II. CHILDHOOD
I must have been about seven when my father left
Porbandar for Rajkot to become a member of the
Rajasthanik Court. There I was put into a primary school,
and I can well recollect those days, including the names
and other particulars of the teachers who taught me. As
at Porbandar, so here, there is hardly anything to note
about my studies. I could only have been a mediocre
student. From this school I went to the suburban school
and thence to the high school, having already reached my
twelfth year. I do not remember having ever told a lie,
during this short period, either to my teachers or to my
school-mates, I used to be very shy and avoided all
company. My books and my lessons were my sole companions.
To be at school at the stroke of the hour and to run back
home as soon as the school closed-that was my daily
habit. I literally ran back, because I could not bear to
talk to anybody. I was even afraid lest anyone should
poke fun at me.
There is an incident which occurred at the examination
during my first year at the high school and which is
worth recording. Mr Giles, the educational Inspector, had
come on a visit of inspection. He had set us five words
to write as a spelling exercise. One of the words was
'Kettle'. I had mis-spelt it. The teacher tried to prompt
me with the point of his boot, but I would not be
prompted. It was beyond me to see that he wanted me to
copy the spelling from my neighbour's slate, for I had
thought that the teacher was there to supervise us
against copying. The result was that all the boys, except
myself, were found to have spelt every word correctly.
Only I had been stupid. The teacher tried later to bring
this stupidity home to me. but without effect. I never
could learn the art of 'copying'.
Yet the incident did not in the least diminish my
respect for my teacher. I was by nature, blind to the
faults of elders. Later I came to know of many other
failings of this teacher, but my regard for him remained
the same. For I had learnt to carry out the orders of
elders, not to scan their actions.
Two other incidents belonging to the same period have
always clung to my memory. As a rule I had a distaste for
any reading beyond my school books. The daily lessons had
to be done, because I disliked being taken to task by my
teacher as much as I disliked deceiving him. Therefore I
would do the lessons, but often without my mind in them.
Thus when even the lessons could not be done properly,
there was of course no question of any extra reading. But
somehow my eyes fell on a book purchased by my father. It
was Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka (a play about
Sharavana's devotion to his parents). I read it with
intense interest. There came to our place about the same
time itinerant showmen. One of the pictures I was shown
was of Shravana carrying, by means of slings fitted for
his shoulders, his blind parents on a pilgrimage. The
book and the picture left an indelible impression on my
mind. 'Here is an example for you to copy,' I said to
myself. The agonized lament of the parents over
Shravana's death is still fresh in my memory. The melting
tune moved me deeply, and I played it on a concertina
which my father had purchased for me.
There was a similar incident connected with another
play. Just about this time, I had secured my father's
permission to see a play performed by a certain dramatic
company. This play-Harishchandra- captured my
heart. I could never be tired of seeing it. But how often
should I be permitted to go? It haunted me and I must
have acted Harishchandra to myself times without
number. 'Why should not all be truthful like
Harishchandra?' was the question I asked myself day and
night. To follow truth and to go through all the ordeals
Harishchandra went through was the one ideal it inspired
in me. I literally believed in the story of
Harishchandra. The thought of it all often made me weep.
My commonsense tells me today that Harishchandra could
not have been a historical character. Still both
Harishchandra and Shravana are living realities for me,
and I am sure I should be moved as before if I were to
read those plays again today.
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