The First Chapter

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I have decided to translate my English novel, "Ivory Imprint," into Hindi and have started working on it. Here's its first chapter. I hope my blog readers will guide me by posting feedback as comments. I shall be grateful.

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क्या रात थी वह!

 

शुक्रवार, 27 जनवरी 2012.

डॉ. मालोविका परलाई पहुँचीं और अन्नामलाई क्लब के अतिथि कक्ष में ठहरीं, क्योंकि तब तक आसमान में अंधेरा घिरने लगा था। वे काम पर तुरंत लौटने को उत्सुक थीं, इसलिए उन्होंने लैपटॉप निकाला और अंतिम रिपोर्ट के मसौदे का विश्लेषण शुरू कर दिया। दिनभर की ड्राइविंग के बावजूद उन्होंने विश्राम के लिए रुकना भी ज़रूरी नहीं समझा।

लेकिन उनके सहकर्मियों की प्राथमिकताएँ अलग थीं — वे उस सुंदर पर्वतीय परिवेश का भरपूर आनंद लेना चाहते थे।

एक ने कैम्प-फायर का सुझाव दिया, दूसरे ने पिछवाड़े में बार्बेक्यू के लिए सिगड़ी जलाने की की इच्छा जताई। तीसरा, जो एक उत्साही तारामंडल-विज्ञानी था, रात के साफ़ आसमान को देखकर रोमांचित हो उठा और चिल्लाया,

“अरे, देखो! मैं आकाश में ऑरिगा और जेमिनी को देख सकता हूँ — कैनिस मेजर कहाँ है? और जिराफ़ और दोहरे तारे? अरे हाँ, वे रहे! मैं तो तुम लोगों के छह गिनने से पहले ही सात तारा मंडलों की पहचान कर सकता हूँ।”

यह कहते-कहते वह ‘ट्विंकल, ट्विंकल, लिटिल स्टार / हाउ आई वंडर व्हाट यू आर...’ भी गुनगुनाने लगा।

गेस्ट हाउस के चारों ओर फैले हरे-भरे चाय बागान दृश्य को और भी मनोहर बना रहे थे। शाम सुहानी थी और आकाश लगभग साफ, बस कुछ सफेद बादल क्षितिज में आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता तैरते दिख रहे थे।

अंततः, तीनों उत्साही शोधकर्ता सैर पर निकल गए, जबकि डॉ. मालोविका मसौदा रिपोर्ट पर एकाग्रता से काम करती रहीं।

“कोई बात नहीं, उनको मेहनत करने दो,” प्राणी विज्ञानी गूमर ने कहा — जो अब तक टीम का सबसे असंतुष्ट सदस्य साबित हुआ था।

“देखिए, हमें यह रिपोर्ट तो बहुत पहले ही जमा कर देनी चाहिए थी। मगर डॉ. मालोविका के लिए समय-सीमा का कोई अर्थ ही नहीं है। वे लगातार शोध का दायरा बढ़ाती जा रही हैं। अब तो वे मानव-हाथी संघर्ष को समाज-शास्त्रीय और मनोवैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोण से देखने पर तुली हुई हैं। और अपने काम को जायज़ ठहराती हैं — कहती हैं, ‘हाथियों को पूज्य माना जाता है और मारा भी जाता है, इसलिए इस विरोधाभास को समझने के लिए हमें गहराई में उतरना होगा।’”

इससे पहले, पहाड़ी क्षेत्र से गुजरते समय मालोविका ने अपनी टीम को आगाह किया था, “कोई भ्रम न पालिए, दोस्तों — हम यहाँ शोध के लिए आए हैं, यह कोई सैर-सपाटा नहीं है।”
उन्होंने यह एहतियात दोहराई जब उनकी टीम ने रास्ते में अलियार बाँध देखने के लिए रुकने की गुहार लगाई।

फिर भी, विज्ञान के प्रति पूर्ण समर्पण और कार्य के प्रति गहरी संलग्नता के बावजूद, मालोविका को उनके सहयोगियों ने नीरस या कट्टर नहीं माना; बल्कि वे उन्हें एक प्रकृति-प्रेमी, कुशल ड्राइवर और फिटनेस के प्रति समर्पित व्यक्तित्व के रूप में देखते थे — ऐसी शख्सियत जिसने पिछले पंद्रह वर्षों में शायद एक दर्जन लंबी पदयात्राएँ की होंगी।

भारतीय विज्ञान संस्थान, बेंगलुरु के पर्यावरण विज्ञान केंद्र में प्रोफेसर के रूप में, डॉ. मालोविका को दक्षिण भारत के पर्वतीय इलाकों — विशेष रूप से मुदुमलाई, सत्यमंगलम, पेरियार और अन्नामलाई अभयारण्यों — का व्यापक अनुभव है। वालपराई में, उन्हें यह जाँच करने का दायित्व सौंपा गया था कि एक उत्पाती हाथी ने एक व्यक्ति पर इतना गंभीर हमला कैसे किया।

लेकिन ऐसे मामले में तथ्यों की पड़ताल किससे की जाए? किससे बातचीत की जाए?
संरक्षण को लेकर उनके संतुलित दृष्टिकोण को जानने के बाद कौन सहयोग करेगा? लोग तो पहले ही दोष तय कर चुके थे — "पहले कुत्ते को बदनाम करो, फिर फाँसी दो!" — यही था माहौल, और यही उनकी चिंता थी।

इसलिए, उन्होंने इस संवेदनशील मुद्दे को अत्यंत सावधानी से सँभालने का निश्चय किया। एक प्रतिष्ठित पर्यावरण वैज्ञानिक के रूप में, वे पूर्वाग्रहों से मुक्त, निष्पक्ष, और घटनास्थल पर गहन अध्ययन के लिए प्रतिबद्ध रहीं।

डॉ. मालोविका हमेशा से हाथियों के कल्याण के लिए प्रतिबद्ध एक संरक्षण-अभियान की राजदूत रही हैं। हाथी विज्ञानी के रूप में प्रसिद्धि प्राप्त करने से पहले भी, वे इस प्राणी की भावनात्मक समर्थक थीं।

एक बार वे केरल के एक अत्याधुनिक होटल में ठहरने वहाँ पहुंची। वहाँ, चेक-इन डेस्क के पीछे उन्होंने एक कैलेंडर देखा, जिसमें पुरातन थाईलैंड के अयुत्थया स्थित एक हाथी-प्रशिक्षण केंद्र की तस्वीर थी। उस तस्वीर में एक अकेला हाथी, जंजीरों से जकड़ा, अमानवीय प्रशिक्षण तकनीकों का सामना कर रहा था — वह दृश्य अतीत की क्रूरता की याद दिला रहा था।

तब, छात्रा मालोविका ने उस तस्वीर को तुरंत हटाने की सख़्त माँग की। रिसेप्शनिस्ट की हिचकिचाहट देख वह उत्तेजित हो उठीं और खुद ही वह तस्वीर दीवार से उखाड़ फेंकी।

उन्हें अप्रत्याशित रूप से क्रोधित देखकर, होटल प्रबंधन ने उन्हें उन्मत्त समझा और एहतियात के तौर पर, होटल में ठहरने से इनकार कर दिया।

नतीजा यह हुआ कि उन्हें वहाँ से जाना पड़ा — पर उनके भीतर उपलब्धि की गहरी संतुष्टि थी कि उन्होंने एक हाथी की गरिमा और मुक्ति के लिए प्रत्यक्ष हस्तक्षेप किया।

रात्रि भोजन के बाद, मालोविका ने भागे हुए हाथी की रात की गतिविधियों को समझने के उद्देश्य से चाय बागान का दौरा करने की योजना बनाई। परंतु, गेस्ट हाउस के चिंतित कर्मचारियों ने उन्हें ऐसा करने से रोक दिया। वे नहीं चाहते थे कि उनका कोई अतिथि उस गुस्सैल हाथी का सामना करें और उसी तरह घायल हो जाए, जैसे वह अज्ञात व्यक्ति, जो अभी अस्पताल में गंभीर चोटों के कारण चिकित्सित हो रहा है।

इसलिए, उस हाथी के व्यवहार के बारे में कुछ निश्चित रूप से कहना कठिन था — आखिर वह गेस्ट हाउस तक को नहीं बख्श चुका था।

कर्मचारियों ने मालोविका को डाइनिंग हॉल की वह खिड़की दिखाई, जिसे हाल ही में उसी हाथी ने तोड़ डाला था।

कुछ प्रासंगिक प्रश्नों की तैयारी करते हुए, जब मालोविका मन ही मन उपयुक्त शब्दों का चयन कर रही थीं, तभी रसोईघर का शेफ — जो हाथियों का हमदर्द माना जाता था — मुस्कराते हुए बोला,
“मुझे लगता है, उसकी भूख ही उसे हमारी रसोई तक खींच लाई। और क्या चाहिए एक हाथी को?”

