s wife was spending lot of money to get pregnant. Raicharan went to his master’s house and said that it was not Padma, but it was him, who stole the child and he will come back with the child within two days. As he said, Raicharan took Phailna to his ex-master’s house. Anukul’s wife was so much happy and excited on seeing Phailna but Anukul asked for proof and he is not ready to accept Raicharan’s reply that God is the only proof. But on seeing the happiness in his wife’s face, he too accepted Phailna as their son.

Though Anukul’s wife was ready to forgive Raicharan, Anukul refused to forgive him and asked him to leave the house immediately. Though Raicharan requested a lot to accept him as his servant, Anukul refused it. Phailna, who was silent till then called Anukul as father and said that they can send a small monthly pension to Raicharan. On hearing it Raicharan returned without uttering anything. When they sent money at the end of the month, the money came back since there was no one in the village named Raicharan.

Thus through the character of Raicharan, Tagore gives a typical example of a care-giver.

---HAPPY LEARNING----