JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 4 Out of Business
JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 4 Out of Business
JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 4 Out of Business
Jammu & Kashmir State Board JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions
J&K class 10th English Out of Business Textbook Questions and Answers
Out of Business Summary in English
This is the story of a person (named Rama Rao) who loses everything in his business. He tries to find some employment in the town. But in spite of his best efforts, he fails to find any. He has only a little money with him. Very soon it is also all exhausted. He rents out his bungalow, and moves with his family to a poor locality. This rent is the only source of income for the family now. One day, as usual, Rama Rao goes round the town to find some job. Having failed to find any, he walks into a library in the town. There he comes across a journal. It has only crossword puzzles. It offers a big prize of four thousand rupees for the winners. Rama Rao is tempted to try his luck. He has to invest one rupee to send his entry. He gets it from his wife and sends his entry. But when the results are published, Rama Rao fails to win any prize. He decides to try his luck once more. The same thing happens week after week. He keeps sending his entries but never wins any prize. Meanwhile, the family becomes more and more hard up. But Rama Rao seems to have become indifferent to his wife and children. He gives all his time and attention to think of the solutions to crossword puzzles. His wife feels disturbed but she is a very mild lady. She doesn’t want to quarrel with her husband. She hardly ever protests.
But once the journal offers a huge prize of eight thousand rupees. This time, Rama Rao does not want to leave anything to chance. To his mind, there are only four doubtful answers in the puzzle. So he decides to send four entries this time. His wife is shocked when he demands from her five rupees to send the solutions. But there is no way out for the poor lady.
The results are announced after a week. Rama Rao anxiously goes through the pages of the journal. There is no trace of any prize for him. Rama Rao can’t bear this shock. He decides to end his life on the railway line.
Rama Rao walks a few miles from the town. He goes along the railway line. The train is due in a few minutes. Rama Rao lies down across the line and begins to wait for the train. He keeps lying for quite some time. Then he gets up and walks to the railway station. There he comes to know that the train has been held up due to an accident.
Now Rama Rao realises how kind God has been to him. He walks back home. It is quite late into the night. His wife is waiting anxiously at the door. She gives him a very warm welcome. She takes him in and brings food for him. She also tells him that their tenant had come in the evening. He wants to buy their bungalow and is prepared to give a good price for it. It comes as a big relief to Rama Rao. He says that he will take with him only a little money and go to Madras. There he would find some useful job for himself. He also swears that he will never again invest any money in crossword puzzles.
Out of Business Summary in Hindi
कहानी का संक्षिप्त सार
यह रामा राव नाम के एक व्यक्ति की कहानी है जो अपने व्यापार में सब कुछ खो बैठता है । वह नगर में कोई नौकरी ढूंढने की कोशिश करता है, किन्तु अपने पूरे यत्नों के बावजूद वह कोई भी नौकरी ढूंढने में असफल रहता है। उसके पास केवल थोड़े से ही पैसे होते हैं। बहुत जल्दी यह भी सब समाप्त हो जाते हैं। उसे अपना बंगला किराए पर देना पड़ जाता है और वह स्वयं अपने परिवार के साथ एक गन्दे से इलाके में रहने के लिए चला जाता है । अब परिवार के लिए कमाई के लिए यही एकमात्र साधन रह जाता है ।
एक दिन पहले की भांति रामा राव कोई नौकरी ढूंढने के लिए नगर का चक्कर काटता है। कोई भी नौकरी न मिलने पर वह नगर के एक पुस्तकालय में चला जाता है। वहां उसे अचानक एक पत्रिका दिख जाती है। इसके केवल चार पन्ने होते हैं जिन में वर्ग पहेलियों के अलावा और कुछ नहीं है। रामा राव को अपनी किस्मत आज़माने का लालच हो जाता है। अपनी एण्ट्री भेजने के लिए उसे एक रुपया लगाना होता है । वह इसे अपनी पत्नी से लेता है और अपनी एण्ट्री भेज देता है किन्तु जब परिणाम प्रकाशित होते हैं तो रामा राव कोई भी इनाम जीतने में असफल रहता है । वह एक बार फिर अपना भाग्य आज़माने का निर्णय करता है । सप्ताह दर सप्ताह वही बात होती रहती है। वह अपनी एण्ट्रियां भेजता रहता है किन्तु कभी उसे कोई इनाम नहीं मिलता है । इस बीच परिवार की आर्थिक दशा अधिकाधिक खराब होती चली जाती है। किन्तु ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि रामा राव अपनी पत्नी और बच्चों के प्रति बेपरवाह हो गया है। वह अपना पूरा समय और ध्यान वर्ग पहेलियों के उत्तर सोचने में लगा देता है। उसकी पत्नी परेशान रहती है किन्तु वह एक बहुत नर्म स्वभाव की औरत है। वह अपने पति के साथ झगड़ा नहीं करना चाहती है। वह मुश्किल से ही कभी विरोध किया करती है।
किन्तु एक बार वह पत्रिका आठ हज़ार रुपए के भारी इनाम की पेशकश करती है। इस बार रामा राव कोई भी बात संयोग पर नहीं छोड़ना चाहता है। इसकी सोच अनुसार पहेली में वहां केवल चार सन्देह वाले उत्तर हैं। इसलिए इस बार वह चार एण्ट्रियां भेजने का फैसला करता है। उसकी पत्नी स्तब्ध रह जाती है जब वह अपने उत्तर भेजने के लिए उस से पांच रुपए मांगता है, किन्तु उस बेचारी औरत के लिए वहां कोई दूसरा रास्ता नहीं है ।