डॉ. मालोविका ने कथित रूप से हाथी के प्रवेश स्थलों का निरीक्षण किया और क्षति का त्वरित आकलन किया। भूखे घुसपैठिए ने एक बैग भर चीनी खा ली थी, जिसकी कुल कीमत एक हज़ार रुपये से अधिक नहीं रही होगी।

“यही सब गहमा-गहमी का कारण है?” उन्होंने मुस्कराकर कहा। “मुझे तो यह बहुत बढ़ा-चढ़ा कर बताया गया प्रकरण लगता है।”

उन्होंने बिना हिचकिचाहट के हाथी का पक्ष लेते हुए जोड़ा,

“हाथी जन्म से उपद्रवी नहीं होते। हमें उसकी भूख को भी समझना चाहिए।”

बिना किसी औपचारिक भूमिका के, डॉ. मालोविका हाथी की प्रवृत्ति पर व्याख्यान देने लगीं—  

“गाय की तरह हाथी भोजन के बाद बैठकर जुगाली नहीं करता। इसका पाचनतंत्र बहुत नाजुक होता है। इसके विशाल शरीर को हर दिन कामकाज लायक बने रहने के लिए कम से कम 100 किलो भोजन और 150 लीटर पानी की ज़रूरत होती है। इसलिए, यह प्राणी दिन भर — अक्सर पंद्रह से बीस घंटे — भोजन की तलाश में लगा रहता है, मानो जीवन का मुख्य उद्देश्य ही पेट भरना हो।

और नींद?

दो सूर्योदयों के बीच केवल दो-तीन घंटे की नींद। हाथी धरती पर सबसे कम सोने वाले जीवों में से एक है।

यह प्राणी एक तरह का श्रमिक है — लगातार काम करता है, लगातार खाता है, और अनिद्रा से जूझता है। इसके भोजन की आवश्यकता इतनी गहन है कि यदि उसकी पूर्ति में बाधा आए, तो वह हिंसक हो सकता है। और यदि तमाम प्रयासों के बावजूद उसे भरपेट भोजन न मिले, तो वह खाद्य गोदामों पर धावा बोल देता है। एक भूखा हाथी एक भूखे आदमी की तरह होता है: इसकी भूख सभी ज्यादतियों को उचित सिद्ध करती है। एक भूखा गजराज यह कैसे जानता कि यह अपने परिचित खाद्य पथ पर खोजते-खोजते आनामलाई क्लब जैसे प्रसिद्ध स्थान पर पहुँच गया है?”

डॉ. मालोविका के तीन पीएचडी छात्रों का दल गेस्ट हाउस लौटा और भोजन कक्ष में आकर उनके साथ बैठ गया। दल के सदस्यों ने बताया कि उन्हें चाय बागान के एक श्रमिक की सलाह पर अपनी सैर बीच में ही छोड़नी पड़ी, क्योंकि उस श्रमिक ने बागान में एक फंसे हुए हाथी को देखा था।
उसने यह चेतावनी भी दी कि रात में वही जानवर छिपते-छिपते फिर से गेस्ट हाउस की रसोई में घुस सकता है।

डॉ. मालोविका तुरंत समझ गईं — बहादुरी के दावों के बावजूद, उनके साथी घबरा गए थे।
अब वे चाहते थे कि कहीं हाथी सच में आ न जाए, इससे पहले ही अपना खाना खत्म कर लिया जाए।

खैर, यह तो डॉ. मालोविका के लिए अच्छा ही हुआ — क्योंकि अब उनके सारे सहयोगी इधर-उधर भटकने के बजाय अपने शोध को प्राथमिकता देंगे!

रात का भोजन चपाती, दाल और सब्जियों से बना था। एकमात्र गैर-शाकाहारी वस्तु अंडे की तरकारी थी, जबकि बाकी सभी व्यंजन शुद्ध शाकाहारी थे।

परंतु, क्या अंडा वास्तव में मुर्गे या भेड़ के मांस का उपयुक्त विकल्प था? दिनभर की थकान के बाद टीम को कुछ अधिक पौष्टिक और सन्तोषजनक भोजन की अपेक्षा थी, लेकिन किसी ने इसकी कमी को लेकर कोई शिकायत नहीं की। ऐसा लग रहा था जैसे वे सब शाकाहारी हाथियों के प्रति एकजुटता दिखा रहे हों।

सुजान — उनके चतुर और विनोदी मित्र — ने मुस्कराकर कहा,
“भगवान का लाख-लाख शुक्र है कि उन्होंने हाथी को शाकाहारी बनाया... आदमखोर नहीं!” शायद वह एक भयानक संभावना की ओर इशारा कर रहे थे — कि यदि कुदरत ने हाथी को मांसाहारी बनाया होता, तो मनुष्यों और हाथियों के बीच संघर्ष कहीं अधिक विनाशकारी हो सकता था।
इस तरह प्रकृति ने ही मानवीय अस्तित्व की बुनियादी सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित की है।

हे भगवान! यहाँ एक आदमखोर हाथी है — यह कल्पना ही जैसे किसी विकृत परी कथा का हिस्सा हो। किसी को भी इस बात का अंदाजा नहीं था कि मजाक-मजाक में की गई बातें किस तरह कहानी को एक गहन नाटकीय विडंबना की ओर ले जा रही थीं।

थोड़ी देर बाद, डॉ. मालोविका ने अपने शोध सहायकों को शुभ रात्रि कहा और विश्राम के लिए अपने कमरे की ओर चल दीं।

यह एक ठंडी जनवरी की रात थी — वालपराई जैसे छोटे से पहाड़ी स्टेशन में भी तापमान दस डिग्री सेल्सियस तक गिर चुका था। बाहर की हवा हल्की थी, पर तीखी नहीं, और धुंधली चाँदनी चारों ओर मद्धिम रोशनी फैला रही थी।

डॉ. मालोविका अपनी खिड़की के काँच से नीलगिरी (यूकलिप्टस) के पत्तों को फड़फड़ाते हुए देख सकती थीं। धीरे-धीरे घने जंगलों से घिरे चाय बागान पर धुंध की एक पतली चादर उतर आई।
पास की झाड़ी से टिड्डों की झनझनाहट तेज़ हो गई थी। दुनिया पूरी तरह से शांत और सुस्त प्रतीत हो रही थी — सिवाय उन रात्रिचर प्राणियों के, जो लॉन में अपनी उपस्थिति दर्ज करवा रहे थे।
कुछ ही देर में उनकी आवाज़ें धीमी पड़ गईं और ठंडी रात की मीठी सुस्ती में विलीन हो गईं।

नींद के आगमन से पहले, डॉ. मालोविका ने दिन भर के कार्य का संक्षिप्त पुनरावलोकन करना शुरू किया।

उनकी टीम अब तक मानव-हाथी टकराव के दो सौ इक्कीस मामलों का अध्ययन कर चुकी थी, जिनमें से कुछ उदाहरण वैज्ञानिक साहित्य से संकलित थे। ये मामले उनके निष्कर्षों को पुष्ट करने के लिए पर्याप्त माने जा सकते थे।

लेकिन जैसे ही वे अपनी रिपोर्ट को अंतिम रूप देने की तैयारी कर रही थीं, उन्हें सूचना मिली कि एक बिगड़ैल हाथी ने वालपराई में फिर से उत्पात मचाया है। इसलिए उन्होंने तुरंत घटना-स्थल का दौरा करने और इस प्रकरण को अपने अध्ययन में दो सौ बाईसवें मामले के रूप में शामिल करने का निश्चय किया।

डॉ. मालोविका का यह शोध अंतर्राष्ट्रीय हाथी फाउंडेशन की देखरेख में संचालित हो रहा था, जिसने तीन वर्षों के लिए प्रति वर्ष $100,000 का सम्मानजनक अनुदान प्रदान किया था।
अब यह परियोजना अपने अंतिम वर्ष में प्रवेश कर चुकी थी।

इस शोध का उद्देश्य था यह जांचना कि क्या उकसावे की स्थिति में मानव-हाथी संघर्ष की घटनाएं बढ़ जाती हैं — और यह निर्धारित करना कि क्या वास्तव में कोई ऐसा "बागी हाथी" होता है, जो जानबूझकर मनुष्यों का पीछा करता है और अंततः उनकी हत्या करता है।//

