Table of Contents
Chapter 21
Police arrests Jognath accusing him of the shelf (at Gayadin’s house). His house is searched and along with the ornaments, a number of other things are magically produced.
Vaidyaji and Ruppan investigate the matter and try to find the politics behind his arrest. They conclude that the Police is favouring Ramadhin over Vaidyaji. Hence when the latter tries to appeal for Jognath’s bail, the inspector rejects his request.
At Ramadhin’s house, bhang is made. Ranganath and Sanichar, while on the way go to his house and find Langar there who tells that he is about to get his copy. On the way back, Sanichar and Ranganath find some gamblers and describe how they live in their own world with their own language.
Chapter 22
Ranganath narrates his encounter with a girl in the night while he was sleeping. On the other hand, Ruppan tries his best to prove that the person would not be a girl.
Ranganath goes to a neighboring village to buy some almonds. On the way, he meets a man who introduces himself as the father of a lawyer and tries to prove his son’s profession more successful over all other professions.
While on the way, Ranganath grasps point tips of long grass and ties them into a large knot to clear the path. When the man asks about it, Ranganath, on seeing his curiosity jokingly says, “Uncle told me that on the way there’s a forest of Kans grass. Tie a knot in the tips of the grass. Lord Hanuman will be pleased.”
After trying another knot Ranganath says loudly, “Victory to Lord Hanuman!” The person and an old lady seeing him doing so also start doing the same act.
Ranganath does not find any almonds there and returns back with Sanichar who had gone for a haircut. On way back, they find the whole forest in the knotted condition.
A person passing by tells Sanichar that he has done this like others to praise Lord Hanuman. Ranganath tells about the dream of his uncle and finds Sanichar also doing the same.
Chapter 23
In a village, a person murders someone but he is liberated and all charges are taken off after by bribery and thus he arranges a party for his supporters. A number of people go from Shivpalganj go there. Thus Ranganath remains alone with Vaidyaji. The latter bores Ranganath with his boring lectures throughout the day.
In the evening Ranganath goes out and meets Principal. An argument arises between the two and soon gets heated. The principal tries to boost his position and narrates how he was once given unfair marks when he tried to ask a question to a professor and offended him.
Ranganath tries to calm down the matter by agreeing to what he says. Principal than narrates the incident with Khanna and defends his ac lions. On the way, they find sub-inspectors luggage being loaded as he is going to the city because his daughter wants to study in a convent school.
Chapter 24
Sanichar starts campaigning for election and begs for votes to everyone whom he meets. On the other hand, Ramadhin’s brother who had become rich because of this position also starts campaigning.
On Gandhian Platform (near Chamrahi) Ramadhin haves a well dug which has already been dug, however this time it is registered “officially as ‘Well Constitution Scheme’. It has apolitical plot to extract good seized grant.”
The election takes place in Pardhan, Shukla then tells three different methods- the Ramnagar Method, the Nevada Method and the Mahipalpur Method).
- Ramnagar Method: One of the two election contestants was arrested along with his men as the other contestant bribed police for doing so. Later the one who bribed the police announced that he is working for them who have been arrested.
- Nevada Method: When election contestants were to be contested between a Brahmin and a Harijan, the Brahmin made the people vote him by bringing a Baba who predicted that Brahmin will win.
- Mahipalpur Method: It was the scientific method. The one who won the election had kept his watch faster. As a result, he made the time of his watch to be the official time of the village. His men voted and when others were supposed to vote at the right time, voting was over and he won. A case was registered against him, however, no outcome was made.
Sanichar using this method wins the election making all others shocked.
Chapter 25
A love letter falls on the roof and Ranganath reads it doubting that Bela might have written to Ruppan. Badri comes and Ranganath tells about the letter and the former feels restless.
It is the hearing of the case of Jognath and most of the people go to the city as “they get heartfelt satisfaction from seeing the hooligan humiliated. And the hooligan to gets heartfelt satisfaction from thinking as many people have come from the village to support him.”
In the court, Chote comes to “testify for Police against Jognath”. Langar who have also come narrates that he is about the get his copy and is thus ridiculed.
