Page:Works of Tagore from the Modern Review, 1909-24 Segment 2.pdf/32

Rh round his neck, and two lips almost smothered him with kisses wet with tears.

At first it startled Apurba greatly, but then he came to know that those kisses, which had been obstructed once by laughter, had now found their completion in tears.

HADRAN is the name of the head-quarters of a Peta-Mahal in the Baroda District of the Baroda State. It is one of the oldest villages. Tradition runs to the effect that it was founded on the 11th Sudi of Vaishakh, Samvat year 1232. It is named after the Goddess Bhadra Kali whose ancient temple exists even now in the village. According to the Census of 1911, the number of inhabited houses is 1418, and the population 4824, out of which 2742 are males and 2081 females. There are 4430 Hindus, 265 Mahomedans and 128 Jains. The Hindu population consists mainly of Patidars—a very intelligent and industrious class of people following mainly agriculture as their hereditary profession. The liberal and far-reaching educational policy of His Highness the Maharaja Gaekwar has produced within the last 20 years very remarkable results, and Bhadran has now become a model village in the Baroda State. A brief account of the wonderful results obtained by the people of Bhadran is given here in the hope that it may stimulate other places to follow its example.

One of the oldest and most prominent of the public institutions of Bhadran is the Library which was founded in 1895 by the first batch of its educated youths. It was built at a cost of Rs. 6000, out of which Rs. 3000 were contributed by the principal inhabitants and Rs. 3000 were raised by a loan which was gradually repaid from donations and gifts on festive occasions such as marriages and fees paid by life members. This Library was originally intended for both the sexes, but as the taste for reading increased more and more, women began to take advantage of the Library and it was ultimately found necessary to establish a separate library for them under the name of "Mahila Pustakalaya." The foundation of the building was laid by Dewan Tekchand, I.C.S., Revenue Commissioner in 1912; and the building when completed cost Rs. 6000, out of which Rs. 2000 were received as a grant from the Government of His Highness the Maharaja Gaekwar and the rest, namely Rs. 4000, were collected by the people. A third library called "Bal Pustakalaya" has been opened this year and is intended mainly for children. It owes its existence to the generosity of Mr. Maganlal Dalpatram Khakhar, of Bombay who, pleased with the Bhadran people's public spirit and self-reliance, made a gift to then of his father's valuable collection of school children's books.

A Vernacular School for boys and another for girls have been established by Government. A building for the Boy's School has been built by Government, but the Girl's School being in want of one, it has been recently erected at a cost of Rs, 30,000, out of which the villagers gave Rs. 6000, and Mr. Tulsibhai Bakorbhai, one of the leaders of the place, donated Rs. 10,000, and the rest, viz. Rs. 14,000, was contributed by His Highness' Government. There is a separate school for the boys and girls of the depressed classes with a special building of its own. An English Class teaching upto the first two Standards was opened in 1906, by a few of the leaders. It received a monthly grant of Rs. 25 from Government. In each succeeding year, the leaders went on adding a new Standard till 1909 when it was converted into an Anglo-Vernacular School maintained solely by Government. But the zeal of the people had not abated. They