The big blast 

The winters were approaching and the leaves were turning yellow. The human body demanded sweaters in the evenings. The shops were full of the winter clothing. The ‘Deepawali’ festival was also approaching and so the sale of crackers could be seen displayed in various stalls all over the city including the ‘Chinar’ complex. If crackers entered the city then how can you stop a child from buying it for it was a great fun playing with them especially for the boys at that age. Be it school or home the crackers found their place in the schoolbags too. If they entered the school bags then they had to show their presence in the school also.

A new lady teacher had just joined as our substitute teacher for Geography since the actual teacher, Mr Tribhuvan had proceeded on leave. She was nice looking but her class was boring as she mostly read the book and did not explain anything nor made any eye contact while facing the students but would be looking at the back wall. The students mind therefore wandered elsewhere in mischief and bursting of crackers was the best way to enjoy which they felt. While she was teaching facing the board a small hand-bomb went off with a low noise

 ”Phat! “.

 When she turned back everyone was looking at her as if nothing had happened. She asked

“What was it?”

One of the student replied

“Madam I think it was a bomb”

“That I also know it but who did that?”She said getting slightly angry since was new to the class.

Everyone was silent. She  again started writing on the board after sometime.

“Boooooom! “

Came the noise of the  second blast with a greater intensity.

She turned angry this time and said,

“Who was it? Don’t  you have any shame?”

Some giggled with their lowered necks while some were seriously looking at her for her next reaction.

She looked around all the corners and with her frowned face turned towards the blackboard and started writing again. There was profound silence now and I expected the matter to be over . Everyone was busy listening to her and making notes .

“BOOOOOOOM!” 

Again the loud blast occurred.

 No one moved a muscle this time.

“I will not teach this class and report the matter to the principal “she went out  saying.

As she rushed out in anger I could notice her crying while going towards the principal office. Fortunately the principal was not there so after some time we saw Daddoo sir  coming along with to help her sort out the problem. By this time one more bomb was already planted tactfully.

When she came she narrated the incidence showing the place where it went off but the culprit could still not be traced. Daddoo told her

“Madam please continue with the class I’ll see who explodes the bomb this time and I’ll explode him”

The Madam continued teaching us the types of clouds which she was already teaching,

” The clouds located highest in the sky are called ‘cirrus’ clouds  and are white in ———————”

 Daddoo sir meanwhile during the pause of her sentence said addressing the class protruding his eyeballs which were already half out by default,

“Let me see how the bomb explodes this time you people think you are extra smart, now show your smartness to me “

Saying this he sat down on the chair kept on the side of the stage and as he sat down

“Booooooooooooooom“

went the heavy duty cracker bomb which was placed under the chair ready to explode with the weight and Daddoo sir jumped two feet high and fell down on his hips with a bump. He immediately got up and cleaned his trousers first noticing carefully that his back side was intact. I just lowered my head as expected sholay(small fireballs) to come out from his inside which would shower straight on us. Everyone was shocked less those who must have planted it. The lady teacher ran out and hearing the blast two more teachers who were taking the class in the adjacent classrooms also came out to see what had happened. Now Patthu sir took over the lead who was teaching in the next class room.

“I know this is a very mischievious class and they should not be spared”, he said facing Daddoo sir who was still looking time and again at the back side of his trousers.

“Daddoo  added,” Actually  I had also come to sort them out but—-but——”

“But what?”, asked Patthu.

 ”I am still not able to find out who the culprit is otherwise I would have made a rooster out of him” said Daddoo sir anguishly.

Soon the matter reached the Principal who had arrived back by then through that Lady Teacher and he came to our class for giving threats and long moral lecture but still no one owned up the responsibility as the matter had become serious now. The whole class was summoned and asked to come out in the field and told in no uncertain terms that till the time the student owns up the responsibility there would be no classes and the whole class would suffer. There was a stunned silence .Saying this the Principal went back to his office and so did other teachers to their class. Then Patthu sir said,

“Abhi bhi time hai aadmi ke bachche ban jaao”(There is still a chance turn into child  of a human being) and he went away.

Now it was only class IX B students who gathered in a cluster near each other when JP took the lead and said,

“Oh dekho bhai jisne patake bajai hai ya to chup chaap bata do aur mamala khatam karo ya phir pacca kar lo ki chahey jo bhi ho jaye moo nahin kholna hai “(Listen everyone either quietly own up the responsibility who ever has done this or else never ever open your mouth)

But one thing was certain no one still knew who had done this at least I did not know .The matter was not going to end so easily since it had reached the level of principal who also could not solve it so it soon became the prestige issue more so because the lady teacher had cried twice so principal made up his mind to crack the hard nuts at any cost. While at the other end everyone was motivated and had already decided not to open their mouth. How could they have opened it  when nobody knew who did it except the ones who actually did it. The day passed and we kept sitting outside the class on the drain which was in front of our class. Some floated around the Banyan tree where we generally sat and had our Tiffin or played during the games period. It was fun as we were free from studies for the day. Soon the school was over and everyone pushed home.

