Panchayat- Abhishek’s Journey

Cast: Jitendra Kumar, RaghuvirYadav, Chandan Roy, Faisal Malik, Neena Gupta

It is a dream of every student to have an amazing job as the first one, get paid well and make great friends. Some students want to get posted in a city to enjoy each and every weekend while some would like to be posted near hometown. Aspirations vary from individual to individual. The web series “Panchayat”, which is recently released on Amazon prime video is the story of one such undergraduate student.

Abhishek participated in the college placements but he couldn’t get a job. But he had applied for a government job and was posted as Panchayat secretary of the village of Phulera, a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. Though he was hesitant about going there due to a small salary of 20000 INR, his friend suggested to him the pros of going to a village and gave him the idea of preparing for CAT. Finally, Abhishek boards the bus with his belongings and reaches the village.

For the elections, before he was joining, the government puts up a new rule to make sure that women are empowered in rural areas. Hence, the panchayat heads and ward councilors are supposed to be women. The previous head of the panchayat puts his wife for elections and after she wins, he continues to act as the head in that village. In such difficult circumstances and unknown surroundings, Abhishek makes his way through solving random problems and studying through the night. Finally, he attempts the CAT and doesn’t get a good percentile to join an IIM.

Republic day was due in a few days and the head of the Panchayat is supposed to be hoisting the flag and singing the national anthem. But the husband of the official panchayat takes over and decides to hoist the flag himself. But Abhishek wants the official head to do it and goes to their home to help her do it. This results in saving his job and prestige of the village. When the district magistrate finds out that the head’s husband is planning to hoist it, the official panchayat head comes to the rescue and plays a heroic role. As Abhishek continues to lose his patience and love for the village, his friend again persuades him to find something encouraging to continue in the village so that he can study. And he finds that encouragement when he sees the daughter of the panchayat head. Season 1 of this series ends here.

• About the Author

About Lavanya Appana

I seek pleasure from my sufferings and take delight in facing the music as that is how I learn to stand erect. Writing helps, when I feel blue. Forsooth, it lands me in seventh heaven. Introspect yourself, knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.