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Unit 1: The Post Office by Rabindranath Tagore

The Royal Healer and the King are not literal characters like the ones above; they are the Notes
metaphor for Eternity and God, illuminating that the Eastern philosophy on death is much
different than that of the West. As Amal’s physical state deteriorates, his spiritual self transcends
his physical state, bringing him closer to the King and his Royal Messenger.

1.7 Summary

• Amal is an orphaned child of about ten, from a rural village in India. He has been
taken in by a childless but loving couple living in the city. Now, however, Amal is
gravely ill, although he does not know the extent of his sickness. The very traditional
local Healer has insisted that he remain indoors, much to the dismay of his loving
“uncle,” Madhab Dutta. So, confined to his room, he sits by the open window where
he engages with a variety of passersby. Many of them are people of self-appointed
importance or they fulfill some function of order in society.
• One by one, Amal converses with these folks and one by one, his innocent questioning
and absence of judgement touches them all in such a way that they are changed by this
child. All are taken aback by his simple but tireless quest for knowledge, his unflinching
love for life and his need to discover the world around him... and the world beyond.
Across the street, Amal sees a shiny new building with a bright yellow flag waving
from the roof: it is the King’s Post Office. Though he can’t even read, he is fascinated
by the notion of letters, which are people’s thoughts and feelings, flying about through
time and space; he would very much love to get a letter from the King and he would
love to be in touch with the world far away. He would also like to travel to the distant
hills on the far horizon. As Amal’s physical strength diminishes, his spiritual strength
expands. The central metaphor of the play is that life itself is like a post office, a central
clearing house from which our words, thoughts and sentiments emanate out across the
world. Not only that but, even when we are gone, our spirit will remain in the surrounding
air.
1.8 Keywords

Dak Ghar : The Post Office
Madhab : Krishna (Hindu deity)
Sudha : Nectar
Shastras : The holy medical scriptures

Thakurda : Grandfather
Pundit : In India, a scholar or expert, especially of traditional Indian law,
philosophy, or music

Nagra : Shoes with curled up toes
Dhoti : A rectangular piece of cloth, customarily white or cream in colour,
that is five yards long worn by men in India (sarong)

Chhatu : Graham flour and water
Tatka Doy : Fresh curds
Panch Mura Hills : Where the five roads meet
Ramayana : One of the great epics of India, the story of Sri Rama by the great
sage Valmiki , it has been a perennial source of spiritual, cultural

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