Page 227 - DENG203_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_IV

Elective English—IV

Notes must be thinking to yourself, ‘lam only one class below Bhai Sahib and now he has no right to
say anything to me. ‘But this is where you are mistaken. I am five years older than you and even
if you come to my class today — (and if this is the attitude of examiners, then without a doubt,
next year you will be my class-fellow and perhaps after a year you will be ahead of me) — the
five years’ difference between you and me cannot be erased by God himself, to say nothing of
you. I am, and shall always remain, five years older than you. You cannot equal my experience
of life and this world, even if you become an M.A. and D. Phil, and D.Litt. Our mother has not
passed a single class and even our father has, perhaps, not gone beyond class five or six. But they
will always retain the right to guide and correct us, even if we acquire all the knowledge in the
world. Not only because they have given us life but also because they have and will always
continue to have more experience of the world than we do. What kind of government America
has, or how many times Henry VIII married, or how many planets there are in the sky — these
things they may not know. But there are thousands of things which they know better than you
or I. God forbid, if I were to fall ill today, you would be at your wits’ end. You would not be able
to think of anything save sending a wire to Dada. But if Dada were in your place he would not
send a wire to anyone, nor would he get nervous or panicky. First he would diagnose the illness
himself and then proceed to treat it. If he were unsuccessful, he would call a doctor. But an illness
is a big thing. The two of us do not even know how to stretch our monthly allowance to last a
whole month. Whatever Dada sends, we finish by the twentieth or twenty- second and then
become paupers. We have to cut out snacks and avoid meeting the dhobi and the barber. But
living on half of what we are spending now, Dada has managed a large portion of his life with
credit and honour. He has raised a family in which there are a total of nine members. Look at our
own Headmaster Sahib. Isn’t he an M.A.? And not an M.A. from here, but an M.A. from Oxford.
He gets a thousand rupees, but who is managing his household? His old mother. Headmaster
Sahib’s degree proved useless in this matter. Earlier he used to run the household himself but
there was never enough money. He incurred debts. Ever since his mother has taken the
management into her own hands, it is as if Lakshmi has come into the house. So, my dear
brother, root out from your mind the notion that you have come close to me and are now
independent. You will not be able to go astray while I am there to watch over you. If you don’t
obey me, I can make use of this too [indicating a slap]. I know that my words are like poison to
you.”
I felt humbled at this new attitude of his. I honestly became aware of my smallness and a deep
regard for Bhai Sahib took root within me. I said with tears in my eyes, “Certainly not! Whatever
you are saying is absolutely true and you have a right to say it.”
Bhai Sahib embraced me and said, “I am not forbidding you to fly kites. Even I long to do so but
what can I do? If I go astray myself how can I safeguard you? This duty has also fallen to my lot.”
As luck would have it, just at that moment a kite drifted above our heads. Its string was trailing
and a horde of boys came running after it. Bhai Sahib was tall. He leapt and caught the string and
raced towards the hostel. I ran after him.

Did u know? BADE BHAI SAHAB is not only one of Munshi Premchand’s well-known
stories but has also been frequently adapted for the stage. On the surface of it the narrative
may appear dated given the period in which it was written but its enduring appeal lies in
its ability to convey the different shades that lurk beneath a familial relationship. What
makes it further enjoyable is its simple prose, which is capable of being perceptive at the
same time.

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