POSTAL DIARY-4 
by Ajit Rajbangshi
by Ajit Rajbangshi
REPENTENCE
During student life of Ramcharan many girls wanted to fall in love with him. But he didn’t give attention on those. He was quite indifferent and insisted only on study. Once his classmate Jaba gifted one Rose to him ; but Ramcharan could not take it easily and stopped to talk with her for many days.
But after joining in Postal Department as Postal Assistant, a quite different scenery appeared in his character. Actually he became a romantic person while Khiroda came to him very closely at Training Centre. With others, Ramcharan and Khiroda also attended at Postal Training Centre (PTC) situated at Darbhanga of Bihar as trainee for taking Induction Training after getting selection as Postal Assistant. In their batch, there were nine numbers of trainees from Assam circle out of which only and one girl trainee was Khiroda Bora. She got the job on compassionate ground and she was just about 19 yrs old. Though she was not so much beautiful, she bore a good behaviour with amiable disposition. In class room of training centre she used to sit beside Ramcharan and on completion of each class Ramcharan taught her in own language as she could not follow the English language clearly. Actually, on the 2nd day of training session Khiroda requested Ramcharan, “Ramcharan da, I cannot follow English language clearly. Please brief me in Assamese. Will you please ?”. “Ok . Why not Khiroda ?”, Ramcharan replied. From then she became gradually so close to him.
In Hostel, Ramcharan and four other colleagues namely Rupam, Ganesh, Garga and Subhra were accommodated in a same room. All of them were deputed for training from the same division and therefore they discussed everything freely. Every day after dinner, boarders used to sit in bed around and started gossiping, played cards in each room of the hostel. It was the time of November month and weather of Darbhanga was too cold ; but such gossiping made the rooms so hot. Rupam was interested in looking sexual magazine and after dinner he used to turn the pages of Debonair, Femina etc. He was not interested in playing cards. Moreover, it was helpful to four others to play cards. The Postal Training Centre, Darbhanga at that time accommodated the trainees of the Assam, Urrisa , West Bengal, NE and Bihar circle itself. Though Ramcharan had no fluency in speaking either in English or in Hindi, Ashok and Rabinarayan, Madhulekha , Champa from Urrissa circle and Rajat, Jewel Dev from NE circle became more close to him.
One night after having dinner, they were playing cards in room. After a while Ashok entered in to the room and started to enjoy the game. Once he said to Ramcharan, “Mr. Ramcharan, you are always with Khiroda in class room. Cannot you try to propose her ? Can you imagine how you will be benefited if you marry her ? ”. It was not such that Ramcharan did not think about it. Its gave him much pleasure when used to think about Khiroda even after class time. Why she wants only his company while going to canteen, going to nearby market etc. ! Why she cannot move a little without Ramcharan ! Most time of the that night he thought – ‘should he propose her ? What will she reply ? If she denies ? If so, why she always wants his company ? Yesterday, why she said that she dreamed him in a lonely place of PTC Garden ?’ Ramcharan thought and thought….but could not decided.
After a week, his roommate Ganesh asked Ramcharan, “Mr. Ram, any progress with Khiroda ? Have you proposed her ?”
“No No Ganesh, I have not yet decided. She calls me as ‘dada’ treating her elder brother, how can I propose her Ganesh ?”
“Listen Ram, she calls you like her elder brother but mind it in fact you are not her brother. Moreover, can you say with confidence that you are not fall in love with Khiroda ? Can you ?” Ramcharan puzzled. ‘Yes – Yes, he is in love with her, he is in love’.
In the early morning all trainees used to do PT in the nearby field. All six female trainees also had to participate in the PT. It was compulsory for all trainees. If anyone failed to attend in PT session that must be reported to PT sir, otherwise that one must be punished. On the way to PT field he looked around the campus of training centre. Gardens were full with variety of flowers, the flowers were blooming, the same scenery not appeared in his eyes earlier. In the PT fields he looked Khiroda so beautiful which was not realized before.
In time of tea break at canteen Ramchran said to Khiroda , “Khiroda, I have something to say you....” “Yes Ram Da, please say, What you want to say ?” - she told. But Ramcharan was in quite hesitation how he would say that-----.
“No no Khiroda, not now. Please come to ‘Mango Park’ of our campus in the evening at 3.45 pm, I will say you something. But please come alone.” Ramcharan said. Ramchran was in dilemma how he would propose her. Would he take help from Ganesh or Ashok ? But this is the only work that should perform oneself.
In the evening she attended Mango park 5 minutes beforehand. With lots of hesitation Ramcharan also attended timely. Keeping lots of courtesy he started, “Khiroda, I don’t know what you think, but I have no other way without expressing my desires. Actually I fall in love with you. Khiroda, I love you, and I want to marry you. What you think Khiroda ?”
Khiroda was shocked, colour of her face changed as if the whole blood of the body came on to her face. But why she remained silence ? What she would do now ? He looked her but she was liked as she could not take it easily. Oh God, if she slapped in his face with saying, ‘rascal, stupid, I think you as my brother but you have such bad impression, I will submit complaint to the Director, I must approach..…’ If she tenders complaint then he must be rusticated from the training centre, he must lost the service……my god , the little seconds became to him as if hours, No No, it is impossible to wait, to wait for her answer. He has no such patience – no other way. Ramcharan used his presence of mind and started to say with huge laughing, “Ha Ha Ha—Khiroda, this is new style of proposal. Actually our Rupam wants to love you and I convey his proposal to you. If you accept his proposal then must meet him tomorrow in this place at the same time.”
Ramcharan became upset on himself. He could express his proposal, but failed to achieve the result. He could not wait and to get rid of the situation he altered the proposal to Rupam. If he could have wait, perhaps he would see smile of Khiroda (?). Coming to hostel he again acted with Rupam, “Hai Rupam, you are so lucky yar, Khiroda has offered proposal for you. If you want to accept her proposal then you may meet her at ‘Mango park’ at 3.45 pm tomorrow .”
And finally on next day evening, Rupam arranged a mega tea party. Khiroda engaged with Rupam. Ramcharan also participated in the party but with a broken heart. If he would have wait a while –a while – perhaps he could have host of this party (?).
These are the tales of past. Once Ramcharan got married and now his son and daughter are college student . He is now sub postmaster of one single handed PO. Of course , once he had told all his past tales to his dear wife without hesitation. The tale of Khiroda had also been told to his wife many years before.
Ramcharan is always punctual in nature. This is from his school life. On being ready to office at 8.30 am he asks his wife , “o Jima, please give me food, its too late to office.”
“Wait wait , why so hurry ?? wait please .” –wife answered from kitchen.
“What do you think ? is it state govt. office that no time binding of arrival in and departure from office ? I cannot wait, be quick, it is Post office, central govt. office”.
“Is there no any other officer in this area ? are you only govt. officer ? wait wait.”
“Listen Jima, if I could wait I would have marry that Khiroda, not you, understand ?”
“O dear, you would have been punched by that Khiroda had you waited and result would be suspension from service, is not it ???” Ramcharan remains silent for a while. Then says,
“Jima, if she would have punched to me that is another thing, but suppose I waited and she did not punch, then ????” . Actually, Ramcharan is still repentant for that matter.
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‘Postal Diary’ is story like article reflecting lives of Postal employees of India)
( Kindly comment your feedback at - Ajit Rajbangshi, SPM, kamarkuchi SO under Nalbari HO-781347(ASSAM)--//Tel-098591-25146// 08822973987. ajitrajbangshi8@gmail.com).
(Special thanks to Rup Talukdar,
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