“Mom, I just want a mobile phone, that's all. Now I don't want to hear anything else. Now this is too much, mother. You are informed mother, all my friends have very good, super, imported mobile phones and all of them have good ring-tone, good design and touch screen. And mother, I don't have any mobile phone. Now mother, I also want a mobile phone and that too from a good company. A mobile phone with Android One and touch screen.” Innocent Bhaskar insisted on meeting his mother.
Bhole Bhaskar's childish mind was adamant that he should also have a good mobile phone of a good company, like other friends of his school. He would start feeling inferiority complex in his mind when his other friends would miss-call each other from their mobile phones or send SMS to each other. They use to write, e-mail, talk about various things on WhatsApp, share jokes and talk about a lot of things with other friends for a long time. Not only this, when they were alone, they use to listen various songs with earphones in his ears. Sometimes they would laugh and sometimes he would start dancing in his own joy.
The innocent childish mind of Bhole Bhaskar would repeatedly insist on getting a mobile phone from his mother and then he would make up his mind to buy a mobile phone with an imported touch screen.
If he doesn't insist then what kind of a child is he? Being stubborn and obstinate is a natural quality of a child and a child must be stubborn. The desire to become something good, the desire to do something good, the desire to dream something good, the desire to become an example for the world. The whole world says that if you are so stubborn then it should be like this.
Bharat had also insisted on counting the teeth of the lion, Dhruva had also insisted on performing steadfast penance and the stubborn Eklavya had also insisted on getting education from Acharya Dron.
History is replete with inspiring examples of stubborn and obstinate children. Stubborn child Krishna had also insisted on playing with the moon toy and stubborn child Hanuman had kept the sun in his cheek.
But the question is about the direction of the insistence. There is right and wrong. Playful hair is the direction of the mind's movement. If the movement is positive and in the right direction then the results are good and if the movement of the mind is negative and in the wrong direction then how can good results be expected.
Now how and who should explain to the stubborn childish mind of Bhole Bhaskar that for his son to study and write, he does not need a mobile phone, but a book-copy, pen-pencil and true faith and dedication in the mind.
Good imported super mobile phones, mobile phones with good ring-tone and touch-screen mobile phones are the hindrances in the process of reading and learning. To study, one needs a high courage, a dream, a dedication that makes one sleepless at night and restless every moment during the day.
Mother's every attempt to convince his demand over Bhaskar's head like a bouncer on his stubborn pitch and had no effect on the determined, stubborn and obstinate child mind of innocent Bhaskar.
This age is such that children often consider their peers of the same age as their well-wishers and what they say is correct. They accept the right words of their parents, teachers and well-wishers as right only when their peers prove them to be right, otherwise not at all. How can a slippery tender age think of all this?
But poor Bhaskar's mother, even if she does, what should she do? From where will he get such an expensive mobile phone?
Ever since Bhaskar's father passed away, she was upset with herself and on top of that, her only son Bhaskar, who despite his stubbornness, was not ready to listen to even a single word of his mother.
Bhaskar was adamant on his insistence for two days and yesterday evening he did not even eat food. Now he said that he would not go to school until he got a mobile phone.
The problem was very serious and its solution equally complex. Bhaskar's mother could not sleep the whole night.
The next day, like every day in the morning, the rickshaw puller of the school called from downstairs – “Come on Bhaskar, come quickly.”
When no movement was felt, the rickshaw puller called once again, perhaps Bhaskar could not hear. But it is narrated only to those who want to listen and who can narrate it to someone who does not want to listen even after listening.
But rickshaw puller bhaiya ji had to give some answer. So, Bhaskar came to his balcony and shouted loudly to the rickshaw puller bhaiya ji – “I don’t want to go to school today, bhaiya ji.”
“Why, what happened Bhaskar, why are you not going to school?” While saying this, his classmate Kabir had by now got down from the rickshaw and reached him through the stairs.
“Why are you not going Bhaskar, your health is fine.” Classmate Kabir asked Bhaskar out of curiosity.
