GORA

By Rabindranath Tagore

“Gora” is one of the finest masterpieces of Rabindra Nath Tagore. This novel is about a young man who is a traditional Hindu. He presents himself against the British colonists culture. He takes the support of organized religion to oppose the British regime in India. the fine portrayal of the Bengal of 1900’s is a major achievement for Tagore. The tussle between old and new is very thrilling, although Tagore’s ‘mild style’ makes the proceedings ‘soft and humble’. No doubts, ‘Gora” is one of the finest literary pieces of Bangla literature and here we present an authentic English version of ‘Gora’. A must-read for the elite thinkers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Jun 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9788128835384

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was born in May 1861. He was a Bengali poet, Brahmo Samaj philosopher, visual artist, playwright, novelist, and composer whose works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He became Asia's first Nobel laureate when he won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works included numerous novels, short-stories, collection of songs, dance-drama, political and personal essays. Some prominent examples are Gitanjali (Song Offerings) , Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World). He died on 7th August 1941.

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Gora

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Publisher: Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.

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Website: www.diamondbook.in

Edition: 2011

Gora

By - Rabindranath Tagore

Contents

Chapter - 1

Chapter - 2

Chapter - 3

Chapter - 4

Chapter - 5

Chapter - 6

Chapter - 7

Chapter - 8

Chapter - 9

Chapter - 10

Chapter - 11

Chapter - 12

Chapter - 13

Chapter - 14

Chapter - 15

Chapter - 16

Chapter - 17

Chapter - 18

Chapter - 19

Chapter - 20

Chapter - 21

Chapter - 22

Chapter - 23

Chapter - 24

Chapter - 25

Chapter - 26

Chapter - 27

Chapter - 28

Chapter - 29

Chapter - 30

Chapter - 31

Chapter - 32

Chapter - 33

Chapter - 34

Chapter - 35

Chapter - 36

Chapter - 37

Chapter - 38

Chapter - 39

Chapter - 40

Chapter - 41

Chapter - 42

Chapter - 43

Chapter - 44

Chapter - 45

Chapter - 46

Chapter - 47

Chapter - 48

Chapter - 49

Chapter - 50

Chapter - 51

Chapter - 52

Chapter - 53

Chapter - 54

Chapter - 55

Chapter - 56

Chapter - 57

Chapter - 58

Chapter - 59

Chapter - 60

Chapter - 61

Chapter - 62

Chapter - 63

Chapter - 64

Chapter - 65

Chapter - 66

Chapter - 67

Chapter - 68

Chapter - 69

Chapter - 70

Chapter - 71

Chapter - 72

Chapter - 73

Chapter - 74

Chapter - 75

Chapter - 76

EPILOGUE

Chapter - 1

It was a fine rainy morning with clear sky. Sun’s rays beamed in full swing. Horse-driven carriages are being driven through the streets of Calcutta. Hawkers cried to sell their stuff. Every house seems busy in cooking a variety of fish. Smoke billowed out of kitchen firewood ovens. Most of the streets and bye lanes got bathed in sunlight.

During his free time, Binoy-Bhushan watched passers-by across the bye lanes from his second floor verandah. He had completed his education in the college. He had not yet baptized into mundane life. He wrote couple of articles in the newspapers, compered stage shows, but couldn’t fit into any slot. He was thinking every day what to do for survival. Today, again he was thinking about his career. He was rather disturbed over his indecision. A couple of crows were cawing on neighbour’s rooftop. A pair of chattering birds were busy in crafting a nest at the corner of his house. The indistinct chatter of bird oscillated between thought clear and unclear stream.

A Baul mendicant in rags sang folk tune in front of a shop. He sang sonorously which influenced Binoy to hum for himself. Neither had he noted the lyrics nor beckoned the Baul due to lethargy. However, his tunes chimed in his choirs.

Suddenly, the collision of a hackney cab head-on with horse carriage made one of its wheels fly off. The carriage tumbled but didn’t fall.

Binoy hurried up towards the spot of accident. He observed an eighteen-year old beauty alight from the carriage. She was rather busy in making an aged person get down from the carriage.

Binoy supported the gentleman to get down and inquired about his withered face, ‘Are you bruised?’

‘No, nothing has happened,’ quipped the gentleman, but he became unconscious. Binoy supported him to relax. He told the frightened girl, ‘My house in right in front. Please come in.’