The next day immediately after the assembly our class was simply told to sit outside and not to enter the class for the day. Everyone was soon called and told collectively under the banyan tree to own up and finish the matter so that only the guilty would be punished and the rest of the class would be left free. No one agreed. The PT teacher was now told to take care of us and he ordered everyone to run around the assembly ground on the perimeter road which passed in front of all the middle and some senior classes. Everyone was seen running in the first two rounds then slowed down and changed to walking .Like this they continued walking all around for the next one hour. The girls also accompanied us and it appeared that some rally was on. We were hooted by the students of the classes in front of whom we passed while walking listening to their comments,

“The Pataka(cracker) class Yaaaaaaaa Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa” and we would laugh and wave our hands in return actually cursing them from our hearts inside.

The girls would also feel bad as it was none of their fault; presumed. There was still no feeling of frustration noticed on anyone’s face as we were free from studies and were having a good time. The boys spent most of their time gossiping and roaming around here and there, some sneaked off to Chinar on the pretext of some work, some went for their own work to the staff room some made their notes and completed their pending work after they were allowed to use the classroom later, girls chitchatted and were busy reading novels while some mixed up with boys discussing about the latest situation and made wild guesses on the brain behind this incident. Not only we all were concerned but the teachers also had started making their calculations as to who was the person who did this but were unable to proceed ahead even an inch in this matter. The second day also came to an end.

On the third day the same routine was repeated of making rounds on the perimeter road and then I could see some breaking in some of us especially the ones who were least interested in mixing up with the back benchers and were totally studious and introverts.

“Yaar jisne kiya hai bata do na aise hi sabko tang karne se koi faida nahin hai”(Yaar who ever has done it please own up there is no use harassing everyone) one of the short statured student, Ravinder who used to sit in the front row said in a tired voice. He also added after sometime

“Agar koi naam nahin bataiga to main uska naam teacher ko bata doonga(If the culprit will not own up himself then I will tell his name to the teacher)

“Do you know who has done this?” asked one of us from the crowd.

“No but I will just tell the name of person whom I suspect as I do not want to get punishment unnecessarily for his prank” said Ravinder.

Two of us, Panda and JP looked at him anxiously but did not say anything. When Ravinder was away they started discussing that whoever tells anyone’s name now to the teacher will be blamed as a culprit by the rest of us.

“If anyone owns up now he is definitely going to get some severe punishment for sure which may amount to dismissal or issue of transfer certificate from the school.” said JP to everyone.

Thus a decision was made and this word was spread to everyone in the class as discussed which silenced Ravinder’s lips to blurt out anything harmful and all were back on the same grid. This made me have a suspicion on JP and Panda as they took pains to hush up the issue. Maybe or maybe not those they had done it. If they had not done it why are they so interested in hushing up the issue? Are they so caring about everyone? I thought and only thought but did not let that thought come out of my mouth.

The school administration also appeared to have planted some mole amongst us which we sensed but everyone kept their thoughts of suspicion also in their heads only so this technique of administration also failed.

One day Sanjeev Bhagat called some of us while sitting on the drain outside the class and said very clearly,

“Folks please listen to me and close up please”

We all gathered around the drain as were curious to know what he wanted to say as he had just arrived from the staff room side. I was astride him, JP stood in front, Rakesh Chander with his one leg on either side of the drain to his left while Pramod stood leaning on to him from the back.

“I was called by the Principal and told in clear terms to help him find out as to who did this but since you are my young friends all my loyalties are towards you only and you all can take my word on it. The principal has also said that he would not harm anyone if he owns up himself. So what is your decision and how do you desire to go on further?”

Firstly we all were very impressed by Bhagat as he had shown trust on us instead of playing dirty which he could have if he wanted to for occupying a special place in principal’s heart to have his personal gain in the long term. But later everyone thought it might be a ploy of the Principal to trap the student using Bhagat and later punish him. So JP came forward and said,

” No we will continue to keep mum on the issue and so did everyone”

Bhagat asked once more,

“Sure?”

“Yes” said everyone while the girls looked from the window of the class guessing what discussion was going on. Sandeep also laid emphasis and joined Panda in saying,

“Jo bhi hoga dekha jayega”(We’ll see whatever happens). Kamini was overjoyed when she heard this and I could see her felt relieved from her facial expression as she looked from the from window of the class  from where she was overhearing all the conversation she was able to and exchanging signals with Sandeep.

“Ok then we are firm and continue to be and don’t break in between.” Said Bhagat sternly to all of us and called for his guitar kept inside the classroom which he had brought to pass the time in the school.

The guitar was brought and given to him. He started playing it and started to sing,

“Yeh Patakey kisne bajaai hum nahin bataingay—————–”(Who bursted these crackers we will not disclose—————–) trying to imitate the lyrics of Hindi movie ‘Sholay’.

