NILU, MY ELDEST SON (3)

At the age of eight Nilu was admitted in class four in Manigachhi Residential Public school.The school was very famous and single residential school in the district.I was at Birpur at that time. I heard the name of the school from Chandu Bhai. He was at Madras (now Chennai). Mr. P. K. Jha of Tarauni who was at Madras and a very close friend of Chandu had told him about the school. When I heard the name of the school, I was tempted for my eldest son to be admitted there. I had one weakness that whenever I heard the name of an educational institution of reputation, I at once began to think for my children according to my financial position. I was at karmauli and my children were enjoying holidays. When I started for Birpur a thought came to see the school because it was on the way to Birpur. I saw the school and became too much pleased hearing the fees of the school, which was within my budget. Nilu ran inside the campus and in the classrooms and hostels. He visited the whole premises within half an hour. Nilu’s mother also saw the school. Amarnath, Mahendra, Dipu, Vimal all visited the campus. Nilu was too much delighted. All others also appreciated. Knowing the fee structure and getting prospectus we proceeded for Birpur.
Reaching Birpur we became busy in our routine life and my two children began to go to their schools. My third son used to copy his elders. Nilu and Dipu had to go to school very silently so that Vimaljee might not know. Otherwise, he started weeping and rolling on the ground. Someday when he was at the main gate, Rameshwar had to play a drama. He took a bag and put some papers in it. He put the bag on Vimal’s back and took all the three to school. Leaving the two in the school, he used to come back with Vimal through another route. This drama was enough for Vimal and he became satisfied as if this was the very process of going school. ………..contd.