The Gand of Three

The Good Zamindar

The zamindar of Jamalpur was a good man, devoting most of his time to reading scriptures and discussing philosophy with pundits. In his aloofness, he hardly cared for mundane matters.

Many benefited from his detachment, particularly the three employees of the guest house he had established. This guest house was funded by the income from the zamindar’s ancestral temple, which provided a substantial revenue.

Located a mile from the village, the guest house was intended to shelter pilgrims on their journey to a holy town fifteen miles away. Each pilgrim was to receive a free meal and a free bed for an overnight stay.

Community Praise and Indifference

The villagers lauded the zamindar for founding such an institution, believing it brought pride to their village. However, their praise was superficial; no one took a personal interest in the guest house, despite feeling pleased by its existence.

The three individuals managing the guest house were a clerk, a woman cook, and a servant. Initially, the guest house operated according to the zamindar’s vision for a month. Then, the employees began to exert their own influence.

The Shift to Greed

They started charging a small fee from each guest under the pretense of maintenance. Soon, their greed took hold, and they began charging for lodging and meals, transforming the charitable shelter into a hotel.

They executed their scheme discreetly; even the zamindar remained unaware of their misconduct, and those forced to pay were travelers who rarely shared their experiences with the villagers.

The Rise of Corruption

As days passed, the three employees thrived in their roles, reveling in the fortune they amassed. Gradually, their greed deepened, and they began stealing from the guests.

Despite this, no complaints reached the zamindar until a young man, harassed by the trio for failing to pay the full charges, communicated the matter to a friend named Gopal. Gopal was aware that the guest house was intended to be charitable and devised a plan to expose the corruption.

The Clever Scheme

Accompanied by his friend, Gopal approached the guest house. He instructed his friend to nonchalantly inform the villagers, “I guess the young man I saw entering the guest house is none other than the king’s brother-in-law!”

Upon arrival, Gopal was greeted by the clerk with a grin. “Would you like a room upstairs? It will cost you a rupee for the night,” the clerk offered.

Exposing the Truth

Feigning deafness, Gopal responded, “Yes, I am alone.” The clerk, wary of attracting attention from passersby, did not shout his demands.

The woman cook had already seated some guests for lunch, and when Gopal disregarded her attempts to stop him, he asserted, “I must pay in advance if I wish to eat.”

“You are right. I am a vegetarian,” he added mockingly. The cook was about to retaliate when other guests interjected, insisting it was a sin to deny Gopal his meal.

After enjoying a hearty lunch, Gopal sprawled on a bed designated for another guest. “Get off, or I will throw you out!” shouted the clerk, losing his composure.

“This bed is perfectly fine for me. I require nothing luxurious,” Gopal retorted.

The Zamindar’s Arrival

Both the clerk and the cook demanded payment and threatened Gopal further, their shouts echoing. Meanwhile, the zamindar, having heard rumors of the king’s brother-in-law staying at the guest house, arrived to verify the claim.

Hearing the commotion, Gopal sprang to his feet, greeted the zamindar, and explained the ongoing situation. The zamindar promptly dismissed the three corrupt employees and handed over the guest house management to a committee of respectable villagers.