एक सप्ताह पश्चात् परिणाम घोषित कर दिए जाते हैं । रामा राव उत्सुकतापूर्वक पत्रिका के पन्नों को देखता है। वहां उसके लिए किसी भी इनाम का कोई निशान नहीं होता है । इस सदमे को रामा राव सहन नहीं कर सकता । वह रेलवे लाइन पर जा कर अपने जीवन को समाप्त करने का निर्णय कर लेता है ।
रामा राव चलता हुआ नगर से कुछ मील दूर पहुंच जाता है । वह रेलवे लाइन के साथ-साथ चलता जाता है। कुछ ही मिनटों में गाड़ी आने वाली होती है। रामा राव लाइन के आर-पार लेट जाता है और गाड़ी की प्रतीक्षा करने लगता है। वहां वह काफी देर तक लेटा रहता है । फिर वह उठ खड़ा होता है तथा रेलवे स्टेशन की तरफ चल पड़ता है। वहां जा कर उसे पता चलता है कि एक दुर्घटना की वजह से गाड़ी रुकी हुई है।
अब रामा राव को महसूस हो जाता है कि ईश्वर उस पर कितना दयालु रहा है। वह चल कर घर वापस जाता है। काफी रात हो गई होती है। उसकी पत्नी दरवाज़े पर उसकी उत्सुकतापूर्वक प्रतीक्षा कर रही होती है । वह उसका बहुत प्यार से स्वागत करती है। वह उसे अन्दर ले जाती है और उसे खाने को भोजन देती है । वह उसे यह भी बताती है कि सायंकाल उनका किराएदार आया था । वह उनका बंगला खरीदना चाहता है और इसकी अच्छी कीमत देने को तैयार है। रामा राव के लिए यह एक बड़ी राहत की बात होती है। वह कहता है कि वह अपने साथ केवल थोड़े से ही पैसे ले कर मद्रास चला जाएगा। वहां वह अपने लिए कोई अच्छा काम ढूंढ लेगा । वह यह शपथ भी लेता है कि वह दोबारा फिर कभी वर्ग पहेलियों में कोई पैसे नहीं लगाएगा।
कठिन शब्दार्थ तथा संपूर्ण कहानी का हिन्दी अनुवाद
Little over a year ago Rama Rao went out of work when a gramophone company, of which he was the Malgudi agent, went out of existence. He had put into that agency the little money he had inherited, as security. For five years his business brought him enough money, just enough, to help him keep his wife and children in good comfort. He built a small bungalow in the Extension and was thinking of buying an old baby car for his use.
And one day, it was a bolt from the blue, the crash came. A series of circumstances in the world of trade, commerce, banking and politics was responsible for it. The gramophone factory company, which had its India, somewhere in Northern automatically collapsed when a bank in Lahore crashed, which was itself the result of a Bombay financier’s death. The driving downhill when his financier was car flew off sideways and came to rest three hundred feet below the road. It was thought that he had committed suicide because the previous night his wife had eloped with his cashier.
Rama Rao suddenly found himself in the streets. At first he could hardly understand the full significance of this collapse. There was a little money in the bank and he had some stock on hand. But the stock moved out slowly; the prices were going down, and he could hardly realise a few hundred rupees. When he applied for the refund of his security, there was hardly anyone at the other end to receive his application.
The money in the bank was fast melting. Rama Rao’s wife now tried some measures of economy. She sent away the cook and the servant, withdrew the children from a fashionable nursery school and sent them to a free primary school. And they let out their bungalow and moved to a very small house behind the Market.
Rama Rao sent out a dozen applications a day, and wore his feet out looking for employment. For a man approaching forty, looking for employment does not come very easily, especially when he has just lost an independent, lucrative business. Rama Rao was very businesslike in stating his request. He sent his card in and asked, ‘I wonder, sir, if you could do something for me. My business is all gone through no fault of my own. I shall be very grateful if you can give me something to do in your office………….
‘What a pity, Rama Rao ! I am awfully sorry, there is nothing at present. If there is an opportunity, I will certainly remember you.’
It was the same story everywhere. He returned home in the evening; his heart sank as he turned into his street behind the Market. His wife would invariably be standing at the door with the children behind her, looking down the street. What anxious, eager faces they had ! So much of trembling, hesitating hope in their faces. They seemed always to hope that he would come back home with some magic fulfilment. As he remembered the futile way in which he searched for a job, and the finality with which people | dismissed him, he wished that his wife and children had less trust in him. His wife looked at his face, understood, and turned in without uttering a word; the children took the cue and filed in silently. Rama Rao tried to improve matters with a forced heartiness. “Well, well. How are we all today ?” To which he received mumbling, feeble responses from his wife and children.
It rent his heart to see them in this condition. There at the Extension how this girl would sparkle with flowers and a bright dress; she had friendly neighbours, a women’s club, and everything to keep her happy there. But now she hardly had the heart need to change in the evenings, for she spent all her time cooped up in the or the kitchen. And then the children. The Extension had a house in the compound and they romped about with a dozen other children : it was possible to have numerous friends in the fashionable nursery school. But here the children had no friends, and could play only in the backyard of the house. Their shirts were beginning to show tears and frays. Formerly they were given new clothes once in three months. Rama Rao lay in bed and spent sleepless nights over it.
