यह रौशनी कहां से आएगी

Summary

The narrative follows Ramu, a poor farm laborer, who endures a repetitive cycle of hard work and exhaustion. He lives with his wife, Imarti, their four children, a goat, and a neem tree in a small hut made of mud and grass. Despite his relentless labor, Ramu is never paid fairly and faces constant humiliation. As his children grow, he reflects on his own joyless childhood and resolves to give them a better life. He decides to send them to school but insists on teaching them love and honesty at home, having witnessed the cruelty and deceit of educated people. Imarti supports this decision, and together they instill values in their children through stories and songs. Over the years, Ramu observes that while the village has gained roads, electricity, and railways, the gap between rich and poor has widened. Landless farmers increase, and small landlords grow larger. He feels the wheel of progress has turned backward, benefiting only the wealthy. The road he helped build connects the village to the city but does not improve his life or bring the doctor or teacher he dreamed of. He questions why infrastructure does not bring people closer or alleviate poverty and hunger. Ramu struggles with the realization that his hard work only enriches others, while he remains trapped in debt and hardship. He wonders why education does not teach love, honesty, or morality, and why society remains divided despite material progress. The text concludes with a moral lesson from a Jain scripture, emphasizing the importance of choosing virtuous conduct and learning from both good and bad examples to achieve a life free from suffering.