The Post office is a play authored by Famous Indian poet and writer, Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore wrote Post Office Play in just 4 days. The story of novel revolve around a life of boy, Amal, who is suffering from serious disease and forced to live alone in room.
The Post Office Summary By Rabindranath Tagore
Summary of The Post Office By Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore’s ” The Post Office” begins with major character, Amal, a small orphan child who is adopted by his uncle, Madhav. Amal suffering from a disease which has no cure. One uneducated physician came to look at Amal’s disease, after check up Madhav asks Physician about Amal’s health.
Madhav tells him when Amal did not come into this house, he was leaving tension free life as he had no responsibility. Since Amal came into my life I got attached to him and I loved him like my son. So I can’t live without Amal.
Physician says Amal may live by luck, but his Shastras are telling something different. Madhav replies what are you trying to say ? Physician says Amal needs lots of care and don’t let him go outside and keep him in home only. Madhav says to keep a child in one room is very difficult. Physician says you have to do it anyhow otherwise child won’t survive.
Thereafter, Physician leaves from Madhav house. The story now introduces new character, Gaffer, a Fakir. Madhav tells to Gaffer that he has adopted one child named Amal. I don’t want to waste my money on any child but since Amal came into my life, my perception has changed. I’m very attached to Amal and I love him a lot. And now I’m ready to give all savings for Amal treatment.
Poor Amal is sick and can’t go outside of home due to Doctor instruction. The story now shift focus to Amal who asks his Uncle about what doctor told him ? Madhav tells Amal that he can’t go outside of house until he recovers from disease. You can’t go outside of house as per the Doctor instructions.
Madhav tells Amal to read lots of book as he would be in home for months. You can become Pandit by reading lots of books in home. Amal replies I don’t want to become Pandit as I want to explore the outside world. I want to travel. Madhav started laughing on this and says to him that he had to leave for work. He asks Amal not to go outside of home.
Amal sits sadly at a window of his house. He wants to go outside but can’t so he is sitting near window and looking outside world. There comes Curd seller who was selling curd by singing song, Amal saw him and ask him to come near. Amal request Curd seller to teach him song as he like his curd selling song. He wants to learn curd selling song because he wants to be a curd seller when grown up.
The Curd Seller tells Amal that instead of becoming a Curd seller you should become a Pandit. On this Amal get irritated and tells him that he will never become a pandit. Amal says to Curd seller that he loved his Curd selling song. Thereafter, Curd Seller gives curd to Amal for free.
After sometime, One watchman was passing by Amal’s window, Amal started calling him again and again. Watchman comes to Amal and says to him that he should not shout otherwise he would arrest him. Amal asks Watchman where would you take me after arresting, is that place very far from here ?
Watchman says yes as I will take you to a Ruler of village. Amal tells watchman that he can’t take him anywhere because Doctor would not let him to go. Watchman says to Amal your faced has turned yellow and your eyes are having dark circle. So you should take rest in home. Amal tells Watchman that he loves his Bell sound.
Amal asks him what building has build on that side of road. Watchman tells him that there new post office has been build. Amal gets very happy after learning about post office and he decides that he will become Post man when he grown up. Through the job of post man he will get a chance to travel in different places.
Watchman tell Amal that village head is coming and if he would see me with you then he would thought that I’m passing time with you. Thereafter, Amal saw village Headman from window and call him.
Headman looks who is calling his name and then he saw Amal and says you monkey is calling my name. Amal tells Headman if you will find any letter by my name then please let me know. If king wrote any letter for me please let me know. Headman is not a good man and he started misbehaving with Amal.
Headman is thinking of doing backbiting of Madhav and Amal to King. I would tell King that how these people are talking beyond their status. Afterwards, Headman goes from there. After some time, Amal saw one girl and he called her.
The girls tells Amal that her name is Sudha and she is going to bring flower for her father. My father sells flower garland and I help him in this work. Amal wish to go with Sudha for buying flowers. On the other side, Sudha tells Amal that he love to be in home and If i were in your place than she would be most happy. Afterwards, Sudha leaves to buy flower.
There comes few boys of village to whom Amal asks where are they heading. The boys tell him that they are going for play and they invite Amal to play with them. Amal tells them he is not allowed to go outside of home and I can give my toys to you but on one promise.
You have to play outside of my window only and if you see any post man then send him to me. Madhav returns from work and he saw Amal and tells him how weak he has become. You are sitting near window for whole day and made lots of friends.
Madhav invites Gaffer inside of his house and Gaffer started telling stories to Amal. Madhav get to know that Headman have complaint about them to King. Headman tells King that he has build post office for Amal. Gaffer tells them not to worry as King is a big man and he won’t get offended by a child.
During this time, Amal starts to faint and not able to see anything clearly. The Doctor came at Madhav’s house and saw Amal, he tells them Amal is sick as he was sitting near window for whole day. Madhav tells Doctor even though Amal is not my child but I loves him like my son.
Doctor see Headman coming and runs away from Madhav’s home as he is scared of Headman. Before going he tells Madhav that he will send medicines for Amal. Headman comes in and started calling Amal. Gaffer tells him that Amal is sleeping so you should not call him like this.
On the other side, Ama tells all of them that he is not sleeping and can listen everything around him. Headman gives one plane paper to Amal and tells him King has wrote this letter for him. Amal tells them that nothing is written on the paper. Or Maybe he is not able to see anything.
Gaffer takes paper from Amal and started reading it. Gaffer tells him that King wrote that he will soon come to meet him and will bring One big Doctor for him. Amal tells them that he can hear the sound of King. The King’s people tells Madhav’s family that King will come to meet them at Night.
At the moment, King has sends his Doctor for Amal. The King’s Doctor is real graduated Doctor, and as he enter into room, he tells them that there is so much suffocation in room so open the windows and doors immediately.
Amal needs fresh open air. Amal tells them he is feeling good now and he can also see the stars at night. Madhav tells Amal that King is going to come so when you meet King ask him money or work. Here we find that how greedy Madhav is.
Amal says that I will asks the King to make me post man. Madhav gets angry on Amal’s words. At the same time, Sudha comes to meet Amal but Doctor tells her Amal is sleeping. At the end of story, Sudha put flowers on Amal’s hand.