All the cash in hand was now gone. Their only source of income was the small rent they were getting for their house in the Extension. They shuddered to think what would happen to them if their tenant should suddenly leave.
It was in this connection that Rama Rao came across a journal in the Jubilee Reading Room. It was called The Captain. It consisted of four pages and all of them were devoted to crossword puzzles. It offered every week a first prize of four thousand rupees.
For the next few days his head was free from family cares. He was intensely thinking of his answers : whether it should be TALLOW or FALLOW. Whether BAD or MAD or SAD would be most apt for the clue which said, ‘Men who are this had better be avoided’. He hardly stopped to look at his wife and children standing in the doorway, when he returned home in the evenings. Week after week he invested a little money and sent down his solutions, and every week he awaited the results with a palpitating heart. On the day a solution was due he hung about the newsagent’s shop, worming himself into his favour in order to have a look into the latest issue of The Captain without paying for it. He was too impatient to wait till the journal came on the table in the Jubilee Reading Room. Sometimes the newsagent would grumble and Rama Rao would pacify him with an awkward, affected optimism. ‘Please wait. When I get a prize I will give you three years’ subscription in advance.’ His heart quailed as he opened the page announcing the prize winners. Someone in Baluchistan, someone in Dacca, and someone in Ceylon had hit upon the right set of words; not Rama Rao. It took three hours for Rama Rao to recover from this shock. The only way to exist seemed to be to plunge into the next week’s puzzle; that would keep him buoyed up with hope for a few days more.
This violent alternating between hope and despair soon wrecked his nerves and balance. At home he hardly spoke to anyone. His head was always bowed in thought. He quarrelled with his wife if she refused to give him a rupee a week for the puzzles. She was of a mild disposition and was incapable of a sustained quarrel, with the result that he always got what he wanted, though it meant a slight | sacrifice in household expenses.
One day the good journal announced a special offer of eight thousand rupees. It excited Rama Rao’s vision of a future tenfold. He studied the puzzle. There were only four doubtful corners in it, and he might have to send in at least four entries. A larger outlay was indicated. You must give me five rupees this time,’ he said to his wife, at which that good lady became speechless. He had become rather insensitive to such things these days, but even he could not help feeling the atrocious nature of his demand. Five rupees were nearly a week’s food for the family. He felt disturbed for a moment; but he had only to turn his attention to speculate whether HOPE or DOPE or ROPE made most sense (for ‘Some people prefer this to despair’), and his mind was at once at rest.
After sending away the solutions by registered post he built elaborate castles in the air. Even if it was only a share, he would get a substantial amount of money. He would send away his tenants, take his wife and children back to the bungalow in the Extension and leave all the money in his wife’s hands for her to manage for a couple of years or so; he himself would take a hundred and go away to Madras and seek his fortune there. By the time the money in his wife’s hands was spent he would have found some profitable work in Madras.
On the fateful day of results Rama Rao opened The Captain, and the correct solution stared him in the face. His blunders were nume merous. There was no chance of getting back even a few annas now. He moped about till the evening. The more he brooded over this the more intolerable life seemed ………….
All the losses, disappointments and frustrations of the life came down on him with renewed force. In the evening instead of turning homeward he moved along the Railway Station Road. He slipped in at the level crossing and walked down the line a couple of miles. It was dark. Far away the lights of the town twinkled, and the red and green light of a signal post loomed over the surroundings a couple of furlongs behind him. He had come to the conclusion that life was not worth living. If one had the misfortune to be born in the world the best remedy was to end matters on a railway line or with a rope ( Hope ? Dope ? His mind asked involuntarily ). He pulled it back. ‘None of that,’ he said to it and set it rigidly to contemplate the business of dying. Wife, children.. nothing seemed to matter. The only important thing now was total extinction. He lay across the lines. The iron was still warm. The day had been hot. Rama Rao felt very happy as he reflected that in less than ten minutes the train from Trichinopoly would be arriving.
He lay there he did not know how long. He strained his ears to catch the sound of the train, but he heard nothing more than a vague rattling and buzzing far off……. Presently he grew tired of lying down there. He rose and walked back to the station. There was a good crowd on the platform. He asked someone, ‘What has happened to the train ?”
‘A goods train has derailed three stations off, and the way is blocked. They have sent up a relief. All the trains will be at least three hours late today ……….…….. ?
‘God, you have shown me mercy !’ Rama Rao cried and ran home.
His wife was waiting at the door looking down the street. She brightened up and sighed with relief on seeing Rama Rao. She welcomed him with the warmth he had never known for over a year now. ‘Oh, why are you so late today ?’ she asked. I was somehow feeling very restless the whole evening. Even the children were worried. Poor creatures ! They have just gone to sleep.’
When he sat down to eat she said, ‘Our tenants in the Extension bungalow came in the evening to ask if would sell the house. They are ready to offer good cash for it immediately.’ She added. quietly, ‘I think we may sell the house.’
‘Excellent idea,’ Rama Rao replied jubilantly, ‘This minute we can get four and a half thousand for it. Give me the half thousand and I will go away to Madras and see if I can do anything useful there. You keep the balance with you and run the house. Let us first move to a better locality ………..