The gentleman was made to lie flat on bed. The girl saw around and found a clay pot. She sprinkled water on the old man’s face with a glass of water from the pot. She fonned his face with her stole and told Binoy, ‘Will you get a doctor, please?’

A doctor stayed nearby. Binoy sent the attendant to bring the doctor. A mirror bedecked the table along with a bottle of oil and comb. He survived on books, and seldom had any dealings with gracious women.

He observed the mirror and wondered how beautiful was the shadow falling on the mirror. However, he couldn’t identify the lines on her countenance through different sentiments. Neither had he the experience nor his eyes belong to the species of connoisseur. The image remained aloof from his sentiments. She was an icon of resplendence, hopes and tenderness in silence.

The old man opened his eyes after a while, breathed out and said, Ma. The girl was rather frightened. She rushed and inquired, ‘Baba, where’re you hurt?’

‘Where am I now?’ cried the old man in an attempt to get up. Binoy asked him, ‘Do not wake up. Be relaxed. Doctor is coming.’

The old man recollected and said, ‘My head is paining, but not much.’

Doctor arrived with footsteps making noise. He said ‘Nothing to worry.’ He left the spot by directing them to make him drink milk laced with little brandy. The old man attempted to get up on being perplexed. The girl said on appreciating his mind, ‘Why are you worried? We shall send doctor’s fee and the cost of medicine from home.’ She noticed Binoy as though inquiring about her statement.

Binoy thought, How wonderful are these eyes? His thoughts got hindered on noticing her. His mind couldn’t probe her, except the stamina to unveil what was in store on her stability. Her gaze neither was ashamed nor ambiguous!

Binoy desired to say ‘Fees is normal…for which…you need to….I will….’

The girl’s gazes stood fixed on him. He couldn’t assert properly. She would pay him the fees. He did not doubt, that.

The old man said ‘See, I do not need brandy…’

The girl dodged him, ‘Why not? the doctor has prescribed for you.’

The old man replied, ‘Doctors prescribe so, it is their bad habit. I feel weak but would be all right by drinking hot milk.’

The old man said after drinking milk, ‘Let us go. We have troubled you.’

The girl gazed at Binoy ‘Can you get us a vehicle?’

The old man objected in hiring the vehicle, ‘Why do you say to? We stay nearby. We could walk.’

The girl intervened, ‘No Baba.’

The old man objected to her assertion. Binoy brought the horse carriage. Before getting on to the carriage, the old man inquired, ‘What is your name?’

‘I am Binoy Bhushan Chattopadhyaya.’

The old man replied, ‘I am Paresh Chandra Bhattacharya. I stay at House No. 78 nearby. Please come to our house when you feel convenient. We would be delighted to see you.’ The girl endorsed the statement in silence by winking her eyes.

Binoy was ready to accompany them to their house on the carriage. He refrained from moving as part of his discipline. The girl bid adieu as the carriage rolled out, but his interest was on entering it. Had he been on the ground floor, he could have replied. The carriage left the spot. He was weighing over his disciplined approach to the development. He thought to had done something inappropriate. He got into the room and found the hanky which the girl had wiped her father’s face. He grabbed it instantly and kept it as souvenir.

Days rolled by. The rainy sun basked very intensely. Vehicles hastened on the roads. Binoy could not make up his mind on any work. He had never experienced such pain with bliss at heart. His small house and choking Calcutta resembled the paradise of illusion. It became the place where impossible turns out to be possible and unattainable could be gained. Binoy strolled around the lawless state. The halo of morning sun brightened his mind. Its energy got infused in his veins. He desired to express his perfection through some thrilling format, but remained in vain. His room looked at sixes and sevens when the duo arrived. His bed looked rather soiled. He used to keep bouquets quite often, but didn’t have even the petals of flower that day. People recollect none to have the oratory skills on the stage other than Binoy. He thought he would get stabilized on some day. He couldn’t say any such thing on the day of encounter to justify his skills. He began thinking does it ever happen when her carriage hit head-on with bigger carriage, he could have restrained its horses from galloping ahead. He identified his sentiments in front of the mirror after meandering through the stream of thoughts.

Binoy noticed a boy of seven or eight years old on the streets looking at the house number. Binoy cried from atop, ‘Yes, it is the same house.’ He couldn’t suspect the boy to have searched his house number. Binoy alighted from the staircase. He ushered the boy into his room and gazed at him. The boy said ‘My Sister has sent me here.’ He gave a letter to Binoy Bhushan.