यद्यपि यह एक सीधा-सादा प्रस्ताव प्रतीत हो रहा था, वास्तव में यह एक विस्तृत और गहन शोध की माँग करता था। डॉ. मालोविका ने निर्णय लिया कि वे निष्कर्ष पर पहुँचने के लिए यथासंभव अधिक से अधिक मानव-हाथी संघर्ष के मामलों का अध्ययन करेंगी।

हालाँकि, उनकी तीनों सहायक शोधकर्ता इस परियोजना को संक्षिप्त रूप में समेटना चाहती थीं। डॉ. मालोविका को न तो किसी अन्य परियोजना पर शीघ्र जाने की कोई जल्दी थी और न ही उनका उद्देश्य मात्र एक औपचारिक रिपोर्ट प्रस्तुत करना था। भारत के एक प्रमुख वैज्ञानिक संस्थान में पहले से ही प्रोफेसर होने के कारण, उन्हें अपनी योग्यता सिद्ध करने के लिए अतिरिक्त शोध-प्रबंध प्रस्तुत करने की कोई आवश्यकता नहीं थी।

फिर भी, टीम का मनोबल बनाए रखने के लिए उन्होंने अपने सहयोगियों को आश्वस्त किया कि वर्तमान मामला इस शोध का अंतिम तथ्य होगा।

जैसे-जैसे रात गहराने लगी, कमरे के भीतर की ठंड भी बढ़ने लगी।
मालोविका को नींद आने लगी और उन्होंने एक जोरदार जम्हाई ली। कमरे में कोई हीटिंग व्यवस्था नहीं थी, इसलिए उन्होंने पास के बिस्तर से एक और कंबल खींच लिया।

तभी — लो! उन्हें एक सपना भी आया।

स्वप्न की छवियाँ विचित्र थीं।

उसने स्वयं को परेशानी में एक पेंसिल के साथ खेलते हुए पाया — यह तय नहीं कर पा रही थी कि क्या लिखे। अंततः, निराश होकर, उसने अपने सारे कागज़ एक हाथी को सौंप दिए, जिसने उन्हें खुशी-खुशी चबा डाला। और तभी वह सपने के बीचों-बीच जाग गई।

क्या यह आधी नींद में देखा गया सपना, यानी लूसिड ड्रीमिंग, का उदाहरण था? क्या इसका अर्थ यह था कि उसे अपने शोध-विवरण को फिर से लिखना शुरू करना चाहिए?

स्वप्न का दृश्य उसे अजीब की बजाय मज़ेदार लगा। यह सोचकर कि वह — एक हाथी-विज्ञान की अध्यापिका — सपने में इतना विचित्र व्यवहार कर सकती है, उसे जोरदार हँसी आ गई।

उसे प्रसिद्ध रसायन-शास्त्री केकुले की भी याद आई, जिसने लूसिड ड्रीम में एक साँप को अपनी ही पूँछ खाते हुए देखा था — और इस दृश्य ने उसे बेंजीन की संरचना की कल्पना तक पहुँचा दिया था!

क्या मालोविका को यकीन था कि उसका शोध-सामग्री निगलने वाला प्राणी हाथी ही था?
अरे नहीं — हो सकता है वह एक गाय रही हो, जो उसके स्वप्न में हाथी में बदल गई हो।

बचपन में उसने अपनी पड़ोस की डाक वितरक को एक बार आँसू बहाते देखा था — क्योंकि एक गाय ने उसके सारे पत्र चबा लिए थे। उसने पत्रों का बंडल साइकिल के कैरियर पर यूँ ही छोड़ दिया था, ताकि एक पोस्टकार्ड को बगल वाली गली में जाकर बाँट सके।

वास्तव में, चुराए गए पत्रों के लिए एक अधेड़ उम्र के व्यक्ति को रोते हुए देखना — वह भी एक गाय की करतूत के कारण — एक बेहद मज़ेदार दृश्य था!

उसने एक गिलास पानी पिया और अपने मोबाइल फोन की ओर देखा।
अभी सिर्फ डेढ़ बजे थे। वह तुरंत वापस बिस्तर पर चली गई, ताकि कुछ और समय के लिए सो सके।

वह बस नींद में डूबने ही वाली थी कि उसे धातु के टकराने की आवाज़ सुनाई दी।
उस आवाज़ का स्रोत समझ पाना आसान नहीं था। झींगुर अब भी अपनी निरानंद, एकरस तान में चीं-चीं कर रहे थे, और पास के सिंचाई गड्ढे से कभी-कभार मेंढ़क की टर्र-टर्र सुनाई दे रही थी।

यह साफ था कि वह आवाज़ किसी दरवाज़े के खुलने की नहीं थी।
उसने कान लगाकर सुना — कोई कार की डिक्की खोल रहा था।

क्या वह कोई चोर था?

कोहरे से मलिन चांदनी बेहद फीकी थी। उसे बागान मज़दूर की चेतावनी याद आ गई।

अरे नहीं! शैतान का नाम लो और शैतान हाज़िर! सचमुच, एक हाथी ज़बरन बंद डिक्की खोल रहा था। फिर उसने एक पूरा केला-गुच्छा निकाला और एक ही बार में अपने मुँह में ठूँस लिया।

डॉ. मालोविका यह दृश्य देखकर आनंदित हो उठीं — और बेचारे कार-मालिक के लिए सहानुभूति जताना भूल गईं, जिसे सुबह किसी मैकेनिक के पास दौड़ लगानी पड़ेगी। लेकिन फिर सोचने लगीं —
खुले में खड़ी कार में पके केले छोड़ देना भी तो एक भारी भूल थी!

सुबह तक और भी तथ्य सामने आ चुके थे। एंबेसडर कार का डिक्की एक खराब ताले से बंद था, जिसे खोलने के लिए हाथी की ताकत की ज़रूरत नहीं थी — एक नौ साल का बच्चा भी उसे खोल सकता था। असल बात तो यह थी कि हाथी ने सही ढंग से सूंघकर उसमें रखी चीज़ को पहचान लिया।

उस रात, उसने रसोई में धावा नहीं बोला। शायद यह विचार उसे आकर्षक नहीं लगा — आख़िर, पिछले दिन ही वह वहाँ धावा बोल चुका था। दोहराव तो उसके लिए भी उबाऊ हो सकता था! उसे भी तो अपना ‘काम’ दिलचस्प लगना चाहिए, है न?

क्या रात थी वह!

डॉ. मालोविका ने अपने सपने पर विचार किया। उन्होंने उन पात्रों की कल्पना की, जो यथार्थ और स्वप्न — दोनों की सीमाओं में फैले हुए थे, जो सहजता से अपना रूप बदलते और पारदर्शी सीमाएं लांघ जाते थे। हालांकि, उन दुर्भाग्यशाली आत्माओं के लिए केवल हास्य नहीं, बल्कि कुछ सहानुभूति भी अपेक्षित थी, जो बागी हाथियों की बर्बरता का शिकार हुए थे। और फिर — यह स्वप्न-प्राप्त नाटक कहीं अधिक मनोरंजक होता, यदि हाथी को मस्तान में बदलते देखने को मिलता! कल्पना कीजिए — वह चुपके से उस दरवाज़े पर दस्तक देता, जहाँ एक प्रतिष्ठित हाथी-विज्ञानी — जो हाथी-अधिकारों की अडिग पैरोकार थी — आराम कर रही होती।

ऐसे में यह नाटक, किसी झिझक के बिना, शुद्ध हास्य में तब्दील हो जाता।

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By

Ananta Narayan Nanda

26-06-2025

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My New Book: A Sneak Preview

 

My New Book: A Sneak Preview

I n   S h o r t :

Midnight Biryani and Other Stories is a rich collection of tales that traverse the intricate terrain of human emotion, social contradiction, and quiet rebellion. From unspoken love and fading ideals to caste barriers, crumbling marriages, and the innocence of childhood, each story captures a distinct shade of life. Whether it's Ishani and Abhinav’s unacted longing, the ideological betrayal of Bijan, or little Mayank’s innocent transgression, these narratives gently reveal the complexities behind seemingly ordinary moments. Set in diverse locales—from inner-city ghettos to remote islands—the stories balance humour, pathos, satire, and reflection. Characters such as Baba the reformer, Godavari the tormented girl, or Chunilal the failed poet linger long after the page is turned. Written with empathy and insight, this anthology lays bare the emotional and ethical struggles of everyday lives, making the mundane quietly extraordinary. It’s a celebration of people who endure, err, dream, and sometimes, forgive.

B o o k   D e s c r i p t i o n:

Midnight Biryani and Other Stories is a vibrant tapestry of contemporary Indian lives—raw, ironic, and deeply human. This collection of thirty evocative short stories explores the emotional undercurrents of love, betrayal, ambition, and societal pressures. From the muted ache of forbidden affection in the titular Midnight Biryani, to the cutting satire of ideological flip-flops in The Forgotten Proletariat, these stories bring to life characters caught between duty and desire, tradition and change.

