हार-जीत
Summary
The story is set during the Indian independence movement, when Indians were boycotting foreign cloth. Seth Narottamdas is a wealthy Calcutta merchant who deals primarily in imported cloth, earning lakhs and dealing only in high-value transactions. He is dismissive of the Swadeshi movement, believing it to be a temporary fad. His son, Lakhmi Chand, is a passionate supporter of the movement. One day, Lakhmi Chand burns his own expensive foreign clothes and begins wearing khadi. His mother supports him, but his father is furious and throws him out of the house. Lakhmi Chand leaves and sets up a small room in the market. His mother soon joins him there, choosing her son over her husband. The next day, Congress volunteers begin picketing shops selling foreign cloth. Lakhmi Chand joins them, but when he tries to convince a shopkeeper, he is mocked for not first targeting his own father’s business. Ashamed, Lakhmi Chand asks his captain to assign him to picket his father’s shop. The captain informs him that his father has already had fifteen volunteers arrested. Lakhmi Chand feels deep shame for his father’s actions. The next morning, volunteers surround Seth Narottamdas’s shop. When Seth sees his own son among the picketers, he is deeply moved. He reflects on his son’s transformation from a privileged boy to a selfless volunteer willing to go to jail for the nation. Seth realizes his own greed has blinded him to the harm he is causing his country. He calls Lakhmi Chand inside, embraces him, and declares he is giving up the foreign cloth trade. He tears up an order for three lakh rupees worth of cloth and closes his shop. The volunteers celebrate, and that evening, Seth returns home wearing khadi, much to his wife’s joy.
Conclusion
The story concludes with a profound personal and familial transformation, demonstrating that genuine change begins at home. Setu Narottamdas, initially a staunch opponent of the Swadeshi movement, is ultimately moved by his son Lakhmichand’s unwavering dedication and self-sacrifice. Witnessing his son’s willingness to face imprisonment for the cause, and recognizing the moral strength in his simple khadi attire, the father’s heart softens. He not only forgives his son but also makes the decisive choice to abandon his profitable foreign cloth business. This act of reconciliation and conversion underscores the power of principled conviction over material wealth. The family’s reunion, with all members now clad in khadi, symbolizes a victory of national consciousness and familial love over stubborn pride and commercial greed.