Hearing of the case begins and the conversation turns towards the daughter of Gayadin. However, Jognath’s lawyer opposes the relevance of Bela and starts questioning the witness who is a disciple of Radhelal who is famous for bearing false witnesses.
The lawyer tries his best to prove him false but fails. Next Chote is called in the witness box. An argument begins and in the end, it is told by Chote that Jognath and Bela are in love and thus to take revenge, Gayadin wants him to be involved in the case.
Sub-inspector also comes and tries to avoid being humiliated for making a case against Jognath. Ultimately Jognath gets bail and returns back.
Chapter 26
The hearing is held against the Principal in the court. After that, he visits Vaidyaji to express his anger but Vaidyaji remains cold to him. A cyclist reaches a peepul tree in Shivpalganj which is believed to be haunted by spirits.
Suddenly he hears unusual sounds behind bushes and at once takes them for the spirit. But he soon learns that there are some drunkards.
Two more cyclists come and start listening to their conversation. One of them is Jognath who is telling about recent events associated with him.
A drunkard who has been robbed goes to Police Station and is made to return back to constable making by making him aware of his karma.
Chapter 27
Shukla tells how the young generation is becoming lazy and workless. Politicians build colleges to prepare their ground “for the next state assembly or parliamentary polls and their main achievement was to exploit teachers and government grants.”
In addition to these schools, there are wrestling pits. “Badri had flattened Chote with the dhobi-slab throw. Chote would have cursed him but can’t as Badri is his teacher. Both return back.
On the way, Badri inquires about the statement that Chose had given against Bela in the court. Chote remains unserious to all the questions. Ultimately Bardi says, “This Bela is about to become your mother.”
Chote is stunned and asks, “Guru you’re a Brahmin, she’s a Benia…If Vaidya Maharaj objects, your scheme will fall to pieces.” Badri assures safety and asks him to keep his secret disclosed. Chote thinks about the rumours revolving around Bela. Badri taunts him for making her match with a fool like Jognath.
Chapter 28
Shukla tells how Ruppan is sad because he had heard about the affair of Bela and Badri. Ranganath is also amazed to know how people like Sanichar win and criminals like Jognath get bail and roam freely.
Khanna Master and Malaviya come to Ranganath and Ruppan to talk against the Principal. Khanna Master tells how Principal assassinated Malaviya’s character by writing a letter narrating about the affair of Malaviya with a college boy whom he took with him in a hotel.
Ruppan tells that he too heard about it. The conversation turns towards Badri and Bela, their love affair and all the incident that happen. Ruppan is heart-broken as he too loved Bela and even wrote love letters to her.
Ruppan, Principal, and Vaidyaji go to District School Inspector to complain against Khanna Master. The office of Inspector is “office kam/ residence yada.
On the way back they visit a bazaar and while talking about bringing uniform in the college, the discussion turns to the issue of Khanna Master. Principal after raising issue tries to turn away when Ruppan gets angry.
Vaidyaji prays to Shiva to get rid of his enemies and on opening the eyes, he finds Ruppan screaming on Principal. The argument gets serious when Ruppan talks about the affair of Badri and Bela. In anger, Ruppan leaves their company.
Chapter 29
The argument begins between Vaidyaji and Badri over Bela. When Vaidyaji calls him low charactered (for having affair with a girl of low caste), Badri reminds him of his grandfather who married a sweeper.
Ruppan gets punches from Badri when he tries to interfere and thus starts seeing stars. At a sweetshop, Ruppan finds Langar sitting and inquires about his copy.
Langar tells that he is about to get it and adds that he was attacked by Malaria but has recovered now. On the way back, Ruppan goes through Chamrahi (place of Chamars) and doesn’t get that welcome which a Brahmin used to get on visiting a place inhabited by people of low caste. He meets Churriya who why he had visited the place as elections are over now.
Ruppan continues on his way and sees a man forcing an old woman shopkeeper to sell him a chicken that she doesn’t want to sell as she has raised it to offer to a Baba. However, he succeeds in buying it.
Ruppan guesses that some officer might be visiting his house. Ruppan meets Ranganath and Principal and offers the former to watch the movie for free that Sanichar is offering as a part of his success. Ranganath refuses and both go their ways.