While singing, everyone joined and the song was sung in chorus. After some time Bhagat forgot the nodes he was playing as he had just learnt it a few days back so he switched over to ‘Tabla’(An Indian instrument used like a pair of small drums placed on the ground in front of the musician) on the wooden guitar itself and continued the song. The Principal sitting in his office was thinking that it must be his plan which his blue eyed boy must be executing with utmost sincerity and did not interfere or ask as to what was going on although overhearing everything. The students in the other class also felt jealous of us and envied our enjoyment which was camouflaged under the jacket of fear. Deepa, glancing through her window seat in the rear of the class was laughing discussing what was going on amongst the boys with her evergreen friend Madhavi sitting next to her. Veena who sat next to the door which was in the middle of the class and in between the two windows saw us singing by leaning her chair back on its two rear legs and neck turned right. A day to remember all my life I would say as is fresh as flower in my mind even today. After finishing the song it was lunch time and like this passed the third day also with no progress on tracing the culprit.

The next day was holiday so another day went off.

On the fifth day some of the students did not come to school at all thinking that  there would be no studies as it had become a routine since the last three four days and there seemed to be no end  to the problem. The fifth day went. By now the parents also came to know about it and it started pricking them also that the studies of their child is suffering as the half yearly exams were homing on in November and the syllabus was also at large to be covered.

On the sixth day parental pressure could be felt on the principal as the local Sub Area Commander had also asked the principal by now to sort out the problem soon as it was a childish act on his part to play with the studies of the children.

The Principal was tense and sandwiched between us and the sub area commander& parents. He had no choice but to act diplomatically.

On the next working day, day seven, the principal gave a long moral lecture after the assembly to our only class which was standing when everyone else  had dispersed which went as follows,

“Dear students of class IX , today I am speaking to you as your  brother and not your principal as I can understand very well what must be going on in the hearts of those who are innocent and have not participated in this dastardly act of playing a prank with a lady teacher who must be of your older sister’s age and was new to this college. She was put for you on special employment by me personally within my powers so that your studies do not suffer during the absence of your Geography teacher, Mr Tribhuven who was to suddenly proceed on leave due to sudden emergency in his house which if I tell will not be good as would hurt the sentiments of him being his personal affair, but you have responded and behaved in the most irresponsible way which was not expected out of students of your age. You are supposed to be acting as an example to the junior classes who would be following your actions in the times to come when you will not be there in this school. Would you like it when someone says this to you that this brat is from that KV in Udhampur who harassed their lady teacher so much that she left the job and went crying out of the school and  who had no other means to support her family except this job which she got with great difficulty. Would you like to be called a student of such a Principal who could not even get justice to a teacher from a group of Hooligans? I am not worried about those who acted this way but about those who inspite of knowing this still supported them for a wrong cause.

I will therefore not punish you any more as I do not want the innocent to suffer their studies as the time is very precious for all of you. Although I have come to know of the students who have done this act through my sources but will not say anything to them as they will  be taken care of well at the appropriate time for which I have given strict instructions to the teachers concerned, but want that they should come forward on their own anonymously to me and the matter will be closed once for all. If you have even an ounce of shame left in you for tomorrow it could be your sister or mother in place of that lady teacher you would give an apology in writing which will be duly signed by all of you addressed to that teacher and not me that you apologise for the act for the sake of my respect, otherwise I will still  not say anything to you but would take this impression all my life that I did not teach students but a group of merciless creatures who did not have any place in their hearts for their Principal and would consider myself to be one of the most unfortunate Principals of this country which everyone of you may also feel one day when you grow up and recall this incident”.

 Saying this and  turning back he headed straight to his office without saying any word further and it appeared to some of us who were standing close to him that  some tear drops fell on the  collar of his shirt.

Two girls standing amongst us could be seen with wet eyes. Three of us also became emotional and smile was missing on everyone’s face. The speech of the Principal had an effect on us. Everyone said,

“Now enough is enough and there should be end to it”.

 But who was the culprit could still not be established and the culprit also did not own up still. It was definite that it was the work of some hardcore person amongst us. So we all finally made a letter of apology addressed not to the principal but to the Madam and everyone signed on it which read as follows

 

 

Dear Madam,

We all are very sorry and shameful for what all happened in the class. Although we are not in a position to tell who the culprit is as we actually do not know ourselves but can assure you this much that it was only for the sake of fun and nothing was against you. Also we assure you that it will not happen again. We all feel that the culprit is also really sorry and must be afraid to come out at this juncture. You would agree to it that the innocent have suffered enough in their studies and some of us are not capable to study on our own for the part which our teacher only can make us understand .So we expect that considering our humble prayer you would pardon us and join back the school. We also would like you to request our Principal not to form our opinion as he thinks we all are since we cannot face him for this act of ours and love him from the core of our heart.

                                    ——————–Signed by all the students of IXB

The letter was then handed over to one of the staff clerk to be placed on the Principal’s in tray.

The next day we were attending the assembly as usual and everyone was smiling seeing the new teacher standing in the row of teachers to take our class who took the class for the next three days after which our Geography teacher took on since he rejoined from his leave.

Later on I only sensed from the discussions and unconfirmed reports as I cannot say for sure that it was the work plan of Sandeep, executed by Panda and motivated by Kamini.

What a plan and what participation with perfect coordination. I was convinced that for every successful plan there can be a girl behind it.

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About the Author:
The author is a civil engineer and officer in govt services
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