“No, just like that. I don't feel like it today." Bhaskar said, hiding his stubborn statement with pride.
“What is the matter Bhaskar, why are you not going to school?” Kabir wanted to know the reason.
"Nothing at all. just like that. I don't feel like it." Bhaskar once again tried to hide his point.
And then Bhaskar's mother told Kabir - “Hey son, he has not eaten food since last night and is adamant on taking the mobile phone. Saying that I will not go to school until I get a mobile phone. Now you tell me, from where should I get such an expensive mobile phone.”
Bhaskar's mother's heartache and her financial constraints could be clearly read.
“What will Bhaskar do with your mobile phone?” Kabir asked Bhaskar in a stern tone.
“Look Kabir, all the children in our school have good imported mobile phones, only I do not have one. And mother is not even getting me a mobile phone.” Bhaskar said while explaining to Kabir.
“Where are you Bhaskar, all the children have mobile phones. Look, I don't have any mobile phone.” Rejecting Bhaskar's words, Kabir said to Bhaskar.
“What about you. But all my friends have very good mobile phones.” Bhaskar once again presented his argument.
“So, what if I am a topper? Okay, tell me which of your friends have mobile phones?” Kabir wanted to know from Bhaskar.
“Rajat, Akash, Vikas, Pawan, Raju and Sudha, all of them have good imported mobile phones with super ring tones.” Bhaskar said with great pride while enumerating the names of all his companions.
“Where does Rajat have his mobile phone?” Kabir said to Bhaskar.
“Yes, his father has given him a mobile phone just two days ago. Do you know how much he had to insist to get a mobile phone, then somewhere his father got him a mobile phone. With great difficulty his father agreed to get him a mobile phone.” Bhaskar told Kabir very excitedly.
“Okay, tell me, what is his mobile phone number.” Kabir wanted to know from Bhaskar.
“Rajat's mobile number is 989898..” Bhaskar said while telling Rajat's mobile number to Kabir.
“And Bhaskar, do all these boys take their mobile phones to school?” Kabir wanted to know.
“Yes, and all the boys talk to each other on mobile phones, send SMS, WhatsApp and also listen to different types of songs. And whenever the teacher is teaching a boring subject, we sit on the back bench and comfortably play good mobile games.” Bhaskar became very excited and told Kabir.
“But Bhaskar, carrying mobile phones is prohibited in school. Principal madam has clearly forbidden it and yet they all carry mobile phones. This is not a good thing.” Kabir said while explaining to Bhaskar.
“Everything goes on, no one asks and no one sees.” Bhaskar excitedly told Kabir.
“Okay, now you get ready quickly and come to school.” Kabir said to Bhaskar
“No Kabir, now I will also go to school only when mother gets me a mobile phone.” And now Bhaskar has finally told Kabir about his insistence on taking the mobile phone.
“It's just that, Bhaskar. So come on, you will get the mobile phone. Now let's go to school." Kabir said while giving assurance to Bhaskar.
“But how will you get pride? Mother has been saying no for so long.” Expressing the dilemma in his mind, Bhaskar said.
“But what does this have to do with you? If mother doesn't want to get it, I will get it done either by asking my father or from my pocket money. Now get ready quickly and come to school. Bhaiya ji is standing downstairs and anyway, we are getting late for school now.” Kabir said to Bhaskar.
“Kabir, you are not joking, tell the truth.” Expressing his doubt, Bhaskar said.
“What's the joke in this, if you want to study with a mobile phone, then I will bring you a mobile phone, somehow, from anywhere and by doing anything.” Kabir said seriously.
The assurance of getting a mobile phone from Kabir gave wings to Bhaskar's mind and he immediately started getting ready to go to school.
Meanwhile, Bhaskar's mother could not understand why Kabir gave such assurance to Bhaskar. From where will he get him a mobile phone? And would it be appropriate to take the mobile phone given by him? Bhaskar's mother was in distress. Don't know what will happen now.