Chapter 30
Sanichar opens a shop. Ranganath suggests him to put someone to run the shops it doesn’t suit a Pardhan doing so. Sanichar says that he is merely a tenant as he considers Vaidyaji Pardhan.
A young man comes to the shop of Sanichar and talks about birth control. Gayadin is impressed by his behaviour and his caster (he is an Aggarwal) bringing to his house, introduces him to his daughter Bela.
Chote finds Sanichar meddling with something in the fields and tells him that Vaidyaji is waiting for him. However, he shows he is busy and refuses to obey his order.
The sub-inspector, who had had Jognath arrested is now forced to pay a fixed amount (which is quite high) to Jognath. He visits Vaidyaji for compromise. However, Vaidyaji suggests him to discuss the issue with Sanichar.
Inspector is surprised to know that Sanichar has become Pardhan. At Sanichar’s shop, Jognath and sub-inspector argue. Sanichar can’t decide and suggests that they should again pay a visit to Vaidyaji.
Ultimately sub-inspector pays some amount. Jognath had arranged a party in which a fierce fight starts among drunkards and whole village echoes with the sounds of lathis and stones.
Chapter 31
Badri had gone to pay for bail of a man in another village who is accused of the illegal possession of weapons. Badri returns back and Vaidyaji tells him how Khanna Master and his allies have initiated a case against him and Principal.
Badri tells him that he will resolve everything by might and requests him to consider the matter of Bela. “On the other hand, his (Ranganath) health had improved, but on the other, his mind had become polluted.
Vaidyaji gradually loses his political influence and soon gets assured about it when the new inspector is not transferred on his recommendation. He decides to resign from the director’s position. The annual meeting of Cooperative Union takes place and Badri takes the position of his father and thus becomes the new director.
Chapter 32
Vaidyaji goes to Gayadin’s house and asks for Bela’s hand. He comes to know that Gayadin has fixed her marriage with some Aggarwal who belongs to another village.
He returns back unaware of the fact that Gayadin was collecting money that he is supposed to give to Aggarwal as his price, so that he may marry his daughter. Gayadin prepares to leave for the city (to pay the amount) and sees Ranganath and his allies coming towards him.
The conversation begins that develops from buffalo to artificial insemination to Bela to Khanna Master’s case. It is also narrated that in recent hearing judge took the side of Principal and scolded Khanna Master and his friends.
Ranganath requests Gayadin to make Vaidyaji help Khanna Master, but Gayadin narrating the story of a leader of their village (the first-ever leader), says that he doesn’t like to hear taunts of leadership.
Chapter 33
Shukla tells about the worst condition of the bus stand in Shivpalganj. The Deputy Director of Education is about to come. Ruppan and Ranganath visit Khanna Master.
On the way they meet Langar who tells that his copy reached the office, however, he was attacked by Malaria. As he couldn’t collect the file in time, it was thrown away. While telling this he starts crying. Ruppan and Ranganth try to console him and suggest he to start farming.
Chapter 34
Khanna Master catches a boy copying in the exam. However, as he is a member of Principal’s faction a quarrel starts between Khanna Master and Principal. The former is forced to leave college.
Later on, the allies of Khanna Master encourage him to raise his voice against Principal but he refuses. The principal goes to Viadyaji’s house and comes to know that Bela is marrying someone else and exclaims, “Good God! What an amazing place this village is!”
Sanichar tells that Jognath has again been arrested as he was drunk, thus he does not “get a chance to open shop two days in now.”
Chapter 35
The main motive of the Deputy Director of Education was not coming for an inquiry of college but to fulfill the desire of his wife to stay there. Preparations are made in the college to welcome Deputy Director but he does not come.
Master Motiram comes in the evening and announces that Deputy Director will not come. The discussion begins between Ranganath, the Principal, and Vaidyaji which turns to the case of Khanna Master. Vaidyaji decides to resolve the matter. He calls him and his allies and forces them to resign.
Ruppan doesn’t like this and Vaidyaji, in anger disinherits from his property. In the night, Ranganath wonders where Ruppan would have gone as he has not seen him since evening.
The next day Ranganath meets Principal who offers him the post of Khanna Master and he refuses angrily. And I am, at last, by the grace of Almighty, able to complete this summary. Huff! It was really boring….
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