Whether it's a little girl’s heartbreak over the exclusion of her maid in Not One of Us, the dark comedy of innocence as moral cover in Sin Without a Sin, or the tragic humour of a reformed thief punished again in Baba: The Apostle of Dusk Town, each tale pulses with emotional nuance and narrative inventiveness.

Rooted in both realism and fable, the stories span across class, gender, geography, and age, shifting from drawing rooms to jail cells, from remote islands to urban sprawls. With irony as its steady undercurrent, the collection is a poignant, often wry reflection on the contradictions and quiet heroism of everyday life.

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By

Ananta Narayan Nanda

22-6-2025

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Pradyot Chatterji’s Banal Arc, Benign Sky—A Multi-Layered Exploration of Human Imperfection and Rational Dissonance

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The book I read recently truly impressed me, hence I thought I should know what really impressed me in it. So, I drafted a review, and that's how this blogpost originated. "Banal Arc, Benign Sky" authored by Pradyot Chatterji, ISBN 9789356975194, published by Ukiyoto Publishing

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Pradyot Chatterji’s Banal Arc, Benign Sky—A Multi-Layered Exploration of Human Imperfection and Rational Dissonance

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For a work to be considered a novel, it must be an exploratory exercise that examines the intricate dynamics among events, ethos, and characters. While a short story can present a straightforward narrative of events, characters, and motives, a novel demands deeper exploration.

Pradyot Chatterjee’s Banal Arc, Benign Sky exemplifies this multi-layered approach, regardless of whether it fulfils its authorial intent or reaches a definitive resolution. By the end of this immensely readable volume, I found myself asking: What was it that I enjoyed so thoroughly over the fortnight as I became part of the exploratory journey that Shri Chatterjee masterfully orchestrated?

The author’s objective is best conveyed in his own words: “As a writer, he does not believe in creating only ideal, virtuous characters worthy of emulation, nor in depicting people holier than they are actually seen in real life. He believes it is not effete ideals and goodness, but true courage with robust optimism that can combat the prevailing cynicism.”

Indeed, all the characters in the novel are flawed individuals shaped by their experiences and surroundings. They are conceited, angry, largely unsociable, and deeply absorbed in their own worlds—thinking, wondering, contemplating, concluding, and asserting their perspectives on those around them. A jilted lover relentlessly chases an unattainable dream with unwavering tenacity. A lawyer looks down upon everything—from his clients to the judges and neighbours. A talented child faces repeated betrayals: bullied by friends at a science exhibition, exploited by a research guide who steals his thesis and deceived by a mother who separates from his father only to pursue her selfish interests. He also contends with his mother’s lover, who seeks favour in her eyes, and a so-called spiritual guru who preys upon him. The list of betrayals continues.

These characters are not inherently corrupt; instead, they inherit certain proclivities from their ancestors and are shaped by the toxic environments in which they live. This environment, steeped in hypocrisy, irrationality, and superstition, inevitably influences their actions. A talented young man, cheated by his research guide, seeks solace in an ashram, only to become a victim of its abbot’s predatory abuse. The author refrains from moralising, leaving the reader to navigate the conflicting forces at play.

Chatterjee skillfully juxtaposes superstition with rational explanations. When a cat stops visiting a house after the death of its head, some characters interpret it as an instance of interspecies love and consequent despair on bereavement. However, another character offers a practical explanation: the cat, fond of fish, simply avoids the household because no fish is cooked during the funeral rituals. In another instance, the author allows a myth to stand unchallenged. Jogesh, spiralling into madness, claims that lunacy strikes in the morning. His words unfold in a way that seems to confirm his belief, yet no rational counterpoint follows.

Ultimately, Banal Arc, Benign Sky is an unflinching portrayal of human frailty and resilience, challenging readers to engage with its complexities and draw their own conclusions.

Numerous instances in the novel reveal the conflict between rationality and irrationality, with consequential outcomes. This, along with a cast of characters drawn from the imperfect yet real world, enriches the novel. The author successfully integrates the burning issues of the superstition-rationality dichotomy and flawed human nature into his narratives.

The author does not favour stereotypes, but where they seem inevitable, he employs them to impart momentum to his storytelling. The principal character, Niti, is portrayed as a talented individual with an overflowing scientific spirit who challenges Jogesh, his mother’s boyfriend, for his blind adherence to scripture. However, he later seeks solace in a spiritual guru’s teachings, only to discover that the guru is a pervert. Niti is a talented scientist yet also dabbles in astrology. The author suggests that Niti’s mental turmoil has multiple causes: his failure in love due to his mother’s obstinacy, the double-dealing of his research guide, Dr Rana, and the discovery of his mother Maya’s betrayal. He is depicted as a lover of snakes, frogs, and other creatures—not as a naturalist, but as someone protesting that humans are the worst creatures, untrustworthy and even worse than snakes and “philosopher” cats. In a word, this is what ‘ambivalence’ looks like. Regarding Niti, the author writes, ‘The voice that saluted God and his faultless factory, and the one which defied the same god.’ In that sense, all of us, whether believers or sceptics, are ambivalent, which ultimately reflects the shape of the real world.

Reflecting on the components of the multi-layered exploration that entertained and enthralled me, stirred my emotions, and made me relate to my life experiences as a writer, I can say that Shri Chatterjee has used all the literary tools in his arsenal to make Banal Arc, Benign Sky an intellectually engaging and profoundly thought-provoking work. His use of similes achieves effects that no adjectives or adverbs could match. For instance, he writes, ‘The oars shattered the moon in the water. Ribbons of molten gold swirled in the water as the boat slowly went past the light into the darkness.’ While intensifying Maya’s arrogance, he describes, ‘Her eyes were a peacock throne of vanity, a laser gun of contempt.’ When Maya rejects a marriage proposal for her son, Niti—brought by the bride’s mother herself, the bride being Niti’s beloved—the author uses the metaphor: ‘Only a mother could ransack an entire garden of flowers and still have her quota of wreaths and flowers.’

The author’s rich prose is also evident in the following description of the deficient state of Sarkar, the magician’s house: ‘His house should have been on top of a mountain where magic, miracle, and mystery were wrought by the cloud like an endless rosary.’ To explain Jogesh’s one-sided love for Maya, the author draws a metaphor from his familiar world of computers—familiar because the author is a metallurgical engineer by education—and writes, ‘Some unknown hand had etched a program on a chip and embedded it in him, and his life went on according to the program which he could not remove or replace. But as he played out his life according to the program, it perpetuated in him the feeling of love though nobody else ever understood its algorithm.’ Many such high points in the narrative consistently captivate the reader.

The novel’s scenes are manifold and vividly depicted: a crematorium, inundated courtyards populated by snakes and centipedes, a mishap at a bridge under construction, a rail pushcart rolling on iron rails pushed by two people while conversing amorously, a brothel run by a matron, the night sky revealing its grandeur to a stargazer, a Bel tree haunted by a ferocious Brahmin ghost, a school science exhibition sabotaged by jealousy and competitiveness, a magician’s trick unsuccessfully investigated, prostitutes bathing under a tap—one of whom is informed by a client about the early signs of leprosy, a night watch party killing a thief, a telegram being crafted strategically to communicate a death without causing devastation at the receiving end, a Muslim sadhu dispensing herbal cures for all ailments, a snake charmer carrying cobras and Russell’s vipers for entertainment, a planchette session disguising a sexual advance in darkness—everything, you name it, and it is there. These richly narrated scenes contribute to a multi-layered exploration that leaves the reader in awe, turning pages from beginning to end.

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A. N. Nanda

24-3-2025

Balasore

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Links to all my books

 So far, I have uploaded all my books to Amazon to make them available to my readers as ebooks and paperbacks, regardless of where they live. I have also shared the links with many of my contacts; they find them handy when ordering them from Amazon. In addition, I bring such links here. It is yet another place where such links are available.

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Novel -- Ivory Imprint 

Link for ebook -- Ivory Imprint https://amzn.in/d/ekb1sk0

Link for paperback -- Ivory Imprint https://amzn.in/d/cdhFswy

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Short story collection -- The Remix of Orchid 

Link for ebook -- The Remix of Orchid: Second Edition https://amzn.in/d/8IJWvNl

Link for paperback -- The Remix of Orchid: Second Edition https://amzn.in/d/0sH4Vla

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Short story collection -- Virasat (in Hindi)

Link for ebook -- विरासत (Hindi Edition) https://amzn.in/d/jej7Vfw

Short story collection -- The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail

Link for ebook -- The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail https://amzn.in/d/gIhRa2R

Link for paperback -- The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail https://amzn.in/d/5ykrzOO

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Short story collection -- एक साल बाद 

Link for ebook -- एक साल बाद (Hindi Edition) https://amzn.in/d/4mUeaCw

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Short story collection -- Stories Old and New 

Link for ebook -- Stories Old and New https://amzn.in/d/1S6QPnd

Link for paperback -- Stories Old and New https://amzn.in/d/d0ThSvO

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Stories Old and New

This is my new book, available on Amazon at the link 

https://amzn.in/d/4jJGEJc (for ebook)

https://amzn.in/d/fIwc3Uz (for paperback)

a brief overview of the book.

