" The Home coming " by Rabindranath Tagore

Once there lived a fourteen years boy named Phatik Chakravarthy. His father expired when he was very young. He lived with his mother and brother named Makhan Chakravarthy. As Phatik lost his father very early and was always scolded for one or the other reason by his mother he grew lazy, disobedient, arrogant and very mischievous, but his brother Makhan was very obedient and good at studies. Phatik out of envy towards his brother thought of doing some mischievous act on his brother. He and his group of friends made a wooden log in the shape of boat. They forcefully altogether made Makhan to sit on it and left the boat into the river. Makhan got hurt and reached home in wet clothes and hurts all over his body. His mother asked him what happened, Makhan explained her everything about his brother pranks on him. Meanwhile, Pahtik’s teacher came to his house and complained regarding his grades. Same day Phatik’s uncle from Calcutta arrived.

Phatik came home evening after all his pranks on villagers and enjoying well in the river and meadows of his native village. Phatik’s mother yelled at him and questioned him what would be his explanation for all his mischiefs he had done to Makhan and also about the reason why his grades were low. Pahtik got irritated and he was totally pissed of his mother’s questions. He lost his temper and slapped his brother and mother as well for questioning him. Observing this dispute, his uncle took him and said his mother that he is going to take Phatik along with him to Calcutta and he is going to continue his studies in Calcutta. Phatik was happy that he is relieving from his mother and was excited that he is going to city and study far from home.

Phatik’s uncle had three sons of his own. So now Phatik has to live with his uncle, three sons and his aunt. She disliked the addition of this new number into the family and always used to abuse him for each and everything. Phatik is a teenager he is neither kid nor a completely grown man. So he understands the intentions of his aunt clearly, but he couldn’t reveal it with any one. He had no friends in the new place. Phatik was missing his mother, brother, friends, meadows and the river in his village. He always asked his uncle when summer holidays would come so that he can meet his mother.  He felt so lonely and lost that his grades gradually decreased in the school. His aunt used to ill treat him. One day he lost his lessons book and his aunt scolded him and abused him and didn’t offer him food too. He cried and felt bad about it. The next day was the final day of his school he caught with high fever and it was a rainy day, he left the school in the afternoon and reached a shelter place to stay. He thought not to trouble his aunt any more so he didn’t return back.

Phatik’s uncle and aunt were feeling tensed. They went and gave a police complaint that the kid is missing since afternoon. He didn’t return from yesterday.  Police after searching half a day, they found Phatik in a critical condition. Phatic was totally exhausted and he beating his hands up and down that when he is going back to see his mother. He restlessly yelled at his uncle saying “I don’t want to stay here anymore, I want to see my mother “. Doctor tried helping him but Phatik was not at all co-operating him to do treatment. Observing his critical condition his Uncle sent people for his mother. Phatik’s mother immediately started from the village and reached the place sobbing and crying loudly. She was worried looking at her child laying on bed in such a weak condition. Phatik was near to his eternal home which is heaven.  Phatik listening to his mother’s voice opened his eyes and uttered a word “Mother the holidays have come…..”  

Tagore wants to say only one thing by this story, to this materialistic world and the parents who never understand the feelings and frustration of their lovable children. Children, all they need is a care and our soothing words that parents talk to them when they are stressed or worried. They gain tons of energy from one loving word of their parents. But still we never understand the grief of the young hearts.  Tagore was purposeful in writing such a story as this to open the world’s eyes towards the world of children’s deep sorrows, unheeded by the grown up world.  That’s the reason he dedicated the children and started India’s world university “Saanthi Nikethan”, where teachers and students sat beneath the mango trees and shades and learned.