Binoy saw the envelope from outside. The handwriting specimen resembled that of a girl. It didn’t have any letter, but some money.

The boy was about to go, but Binoy did not allow him to go. He took him to the second floor by holding his shoulders.

The boy looked sallowed in complexion than his sister but his countenance dittoed her. Binoy befriended him with delight.

The boy looked industrious. He gazed at the pasted poster on the wall and said, ‘Whose picture is this?’

Binoy replied, ‘It belongs to my friend.’

The boy wondered, ‘the portrait of your friend? Who is your friend?’

Binoy quipped, ‘You do not know him. My friend Gourmohan! I used to call him Gora (the white). We studied together when we were kids.’

Do you study yet?

No, We do not study now.

Have you studied all?

Binoy could not conceal his pride in front of the boy. He said ‘Yes, I have been through my studies.’

The boy heaved over a sigh of relief as though he began pondering ‘How long it would take to complete the studies.’

‘What’s your name?’

‘I am Satishchandra Mukhopadhyaya.’

Binoy inquired (excitedly) ‘Mukhopadhyaya?’

He realized later that Paresh Babu was not his real father. He had brought up the brother and sister from their childhood. Sister’s name was earlier Radharani. Paresh Babu’s wife had changed it to Sucharita.

Binoy befriended with the boy coolly. He inquired when he was about to go home, ‘Can you go home alone?’

The boy replied (proudly), ‘I would go alone.’

Binoy said, ‘Come on, I shall take you home.’

The boy replied (on finding his disbelief) ‘Why, I can go alone.’ The boy shared with some thrilling incidents of his solitary moves. However, the boy couldn’t ascertain the reason behind Binoy’s accompanying him up to his home.

Satish inquired on reaching home, ‘won’t you come in?’

Binoy said restraining himself ‘I would come some other day.’

Binoy took out the addressed envelope from his pocket and gazed for some time. He recollected each letter with strokes and composition. He kept the envelope with money in the box as though it was some souvenir.

Chapter - 2

The darkness enveloping sky in the evening was downcast due to heavy downpour. The silence of clouds hovering on Calcutta resembled the city to an angry dog hiding his face under the tail. The city had drizzles since the previous evening. It has turned the dust entering the window into mire, but the drops of rain couldn’t wash the mire. The rain stopped at around four o’clock. However, its impact was not good. The anxious mind neither found shelter outside nor got excited in silence during the rainy evening. He noticed two people on wicker stools on three-storied building’s dampened terrace.

The duo used to play during childhood on return from school. They strolled around on the terrace like yelling crazy kids in haste, learning by heart before the examination. During summer, after returning from college and having dinner they used to get so busy arguing till two o’clock at night in the same terrace. Quite often they were woken up by morning sun. They had realized of sleeping on the same mat which they used previous night. The terrace allowed the monthly session of Hindu Counselors Society after the examinations during summer. One among the duo has happened to be its president and the other the secretary.

Gourmohan was the president. The people used to call him Gora. He believed as though he rose swiftly to that position. Panditji of college used to call him as Rajat giri. His body was indeed white. Six-feet tall, handsome, having broad fists like a tiger, with deep voice on hearing on which people used to inquire, ‘Who is it?’ His countenance remained composed unnecessarily stern and elongated, as though it was the steady entrance of the fort, without any eyebrows and forehead stretching towards ears. His suppressed thin lips were guarded by nose like a sword. His tiny eyes remained quite sharp. Gourmohan couldn’t be equated as attractive personality, but one refrains from looking at him. He looked rather unique even amidst the crowd.

On the other side, his friend Binoy was an ordinary Bengali, courteous like literate peer Bengali. The tenderness of his nature and industriousness had glorified his personality. He used to score highest marks and has won scholarships in the college. Gora couldn’t keep pace with him. Gora disliked evincing interest in any of the curricula. Neither he could assimilate nor recollect any issue like Binoy. So Binoy became the vehicle for Gora to qualify in the examination.

Gora said, ‘Listen, what I tell you! When Abinash castigated Brahmins, it looked as if he was all right and healthy. What has made you suddenly disturbed?’

‘What silly topic you have chosen! Is there any question, which I have never realized?’

‘Had it been so, your mind had been subjected to some shortcoming. You should believe that a cross-section of the society has overturned. It was not a natural principle. The people thereupon thought wrong. They used to rectify some thing straight to appear as stant. He is one amongst those who used to behave irresponsibly.’

Binoy said, ‘I would not say so. It is natural. Everything looks fair.’