Are you going to employ your five hundred to get more money out of crossword puzzles ?” she asked quietly. At this Rama Rao felt depressed for a moment and then swore with great emphasis, ‘No, no. Never again.’
एक वर्ष से कुछ अधिक समय हुआ जब रामा राव की नौकरी जाती रही जब ग्रामोफ़ोन कम्पनी बन्द हो गई जिसका वह मालगुडी में एजेन्ट हुआ करता था। उसने उस एजेन्सी में जमानत के रूप में वह थोड़े-बहुत पैसे जमा करवा रखे थे जो उसे विरासत में प्राप्त हुए थे। पाँच वर्ष तक उसका वह धन्धा उसे काफ़ी पैसे देता रहा, इतना कि वह अपनी पत्नी तथा बच्चों को आरामपूर्वक रख पाता। उसने एक्सटेंशन में एक छोटा-सा बंगला बना लिया और वह अपने इस्तेमाल के लिए एक पुरानी छोटी-सी कार खरीदने का मन बना रहा था।
और एक दिन अचानक मानो आकाश बिजली आ गिरी, कम्पनी बन्द हो गई। व्यापार, वाणिज्य, बँकिग और राजनीति के संसार में एक के बाद एक होने वाली परिस्थितियां इसके लिए ज़िम्मेदार थीं। वह ग्रामोफ़ोन कम्पनी, जिसकी फ़ैक्टरी उत्तर भारत में किसी जगह पर थी, स्वयं ही बन्द हो गई जब लाहौर में एक बैंक फ़ेल हो गया जो स्वयं भी बम्बई के एक साहूकार की मृत्यु का नतीजा था। वह साहूकार कार द्वारा पहाड़ी से नीचे को आ रहा था कि जब उसकी कार तेज़ी से एक तरफ घूम गई और सड़क के 300 फीट नीचे जा गिरी। ऐसा माना जाता था कि उसने आत्महत्या कर ली थी क्योंकि उससे पूर्व की रात उसकी पत्नी उसके खज़ांची के साथ भाग गई थी।
रामा राव ने अचानक स्वयं को सड़क पर ( अर्थात् बेकार) पाया । पहले तो वह मुश्किल से ही इस आघात के पूरे महत्त्व को समझ पाया। बैंक में उसके थोड़े से पैसे थे और उसके पास थोड़ा सा माल जमा भी था। किन्तु धीरे-धीरे जमा माल खत्म हो गया; दाम गिरते जा रहे थे और वह मुश्किल से कुछ सौ रुपए ही बना सका। जब उसने अपनी ज़मानत वापस लेने के लिए प्रार्थना-पत्र भेजा तो दूसरी तरफ़ उसका प्रार्थना पत्र लेने वाला मुश्किल से ही कोई आदमी था।
बैंक में पड़ा पैसा तेज़ी से कम हो रहा था। रामा राव की पत्नी ने अब बचत के कुछ उपाय करने की कोशिश की। उसने रसोईए और नौकर को हटा दिया, बच्चों को आधुनिक नर्सरी स्कूल से हटा लिया और उन्हें एक निःशुल्क प्राइमरी स्कूल में डाल दिया। और उन्होंने अपना बंगला किराए पर दे दिया और बाज़ार के पीछे की तरफ़ एक छोटे से घर में चले गए।
रामा राव प्रतिदिन एक दर्जन प्रार्थना पत्र भेजता और नौकरी की तलाश करते हुए अपने पैर थका लेता । ऐसा आदमी जो लगभग चालीस की उम्र में नौकरी ढूंढ रहा हो, उसे आसानी से नौकरी नहीं मिलती, विशेष रूप से तब जब उसने अपना एक स्वतंत्र, लाभकारी धन्धा खोया हो । रामा राव अपनी प्रार्थना बयान करने में बहुत व्यावहारिक होता। वह अपना परिचय – कार्ड अन्दर भेजता और पूछता, ‘‘श्रीमान्, मैं सोचता हूं कि शायद आप मेरे लिए कुछ कर सकें। मेरा व्यापार सब समाप्त हो गया है, बिना मेरे किसी दोष के। मैं बहुत कृतज्ञ हूंगा यदि आप मुझे अपने कार्यालय में करने को कोई काम दें …………..
