The Ideal Stable

The Kingdom of Jaynagar

Long ago, there was a king named Chitrasen who ruled over a vast kingdom. His administration was ideal, and under his leadership, the kingdom prospered. The capital, Jaynagar, became a great center of trade and commerce.

A New Experiment in Governance

Despite this success, the king was eager to improve his administration further. He believed that the common people should participate in governance. However, consulting all the tens of thousands of citizens on an issue seemed impossible. After much contemplation, he decided to form committees of wise and capable individuals who would address the welfare of the people.

The king chose to implement his new experiment in a large town named Sumanpur, located at the opposite end of the kingdom. He announced that the proposed committee would consist of twelve members. These members would collect certain taxes from the people and spend the income for the town’s benefit.

Selecting the Committee Members

The next challenge was how to select the committee members. The king declared that those with the most public support would be granted membership. To gauge this support, he devised a plan: on a designated day, candidates would meet him in the capital, each bringing their supporters. Those with the largest groups would be declared members of the committee.

The king’s old minister was skeptical of the scheme, but many in the court found it exciting. Likewise, excitement swelled in Sumanpur, where the townspeople praised the king. The minister, however, remained silent.

A Young Leader Emerges

In Sumanpur, a young man named Vikash was well-loved by the youth. He dedicated himself to the welfare of the people, helping to establish schools, dispensaries, and shelters for travelers. The king had heard much about him and expected Vikash to be among the first chosen for the committee.

Vikash and his friends worked hard to educate the populace about the significance of the king’s decision. They encouraged citizens to support only those candidates who were truly capable and selfless.

The Day of Selection

The appointed day arrived, and about two dozen candidates gathered in the capital, each accompanied by a large number of supporters. Ultimately, twelve members were chosen based on the strength of their support. To the king’s surprise, Vikash did not attend the meeting. He advised the newly selected members to elect a leader and serve the people sincerely. They vowed to elect a leader within a week.

The Stalemate

However, after a month, the committee had yet to elect a leader. The king grew concerned and asked his minister for the reason behind their inaction.

“My lord,” the minister replied, “each member desires to be the leader and is trying to sway the others to support him. That is why they cannot reach a decision, and I fear they never will!”

The King’s Intervention

The king summoned the committee members to his court, asking them to select a leader in his presence. They hesitantly responded, “My lord, why don’t you choose the leader for us?”

The king obliged, selecting an elderly member as the leader. The members expressed their gratitude and returned to Sumanpur.

Chaos in the Committee

Once back in Sumanpur, each member became focused on their own interests. Whenever a dispute arose, the leader shied away from resolving it, preferring to consult the king, thereby visiting the capital once a week.

As time passed, other committee members, unhappy with the leader, began making their own trips to the capital to share their perspectives. Initially, the king was willing to engage with the committee’s work, but his enthusiasm soon waned as he found himself inundated with trivial disputes.

A Disguise and a Revelation

As the four-year tenure of the committee neared its end, the king decided to anonymously visit Sumanpur to assess its development under the committee’s governance. His minister agreed, and they dressed as travelers for the journey.

On arrival, the king observed, “The town looks quite clean and prosperous. The people seem to live orderly lives.” The minister confirmed this and greeted a passerby, saying, “Your town is lovely, thanks to your committee!”

The passerby retorted, “Committee? If you must thank someone, thank Vikash and his friends. They’re the ones who help the town. If you want anything from the committee, you must die and be reborn as a horse!”

The Truth About the Committee

Confused, the king and his minister pressed on and inquired with another citizen, who shared similar sentiments. “Lucky? If the committee has benefited anyone, it’s the horses!” he said indignantly.

Perplexed, the king and his minister approached Vikash, who was busy helping others. They asked, “How is it that you are not a member of the committee, despite all you do for the people?”

Vikash candidly explained, “The king’s intention was to gauge public support. Each candidate had to bring supporters to the capital, which is three days’ walk away. Only those who could afford to feed their supporters and manage logistics became candidates. My joy is in serving the people, which I can do without any title. They know I am here for them, regardless of my membership status.”

The Explanation of the Joke

Curious, the minister asked about the remark regarding horses. Vikash laughed and clarified, “It’s just a joke. The leader decides to meet the king weekly and bought fine horses for himself. Soon, other members insisted on horses too, leading to the purchase of two dozen. A large stable was built to accommodate them, including staff to care for them. The stable became famous, overshadowing the committee’s actual contributions. Public funds were wasted on the horses!”

The King’s Decision

Stunned, the king returned to the capital and ordered the dissolution of the committee. He shifted his focus to educating the people about their rights and responsibilities, teaching them the importance of choosing leaders based on ability and willingness to serve rather than on lavish displays of support.