Incomplete Mission.-शोर्ट स्तोर्य

This was a story held when I was working as a teacher for a special mission. The special mission was to achieve cent percentage literacy in our country. I was then working as a teacher in one of the remote places of kerala called ponnani. Most of the peoples in this area are illiterate and coming from poor families.

My classroom was small one, provided with one blackboard, duster, chalk, hundred-volt bulb and my class strength was of sixty to seventy students belongs to different age groups. Most of them are above sixty years and some of them are octogenarian and coming from working class families.

The catch of my classroom was Laxmi. In India mythology Laxmi means goddess of wealth, but in her case she is rich with her heart and poorest in terms of wealth. At Fifteen Laxmi is married to Thankappan. Laxmi is the second wife of Thankkapan, a tall handsome and kind-hearted person. Thankappan first wife died due to epidemic small pox. Laxmi has got all of twelve children to look after five of Thankappan first wife Parvithi and seven of them. But she brought up all of them very well without showing any discrimination.

Years have passed. Britishers have started many missionary schools in kerala . Finding themselves guilty, Laxmi and Thankappan decided to send their children to the school. Objection has come from other family members and friends in the same village. After hearing Thanakappan given a pleasant smile and everything is hidden in it. Only one school is there in neighboring village, which is five miles away from their village. Laxmi and her husband Thankappan decided to send their children’s to that school. Every body is industrious.

Meanwhile lot of change took place. Under the strong leadership of Gandhiji a revolution took place through out the country to set India free. Villagers are eager to know what is happening through out the country and gathered around Sunil elder son of Laxmi with newspaper. Sunil read newspaper for them.

India got her freedom in 1947 and in 1957 under the leadership of EMS Nampoothripad first communist party came to power. The government has passed two important bills. First is land reform bill and second one is an education bill. Mean while Laxmi children got one or another good jobs and they are financially well off, but always feels guilty of some thing sort in her life.


When I went with my literacy mission in their village Laxmi and her husband where the first students to enroll into my class and eagerly drive another students into my class when I mention the mission for which I was assigned. After that she was showing keen interest into our day-to-day activities and brought more and more students into our class. On the opening day of our class she told in her welcome speech that she was keenly interested in learning and want to be literate but never got an opportunity. This time I use this opportunity to remove the malison from our village.

Various programmes are conducted as party of literacy mission. When they are able to write their own names, the delightful smile on their face is one thing to watch. On the last day of our class a prize distribution was held. When Laxmi came to the stage to receive her prize, I have seen an angle of light walking on the stage.

After that I went to another part of country with same mission, but never got such a collective response as in kerala. Meanwhile I lost all contacts with Laxmi and her people.

After a long time I got a chance to come back to kerala. I just went to Poonani with some sweet memories. By mean time Ponnani has changed a lot. Form railway station I walked to nearest bus stop. Meanwhile all small shops have converted into huge building complex, large home is converted into small houses, number of temples, mosque, and churches was increases but still sort of schools, college and hospitals. When I reached bus stop I have seen many aimless students, new teachers with old syllabus, ill reputed politicians, well dressed workers all waiting for a bus. In between huge rush, two of my old students came to me with little doubt and asked about me and after conforming me they have given me the bad news that Laxmi has died. They were David and Peter and going to attend funeral. I also went with David and Peter to attend the funeral. When I went near her body her eyes were open. The determined eyes told me how to look after the beautiful world, know the value of education and the meaning of freedom. When I seen her old beautiful face her lips told me if there is a rebirth she want to be a teacher and spread the light of education among illiterate people. When I searched her heart the young heart is ready to take a new challenges to make whole world as a small state of kerala. When I observed her hands her hands was ready for a new revolution that is to remove castism, feudalism, and corruption from our society. When I touched her feet I felt, she is ready for another walk, into the world of darkness as a messenger of education.


I just went with the funeral to some distance. After sometime, I stopped going with the funeral and just passed away and gone out of my site, giving me the message to complete the mission.