Chapter Sketch
The story recounts the hard life and extreme faith in God of a poor farmer (Lencho) who has lost his crop due to heavy rain and hailstones. It was the only source of income to fulfil his family’s desires. He firmly believes that God will help him in such a situation and would not let him and his family die due to hunger. He writes a letter to God to seek help. Some kind employees of the post office helped him. So, the story tells us to have faith in God and never lose hope in adverse situations.

About the Characters
Lencho A poor farmer who lives on the crest of a low hill with his family. He was a firm believer of God. He is innocent, hopeful, caring and responsible.
Postmaster A fat, amiable fellow who helped Lencho to retain his faith in God. He gave a part of his salary in the charity for Lencho on behalf of God.
Post Office Employees People who helped Lencho on postmaster’s call. They laughed at Lencho when they saw the letter but helped him in his need. Lencho called them a bunch of crooks.

OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER

Lencho’s Hope of Good Harvest
Lencho was a farmer who lived on the crest of a low hill with his family. His was the only house in the entire valley. His field was full of ripe corn and easily visible from the house. He was eagerly waiting for a good rain to have a good harvest so he could earn money for his family.

Turning of Lencho’s Hope into Despair
As Lencho hoped, it started raining at the time of supper which gave Lencho a ray of hope. He was extremely happy to see that. He compared the raindrops as silver coins which shows his joy.
But soon his joy turned into despair as the rain changed into hailstones which ruined the crops. The field had been covered with snow like a layer of white salt. Lencho was worried for his family.

Lencho’s Firm Belief in God
Though Lencho was a poor farmer and had lost all his crops, he had firm faith in God. He found in God his last hope and decided to write a letter to God for help. He asked God to send him a hundred pesos so that he can sow his field again and support his family until the new crops were harvested.
He also wrote that if God didn’t help him, his family would die with hunger.

The Postmaster’s Reaction to Lencho’s Letter
After reading Lencho’s letter to God, the postmaster laughed but soon realised that Lencho had firm faith in God and his belief should not be shaken. So, he decided to help Lencho with the help of his post office employees. He collected seventy pesos and handed the envelope to Lencho himself in which he also contributed a part of his salary.

Lencho Gets Angry at Receiving Less Money
Lencho became angry when he saw seventy pesos in the envelope as he demanded a hundred pesos. He did not believe that God could do so and send L n less money. So, he decided to write a letter again for the rest of money. This time he requested God not to send the rest of the money through the letter because he thought that the post office employees were ‘bunch of crooks’ who might have stolen his money.

Chapter Highlights

1. Lencho’s hope of good rain to have a good crops.
2. It rains but the rain soon changes into hailstones.
3. Lencho has firm faith in God.
4. Lencho writes a letter to God to help him.
5. Lencho asks God to send him hundred pesos.
6. Postmaster and other employees laugh at Lencho’s letter to God.
7. Postmaster decides to help Lencho in his problem.
8. Postmaster wants every employee to help in this noble deed.
9. Postmaster collects seventy pesos and gives the envelope to Lencho himself.
10. Lencho gets angry after getting seventy pesos amount as he had asked for hundred pesos.
11. Lencho calls the employees of post office a ‘bunch of crooks’ as he thinks that they have stolen the rest of amount.
12. Lencho again writes a letter to God to send him rest of the money.
13. Lencho has firm faith in the magnanimity of God; and God never betrays the trust of a believer.

WORD MEANINGS
The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.

A Letter to God Summary In Hindi

लैंचो का घर और फसल
लैंचो का अकेला घर घाटी में था। यह एक नीची पहाड़ी की चोटी पर था। वहाँ से व्यक्ति नदी और खेतों को देख सकता था। लैंचो की अच्छी फसल थी। परन्तु इसे वर्षा की अत्यधिक आवश्यकता

वर्षा का आना
लैंचो ने आकाश को उत्तर दिशा में देखा। उस तरफ वर्षा के बादल थे। उसकी पत्नी शाम को खाना बना रही थी। उसने उसे बताया कि परमात्मा ने चाहा तो वर्षा होगी। शीघ्र ही वर्षा की बड़ी-बड़ी बूंदें गिरने लगीं। लैंचो वर्षा का अपने शरीर पर अनुभव करने के लिए बाहर गया। वह काफी खुश था। उसने कहा कि वर्षा की बूंदें नये सिक्के थे।

ओले और उनके कारण विनाश
परन्तु शीघ्र ही ओले हरेक स्थान पर गिरने लगे। खेत सफेद हो गये जैसे नमक से ढके हों। फसल पूर्ण रूप से नष्ट हो गई। लैंचों उदास हो गया। उसने महसूस किया कि उस वर्ष वे भूखे रहेंगे। उनके पास अगली फसल के लिए बीज भी नहीं होगा।

परमात्मा को लैंचो का पत्र
परन्तु लैंचो को अकेली एक आशा थी : परमात्मा से सहायता। उसे विश्वास था कि कोई भी भूख से नहीं मरता। उसे परमात्मा में बहुत विश्वास था। अगले रविवार वह डाकखाने गया। उसने परमात्मा को उसके पास सौ पीसो भेजने के लिए एक पत्र लिखा। उसने पते के रूप में ‘परमात्मा’ लिखा।

पोस्टमास्टर द्वारा लैंचो के लिये पैसे इकट्ठा करना
डाकखाने के एक कर्मचारी ने इस पत्र को पोस्टमास्टर को दिखाया। पोस्टमास्टर पते को देख कर हँसा। उसने इच्छा की कि अच्छा होता उसका भी परमात्मा में ऐसा ही विश्वास होता। उसके मन में एक विचार आया : पत्र का उत्तर दिया जाये। परन्तु उसे पढ़ने के बाद उसने पाया कि लेखक को पैसे चाहिएँ। यह लेखक का विश्वास रखने के लिए था। इसलिए उसने अपने सभी मित्रों और कर्मचारियों को कुछ (थोड़ा-थोड़ा) पैसा देने के लिए कहा।

लैंचो के पास पैसे भेजना
इस प्रकार पोस्टमास्टर सिर्फ सत्तर पीसो ही इकट्ठे कर सका। उसने पैसे को एक लिफाफे में डाला और उसके ऊपर लैंचो का पता लिख दिया। उसने हस्ताक्षर के रूप में इस पर सिर्फ एक शब्द ‘परमात्मा’ लिख दिया।

लैंचो द्वारा पैसों की प्राप्ति
अगले रविवार लैंचो डाकखाने आया। उसने पूछा कि उसके लिए क्या कोई पत्र है। उसे वह पत्र दिया गया। लैंचो ने पैसा देखकर कोई आश्चर्य नहीं दिखाया। जब उसने पैसे गिने तो उसे गुस्सा आया। उसने महसूस किया कि परमात्मा कोई गलती नहीं कर सकता था।

परमात्मा को लैंचो का पत्र-डाकखाने के कर्मचारियों को धोखेबाज कहना
तुरन्त ही लैंचों ने परमात्मा को दूसरा पत्र लिखा। उसने इसे लैटरबॉक्स में डाल दिया। पोस्टमास्टर ने इसे खोला। लैचों ने उस पत्र में लिखा था कि उसे केवल सत्तर पीसो मिल गए हैं। परन्तु उसने तो एक सौ पीसो के लिए कहा था। उसने परमात्मा को बाकी के पैसे उसके पास भेजने के लिए कहा। परन्तु परमात्मा को वे पैसे डाक द्वारा नहीं भेजने चाहिएँ। यह इसलिए था क्योंकि डाकखाने के कर्मचारी धोखेबाज हैं।