For the last few days we were doing a story by the Brit writer Edith Pargeter called “A Grain of Mustard Seed”. For the reader’s information, it is a touching story of friendship between two persons belonging to different cultures and religions. Their friendship transcends all borders and barriers and triumphs in the face of severe trouble and animosity.

Mahdar Iqbal, the protagonist, was the best friend of the narrator’s father. But when the Partition came in 1947, the Hindus were asked to leave Pakistan minus all their possessions. When the surviving Hindus came out of their hiding places the day a train was arranged for the purpose of deportation, the streets were full of the Muslims braying for their blood. As the Hindus jostled and desperately elbowed their way to the compartments, Mahdar was seen among the maddening mob trying to break through the barriers. He came running after the narrator’s father and acted wild with him, shaking him by the shoulders, spitting and stomping on the ground, showering  curses and abusive terms on the man, his best friend not so long ago, all through. He pulled the contents of her father’s pocket out and put them back. And to add insult to injury, as if what he had done was not enough, Mahdar eventually pushed ‘the dog of a Hindu’ into the compartment. The last that was seen of him was Mahdar standing with a broad grin on his face as if he was relieved to see the back and the last of his friend.

It was only towards to end of the story that we could see through the facade to make out his noble intentions. The truth was that Magdar, under the pretension of going violent, was actually trying to save his best friend from the fury of the mob. He had all through nothing but the best interests of his buddy in his mind. If he had taken the belongings out of his friend’s pocket, it was to put back the parting gift of his life’s savings. If he had pushed him into the compartment, it was to ensure his safety and security. Mahdar’s note to his friend at the end is deeply moving and makes us fall for and salute this gem of a human being.

We read the story together and I tried to explain the difficult parts of the story.  Then as per the Lesson Plan I made the previous night, I ventured to ask one section of standard IX to discuss in groups the following questions:

1.      Describe how Mahdar Iqbal behaved on the platform.

2.      What were some of the similarities and differences between Mahdar and the narrator’s father?

3.      Write how Mahdar helped his friend.

4.      If you were to choose between the narrator’s father and mother, whom would you choose and why?

5.      Give four reasons why you like or dislike the narrator.t

6.      Write a note to Mahdar as the father, to thank him for all his help.

7.      Write about an occasion when you tried to help your friend.

The groups were given 25 minutes to discuss and jot down the main points of the answers. When it was time for the presentations, I was not happy with the answer of the first group. So right after their essay, I tried writing the answer on the green board impromptu and explained why it is important to start answering a question in a particular manner. I also asked the last group to try to summarize the story in their own words and was very impressed with the summary. At the conclusion of all the presentations, I asked the students to either copy all the answers from the rest of the groups, or to write down the main points of the answers along with the summary of the story.

Today, I had IX A to take care of, so right after the daily presentation and comments, I asked the students to read out how they tried writing the character sketch of each of the main characters with the help of their characteristic traits. Most of the presenters shared their notes on Mahdar Iqbal on expected lines. Few did on the narrator’s father. While only one student tried to read out the traits of the narrator. Having rectified what I considered to be a major flaw in his presentation, I asked the students then to write about any of the characters using the traits of that character already discussed. They had nearly half an hour to do so, as instead of going around, I set to giving it a try myself.

By the time I finished, I could see Dechen Yosel, on the front bench looking about her a bit impatiently. So the time was ripe for me to ask the students to read out the products of their toil of the last half hour or so. Bhim Maya, one of the front benchers, made the right beginning by reading about Mahdar. Damcho, a bright one, was surprisingly disappointing as he tried focusing on the traits instead of writing about the character in paragraphs. I thought it was time I shared my writing of one of the characters and this is how I began:

You know I always try to be different. So I tried to write about the narrator’s character for two reasons. Firstly, I knew most of you would prefer to write about Mahdar Iqbal. Secondly, the points raised by Rajesh, the last presenter, were quite fresh in my mind.

This is how the character of the Narrator goes:

The story “A Grain of Mustard Seed” is a first person narrative, seen from the narrator’s view point. She is a girl because of her tender nature.

The narrator is most probably in her teens and loves, adores and respects her father a great deal. Her father is her hero and pride as she has learnt all the best values from him.

Though yet a teenager, she is observant by nature and that is why she could find the close bonding of Mahdar and her father, while they were engrossed in playing chess. Even when Mahdar put all her father’s belongings back in his pocket after having mishandled him on the platform, what he had actually done, did not escape her notice.

She is exceptionally sensitive and intelligent for one so young. She deeply felt for her father when she heard him weeping with his face to the wall. When she heard her father uttering:”Man is irreclaimable. There is no hope for him. God does not care anymore”, she knew right away, that he did not mean it. It was she who made her understand how Mahdar had helped them.

When I came to read out the lines quoted from the text, I halted for a moment to explain to the students the reason why I love quoting from the text. It always creates a favourable impression on the teacher’s mind.

Finally, just like her father, she proves to be someone with a lot of faith in the ways of The Almighty. That is why she declares herself to Him as it is the only liberating thing to do to be freed off her oppression. And it is just fair that God holds her by the hand, well not literally, to answer her prayer of coming to her father’s rescue to restore his eternal faith in the basic goodness of mankind.

By the time I finished reading about, the gong was heard. The look on their faces said it all and I started believing in myself again.