CHAPTER 33
As the Chief Commissioner of the state of Ratangarh, Cartwright found his duties onerous. The state had been an undiluted autocracy and Cartwright was not merely the Chief Executive but also the Chief justice and the Commander in Chief of the rag-tag army. He was in fact more powerful than any king because he also represented the Paramount Power. Everyone looked up to him. He had become used to the bowing and scraping that accompanies all high official in India, but the deference that was shown to him in Ratangarh was on another plane altogether. Much as he disliked protocol he found his whole existence hedged around with ceremonial. He was surrounded by bands of obsequious courtiers and petty officials and found it hard to get good information.
There was so much that he wanted to do. The revenue system of the state was in a shambles. The thakur landlords pocketed most of the money that they collected from the peasants and very little of it found its way into the state treasury. The land records were in a wretched state. Field boundaries were ill defined, survey maps were non-existent and the peasanty had no stability of tenure, being at the mercy of their landlords. A new land settlement on scientific lines was required and Cartwright was keen to have it carried out was required and Cartwright was keen to have it carried out immediately, but this needed a huge force of trained surveyors and revenue staff which was nowhere to be found.
But the revenue system was only one part of the problem, virtually every department of the government required a drastic overhaul. The police functioned as retainers of the ruling class, the judicial system was corrupt and inefficient, no one payed any taxes except the peasants who were squeezed mercilessly. Whatever the state earned was spent on the court, nothing being left for the maintenance of public works. The roads, canals, irrigation dams and school buildings constructed in earlier regimes were now falling into ruin and money was urgently needed for their upkeep. In short everything was in a mess and a huge effort was required to put things right.
Cartwright urgently needed help, especially local help, but there was no one whom he could trust, no one who was totally unaffected by the currents and cross-currents of caste loyalties and local politics. His mind often turned to Sunanda. She was still revered by all sections of the local populace and she was the one person who was completely indifferent to worldly temptations. If only she could be by his side, helping him run the state. He sent her a brief letter, not really expecting favourable reply.
Dear Miss Dube,
I my last letter, I told you that I was going to see the Chief Secretary at Nagpur. I knew that something important-important as far as I am concerned- was going to happen. Well, as it turned out I was right. Do you know what they have done, they have made me the Chief Commissioner of Ratangarh-just think of that. The state is in the Court of Wards. Old Preddy is dead, and here I am in your own state suddenly vested with absolute authority. Who would have thought such a thing could ever have happened!
Well, now that it has happened, I must confess I rather enjoy running the show and being the monarch of all I survey. My only regret is that there is no one whom I can turn to for support and advise. If only you were here-what a difference it would make, not just to me but also to the people of Ratangarh; who still worship you. Dear Miss. Dube, do consider returing to Ratangarh and helping me in my work. There is so much that we could do together. Regards
Yours ever
Cartwright
The reply was not long in coming.
Dear Mr Cartwright,
I am delighted at the turn events have taken. What a wonderful thing it would be to have an enlightened administrators like you in my poor benighted state, especially after the regime of that old reprobate Pradyuman Singh. I am indeed coming back to Ratangarh, for I have found what I had come to seek and now there is no point in my staying here any longer. My services would be at your disposal, should you wish to use them. I am so looking forward to coming back to the old house and all those dear, old, familiar faces. Good bye for now.
Sincerely yours
Sunanda Dube
Cartwright was delighted at the response. At last he would have someone in whom he could confide without the matter becoming a subject of bazaar gossip. But he kept his fingers crossed. He knew from experience that Sunanda could easily change her mind. There was no knowing with Indians. He put the letter away and got down to his files with new hope as the moon rose slowly over the distant hills across the Narmada.
