I Want the Punishment: Hareshwar Roy

Hareshwar Roy,
I Want the Punishment: Hareshwar Roy

There was a village with a primary school. A boy named Naren studied there. Naren was extremely naughty by nature. He possessed a sharp mind and was also very talkative. The school teacher (Gurudev) had formed a kabaddi team, and Naren was the captain of that team. Every day during the sports period, Gurudev would train and coach this team. Like every year, the block-level junior kabaddi competition was going to be held this year as well. Keeping this competition in mind, Gurudev was busy with the preparations.

On the scheduled date, the kabaddi competition took place in the open grounds of the block headquarters. Teams from all the primary schools in the block arrived to participate in this competition. During the competition, the performance of the players of Naren's team was not satisfactory. It was solely because of Naren's outstanding performance that his team managed to secure first place in the block. When Naren raided the opposing team chanting "Kabaddi, Kabaddi...", his agility was a sight to behold. He also earned the honor of being named the best player in the block.

Apart from Naren, Gurudev was extremely upset with the poor performance of all the other players in the team. Therefore, the next day, immediately after the morning prayer, Gurudev called all the players except Naren to his side and said, "For yesterday's poor performance, your punishment is that you must hold your ears and do fifty sit-ups."

Upon hearing Gurudev's decision, young Naren also reached there and joined in doing the sit-ups.

Seeing Naren doing sit-ups, Gurudev said, "Son Naren, why are you doing sit-ups? You are the pride of our school! It is only because of your fine performance that our school saved face. You deserve a reward, not punishment. So go and stand in your place."

"No Gurudev, I am the one who truly deserves to be punished. The other players in the team are completely innocent," Naren said.

"But how so, Naren?" Gurudev asked in surprise.

"Gurudev, I was the captain of the team. The responsibility for a team's good or bad performance rests upon the captain, doesn't it? Therefore, I should receive the punishment, not the other players of the team," Naren clarified.

Hearing Naren's reasoning, Gurudev was deeply moved. He lifted Naren in his arms and began patting his back. Pardoning all the players, Gurudev said, "Children, remember my words. Mark my words, Naren will become a great man one day."

This young boy Naren later became world-famous by the name of Swami Vivekananda.
Location: B-37, City Homes Colony, Jawahar Nagar Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India
Dr. Hareshwar Roy beautifully connects global research with local literature. Born in 1964 in Jamuaon (Bhojpur, Bihar), he studied at Patna University and earned his Ph.D. from APS University, Rewa. Currently, he serves as Professor of English at Government P.G. College Satna, Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Roy bridges two worlds: in class, he explains international migration and literary history, while in his heart, he keeps the rich spirit of the Bhojpuri language alive. He has published over 45 research papers focused on Indian Diaspora Writing. As an author in English, he has written Diasporic Articulation in the Novels of M.G. Vassanji, A Study of M.G. Vassanji's Novels, Varieties of Indianity in the Works of M.G. Vassanji and Rohinton Mistry, Diaspora and Indian Diaspora: A Brief Study, Short Notes of English Literature - I and Short Notes of English Literature - II. Rooted in his soil, he is a celebrated Bhojpuri poet featured on 'Kavita Kosh' and in popular collections like Hamar Pahchan Ha Bhojpuri, Hamra Pyar Ho Gail, and Bhojpuri Kavitayein. Ultimately, his life and writings serve as an inspiring example of how academic scholarship and local roots thrive together perfectly.

Popular Posts

1. Where the Mind is Without Fear

Hareshwar Roy,
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. Summary: Where the Mind is Without Fear  is a beautiful poem by R.N. Tagore. This poem is a prayer to God. It is a fantastic lyric taken from  Gitanjali . This lyric is replete with patriotism and nationalism. Here the poet ardently longs for freedom, truthfulness and reason. In this poem the poet prays to God to awake his countrymen from the slumber. He again prays to God to make his countrymen bold, fearless, truthful, rational, God-fearing, noble and generous. Here Tagore requ...
Read more

