Page:Masani - Gandhi's story.pdf/12

8 sleep hung over Sundernagar for the villagers, tired after a long day's work in the fields, went to sleep soon after sunset and arose with the dawn.

The peace of the night was disturbed by a loud banging on the door of Munshiji, the village school master. Munshiji is a very important person in the village. Whenever anything unusual happens the villagers always go to him. Munshiji knows about every thing. He can read and write English and he even reads newspapers from the big city. He has lived for some time in cities and understands the ways of the world.

It was through Munshiji that the inhabitants of Sundernagar first heard about India being ruled by the British and of the struggle for its independence. After the evening meal on cold winter nights, the villagers would cluster around the bonfire in the square right