Gora (excitedly) said, ‘We don’t have anything to do with good. Let there be one or two wise people leaving ordinary folks as they were. The Brahmins need to bear with non-Brahmins insulting about their actions, despite showing their bravery. It doesn’t befall anywhere in the universe, when they move heroically braving the humiliation of opponents.’

‘I do not say about the underestimation of any party, other than personal….’

‘Do you believe it so as the underestimation of the party? It is the opinion of the individual.’ ‘Humiliation could have been personalized. OK, wise man! Have you not insulted anyone?’

‘Yes, I have but I am ashamed of that.’

Gora hit his palm and said, ‘No Binoy! It seldom would happen. It could not be so in any manner.’

Binoy kept silent for a while. He said, ‘Why, what has happened? What are you afraid of?’

Gora said, ‘I have been watching you. You were making yourself feeble.’

Binoy (irritably) said, ‘Feeble! Do you know I can go to his house immediately, if I want? He has already invited, but I haven’t been there.’

Gora said, ‘Yes, You haven’t been there. You are unable to forget this matter. You go on thinking I have not been there. I have not been to her house. It would be better to go once.’

Binoy intervened, ‘So are you insisting me to go?’

Gora said by patting his knee, ‘No, I wouldn’t say to go. I am telling you that the day you go there, you shall stay there for whole day. You will start taking food and sipping beverages. You will become the preacher by opening the account in Brahmo Samaj.’

Binoy, ‘What do you say? OK, what else?’

Gora, ‘Then? What great a misfortune will you get other than death? Do you want to die amongst low caste on being a Brahmin boy? You will lose the inherent conduct and views. Your wisdom of the east and west, to ascertain the direction without the aid of mariner’s compass will get annihilated. However, I do not have the courage to share irrelevant topics with you. I shall assert that you should go! Why are you threatening me by standing near the pit to proceed ahead?’

Binoy went into a guffaw. He said, ‘The patient never dies after the doctor gets disheartened. I don’t find any characteristics correlating with me standing besides death.’

Gora said, ‘You do not see!’

Binoy replied, ‘No!’

Gora said, ‘Don’t you think that the train does not move?’

Binoy replied, ‘No, it is moving very well.’

Gora said, ‘Doesn’t it seem that serving hands that look very beautiful, then the food of outcaste become the offering to deities?’

Binoy got rather embarrassed. He said, ‘Enough, now, you keep shut.’

Gora roared, ‘Why? There is nothing to worry in humiliating anyone. This auspicious hand is being used to shake with that of aliens. You cannot even tolerate about its illustration. One cannot suspect about death.’

Binoy said, See Gora! I have regards for woman species. Even in our Scriptures.’

Gora said, ‘You have faith in female species? Do not swear by Scriptures. It cannot be labelled as faith. You will rush if I tell you what it really is.’

Binoy said, ‘This is your eccentricity.’

Gora recollected, ‘Scriptures attribute about women, they are eligible for worship. They are meant for worship. They will kindle homes. The respect given to women by western system could not be ascribed as their worship. So, that would kindle the heart of men folks. It should better not be called as prayer.’

Binoy said, ‘We could see deformities here and there. Do you think it fair to cast aspersions in big manner?’

Gora (disheartened) said, ‘Binu, You have lost discretionary skills. Listen to me! I justify that passion will be the cause in western lingo for female species. Worshipping of female species is to empower the position of mother, spouse, goddess Lakshmi and housewife. The ode offered to women beyond hides contempt. It will mobilize you to hover around Paresh Babu’s house like a moth. It is called love in western lingo, for this deal had been recognized as the biggest manliness. Let me not invite the instincts of monkey that would glorify such manliness.’

Binoy (got enraged) said, ‘Oh! Gora! Keep quiet. Enough in enoughy.’

Gora wondered, ‘what happened? Nothing of the sort has happened. We haven’t learnt how to gauge man and woman in their respective position. We have drafted thousands of verses to justify the cause.’

Binoy said, ‘Well, let me believe where the relation between man and woman would be real? We can falsify such relation through instincts. Do you mean that this offence owes to western concept? Had the English verses been false then why we got engrossed in amorous woman-money –sacrifice? It should also be a lie. Either of them leads to the survival of instincts. Humiliating one race and relaxing the norms for the other is unjust.’