But as soon as Bhaskar went inside the room to get ready to go to school, sensing the anxiety in his mother's mind, Kabir said to Bhaskar's mother - "Aunty, don't worry. I will fix everything.”
“Okay, as you think is right. You yourself are intelligent. You know everything.” Bhaskar's mother said proudly.
And after some time, Kabir and Bhaskar along with their other friends sat in a rickshaw and reached school on time. After prayer and after that, studies started in all the classes like every day.
Here Kabir had made up his mind that today he would expose all these boys by catching them red handed with mobile phones. And being the student representative of the school's disciplinary committee, this was also his duty.
The second period was of sports. During the same period, he met his PT sir and informed Principal Madam that four-five boys of his class bring mobile phones to school and also told Rajat's mobile phone number. This information was enough for PT sir. He was also in-charge of the school's discipline committee.
After the recess, the fifth period was going on. In the class, Sakshi madam was explaining a science topic with great concentration. There was pin drop silence in the class. Just then the ring tone of the mobile phone started playing in the class and that too was a film song. Which could not be called good. And this was the sound of Rajat's mobile phone.
The ring tone created a stir in the peaceful atmosphere. For some this ring-tone was a matter of surprise and for others it was a matter of anger. Reason. But Rajat's face was in shock.
“Who has a mobile phone?” Sakshi madam said angrily in a loud voice.
There was complete silence in the entire class and Rajat started trembling. He had never thought like this even in his dreams, tremblingly he uttered – “Sorry… Madam, Sorry…”
“Why, what do you mean by Sorry, don't you know that it is forbidden to bring mobile phones in the school. Come on, bring your mobile phone here.” Sakshi madam said to Rajat in an angry tone.
And Rajat got up from his seat with the mobile phone in his hand and started moving towards Madam.
Taking the mobile phone from Rajat, Sakshi Madam placed it on her table and ordered Rajat to stand outside the class and said – “Go, stand outside the class and after this period you will be complained to the Principal Madam.”
On the other hand, Principal Madam was on the rounds and seeing Rajat standing outside the class, she asked Rajat the reason for standing outside, then Rajat told that he had brought a mobile phone to the school. Hence Madam had thrown him out of the class.
“Even when you know that bringing mobile phone in the school is prohibited, you still bring mobile phone to school, it causes disturbance in studies. Call your guardian tomorrow and you will not sit in class until he meets me.” Saying this, Principal Madam left.
And after some time, the peon came with a circular in which it was written – “It is prohibited for any student to bring a mobile phone in the school. It has been noticed that some students still come to school with mobile phones. Now if any student is found with a mobile phone in the school campus, disciplinary action will be taken against him.” By permission... Principal Madam.
Sakshi madam was reading the notice. Every word of the notice was melting the icy mountain of Bhaskar's insistence on getting a mobile phone. This question was coming to his mind again and again that when he would not be able to bring his mobile phone to school then what would be the use of buying it or carrying it with pride.
He had made up his mind that now he did not want to buy a mobile phone and he would not insist on buying a mobile phone from his mother.
While returning from school, as soon as he sat in the rickshaw, he said to Kabir – “Kabir, I do not want a mobile phone.”
“Why, what happened to you Bhaskar? You have not gone crazy. Now you are saying not to buying a mobile phone. Sometimes he insists on taking the mobile and sometimes he doesn't." Kabir asked surprised.
“Yes Kabir, when all my friends will not be able to bring mobile phones in the school and will be thrown out of the school if they bring them. Then what is the use of a mobile phone for me? Bhaskar said.
“Okay, as per your wish. But I am still ready to get a mobile phone.” Kabir said.
“No Kabir, now I have to concentrate on studying. After all, there must be something that Principal Madam does not do about mobile phones.” Saying this, Bhaskar took a deep breath and made up his mind to study.
But till date no one has been able to find out who had called Rajat on mobile phone.
***
-Anand Vishvas