Stories Old and New is a carefully curated collection of 15 short stories that highlight the author’s creative journey spanning the last four decades. This anthology offers a diverse range of narratives, each crafted with keen observation and deep insight into human nature, relationships, and society.

What makes this collection unique is its linguistic diversity—some stories were originally written in Odia and Hindi and later translated into English by the author, while others were penned directly in English. This blend of languages not only showcases the author's literary versatility but also reflects the varied cultural and emotional landscapes that have influenced his storytelling over the years.

Each story in the collection offers a distinct theme and flavour. One for the Road portrays an ironic encounter between the author and an ungrateful co-passenger harassed by hawkers. In Waiting for Vishnu, an old school rivalry resurfaces, revealing the enduring nature of jealousy. Ganga, a Quiet Reverie, evokes the wistfulness of first love, lingering in memory long after time has moved on.

Humour also finds a strong presence in the collection. The Godsend narrates a comical episode where an act of kindness is met with indifference, while The Bovine Justice presents a clever battle of wits between a milkman and his persistent customer. A Hungry Afternoon humorously depicts the tussle between an adult and a child over a plate of snacks, while A White Lie captures the playful absurdity of a fabricated afternoon gossip session.

Other stories delve into deeper social and personal struggles. The Nest follows a government servant’s unending quest for stable housing for his large family amidst frequent job transfers. Will-o'-the-Wisp paints a stark picture of poverty in the seventies and eighties, bringing forth the hardships of that era. Kamini Bai Returns, a detective story, unravels a tale of deception and divine justice, while God of Lost Letters offers a humorous yet insightful resolution to a peculiar postal dilemma.

Through these varied narratives, Stories Old and New not only captures the evolution of the author’s storytelling but also presents a window into the changing times and emotions that shape our lives. This collection is an engaging read for anyone who appreciates stories that blend nostalgia, humour, human complexity, and social insight into a compelling literary experience.

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A. N. Nanda

Bhubaneswar

19/2/2025

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The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail, The Sneak-peak

 The countdown has already begun. I hope to present my book, The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail, to my readers in a fortnight. First, it will be an ebook, and then the paperback version will follow in another fortnight. Here is the cover image, which is in the process of refinement. It is the 3D version of the image. 

 

The preface is also ready. Giving it here for my readers to get an idea about the book.

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Preface

T

he post office is a treasure trove of history—but is it ready for the future?

The post office has stood as a symbol of reliability and connection for generations, ferrying written messages across rivers, jungles, and mountains. Its legacy is celebrated by many who have chronicled its profound contributions to society and its role as a vital government institution serving citizens at their doorsteps. Writers of the past have immortalised its stories, elevating the post office to literary and cultural prominence. Yet, today, this venerable institution finds itself in the throes of an existential crisis.

The advent of the IT revolution posed significant challenges to traditional businesses, and the post office, though slow to respond, eventually made a bold effort to adapt. But no sooner had it begun its transformation than mobile technology arrived, upending industries from watchmaking and photography to mail delivery. The post office’s battle to stay relevant grew fiercer, its resources and reach dwarfed by the sweeping power of new technologies. And now, artificial intelligence has emerged, promising a seismic shift in every domain. With its unparalleled efficiency and capability, AI has left experts warning of a future where human roles may be rendered obsolete, no matter how entrenched.

What will become of the postal service and the millions who depend on it for their livelihood? Will it emerge victorious in this relentless struggle for relevance, or will it one day find its place as a relic in museums? The answers remain uncertain, and the stakes have never been higher. Until the future unfolds, we can only wait, watch, and hope.

This collection of thirty short stories seeks to capture a slice of the post office’s journey—its challenges, triumphs, and indomitable spirit—before the wave of artificial intelligence brings its next disruption. As someone who has been part of the organisation during its efforts to navigate the disruptions of the IT revolution, I have witnessed firsthand its people’s emotions, struggles, and resilience. These stories are my humble attempt to give voice to those experiences and preserve them for posterity.

“The Legacy: Tales from the Postal Trail” is an English rendition of “Virasat,” a Hindi collection published in 2008. Readers then embraced the stories, and many desired to see them translated into English. Sixteen years later, I have revisited “Virasat” and brought it to a new audience. The text has gone through both translation and enhancement. I hope this volume resonates with readers today, just as it did when it first appeared. Your encouragement in 2008 was my inspiration, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts once again.

 

Ananta Narayan Nanda

Bhubaneswar

1-1-2025

About Ivory Imprint

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My novel “Ivory Imprint” has gone live as an e-book link here: https://amzn.in/d/906PtcK and as a paperback link here: https://amzn.in/d/cz2dyCS . I am happy to share a short synopsis about the book. I hope my readers will find some evidence of my diligence.

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Set in the tea estates of Valparai, Tamil Nadu, Ivory Imprint begins with a violent encounter between an ostracised elephant and an unnamed individual, leaving him injured and speechless. Dr Malovika, an ecological sciences professor from IISc Bangalore, arrives in Valparai for research but mysteriously avoids involving herself with the case, even after recognising the victim as Aarohan, her childhood crush. Instead, she sends Mayank, a mutual friend, to investigate.

Mayank is shocked to find Aarohan, once vibrant and full of life, in a pitiful state with no memory of his past. Aarohan’s trauma stems from his role in a road accident that killed his parents. Straying into obscurity, he is now reduced to an “idiot savant,” experiencing vivid dreams with apparent psychic abilities. These dreams, rich in detail and narrative, act as windows into his fragmented psyche, revealing profound truths through interconnected tales reminiscent of Vetaal Pachishi.

Desperate to help, Mayank turns to Manasi Sundari, a reclusive spiritual seeker. Meanwhile, Malovika wrestles with her advocacy for elephants and personal challenges from her past. Aarohan’s journey draws in a diverse cast of characters, each contributing their own struggles and stories to the narrative:

Veena, an aspiring Bollywood actress turned successful scriptwriter mentored by Fanish, a renowned but creatively blocked scriptwriter. Fanish journeys to Port Blair to seek inspiration, intertwining his quest with a therapeutic suggestion for Aarohan’s recovery.

Irving, a former sports teacher who has been navigating the line between sanity and madness, believes in divine intervention as a path to healing.

As this eclectic group converges in Port Blair, their clashing beliefs and motives give rise to tensions but also fuel a collective effort to aid Aarohan. This shared determination drives Aarohan’s remarkable transformation, setting the stage for dramatic events and existential reflections on fate, spirituality, and human connection.

The recurring motif of the elephant weaves throughout the story, embodying a spectrum of meanings—from innocence and mischief to danger and introspection. It serves as a playful kite, a Hollywood star, and a predator symbolising Aarohan’s internal and external struggle.

Through its rich narrative tapestry, Ivory Imprint transcends a simple literary experiment. It explores the boundaries between dreams and reality, human resilience, and the mystical, culminating in a powerful tale of convalescence and self-discovery.

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A N Nanda

Author of "Ivory Imprint"

6-12-2024

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An Apt Disposal

The Apt Disposal

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This story is included in my compilation, "The Remix of Orchid," which I'm trying to bring in digital form soon. Hence, it has undergone some revision.

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Dr Bhandarkar and Mr Kughato are friends despite no professional affinity, for a scientist has nothing to do with an airline manager. Mr Kughato looks after the commercial affairs of his airline on the tiny little island of Port Blair, and Dr Bhandarkar conducts the scientific survey of a disease called leptospirosis, the Andaman fever. Yet they become fast friends. Both are, incidentally, great dog enthusiasts.

As for the scientist, this love comes to him gradually, more because of the persuasion of his friend than out of any personal interest. Nowadays, whenever he receives a prize for his poodle dog, Master Snow, in a dog show or a word of appreciation from an appreciative cynophile, he never forgets to take the name of his worthy friend Mr Kughato.

The scientist is a friendly talker. If you ask him how he suddenly became a passionate and skilled dog owner, he will tell you this interesting story.

