A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise

-Rabindranath Tagore -
Introduction:
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a Bengali poet, philosopher, artist, playwright,
composer and novelist. India's first Nobel laureate, Tagore won the 1913 Nobel Prize for
Literature. He composed the text of both India's and Bangladesh's respective national
anthems. His body of literature is deeply sympathetic for the poor and upholds universal
humanistic values. His poetry drew from traditional Vaisnava folk lyrics and was often
deeply mystical.
Wrong Man’s Worldly Life: The man had never believed in mere utility. He had no useful
work, he indulged in mad whims. He painted and made little pieces of sculptures, men,
women and castles. Thus he wasted his time on all useless and needless things. People
laughed at him. He spent his earth life in useless work and after death, the gates of heaven
opened wide for him and he was sent to the Workers Paradise.
But the newcomer did not fit well with the atmosphere in Workers’ Paradise. He lounged in
the streets absently and jostled the hurrying men. He lay in the green meadows or close to the
fast flowing stream. A girl went hustling-bustling everyday to a silent torrent (silent since in
the Workers’ Paradise even a torrent wouldn't waste its energy singing), to fill her pitchers.
Wrong Man’s Life in Paradise: The girl on seeing the man asked him about his work in that
paradise. He said to her, he has not spared even a moment for work. She without
understanding his words said that she will spare some work for him to do, if he wishes to do
it. Then she further asked him about his choice of work. He asked for one of her pitchers, one
that she can spare for him. She asked him the purpose of asking her pitcher whether to draw
water from torrent or for some other purpose. He asked it for drawing pictures in it. She got
annoyed on his answer and she said she doesn’t have time to waste like him and went on her
way. Every day they met and everyday he said the same thing to her. She yielded at last. She
gave him one of her pitchers. The man started painting. When he had completed his work, the
girl held up the pitcher and stared at its sides, she was totally puzzled on seeing the lines and
colors drawn in her pitcher. The man laughed and said it doesn’t have any specific meaning
and purpose. She, after reaching home saw the picture with the prying eyes and held it in
light, then turned it all the sides and scanned the painting. She again scanned the picture in
the candle light in silence. For the first time in her life she saw a meaningless and purposeless
thing.
The girl’s Meeting with the Painter: She saw him again in the torrent and asked him about his
requirement from her. He said, he wants some more work from her hand. Again she asked for
his choice of work. He said, he’ll make a colored ribbon for her hair without any purpose. He
made ribbons with bright colors. The busy girl of Workers Paradise started spending lot of
time everyday in tying the colored ribbon around her hair. She neglected many works.
Because of a single wrong man the other active workers in the Paradise started wasting their
precious time on useless things like paintings and sculptures. The elders of the Paradise
became anxious because the entire Paradise suffered from delay of work. They called for a
meeting, where Ariel hurried and confessed his mistake before all the elders.
"I brought a wrong man in this paradise. It is all due to him."
According to President’s order the man was summoned in front of the crew. The president
said to the man, "This is no place for the kind of you. You must leave."
Conclusion:
The man with great relief gathered up his brush and paints. When he was about to go, the girl
of the silent torrent came up tripping and cried, and asked him to wait for her accompaniment
with him.