Gora wondered, ‘No, I haven’t ascribed it as wrong. Your position has not worsened, had your brain accommodated such philosophy, you can proceed ahead without fear, to make love her. However, manage yourself. Your pal’s advice however, shall remain polite.’

Binoy said, ‘Man! Are you insane? Me… and…love? Certainly, I shall acknowledge that whosoever like Paresh Babu I have seen or heard; it has made me to have faith in them. Perhaps, I might have been interested to assimilate with the life on their side.’

Gora said, ‘OK, You need to proceed by hiding from her lure. They have become the hunters. You need to dive deep in acquiring their inner reality by which time you shall not identify your coil of hair.’

Binoy said, ‘You have one shortcoming. You believe that the Almighty has bestowed power upon you and has made us feeble.’

His statement, however, startled Gora. He applauded Binoy and said, ‘You have justified correctly that I have this shortcoming.’

‘Oh! You too have one shortcoming beyond this. A backbone could withstand any blow but you’ve not estimated the extent to which that will happen.’

Mahim, his stepbrother with bulky physique cried by ranting, ‘Gora!’

Gora got up from his chair and responded, ‘Yes, please!’

Mahim went down after saying, ‘I came to see whether the cloud has not burst on our terrace. What is the matter? Have you driven the Englishmen beyond Indian Ocean? I don’t find that they haven’t faced any appreciable loss.’

Gora got embarrassed. He conditioned his anger simultaneously, but couldn’t spew either on himself or anybody. He said to himself (after a pause), ‘I emphasize over my facts over others and I do not understand how others are competent enough to withstand such anger.’

Binoy shook Gourmohan’s hands with affection.

Chapter - 3

Gora and Binoy prepared themselves to alight from terrace when his mother reached there. Binoy offered the obeisance at her feet.

Gora’s mother Anandmoyee hardly resembled him. She was extremely emaciated. People could evaluate suddenly about her age as around forty years. The curves on her countenance looked rather tender, besides nose and chin, chiseled with utmost care. She was sallow in complexion; her countenance has projected the cleansed look with resplendent intelligence. Any onlooker will find her sari to have been tied with bodice. The development relates to that period when the women were not habitual to wear bodice. Good housewives used to comment it as the impact of Christianity. Anandmoyee’s husband Krishnadayal Babu has worked in the commissariat. She has accompanied her husband in Britain during her youth. The ritual of draping body has not befallen on her. Despite her attachment to choirs, floor mopping, washing utensils, sewing and mending, keeping accounts, washing garments and offering prayers, she could not keep herself attuned to time on the development. She never relaxed herself even when she was unwell. She used to cry, ‘How can I proceed ahead without work? Any ailment hardly could disturb me?’

Coming over the terrace, Gora’s mother said, ‘I do believe certainly Binu would have come, when Gora’s voice was heard on the ground floor. Absolute peace has prevailed in the house for a couple of days. What has happened, my son! Why haven’t you come over here for many days? Were you not well?’

Binoy (embarrassingly) cried, ‘No, mamma, I was not unwell, but the storm and downpour…’

Gora intervened, ‘Why not! Binoy Babu will tell that sun is acutely unkind after the rainy season. Gods-goddesses cannot justify on our attribution. The reality of our mind had been perceived by the Super Consciousness.’

Binoy wondered, ‘Why do you talk unnecessarily, Gora?’

Anandmoyee replied, ‘Truth my son don’t say so. Human mind seldom remains poised. It will either wane or wax, but remain unequal for all days. It gets into turmoil if one twists out. Come on Binu, let us get into the room, I have put something for you to eat.’

Gora (nodding head) said, ‘No mamma, this should not happen. Binoy won’t eat in your room.’

Anandmoyee commented, ‘Wonderful! I have never told him to eat. Binu is a good boy. He is not harsh like you… Would you like to tie him up by force?’

Gora said, ‘Absolutely right! I will keep him tied. I won’t eat food in your room so long as you don’t show the door to Christian maid Lachmiya.’

Anandmoyee replied, ‘My dear Gora! You should not bring such words on your tongue. You ate all along from her hands. She has brought you up from childhood. Your food won’t suit the palate so long as she prepares chutney. I can not forget Lachmiya, how she saved you when you had small pox with her devoted nursing.’

Gora said, ‘Extend her pension facility, buy land, raise house, and do whatever you like, but mamma, she cannot be kept anymore.’

Anandmoyee said, ‘Gora, you believe that anybody gets unburdened by paying money. Neither she needs land, or home, but will certainly die without seeing you.’