It is a Sunday afternoon when he is just strolling on the seaside road. His mind is occupied with the depressing thought of how all his attempts to get a transfer out of Port Blair have been drawing blank and how almost all his fellow scientists except him have left the sleepy little island. Then he bumps into Mr Kughato. The gentleman looks friendly with body language, which is nothing if not agreeable. He is with his big dog Bruno, who is on a leash, following his master in a leisurely amble. The scientist tries to keep at a safe distance. Why should not he when the dog is Bruno, a ferocious pet with two dark, probing eyes and an open mouth? But Mr Kughato wishes him and comes closer. He is bent on clearing the gentleman’s misunderstanding about the animal. For him, it is like ‘one good act’ that he must do to justify his day.

‘Don’t worry, don’t worry. He’s only a dog, no dragon, I say. He won’t do anything to a friend,’ Mr Kughato and his dog come menacingly closer, attempting to assure the panicky scientist. ‘By the way, I’m Kughato from Indian Airlines, and he is Mr Bruno, my most faithful companion.’

‘I’m Abhijit Bhandarkar, a scientist in the regional unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research here, and I’ve been on this island for the past ten years. I live near Middle Point,’ Dr Bhandarkar’s response is lukewarm, and Mr Kughato understands the reason. The fellow has not entirely accepted Mr Bruno as his friend.

Then, the two fellows continue to walk on the seaside road. The scientist squints at the dog, and the dog does the same. Surprisingly, in about five more minutes, they accept each other without fear, and Mr Kughato feels happy noting the rapprochement. Like his dog, he knows who to befriend and who not to. A compassionate tribal fellow at that. Yes, he is a Naga who knows what a dog is capable of, what a dog needs—and even what a dog tastes like!

They stroll a distance and sit on a rock by the roadside somewhere midway to enjoy the evening breeze. They talk for a while, and when it is time to resume their walk, both friends get up and move. But Mr Bruno does not. Mr Kughato proceeds ahead, yet the pet remains immobile. Then, the understanding master realises that the pet is up to something significant. He comes closer.

In the meantime, Dr Bhandarkar discovers that he has left his house key there, and the blessed thing has slid down the slope beside the rock. He is at a loss what to do since the place is almost beyond his reach, and retrieving the object seems impossible.

‘Gosh, it’s lying over there. Maybe it’s fifteen feet down. How do I get there? They’re all jagged rocks…’ The scientist looks at the object helplessly. With a sigh of resignation, he decides, ‘Leave it, it’s gone.’

But Mr Kughato proves he is a friend in need. He orders Mr Bruno, and the obedient pet gets the opportunity to prove himself to his new friend. With a move characterised by canine agility, he gladly climbs down the impossible slope of the craggy shore. Incidentally, it is low tide at that moment, and the object is visible. Mr Bruno holds it between his teeth and returns to Dr Bhandarkar to return it. The pet appears businesslike and mildly self-satisfied. Nevertheless, the incident impresses the scientist tremendously and fills him with deep admiration for the animal. He praises his presence of mind.

‘Wow! What a job! Mr Bruno, you’re terrific, I should say,’ Dr Bhandarkar feels like patting him.

‘Yeah, when he’s Mr Bruno, it’s a different matter altogether,’ Mr Kughato, the proud master of the brainy dog, gives a mischievous smirk.

The story ends there. But the scientist would not disappoint you should you want to listen more. He often relates another anecdote to his eager listeners about how he came so close to the dog. The story goes something like this.

One day, on his way home from his morning constitutional, the scientist drops in on Mr Kughato, who is also returning from the gym. Suddenly, Mr Bruno barks quite excitedly and does not allow even his master to enter his foyer. Nobody is inside to answer, not even Aloto, Mr Kughato’s valet boy. The scientist stands transfixed with fear, witnessing a strange behaviour in the pet. But his friend understands. He is quick to find there is a snake! It is poisonous, and Mr Kughato tackles it in no time. Had it not been for the all-knowing and alert Bruno, one of them, or even both, could have died of snakebite. The grateful master pats his dog, hugs it, and kisses its icy muzzle in a sudden surge of affection. Dr Bhandarkar watches it with tremendous admiration for the brave pet and his requiting master.

The scientist gradually evinces personal interest in Mr Bruno. He will surely not forget the pet whenever he asks about Mr Kughato’s well-being. It is no formality now; the dog is capable of discerning that. He starts playing with his friendly visitor, with all his playfulness gaining new sparkle and all his gambols reaching new heights.

Thus, one day, Dr Abhijit Bhandarkar is initiated into the grand world of cynophiles. His guru is Mr Kughato.

‘Abhijit, would you like to select a pup for yourself? I reckon you had better, now that you know all a dog can do,’ Mr Kughato offers a friendly suggestion. However, he has nothing in particular to recommend as yet.

‘Sometimes I, too, think that way, especially when I see Mr Bruno gambolling around me. But then…you know…’ Dr Bhandarkar stops short of voicing his apprehension.

‘But then what? Do you mean it’s a hassle taking care of the pet? Then you must also consider its benefits and decide, I say,’ Mr Kughato pats Mr Bruno, who is probably listening to a crucial deliberation concerning his species.

As if addressing the attentive pet, Mr Kughato continues his unrestrained praise for the animal. He says that Dr Bhandarkar’s family environment is perfect for a pet to grow up civilised. Family is where the animal learns human qualities like social accommodation, respect for orderliness, compassion and so forth. ‘A scientist’s dog is surely qualitatively different from a butcher’s,’ Mr Kughato chuckles. Further, he adds that a dog never interferes with the harmony of the ambience. Instead, he adds to its flourish. Say like the tinkle of a wind chime. He understands the entire family of the master and its requirements and ensures that one living under its aegis never slips into depression.

Mr Bruno starts pawing his master, his forelegs stretched and his head bowing. For Mr Kughato, this is the dog’s endorsement of his version, and he affectionately pats him on the head.

Then Mr Kughato offers to arrange a beautiful poodle pup for his scientist friend. Mr Kughato’s encouragement has its effect. The scientist makes up his mind, ‘OK, then, a poodle will do.’

Mr Kughato’s airline does not ordinarily encourage the transportation of dogs alongside regular passengers. As such, he entrusts this job to Aloto to bring the pup by sea. Since Aloto has the training from Mr Kughato, he knows how best to approach the job entrusted. He chooses a nine-week-old pup from a reputed breeder at Calcutta and brings that along to Port Blair. It looks as cute as an expert’s choice can deliver. A visibly healthy puppy exudes a playful temperament through its bright, clear eyes, clean skin, and shiny coat. Mrs Bhandarkar does not come up with her ready acceptance, but Sangeeta, her school-going daughter, is thrilled. She has seen one of her friends possessing a poodle and has been wistfully longing for a pet of that kind. Now she gets something she has long been craving for, or even more magnificent than that. She plans to clip its coat in a style that will make her friends green with envy. She waits for the puppy to grow to a year old to enable her to do so.

The poodle, ever so bright with his snow-white coat, is christened Master Snow, grows familiar with everybody’s temperament, and soon becomes the darling of the family. All enjoy his genial disposition. Even Mrs Bhandarkar starts accepting him, for dogs are lowly creatures entitled to their share of compassion from humans…as much as she and her family deserve it from lord Ganapati! The pet gets joyfully enraptured when Dr Bhandarkar returns home after attending his work. Before anybody in the family realises that the master of the house has reached the door and it is time somebody reaches the door to open it and let him in, Master Snow runs there impulsively. And as soon as Dr Bhandarkar is in, he starts gambolling and whining delightfully as if his need for attention is more urgent than anybody else’s or as if his master owes him an explanation for his long absence during the day. Nevertheless, the intelligent animal knows his responsibility. Whenever Sangeeta is busy with her homework or Mrs Bhandarkar with lord Ganapati, he keeps silent without any growl or yelp. He is so sober that he does not even bother a cat that prowls searching for a mouse at night. Obediently, he allows his shampooing or the clipping of his coat and does not raise a yelp after he hears the first reprimand, ‘Bad Dog’. Even the kids from the neighbourhood are not frightened and come to his friendly proximity.

One fine day, Mr Kughato leaves Port Blair along with his companion, Mr Bruno. He is under orders of transfer, and his airline does not even allow him the luxury of choosing his departure date. Everything happens so very unexpectedly. Only Aloto remains.

It is now for Aloto to preserve Mr Kughato’s memory at Port Blair. With Mr Bruno gone, accompanying his master, what else is there now to take charge of and keep alive? It is finally the friendship with Dr Bhandarkars.

