The Tehsildar

"The Tehsildar"

The training had started.

It was some kind of a practical district training - getting attached to various functionries of the district administration  from the tehsildar to the district magistrate, to get a feel of the tasks they perform and getting an idea of how the government works at the cutting edge level.

I was attached to Tehsildar first and reported at 10 o'clock sharp at what was known as his 'Chamber'.

The  modest size 'chamber'  had a big green rexine topped office table there with a comfortable swivel chair on one side and four simple chairs on the opposite side.  The Tehsildar's chair was vacant.

I waited the whole day . Tehsildar did not come.

Next day I had some books with me - the various manuals like the Taqqavi Act, the Cr P C. I studied these.

The Tehsildar did not come.

In the next two days also, the Tehsildar's chair remained unoccupied.

On the fifth day as I was scootering down to the Tehsil office, I decided to visit the District Magistrate on my way. He was responsible to the central government for my training.

"So how is the training going? " He enquired pleasantly. He was an affable old chap.

" I am with the Tehsildar, Sir,  for the last four days, " I replied "reading the various manuals"

There was a note of disapproval in his eyes. "That you could have done in Delhi itself. No need to have come here. What is the point of coming to a district if you don't get practical experience" he observed sarcastically.

" That's exactly how I feel sir" I replied cooly, " but that is the only thing I can do to utilise time as the Tehsildar has not come to his office for the last four days".

The obvious happened next. He phoned the  tehsildar and gave him a thorough dressing down.

" you can go to his office now.", he said replacing the phone, "He will be there today" .

I found  the tall and hefty tehsildar in his chair as I entered his so called 'Chamber'. He had some kind of resemblance to the hollywood 'western' actor John Wayne.

I greeted him.

He ignored my greeting. I could see that he was seething with anger but could not direct it towards me.

He rang the call bell and the office boy rushed in.

" Where is the ameen? Useless fellow. Ask him to come immediately" he shouted.

When the Ameen came he barked at him for a few minutes, unloading his pent up wrath.

He then called the Naib Tehsildar and shouted at him too for quite sometime. He looked at me for effect. I gave a bored expression.

He called quite a few other subordinates and went on with the shouting game. He kept looking at me all the time to gauge my state of mind.

I sat there with an expression of intrigued disinterest. why was he behaving in this manner, I asked myself.

He had called another chap for his dressing down drama but the bloke was absent. As he sat there waiting, keeping himself in readiness to explode on the bloke , I got my chance.

" Do you have this combination of Sun, moon and mars in your horoscope?" I asked him suddenly , explaing the combination.

He was taken aback. This was the last thing expected  from me.

There was now a metamorphosis. He looked stunned for a while and then he gave me a disarming smile, relaxing.

” Yes I do have. But how did you know?". He was curious.

"I guessed.The way you were shouting at your staff meant that it was most likely" I replied in a friendly tone.

The bloke he had been waiting for, now entered. But the drama was already over.  No more shouting.

" You should come to office in time, son. " He said patronisingly to the nervous young man, "See, we have a guest here. "

The chap now noticed me and gave a resounding salute which I acknowledged.

" That's better. Now get some tea and good biscuits please" the Tehsildar instructed him, "and ask the driver to be ready with the jeep. We are going for inspection of a village in an hour"

I had a most lively and instructive practical experience of how a Tehsildar works, in the days that followed. He took me to neighbouring villages and showed me how he settled land disputes, how a field was measured, what crops were sown and how a green manure of fast growing DHENCHA weed is used in the interval between the two main crops to revitalise the fields.The tehsildar was an efficient and popular person and saw to it that he made up for the lost four days!

The district magistrate was very much pleased to see the progress of my training and attributed it to the way he had pulled up the Tehsildar.

I knew better ! (And you too now, don't you ! ).

The stars had a role !!

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