Gora remarked, ‘So it is your wish, keep her but! Binu cannot eat food in your room. He had to abide by the law, from which he could not move hither and thither. Mamma, you relate to lecturer’s lineage and you…’

Anandmoyee said, ‘Son, Your mamma has believed in Scriptures. She was forced to cry for the cause. Where had you been? I used to worship by installing Lord Shiva’s icon. Your papa used to throw all the things. I used to detest eating food cooked by strange Brahmin. Railway network has not spread far and wide. Do you know for how many days I have observed fast? My fast was experimented on the bullock cart, or on the mail van, or on the palanquin, or on the camel back. Did your father indeed break my undergoing fast? He used to move around with his wife. His immediate boss and other subordinates were delighted from such actions. He got hike in salary. So, he was made to stay at one place longer. Nobody used to change the official orders. Now, after attaining superannuating limit he acquired freedom and became auspicious without ado. However, I could not adapt to his lifestyle. He had dislodged many of sacraments trailed for seven generations. Do they attach with me by his mere endorsement?’

Gora said, ‘Well, Leave the talks of early generations aside. They would seldom object, but you have to abide by my conditions. You have to uphold affection if net Scriptures.’

Anandmoyee said, ‘My son! Why are you teaching me so? I know what had been treading within my mind. How will I feel when my son and husband have been troubled from me? Do you know that I have cherished sacraments when I adopted you as my son? Embracing tiny tots make one realize that nobody takes birth on caste base. The day I have realized and made up my mind not to belittle anybody as Christian or outcaste, lord the Almighty will bereave of you. You enlighten my home by occupying my lap forever, and I shall swallow water from people of any caste.’

Binoy suspected unclearly about Anandmoyee. He observed Gora and Anandmoyee in turns and expelled the logic overpowering his mind.

Gora said, ‘Mamma! I couldn’t apprehend your argument. Children also put up with those people who observe sacraments and uphold Scriptural values. How does the thought arise in you that lord the Almighty would create different laws for you?’

Anandmoyee said, ‘What shall I do, my son, for he who gifted you has enlightened me? I do not have any command. I do not know whether to cry or laugh on observing your craziness. Well, leave that matter. So, Binoy won’t take food in my room?’

Gora said, ‘Some delay might hinder him availing the opportunity. He will hurry up. He is a Brahmin boy. He has to cherish many things. He has to suppress his instincts to safeguard his birth. Mother, don’t mind otherwise, I fall at your feet.’

Anandmoyee said, ‘Why should I think otherwise? I shall assert that you do not say anything deliberately. It has deeply hurt me that I have made you an adult. Well, leave that aside. I shall disbelieve that which you attribute as duty. You won’t eat from me in my room. OK. I shall always desire to observe you day and night. Being your mind is extremely sensitive. You might be thinking that I have got hurt. But I am not hurt. Son, I shall feed you through a good Brahmin some other day. What is left with the topic? Indeed, I am insolent and will drink water from Lachmiya’s hands.

Gora’s mother went downstairs. Binoy stood there for sometime. (After pause) He said, ‘Have I been responsible for oppressive acts?’

Gora replied, ‘Which oppressive acts?’

Binoy said, ‘Yours.’

Gora said, ‘I do not have even the iota of oppression. I desire to proceed ahead abiding by the contour. Nothing shall be left in the matter of apartheid even after swerving from the tip of the needle.’

Binoy said, ‘However, mamma is,’

Gora said, ‘I do not know whom they attribute mother. It is not necessary to recollect about her. How many mothers would be there like my mamma? However, I shall not acknowledge my mamma on disliking the sacraments. See, Binoy, Bear in mind, I shall advice you. Heart is a splendid object, but doesn’t excel with respect to others.’

Binoy fumbled out (After pause), ‘See Gora, my mind had been subject to some turbulence on hearing her remarks. I think, mother has something in her mind, which she had been incapable to share with us.’

Gora became disheartened and said, ‘Oh Binoy, Don’t stretch your imagination. It will get your time wasted, leaving nothing else.’

Binoy said, ‘You could seldom see any object with seriousness. Your sight doesn’t see those objects on account of this. You spell that as the figment of imagination. Gora! You should lend your ears to such remarks!’

Gora said, ‘I shall lend my ears as far as possible. Hearing beyond such level would make me suspicious. So, I avoid overhearing any of such things.’