“बहुत अफ़सोस है, रामा राव ! मुझे बहुत ही अफ़सोस है, वर्तमान में कोई जगह नहीं है। यदि कोई संभावना हुई तो मैं अवश्य आपको याद करूंगा । “
सभी जगह वही कहानी होती थी । सायं हुए वह घर लौटता; उसका दिल बैठने लगता जब वह बाज़ार के पीछे वाली अपनी गली के अन्दर को मुड़ता। उसकी पत्नी सदा ही दरवाज़े पर खड़ी होती, बच्चों को अपने पीछे लिए हुए, और गली की तरफ़ देख रही होती। उनके चेहरे कितने उत्सुकता और चिन्ता से भरे होते थे ! उनके चेहरों में बहुत ही कम्पन और हिचकिचाहट वाली आशा भरी होती । वे सदा ऐसी आशा लगाए दिखाई देते कि वह घर लौटते समय साथ में कोई जादुई सफलता वाली चीज़ लाएगा। जब उसे याद आता कि किस तरह बेकार ही वह रोज़गार की तलाश में भटकता रहता था, और किस तरह लोग उसे टका सा जवाब दे देते थे, तो वह चाहता कि उसकी पत्नी और उसके बच्चे उस पर कम भरोसा करें । उसकी पत्नी उसके चेहरे की तरफ़ देखती, बात समझ जाती और बिना कोई शब्द बोले अन्दर को मुड़ जाती; बच्चे भी इशारा समझ लेते और चुप-चाप कतार बनाए अन्दर चले जाते। रामा राव बनावटी प्रसन्नता दिखा कर हालात में सुधार लाने की कोशिश करता । ‘तो सुनाओ, आज सब का क्या हाल-चाल है ?’ जिस के उत्तर के रूप में उसे अपनी पत्नी और बच्चों से दबे हुए मुंह में ही कमज़ोर सी प्रतिक्रियाएं प्राप्त होतीं ।
उन्हें इस हालत में देखकर उसका दिल फट जाता। वहां एक्सटेंशन (वाले बंगले) में यह लड़की फूलों और भड़कीली पोशाक में कितनी चमका करती थी; उसके मैत्रीपूर्ण पड़ोसी थे, एक औरतों का एक क्लब था और हर चीज़ थी जो उसे वहां खुश रखती थी। किन्तु अब सायंकाल को वस्त्र बदलने का मुश्किल से ही उसका मन होता या इसकी ज़रूरत महसूस होती, क्योंकि अब वह अपना सारा समय रसोईघर में ही बन्द रहते गुज़ारा करती । और फिर वे बच्चे। एक्सटेंशन (वाले घर) में वहां एक आंगन था और वे दर्जन अन्य बच्चों के साथ इधर-उधर कूदते – फांदते रहते : उस आधुनिक नर्सरी स्कूल में अनेकों मित्र बनाना संभव था । किंतु यहां बच्चों के कोई मित्र नहीं थे, और वे केवल घर के पिछवाड़े में ही खेल सकते थे। उनकी कमीज़ों में फटी हुई जगहें और घिसे होने के निशान दिखाई देने लगे थे। पहले के समय में उन्हें तीन महीनों में एक बार नए कपड़े मिला करते थे। रामा राव बिस्तर में पड़ा रहता और इन बातों को सोचता हुआ बिना सोए रातें गुजारता ।
अब सब नगद पैसा जा चुका था। उनकी कमाई का एकमात्र साधन वह थोड़ा-सा किराया था जो उन्हें एक्सटेंशन वाले घर से मिलता था । वे यह सोचकर कांप उठते कि उनका क्या होगा अगर उनका किराएदार अचानक मकान छोड़ जाए ।
इसी सम्बन्ध में सोचने के दौरान रामा राव को जुबिली रीडिंग रूम में अचानक एक पत्रिका मिली। इसका नाम ‘दि कैप्टन’ था। इस में चार पन्ने थे और वे सब वर्ग पहेलियों भरे हुए थे। इस में प्रति सप्ताह चार हज़ार रुपए का पहला इनाम देने की पेशकश की गई थी ।
अगले कुछ दिनों के लिए उसका दिमाग़ परिवार की चिंताओं से मुक्त रहा । वह बहुत गहराई से अपने उत्तरों के विषय में सोच रहा होता : कि वह शब्द TALLOW होना चाहिए या FALLOW | क्या BAD या MAD या SAD उस संकेत के लिए सबसे उपयुक्त रहेगा जहां लिखा था कि मनुष्य जो इस प्रकार के होते हैं, उनसे बच कर रहना बेहतर होगा । दरवाज़े पर खड़ी अपनी पत्नी और बच्चों की तरफ़ वह मुश्किल से ही देखता था जब वह सायं हुए घर लौटता। हर सप्ताह वह कुछ पैसे लगा देता और अपने उत्तर भेज देता, और हर सप्ताह वह धड़कते दिल के साथ नतीजों का इन्तज़ार करता । जिस दिन (नतीजे वाले) उत्तर आने होते वह समाचार – पत्र वाली दुकान के आसपास मंडराता रहता और उससे |नज़दीकी बनाने की कोशिश करता ताकि बिना पैसे दिए वह दि कैप्टन की उस दिन वाली प्रति पर नज़र डाल सके । वह इतना अधीर हो जाता कि जुबली रीडिंग रूम वाली मेज़ पर पत्रिका के आने की प्रतीक्षा नहीं कर सकता था। कई बार अख़बार वाला बड़बड़ाता और तब रामा राव एक बेढंगे से उम्मीद भरे ढंग में उसे शांत करने की कोशिश करता । “कृपया इंतज़ार कीजिए। जब मेरा इनाम निकलेगा तो मैं आप को तीन साल के पैसे पेशगी दे दूंगा।” उसका दिल कांप उठता जब वह इनाम जीतने वालों के नामों वाला पन्ना खोलता। कोई बिलोचिस्तान से, कोई ढाका से और कोई सिलोन से सही शब्दों का चुनाव करने में सफल रहा होता था, लेकिन रामा राव नहीं। इस सदमे से उबरने में रामा राव को तीन घंटे लग जाते । जीवित रहने का एकमात्र उपाय यही प्रतीत होता कि अगले सप्ताह की वर्ग पहेली में व्यस्त हो जाए, जो उसे कुछ और दिनों के लिए आशा बन्धाए हुए प्रसन्न रख सकती थी ।
