The Ghosts Of Vasu Master: The Journey Of A Teacher

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India is a land of beautiful beliefs and cultures. The tradition of India, advocates its natives to consider teachers as equal to the God. It is also believed that a human being attains a quarter of his/her life's knowledge from the Guru (teacher). In this aspect the well-known Indian English writer Gita Hariharan's novel The Ghosts Of Vasu Master accomplishes special attention since; it is the beautifully narrated story of a retired teacher.

The protagonist in this novel is Vasu master, a recently retired teacher from P.G.Boys' School, one of the local schools in a small town Elipettai, in India. As any other Indian teacher of his time, Vasu master also embraces retirement life with a bit of uneasiness. However he continues his passion for teaching and becomes a tutor. Eventually he is left with only one student -- the most complicated and intractable Mani.

Mani is a student who does not-or will not-speak. Vasu Master tells the reticent child one fantastic story after the other as he faces up to the biggest challenge in his teaching career. However this teaching process opens up a new realm in his life. He travels to his childhood, past and own fears as he digs up stories to enlighten the child. Many ghosts in Vasu master's life come alive at this stage.

Vasu master realizes that the stories he was told in the childhood weren't at all like the ones other children heard. Now, he can see their power and finds them useful for himself. His dead wife Mangala becomes a strong presence in his present life and the past scenes and recounted so often. At this level Vasu master's training to Mani reaches a psychological level where he tries helping Mani to get free from whatever demons and burdens the latter carries within.

The novel is interspersed with many stories Vasu Master recounts. Gita Hariharan has acknowledged the influence of the famous Panchatantra Tales to this novel. Just like Vishnu Sharma teaches the King's sons through short stories, Vasu master enlighten Mani through his stories. Told in short chapters, alternating between events in the present, stories, and recollections, along with a bit of philosophizing on Vasu Master's part, The Ghosts Of Vasu Master moves at a good pace, and builds up nicely to its conclusion