Aloto chooses to stay back for no less a reason than his career. He is already employed, and the job is part-time. He believes his present temporary job will be permanent one day, and then he can build a modest career. After all, the Anthropological Survey of India is a government organisation whose job is at a premium. He has the talent to help him in this respect. He shares Mr Kughato’s interest in Western music and has picked up some intricate gospel, pop and rock music tunes from him. His familiarity with the music helps him earn a few more bucks from performances on various occasions. Dr Bhandarkar has known the boy since his association with Mr Kughato and considers him a well-behaved individual with a promising future. Aloto likewise considers Dr Bhandarkar to be his mentor and elder brother. He visits Bhandarkars quite frequently and has earned a ready acceptance there. Most significantly, he is close to Master Snow, the pet he has seen growing into the most fashionable purebred. Under his active help, the clipping of Snow’s coat has been done very artistically—like a tiny lion in a toyshop. Whenever Aloto visits Bhandarkars, the playful pet receives him with a welcome gesture by stretching out his forelegs, bowing, panting, and sometimes pawing at his favourite guest.

With summer arriving on time, the islanders start wearing their vacation moods. They all plan to visit their homes to fire their hearths on the mainland. Dr Abhijit Bhandarkar succeeds in getting two months’ leave this time. The family will avail such a long leave after a gap of two years. Mrs Bhandarkar and daughter Sangeeta start packing up their luggage in deadly earnest while reminding each other that they are soon starting, just in a week’s time. They decide not to brood over their elusive transfer but concentrate on the thing at hand. Their hard-earned leave makes them feel liberated, homeward, relieved, and nostalgic.

Now, a problem bothers the family: who will care for Master Snow, the pampered poodle of the quiet household? This time, Mr Kughato is not there to bail him out. Dr Bhandarkar knows about some boarding kennels run by the Dog Association of the Island. But he is not readily inclined to entrust Master Snow in the care of the Association as he fears his pet might contract a disease from others during his long absence. Master Snow is no longer a pup; he is now Mr Snow, like Mr Bruno—a handsome and healthy male dog, and all would love to have their female dogs mate with him. Still, Dr Bhandarkar has avoided such an environment of wanton promiscuity for his poodle. He knows Port Blair is not where he can get services from specialist vets and get Mr Snow treated should an occasion like this develop, unfortunately. No simple solution strikes him.

‘How about Aloto? Mr Snow will have no problem in his care,’ assures Mrs Bhandarkar.

‘Only if he agrees. Let me ask him.’ Dr Bhandarkar is unsure, given that Aloto is employed these days and has no time to spend on extra activities. Lately, he has not even made regular visits to Bhandarkars.

When Dr Bhandarkar approaches Aloto, he graciously agrees to take responsibility. He reassures Sangeeta that her beloved pet will be well cared for in her absence.

Sangeeta, her tone betraying more worry than authority, gives Aloto specific instructions. ‘Look, you should shampoo his coat every other day,’ she says.

‘Alright, Baby, I’ll do that,’ Aloto responds lightly.

‘And you need to brush him twice daily,’ Sangeeta continues.

‘Sure thing, I’ll do it your way,’ Aloto replies with a playful tone.

‘You must feed Mr Snow at 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. regularly. Is that okay?’ Sangeeta instructs again.

‘Of course, Miss, I’ll follow your orders,’ Aloto replies.

Mrs Bhandarkar gets amused at the dramatisation of the whole thing and decides to chip in. ‘Sangeeta dear! This is Aloto, you know. How can you go so jittery when he is in charge?’

‘I’m happy to receive her sweet instructions, ma’am. Let her tell me everything lest I turn forgetful,’ Aloto reacts, letting out a short, amused laugh.

The day of the voyage arrives. The Bhandarkar family starts with a queer ambivalence writ large on everybody’s face. On the one hand, they feel the excitement of being homeward, and on the other, they are bothered about Mr Snow and his care. Sometimes, they start doubting if Aloto could shoulder the entire drudgery single-handedly and for the whole sixty-day duration.

Mrs Bhandarkar has, however, an additional strange feeling, which she hesitates to share with her husband. Somehow, she feels that lord Ganapati will listen to her prayer very soon. This kind of intuitional optimism has swept her several times in different contexts; empirically, she has seen them all coming true. Are they her auto-suggestions? However, she has always kept the phenomena to herself, even after the events. In other words, she even hesitates to claim retrospectively that such a feeling had once occurred to her much before the happening. Now, adrenalin starts flowing rapidly in her veins, and an upbeat mood makes her display elated expressions. She feels the long spell of waiting for her husband to leave the island will end soon. She even thinks that he will quickly get a transfer to the National Aids Research Institute, Pune. Agog with happiness from within, the spiritual lady cheers everybody. Her joy is too prominent from the sudden lift in her temperament, but Dr Bhandarkar thinks his wife is ecstatic at the prospect of her upcoming reunion with her friends and relatives. So he does not ask her to explain the reason.

As planned, they reach Raigad, their native place, making everybody glad with their cheering presence. Their hectic engagements make them forget Port Blair, their anxious pet, Mr Snow, and the temporarily uncared-for idol of Lord Ganapati.

As if to prove the unsaid call from Mrs Bhandarkar’s sixth sense, Dr Bhandarkar receives an interesting trunk call while he is still at his native place. It informs him that his request for a posting at the National Aids Research Institute, Pune, has been accepted. He is to head a field-intensive research project as the scientist-cum-project leader. For a moment, the scientist, already in a mood of deep-seated despair, cannot believe it. But his wife has no big surprises; she smirks slyly. Of course, she is full of sublime gratitude for her lord Ganapati and goes on praying in total surrender. Dr Bhandarkar starts planning how soon he can join the new post. Internally, he is apprehensive: a delay on his part in joining the new post will be fatal since the offer can be withdrawn on that plea alone. He knows that such eventualities are not uncommon in his organisation. Sangeeta is also happy. Anything new excites her, and now she has so many things at once--a new school, new friends, new books, and new clothes...and the old ones, including Mr Snow, no longer hold the same charm.

Soon, the scientist gets a basketful of uncertainties to grapple with, like joining his new post, winding up his old establishment at Port Blair, securing his daughter’s admission to a school of their choice, and so on. He knows the project he will join is well behind schedule—a virtual non-starter. So, he cannot tell if he will be allowed a leave of absence as soon as he joins.

Dr Bhandarkar prioritises his daughter’s admission. All transfers unsettle the flow of education. He talks to the principal of her school at Port Blair and obtains her transfer certificate by registered post. Then, he instructs Aloto over the phone to find buyers for his household furniture at Port Blair. Finally, he promises to reach there well in a month. Aloto waits for the scientist to arrive and relieve him.

A person with a scientific temper, Dr Bhandarkar joins his new post without any elaborate luck-boosting formalities. The day he joined is a new moon, and any ordinary fellow in his place would have avoided starting his latest stint on that date. His wife is a devout religious woman, yet she can do precious little in this respect. She has always refrained from forcing her husband to go for astrological consultations.

As soon as Dr Bhandarkar signs his joining charge report, he meets the Deputy Director of his new institute on a courtesy call. It is a formality nobody in bureaucracy should ever forsake. The boss receives him well, makes him sit comfortably, and offers him a steaming cup of tea. But at the same time, he gives the scientist an alarming picture of the project he is about to head. He does this purposefully: the newcomer must understand his responsibilities from the word go clearly. Well, a boss is a boss who is entitled to his share of scare tactics! And that, too, everything he does is for the institute’s prestige! Finally, he states his expectations: he wants a report published in three months, and Dr Bhandarkar must accomplish that, at the minimum, come what may.

The newcomer scientist, eager to make an early mark in his new workplace, accepts it as a professional challenge.

With a month and a half gone, guilt scares the scientist of a disagreeable consequence. He gets increasingly convinced that his overdue trip to his old place of posting will be indefinitely postponed. His darling pet must be brought to the mainland and his wife’s revered idol of lord Ganapati. Both Sangeeta and Mrs Bhandarkar have already reminded Dr Bhandarkar about this.

‘Ah, I now understand what your boss is up to,’ Mrs Bhandarkar empathises with her anxious husband. She concludes, ‘Going to Port Blair this month is out of the question’.

‘But then I’ll go. I’ll make it next month,’ the scientist uttered in response. These words were more for self-consolation than resolve.

‘Then why don’t you send Aloto at least a money order? This will be good for his confidence,’ Mrs Bhandarkar persuades. Her tone indicates that she has also started doubting her husband’s sincerity about the trip.

‘Oh yes, I’ll do that today if that’ll help. How about sending two thousand rupees?’ The scientist appears neither generous nor stingy. His wife agrees to it.

Dr Bhandarkar decides that once his family moves to the new station and occupies a residence, he will bring everything there—first of all, Mr Snow, the pet in distress. Mrs Bhandarkar agrees. She cannot make it any earlier, travelling alone to the island. According to her beliefs, women are expected to take care of the home and the hearth, while everything else is the domain of men, and it is in everyone’s best interest that encroachments are not encouraged!