आशा और निराशा के मध्य उस भयानक भटकन ने जल्दी ही उसके साहस और उसके मानसिक संतुलन को बिगाड़ दिया। घर पर वह मुश्किल से ही किसी से बात करता था। उसका सिर हमेशा सोच में झुका रहता । वह अपनी पत्नी से झगड़ पड़ता अगर वह उसे पहेलियों के लिए हर सप्ताह उसे एक रुपया देने से इन्कार करती । वह स्वभाव से नर्म थी और झगड़े को जारी रखने के काबिल नहीं थी, जिसका परिणाम यह होता कि उसे हमेशा मिल जाता जो वह चाहता था, यद्यपि इसका अर्थ होता घर के खर्चों में थोड़ी कमी ।
एक दिन उस अच्छी पत्रिका ने आठ हज़ार रुपयों के एक विशेष पुरस्कार की घोषणा की । इस ने रामा राव के भविष्य के सपनों को दस गुणा बढ़ा दिया। उसने पहेली को ध्यान से पढ़ा। उसमें केवल चार संदेह वाली जगहें थी और इसलिए उसे शायद चार प्रविष्टियां भेजनी पड़तीं। यहां एक अधिक बड़े निवेश का संकेत था । ‘तुम्हें इस बार मुझे पांच रुपये देने होंगे, ‘ उसने अपनी पत्नी से कहा, जिस पर वह भली स्त्री अवाक रह गई । इन दिनों वह ऐसी बातों के प्रति कुछ लापरवाह होने लगा था, किन्तु स्वयं वह भी अपनी मांग की क्रूरता को महसूस किए बिना न रह सका। पांच रुपये परिवार के लगभग एक हफ्ते के भोजन के बराबर था। वह एक पल के लिए विचलित हो गया; कितु उसे केवल अपना ध्यान यह अंदाज़ा लगाने की तरफ़ लगाना था, कि क्या HOPE या DOPE या ROPE सबसे ज्यादा उपयुक्त लगता (कुछ लोग इसे निराशा से बेहतर मानते हैं) और उसका दिमाग़ तुरन्त शांत हो गया ।
उत्तरों को रजिस्टर्ड डाक द्वारा भेजने के बाद वह लंबेचौड़े हवाई किले बनाने लगा । यद्यपि यह इनाम का कुछ हिस्सा ही हुआ, तो उसे अच्छी-भली राशि मिल जानी थी। वह अपने किराएदारों को वहां से भेज देगा, अपनी पत्नी और बच्चों को वापस अपने एक्सटेंशन वाले बंगले में ले जाएगा और सब पैसे अपनी पत्नी के हाथों में दे देगा ताकि वह कुछ- एक वर्षों तक गुजारा चला सके । वह खुद सिर्फ़ एक सौ रुपए ले कर मद्रास चला जाएगा और वहां अपना भाग्य आज़माएगा । जब तक उसकी पत्नी के हाथों वाला पैसा खत्म होगा वह मद्रास में कोई फ़ायदे वाला काम ढूंढ चुका होगा ।
भाग्य का निर्णय करने वाले परिणामों के दिन रामा राव ने दि कैप्टन खोली और सही हल उसे घूर घूर कर देखने लगे । उसकी बड़ी-बड़ी ग़लतियां अनेकों रही थीं। अब कुछ आने भी वापस प्राप्त होने का कोई अवसर नहीं था । शाम तक वह मारा-मारा घूमता रहा। इस बारे वह जितना ज़्यादा सोचता, जीवन उसे उतना ही ज्यादा असहनीय प्रतीत होता ……….
जीवन के सभी नुकसान, निराशाएं और पराजयें एक नई ताकत लिए उस पर आ पड़ीं। सायंकाल घर की तरफ़ मुड़ने की बजाए वह रेलवे स्टेशन रोड के साथ-साथ चल दिया। फाटक पर आ कर वह चुपके से अन्दर की तरफ़ हो लिया और पटरी के साथ-साथ लगभग दो मील तक चलता गया। अंधेरा हो चुका था । बहुत दूर नगर की रोशनियां झिलमिला रही थीं और सिग्नल वाले ख़म्भों के ऊपर वाली लाल और हरी रोशनी उसके पीछे की तरफ़ एक-दो फर्लांग की दूरी पर इर्द-गिर्द की चीज़ों के ऊपर धुंधली – सी नज़र आ रही थी। वह इस निष्कर्ष पर पहुंच चुका था कि जीवन जीने लायक नहीं था। यदि किसी को इस संसार में जन्म लेने का दुर्भाग्य प्राप्त हुआ हो तो सबसे बढ़िया इलाज था किसी रेलवे लाइन पर बात को खत्म कर दिया जाए या किसी रस्सी के साथ (Hope, आशा ? Dope, हशीश ? उसके दिमाग ने वैसे ही पूछ लिया)। उसने इसे वापस खींचा। ‘ऐसा कुछ नहीं, ‘ उसने इस से कहा और सख्ती से इसे मरने के विचारों की , तर तरफ़ लगा दिया। पत्नी, बच्चे ………. अब किसी चीज़ का कोई महत्त्व नहीं रहा था। अब एकमात्र महत्त्वपूर्ण चीज़ रही थी पूर्ण विनाश । वह पटरी के आरपार लेट गया । लोहा अभी भी गर्म था। दिन गर्मी-भरा रहा था। रामा राव को बहुत खुशी महसूस हुई जब उसने यह सोचा कि दस मिनट से भी कम समय में त्रिचनापली से आने वाली गाड़ी आ रही होगी ।
वह वहां कितनी देर लेटा रहा, उसे पता नहीं था। गाड़ी की आवाज़ सुनने के लिए उसने अपने कानों पर जोर दिया किन्तु उसे दूर से आती हुई एक अस्पष्ट-सी खड़-खड़ाहट और भिनभिनाहट से ज़्यादा और कुछ सुनाई न दिया ………. जल्दी ही वह वहां लेटे-लेटे ऊब गया । वह उठ खड़ा हुआ और वापस स्टेशन की तरफ़ चल दिया । प्लेटफार्म पर काफ़ी भीड़ थी । उसने किसी से पूछा, ‘गाड़ी को क्या हो गया है ?”