Chapter - 4

While experimenting on human beings from principles, it cannot always be upheld with that sentiment, as propounded. The experiment at least does not apply to people like Binoy. It will be impossible too. He upholds such principle with applause during arguments. However, he never evaluates anyone beyond the logic while practicing.

It began raining during dusk when Binoy left Gora’s house. He returned home by avoiding the mire, but his mind was engrossed in finding solution between humankind and hypothesis.

The society, nowadays, had to keep vigil defending from various influences such as one’s lifestyle, apartheid etc. Binoy has acknowledged this principle from Gora. He has continued to put the topic on debate. He has argued that defending fort from within each window, or door, or its leaves, or bye lanes, or ghat ambushed from all sides doesn’t lack from generosity.

Binoy was in fact, wounded by Gora’s behaviour for the day. For, he has disallowed him to take food in Anandmoyee’s room.

Binoy doesn’t have father. He was bereaved of his mother during childhood. He had an uncle at his home. He has grown up by staying alone in Calcutta, to complete his studies. He used to address Anandmoyee from initial days as mother. He had his food by wrangling at her house for umpteen times. He doesn’t know how many times he has claimed false ill will. He has enacted the play to get separated. Anandmoyee used to lose her patience had he abstained from meeting for two to four days. Binoy alone knows that she will wait for him when the preaching is on. She waited for Binoy so that she could feed him. Binoy, of course, today, couldn’t have food in Anandmoyee’s room out of social aversion. Neither Anandmoyee nor Binoy could bear such anguish.

‘She will feed me through good Brahmin, from now onwards. She won’t feed me what she has cooked.’ Mamma spelt this in euphoria, but this had been her spelling of grief. How Binoy reached home with such perplexity was appreciable indeed.

His empty room was unlit. Books and papers remain scattered on all the sides. He had poured kerosene oil into the lamp and lit it. His lampstand had many signs about the skills of room boy. His writing table was wrapped with white sheet, but had innumerable stains of oil and ink. His libido made him impatient depriving him of the companionship. The manner in which he could not present those duties of patriotism, renaissance of the country and society made him to evaluate the developments at Anandmoyee’s house.

The neat and tidy inlay work of floor mosaic outshone. A cushioned seat was covered with a sheet of snow-white colour. Nearby was the beat box over which a small mould of oil was gutted down. Mamma certainly might have hued the threads of colems to stitch the patched garments. Lachmiya sat on the floor chanting in an improper Bangla language. Mamma was ignoring the appreciable part of her chant. Mamma used to resort to embroidery when her heart gets wounded. Binoy began focussing his gaze on her countenance. He murmured, ‘Let the resplendence of her friendship pratact my predicament. Let the countenance be the icon of motherland. Let that influence my duty and stabilize my path of duty.’ He has invoked within his heart, ‘Ma’ and said ‘Your food is not nectar, I shall never acknowledge this statement from any Scriptures.’

The wall clock tick reverberated in the silent room. The room became unbearable for Binoy. A lizard was advancing towards moths near the lampstand. Binoy got up in a couple of minutes and moved out with an umbrella.

Binoy couldn’t ascertain what task was he going to accomplish. Perhaps, he might have treaded towards Anandmoyee. One doesn’t know about what thought to have surfaced in his mind. ‘Today is Sunday. Let me hear the preaching of Keshav Babu in the Brahmo Samaj.’ Binoy hurried towards the destination on finding such thought.

He noticed after reaching the destination that the audience were coming out of the venue. He stood aside with the open umbrella. Paresh Babu came delighted out of the venue from the same shrine. He had four or five followers. Binoy noticed the countenance of one of the followers under the shade of gas lamp. The scene however, got submerged in the ocean of darkness in the melee of vehicular traffic.

Binoy has read many English novels. However, how can he lose the instincts of peer Bengali families? The attempt to observe any woman by such gaze might humiliate her. He could not remove the pride of such logic from his mind. So, Binoy got euphoric besides the concern towards his position. He had already argued with Gora on the topic. Observing any woman without social privileges would go against one’s rituals.

Binoy didn’t reach Gora’s house on that day. He has returned home recollecting some thoughts. He reached Gora’s house on the subsequent day during the dusk. Gora was writing something under the lampshade due to poor light on rainy day. The evening reached perpetual darkness. The evening looks dim under rain. So Gora sat by lighting the lamp.

Gora cried without lifting eyes on the paper, ‘Binoy, which direction is the wind blowing today?’

Binoy unheard him and said, ‘Gora, I shall ask something. Do you mean our country had clear and true topology? You think overnight about the topic. How do you feel?’