Dr Bhandarkar applies for leave for twenty days and reminds his boss to decide. But all his efforts fall flat. His boss does not budge an inch. He clearly states that there should be no respite unless a paper is published from the project. He reiterates that the flow of funds to the project depends on its progress.

The experienced scientist in him understands what it means. The project was a virtual non-starter before his joining, and now, even if he does his best, it will take him at least three months to develop something publishable. Or maybe four months—who can say that for sure? Nothing can be done earlier than that. Then how is he going to wind up his establishment at Port Blair? Does that not mean his reputation as a gentleman is getting slowly eroded before Aloto? Does that not mean his wife will question his sincerity? Dr Bhandarkar flounders for an idea of how to get out of the imbroglio.

Mrs Bhandarkar remembers her promise before lord Ganapati and feels uncomfortable that events are not shaping as she calculated. Nothing will help her restart her puja as promised to her lord. In the unknown niche of her heart, she fears the worst. That lord will shower curse on her for the slip is her fear. She should restart her worship rituals instantly; a month has passed beyond the spell for which she had taken leave of her god. ‘Lord’s magnanimity cannot be taken for granted,’ she warns herself in silence. ‘Please do something, dear…and do that early. A delay of this magnitude is not to be treated so casually,’ she pleads before her husband regularly as she finds him back from work. She is now clearly nervous, and in her perturbation, she starts doing something she has ever desisted from: she starts nagging her husband daily.

Aloto remains on the distant island with Mr Snow, the pet-in-trouble, struggling to comprehend the enigma called the future. Both are emotionally strained—Mr Snow longs for a reunion with his master’s family, while Aloto is eager to be relieved of the pet’s responsibility, but in an honourable way. Aloto, with his limited resources, cannot afford to provide the dog with wholesome food or meet its other expensive needs. Although he was willing to contribute his labour when he agreed to care for the pet, he never consented to incur expenses on his master’s behalf. Even if Dr Bhandarkar returns at some unspecified future date, Aloto lacks the means to buy high-quality commercial dog food until then. Simple table scraps cannot meet the dog’s nutritional requirements. Whatever money he received from Dr Bhandarkar has already been spent on rent. At a loss, he feeds the dog with table scraps and leftovers.

Mr Snow, the luxury-loving pet, is unhappy with his food and expresses his displeasure with a bitter growl. Aloto, the sensitive caretaker, feels unnecessarily guilty about it. Distressed by the pet’s reaction, Aloto grows increasingly upset. One day, when Mr Snow continues to whine despite repeated reprimands, Aloto loses his temper and delivers a blow to the pet’s muzzle. However, Aloto quickly regrets his actions and tries to make amends the best way he knows: gently patting Mr Snow until the pet pretends to fall asleep.

One day, a stylish woman interested in high-quality mixed-breed dogs visits Aloto. She has a request: she would like to breed her female dog with Mr Snow, for which she is willing to reward him with a handsome tip of five hundred rupees. The lady is incredibly charming and aware that what she’s asking for is a common practice—mating animals with the owners’ consent. From the animals’ initial body language, Aloto can tell they understand the purpose of the negotiation and are eager to proceed with zest. Naturally inclined toward such intimate behaviour, dogs often display it openly, and their actions at the moment are understandable.

However, Aloto, an honest tribal, considers it a sin to betray his master in such a way. He knows that Dr Bhandarkar despises lending his pet for mating. Aloto had previously cared for Mr Bruno, the dog of his former master, Mr Kughato, who believed that using a pet in any manner without the master’s explicit permission and the animal’s willingness was tantamount to an act of direct thieving. With this in mind, Aloto rejects the offer upfront and never regrets his decision. Unable to comprehend his reasoning, the lady frowns deeply at Aloto’s behaviour.

Aloto finds the scientist’s schedule deferred for the second, third, and fourth time in six months. Of course, he gets a regular money order of two thousand rupees per month, but that is paltry—barely sufficient for meeting the house rent liability. Practically nothing is left thereafter for the pet. In the meantime, Mr Snow starts accommodating Aloto—probably the poor pet gauges the extent of poverty its new master is presently undergoing.

Aloto begins to ponder: What should he do with everything in his custody if Dr Bhandarkar does not return? What should he do with his pet dog, Mr Snow?

He hails from a place where dogs are considered a local delicacy. He loves dogs but can also appreciate them as a source of food. The only taboo in his society is that the meat of an animal ceases to be eatable if it dies from disease or injury. Aloto would not have any qualms about eating Mr Snow’s flesh if it comes to that—an affection for the animal may not necessarily be a dissuading factor. To him, Mr Snow could be no different from a garden-fresh melon or a firm-fresh fowl! But the issue before Aloto is that he cannot do the same with Mr Snow without the express permission of its original master. If he were to do so, his conscience would prick, and he would consider himself a thief.

In the ensuing weeks, the promised day of the scientist’s arrival goes by silently. With every passing day, Mr Snow gets dirtier and more lacklustre. Aloto cannot spend on expensive shampoo and willy-nilly manages with cheap detergent soap. He regularly combs the pet’s coat, but without an oil-balanced shampoo, its fur mats with dirt. Sometimes, it becomes challenging to clear its coat off the tangles. The poor pet cries out in pain when Aloto forcibly runs his comb through it. Rapidly shedding its original glow, the dog appears to be heading for an inevitable sickness. There is nothing that Aloto can do to arrest it. Participating in this year’s dog show is simply out of the question. Then what would be the pet’s fate—Aloto has no clue. If Snow dies of sickness, will its carcass go into the trash?

Finally, Dr Bhandarkar contacts Aloto over the telephone and apologises profusely for failing to keep the schedule. He explains that he is still busy with a ticklish project, which is taking much longer than initially thought. Then, he goes on to explain how he cannot convince his boss that his need for a brief spell of leave is really compelling. As a result, it is not possible on his part to tell if he can make a trip to Port Blair in the next three to four months.

The scientist now instructs Aloto a few more things to do. Just a few more things. He should, first of all, return the possession of the house to the landlord immediately so as to save him from unnecessary rental expenses. Then he should realise the entire money due from the buyer of his old furniture, and remit that to him by money order. As a courteous finish, the scientist assures Aloto that as soon as he is free from the initial rush of work, he will make it to Port Blair.

The instructions of Mr Bhandarkar shock Aloto more than they dispel his anxieties. Stunned, he finds it difficult even to seek some genuine clarifications. Agreed, he can dispose of the small utensils and furniture for whatever price they may command, but what should he do about the other two objects—the brass idol of lord Ganapati and the once-pampered-but-now-neglected pet dog Mr Snow? He is a Christian, and will it be okay on his part to handle Mrs Bhandarkar’s object of devotion, lord Ganapati? Aren’t holy objects usually untouchable? Secondly, what should he do with Mr Snow that will please its original master? Should he finally entrust him to the boarding kennel? The Dog Association? To any Tom, Dick, and Harry who offers to adopt? Should he set him free to thrive on licking the leftovers of a hotel or discards of unknown households? Should he earn from the mating service, complying with the requests of interested bitch owners that he has so far spurned? Or should he kill him and save him from further life of neglect and pity?

Aloto garners composure with difficulty just to ask a couple of questions.

‘What about the idol, sir?’

‘Send the parcel by post if you can. Or hold it till I reach,’ instructs Dr Bhandarkar unambiguously.

‘And what about Mr Snow?’ Aloto asks the ultimate question and waits for his mentor’s response.

This time, his response is less clear than the earlier one. The scientist snorts a deep sigh and replies in a roundabout manner.

‘Um, I’m not sure…. Do as you feel. I’m sure you will do the best possible.’

Aloto is more confused than ever. He has seen love of pet at its best; now, he encounters neglect…yes—it is neglect in its most virulent form. He cannot explain how both the opposite feelings can originate from the same source.

He looks at the pet. Responding, Mr Snow looks straight into Aloto’s eyes. Probably, he wants to say something. Perhaps he intends to help Aloto decide what he should do next and how. It is as if he wants to say, ‘My friend, try to understand me. Can’t you see I’m suffering? Can’t you see I’m enduring the pain of existence? Can you do something to end my pain? Please, anything you do is acceptable…honestly, I won’t mind. Try,’ Mr Snow growls, and it grows feebler and feebler.

Aloto understands what they mean. He decides on the easy, permissible course. He prepares himself mentally and reaches for the sharpest one, the one he is sure will give the last pain, the least pain, and a pain capable of transforming a life of suffering into an enduring memory.

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By

A. N. Nanda

31-8-2024

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