‘यहां से तीन स्टेशन दूर एक मालगाड़ी पटरी से उतर गई है, और रास्ता बन्द हो गया है। एक सहायता-गाड़ी भेजी गई है। आज सभी गाड़ियां कम-से-कम तीन घण्टे लेट रहेंगी ……….।’
‘हे ईश्वर, तुमने मुझ पर दया दिखाई है !’ रामा राव चिल्ला उठा और घर की तरफ दौड़ पड़ा ।
उसकी पत्नी दरवाज़े पर प्रतीक्षा करती हुई सड़क की |तरफ़ देख रही थी । रामा राव को देखकर वह खिल उठी और उसने चैन की गहरी सांस ली। उसने उसका इतना स्नेहपूर्वक स्वागत किया जो उसने पिछले एक साल से भी ज़्यादा समय से नहीं देखा था। ‘अरे, आप आज इतना लेट क्यों हो गए ?’ उसने पूछा । ‘किसी वजह से मैं पूरी शाम भर बेचैन रही। बच्चे भी चिंतित थे। बेचारे मासूम ! वे अभी-अभी सोए हैं । ‘
जब वह खाना खाने के लिए बैठा तो वह कहने लगी, ‘एक्सटेंशन वाले बंगले के हमारे किराएदार शाम के समय यह पूछने आए थे कि क्या आप बंगला बेचना चाहेंगे। वे इसके लिए अच्छी रकम तुरन्त नकद देने को तैयार हैं। उसने धीरे से यह बात भी कह दी, ‘मैं सोचती हूं कि हम मकान बेच ही दें।’
‘बहुत बढ़िया विचार है, ‘ राम राव ने बहुत प्रसन्नतापूर्वक उत्तर दिया। ‘इसी पल हम इसके साढ़े चार हज़ार प्राप्त कर सकते हैं। मुझे पांच सौ रुपए दे देना और मैं मद्रास चला जाऊंगा और देखूंगा अगर वहां मैं मतलब का काम कर सकूं। बाकी रकम तुम अपने पास रख लेना और घर चलाना। पहले हम मकान बदलकर किसी बेहतर इलाके में चलेंगे ……….’
‘क्या आप अपने पांच सौ रुपए और ज्यादा पैसे कमाने के लिए वर्ग पहेलियों में लगाने जा रहे हैं ?” उसने शांत भाव से पूछा । इस पर रामा राव एक पल के लिए उदास हो गया और फिर बहुत बल देकर शपथ खाई, ‘नहीं, नहीं। अब दोबारा कभी नहीं ।’
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Thinking about the Text:
Q. 1. What was Rama Rao’s business? How did it collapse ?
Ans. Rama Rao didn’t have any big business. He worked as the Malgudi agent of a gramophone company. He had only a little money. This money had been deposited with the company as security. For five years, Rama Rao got good returns from his business. But these returns were not very high. They were just enough to run his family. But then suddenly, the company collapsed. Rama Rao applied for the refund of his security. But there was no one at the other end to receive his application. Thus Rama Rao suddenly found himself in the streets. He had only a little money in the bank which couldn’t last long.
Q. 2. What effect did the collapse of Rama Rao’s business have on him and his family?
Ans. Rama Rao suddenly found himself in the streets. He had only a little money in the bank and some stock on hand. He couldn’t even get back his security from the gramophone company. Whatever little the family had, started melting very fast. Rama Rao’s wife tried to reduce her expenses. She sent away the cook and the servant. The children were withdrawn from the costly nursery school. They were sent to a free primary school. The family had no source of income now. So they rented out their bungalow. They themselves moved to a very small house behind the Market.
Q. 3. What is the ‘stock’ referred to in line 13 ?
Ans. Rama Rao worked as the Malgudi agent of a gramophone company. He dealt in the gramophone records manufactured by this company. The ‘stock’ referred to here is the stock of gramophone records he had on hand with him when the company failed.
Q. 4. Why did Rama Rao worry less about his family after he came across The Captain ?
Ans. The Captain was the name of a journal. It had four pages only and contained nothing but crossword puzzles. Every week, it offered a big prize of four thousand rupees. For each entry, one had to invest a rupee only. But for Rama Rao, even that much was a big amount. However, he got it from his wife and sent an entry. He had all hope of winning the prize. But he was badly disappointed when the results came. There was no prize for him. He sent another entry, then another, and then another. The same thing happened every week. All the time, Rama Rao remained lost in thinking of the answers to be filled in the puzzles. He became indifferent to his wife and children. He would even quarrel with his wife to have his rupee for the next entry.