Gora, after a pause, stared at Binoy, leaving the writing. He kept the pen aside and said by bending backwards, ‘when the captain of the ship sailing across the ocean ignores about his food or beverage, or sleep, but focuses on reaching the shore without ado. So, I also think of our country.’

Binoy replied, ‘Where is your country?’

Gora replied by keeping palms on his chest, ‘It lies where the compass needle deflects on the bearing. It doesn’t belong to Marshman’s History of India.

Binoy replied, ‘Does something lie where the compass needle deflects?’

Gora said (excitedly), ‘Why not? Can I forget the path? I can submerge. However, the port of my goddess Lakshmi also lies there. It contours the full phase of India. It is replete with pelf, wisdom and duty. The country is nowhere but here eclipsed by untruth. Spread across the nook and corner in your Calcutta, the office, the court of law, the nightingale made out of bricks and stones? Disgust on everything!’

Gora stared at Binoy for a while. Binoy kept on thinking without any response. Gora (after a pause) said, ‘The place where we read and hear, move around in search of jobs anew, the unpaid labour between ten and five o’clock. I don’t know what the people do, who don’t have any shelter of their own. We have acknowledged the untrue conjuring India as the real. So, some twenty-five people have been wandering around acknowledging false self-respect as the real and untrue action as the truth. Can we get relieved from the mirage? So, we had been perishing on being withered out of our sustenance. We need to perish by drowning in the ocean the bookish knowledge, and its deception, the lure of clawing and tearing through the ship near the port. Likewise, I couldn’t forget India’s icon of truth, who is perfect by itself!’

Binoy replied, ‘Do you mean the attribute in enthusiasm? Are you uttering the truth?

Gora thundered, ‘I am uttering the truth.’

Binoy wondered, ‘And those who can’t perceive like you?’

Gora replied (with wrenched fist), ‘You had to justify. This is our duty. Don’t know on which shadow does people cherish without identifying the charm? People would get crazy by standing before the icon of India’s vision. Neither they would have to knock the doors to collect funds. They would hasten voluntarily by pushing those objecting their path.’

Binoy said, ‘ Allow me to flow like sundry, or show me the same icon of vision.’

Gora said, ‘Accomplish the inherited duty (Sadhana). Confidence alone could bring peace through such duties. Our amateur patriots seldom have true faith. Neither they could claim so with gusto for themselves nor before others. Neither they venture out to procure beyond the gilded treasury of watchman even if the god of wealth (Kuber) boons. So, neither we have faith nor any optimism from them.’

Binoy replied, ‘Gora! Everybody’s nature had been unequal. You have secured absolute faith from within. You could stand on your feet by your own stamina. You couldn’t appreciate the condition of other people. I shall tell you, whichever work you apportion me, you could extract work throughout the day and night. Or else, how long I could stay with you, you could appreciate the gain from my presence in front of you. The moment I break you couldn’t gain anything which I could keep within my palms.’

Gora said, ‘Are you telling about the job? At the moment, our unique task would be that whatever belongs to our country, we had to show faith without embarrassment, suspicion and mobilize others to have similar faith for the country. We have weakened our mind by the poison of slavish mentality. Let each of us revolt through our own example. We will get the area of work only from that.’

Mahim entered his room meanwhile, by puffing hookah. The time was opportune for Mahim to return from office. He used to keep five-to-six sweetened paan in his small cup leave. He used to puff hookah out on roadside with delight. The friends used to throng in some moments. They used to play cards aside the room on the porch.

Gora left the chair when Mahim entered his room. Mahim wondered on puffing the smoke out, ‘Salvage your brother first, on being concerned about the renaissance of India.’

Gora stared at Mahim. Mahim said, ‘A new officer had been to our office. His countenance resembled that of hyena. He is quite mischievous. He calls other colleagues as baboons. He dislikes Sanctioning leave to subordinates, even when they were bereaved of mothers. He alleges that they give excuses. He doesn’t give any Bengali the salary due for the month. He used to penalize the errant. Once, a letter appeared in the section of newspaper against his activities. He believes that it was my handiwork. Well, what he believes is not exactly false. He never spares him who carries a rejoinder about lapse. You have been the gems of the University ocean. You need to draft a good letter. You have to add such invectives like, even-handed justice, never failing generosity and kind courteousness.’

Gora kept silent. Binoy quipped, ‘Brother, do you carry so many