Storytime

Five Blindmen from Benares ©


Long,long ago there lived three blind men in the city of Benares. Benares stands on the plains of the river Ganges. ( This Indian city, for those who are more particular about names and places I might add, is now known by another name. Varanasi.)
The city of Benares (or Varanasi ) in those days, was known as a haven for scholars. By night and day, through seasons good and bad, came scholars of all stripes. Some brought along cartloads of books; some carried curious devices invented by them. A great many came empty-handed, nevertheless claiming scholarship of the most wondrous kind.
Ramu was a scholar. He had a carpenters rod. Never was he seen without it. Somu’s strength was in his looks. He kept a very serious air about him. Such an air of seriousness was very becoming, decided Pappu. So he also sported an air of gravity, which the townsfolk took for scholarship. Sadly these three paragons of scholarship were blind.
Ramu, Somu and Pappu having got to know each other thought their fortune was to be made in the city. A city which gave them a life of ease must indeed be a holy city, so they decided.
It so happened these three scholars found employment in a palace. They served a king who had an opinion on everything. The king would look at the sky and say, “It is red, is it not?” Ramu whose scholarship rested on his carpenter’s rod would immediately do some measurements on the ground. Each time he made as much noise as possible in order to impress the blind king. (King Chat-pat was blind in a manner of speaking. He had eyes but he never cared to use them well.) Ramu would answer,”Yes your majesty.”
Pat would come a reply from other two scholars thus,”Yes, the sky is red indeed.”
King Chat-pat once heard some fantastic news about an animal as huge as a stupa. It is an elephant, he said in wonder. Not having seen one he sent his scholars Ramu,Somu and Pappu to investigate.
Ramu took his carpenters rod along; Somu looked sharp as becoming of a scholar. So did Pappu. Having heard that an elephant was to be found at such and such spot they hastened to that address. Scarcely had they gone five paces they were joined by two blind scholars who enquired why they were in such a hurry. The three explained.
Barm and Dharm whistled,”On king’s errand.Oho!” “We shall spread our scholarship alike and see what we come up with!”
“Five heads alike,”chanted they in unison while Ramu beat with the rod on the ground to keep time,” in honour alike.”
Dharm knew the owner of that elephant which the three sought in such tearing hurry. The five blind scholars agreed to be a team. Soon they groped their way about, to the spot where stood an elephant.
The five scholars applied their scholarship. Ramu took out the carpenter’s rod and said, ”All facts must be set down on paper. That is the first rule.”
Barm took a step closer to the animal. He placed his palms against the side of the animal. Thereafter he stepped backwards to add,” What is handled must be compared with what is known.” Pappu was sure, “All things being alike, what facts we have at hand must mix well. Like milk and sugar. The result cannot be wrong.” Dharm refused to suggest anything. He said,”I shall not speak till I have had all the facts.” It was the turn of Somu who said,”What facts we have, must be set neatly in their order.”
”yes, rules strung like pearls, they are still rules,”cried they all while Ramu as usual kept time.
It was Ramu’s turn. He began measuring the animal. He cried out figures which Somu wrote down. When he was finished he added them and said,”It is a prime number. Five. It can be divided only by five.”
Barm let his fingers do the walking along the length and breadth of the elephant. It took a while for him to do a complete turn. He said worthy of an orator, “I know an elephant is only comparable to the city-gate which leads to the ghats on the East. ””Oh yes!” cried the rest, “gates are wide but they move just the same. So must an elephant similarly turn.”
Pappu felt its trunk and said, “ A turning elephant can only be held by a rope as thick as this.”Dharm asked,”What shall we call an elephant wide as the city gates but must be held by a rope; not to mention it measures a prime number?” All the five cogitated hard and paced in circles. Suddenly they stopped to cry at the same time,”Nature’s Mistake!” Somu neatly wrote down thus,
”A Nature’s mistake, that is elephant for you!”
All the five scholars put their hand to the report in agreement. How delighted these five blindmen from Benares were! They went straight to the king and reported.
Sure the king was delighted. Otherwise why would King Chat-pat present a medal of honour to each? Their scholastic achievement deserved due recognition. Thereafter the king sent them off to rest in his country estate.
Thus five scholars traveled to the king’s hunting lodge to rest and recuperate. On their way they heard a great commotion. There came an elephant. He was wild and very angry too. He pushed with his tusks left and right. His trunk swung this way and that way while his ears swiveled fast and furious. All could see he was bent on mischief. So they ran helter-skelter. Except the five. They were knocked down by the elephant who trumpeted which all could hear, loud and clear. The elephant cried, “Lay no blame on me for this mistake; blame it all on Nature.”
The End