Q. 5. Why did Rama Rao decide to send in at least four entries for the ‘Special Offer Crossword Competition’ ?
Ans. Week after week, Rama Rao had been sending his entry for the crossword puzzle competition. He always hoped to win a prize, but never got any. One week, there was a special offer. This time, the prize money was very huge. It was eight thousand instead of four thousand. Rama Rao studied the puzzle thoroughly. To him, there seemed to be only four doubtful solutions. This time, he didn’t want to leave anything to chance. He wanted to be sure of winning a prize. So he decided to send in at least four entries this time.
Q. 6. Why did Rama Rao plan to go to Madras ?
Ans. Rama Rao had sent in four entries for the special offer crossword competition. This time, he had left nothing to chance. There were only four doubtful solutions and he had covered them all by sending four entries. Thus he was dead sure of winning a prize this time. With this certainty, he started building castles in the air. He thought he would send BY away the tenant and move back to his bungalow. He would give all the prize money to his wife. It would be enough for her to run the family for a couple of years. For himself, he would take only a small amount and go be away to Madras. There he would try to find some profitable work for himself. That was why Rama Rao planned to go to Madras.
Q. 7. What made Rama Rao believe that God had shown him mercy ?
Ans. Rama Rao had all hope that he would win a big prize in the special crossword puzzle competition. This time, he had taken no chances. He had sent in four entries because there were only four doubtful solutions. But when the results came, there was no prize for him. It was too big a shock for him. He decided to end his life on the railway line. He started walking along the line and reached a few miles from the town. There he lay down across the line. A train was due in a few minutes. Rama Rao kept lying for quite some time, but the train didn’t come. He became tired and got up. He walked BoTon towards the station. There was a big crowd on the platform. Rama Rao came to know that the train was three hours late because of an accident. Thus Rama Rao was in no doubt that God had shown him mercy.
Q. 8. How did Rama Rao alternate between hope and despair ?
Ans. Rama Rao hoped to overcome his financial difficulties through the crossword puzzle competition. He would send an entry every week and then wait for the results. But when the results came, he would never find any prize for himself. He was thus filled with despair. For hours, he would remain in a state of shock. The only way to forget about it was to give himself to the next week’s puzzle. He would give all time to the thinking of correct solutions. After he had sent in his entry, there would begin another week of hope. But this hope would again change into despair when the results came. Thus Rama Rao alternated between hope and despair.
Writing Work:
Q. Keeping in view the theme of the story, do you think that short-cut methods should be followed in life ? Why?
Ans. A short-cut method means a way of doing something quickly. And anything done quickly is never done rightly. Haste always makes waste. When we are in haste, we have no time to think. And when we don’t think, we are sure to make mistakes. And when we make frequent mistakes, we are sure to ruin ourselves. Therefore, we must never form the habit of following short-cut methods. This is what we learn from Rama Rao’s story. He follows short-cut methods to overcome his financial problems. These methods ultimately take him to the railway line. It is only God’s mercy that holds up the train. Otherwise, Rama Rao’s short-cut methods would have cut his life short.
Discussion :
Q. As a teenager, how do you cope up with the challenges of everyday life? Exchange your ideas with your groupmates.
Ans. I always take every difficult thing as a challenge. I never lose courage. I try and try till at last I succeed. For example, there are times when I fail to solve a sum in maths. Then I don’t just give it up. I take it as a challenge. I keep on trying and I always find that nothing is impossible to do if one has the firm determination to do it. At every step in our life, we have to face challenges and difficulties. If we accept these challenges, we win. And if we turn our face away from them, we get overthrown. This is a fact of life which everyone must keep in mind to succeed in life.
PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION
PASSAGE 1
A little over a year ago Rama Rao went out of work when a gramophone company, of which he was the Malgudi agent, went out of existence. He had put into that agency the little money he had inherited, as security. For five years his business brought him enough money, just enough, to help him keep his wife and children in good comfort. He built a small bungalow in the Extension and was thinking of buying an old baby car for his use.
Questions
1. What was Rama Rao ?
2. Where had he put all his money?
3. His……………… brought him enough money for five years.
4. He was thinking of buying an old ……… car.
5. Match the correct combination.
| A | B |
|
(a) out
(b) little
(c) comfort
(d) buy
|
(i) big
(ii) sell
(iii) in
(iv) discomfort
|
Answers
1. He was an agent of a gramophone company.
2. He had put all his money into the agency.
3. business
4. baby.
5. (a) out = in (b) little = big (c) comfort = discomfort (d) buy = sell.
PASSAGE 2
All the losses, disappointments and frustrations of the life came down on him with a renewed force. In the evening, instead of turning homeward, he moved along the Railway Station Road. He slipped in at the level crossing and walked down the line a couple of miles. It was dark. Far away the lights of the town twinkled, and the red and green light of a signal post loomed over the surroundings a couple of furlongs behind him. He had come to the conclusion that life was not worth living.
Questions
1. How did all the losses came down on him ?
2. What did he do in the evening instead of turning homeward?
3. The lights of the town were ……………….. .
4. He thought that life was not ………… living.
5. Match the correct combination.
| A | B |
|
(a) loss
(b) life
(c) dark
(d) come
|
(i) go
(ii) gain
(iii) death
(iv) bright
|
Answers
1. All the losses came down on him with a renewed force.
2. He moved along Railway Station Road.
3. twinkling
4. worth.
5. (a) loss = gain (b) life = death (c) dark = bright (d) come = go.
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