Tagore and Where the Mind is Without Fear

Hareshwar Roy,
Tagore and Where the Mind is Without Fear I. Tagore: An Introduction Tagore is a very great Indian poet. He was a versatile genius. It is he who got the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was born in Calcutta on May 7, 1861. His literary works include fictions, essays, short stories, travelogues, dramas and numerous popular songs. But it was poetry that brought world popularity for him. This very Tagore has composed Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem of India. He also has composed Amar Sonar Bangla, the national anthem of Bangladesh. His literary canvas is vast. It covers lots of style. Tagore skillfully handled all the genres of literature. He studies man in relation to Nature, man in relation to God and man in relation to man. Tagore's poetry is mainly lyrical. His poetry deals with love for God, love for nature and love for humanity. His famous song Where the Mind is Without Fear is full with patriotism, nationalism and Indianness. This great poet is known for his best know...
Read more

The Bangle Sellers by Sarojini Naidu: Multiple Choice Questions with Answers

Hareshwar Roy,
The Bangle Sellers: Sarojini Naidu 01. Who is Sarojini Naidu? (a) A doctor (b) A lawyer (c) A poet (d) A reporter Ans: (c) A poet 02. When was Sarojini Naidu born? (a) 13 February 1879 (b) 2 March 1881 (c) 8 September 1877 (d) 27 January 1884 Ans: (a) 13 February 1879 03. Where was Sarojini Naidu born? (a) Hyderabad (b) Mumbai (c) Kolkata (d) Chennai Ans: (a) Hyderabad 04. Who is known as the ‘Nightingale of India’? (a) Asha Bhonsale (b) Lata Mangeskar (c) Sarojini Naidu (d) Suraiya Ans: (c) Sarojini Naidu 05. Sarojini Naidu is known as the Nightingale of: (a) India (b) Pakistan (c) England (d) China Ans: (a) India 06. What was the nickname of Sarojini Naidu? (a) Nightingale of India (b) Queen of Poetry (c) Lady of Freedom (d) Princess of Literature Ans: (a) Nightingale of India 07. Which Indian University did Sarojini Naidu attend? (a) Calcutta (b) Bombay (c) Madras (d) Delhi Ans: (c) Madras 08. Which University of England did Sarojini Naidu attend? (a) University of Edinburgh ...
Read more

Abhigyan Shakuntalam: A Summary

Hareshwar Roy,
Abhigyan Shakuntalam: A Summary Introduction: Kalidasa is a major poet and playwright in classical Sanskrit literature. It is he who composed Abhigyan Shakuntalam . This play starts with a Prologue. This Prologue consists of benediction and a conversation between the director and an actress. The benediction is performed before the beginning of the play. The benediction is an invocation to Lord Siva. The actor-manager and the actress talk about the play of the day. The readers are informed that a new play by Kalidasa is going to be staged. On the request of the manager, the actress sings a romantic song about the summer season for the audience. Act One: Act I of Abhigyan Shakuntalam begins with the description of the summer season by the narrator. He also introduces king Dushyanta who is on hunt. Chasing a deer king Dushyanta enters the ashram of sage Kanva in his chariot. He has bow and arrow in his hands. The king aims at the deer but an ascetic forbids him to hunt in the premises...
Read more

On the Rule of the Road by A.G. Gardiner: A complete Study

Hareshwar Roy,
On the Rule of the Road: A.G. Gardiner A. TEXT: A stout old lady was walking with her basket down the middle of a street in Petrograd to the great confusion of the traffic and with no small peril to herself. It was pointed out to her that the pavement was the place for foot-passengers, but she replied: "I'm going to walk where I like. We've got liberty now." It did not occur to the dear old lady that if liberty entitled the foot-passenger to walk down the middle of the road it also entitled the cab-driver to drive on the pavement, and that the end of such liberty would be universal chaos. Everybody would be getting in everybody else's way and nobody would get anywhere. Individual liberty would have become social anarchy. There is a danger of the world getting liberty-drunk in these days like the old lady with the basket, and it is just as well to remind ourselves of what the rule of the road means. It means that in order that the liberties of all may be p...
Read more