"Special thanks:" "Ms. Bijaya Roy Ms. Kanika Bandopadhyay" "Dr. Dinesh Chandra Mallick Dr. Kanti Bhushan Bakshi" "Mr. Parimal Roy Mr. Nirmalya Acharya" "Ms. Gopa Ghoshal Mumtaz and Uma Ahmed" "Ms. Ruma Guha Thakurta Ms. Manjula Guha Thakurta" "Mr. Pitu Panda, Mr. D. Majumdar Mr. Ashok Nag, Ms. Supriya Choudhury" "Mr. Kalyan Kumar Dash Mr. Nabakumar Mukhapadhyay" "Mr. Madan Hembram, Ms. Sunita Murmu Mr. Tara Chand Murmu" "Elmhurst Institute, Shantiniketan East Rail, Saroj, Patha Bhavan, Sandesh" "Anandabazar Patrika Limited, Sonodyne NCC" "West Bengal Sound Recording Department" "Rupayon information and Culture Department" "West Bengal Government Police and Administration inhabitants of Baner Pukur and Goyalpada" "Who is the letter from?" "I don't recognize the handwriting." "It's an M. Mitra." "It could be someone from your mother's side of the family." "I don't know of any M. Mitra." "Apparently there will be no power cuts during the festival." "Well?" "Who is it from?" "Who is it from, Ma?" "Just a moment, dear." "Wow!" "That's one massive missive." "What does it say?" "What is it?" "is there some bad news?" "I don't know." "How can you not know?" "Who is it from?" "" " Your youngest great--uncle, chhor-dadu." "" " What?" "" " The one who ran away from home?" "" " But he's been missing for ages!" "For 35 years." "He left in 1 955." "I was only two at the time." "And your uncle?" "He vanished right after getting his bachelor's degree." "I have no memories of him." "Whatever I know is from my mother." "The last anyone heard from him was in 1 968." "He never used to write to his elder brother, or to his sister, my mother." "He only kept in touch with Sital babu, sending him a card every six months, from different cities in the West." "There was no way to reply because there would never be a return address." "Sital babu, isn't he a family friend?" "Yes, he was grandfather's neighbor." "He came to our house, too, remember?" "He worked at the Accountant General's Bengal office and settled in Shantiniketan after he retired, right?" "It's through him that uncle learned about us." "From where has he written?" "New Delhi." "Qutub Hotel." "Anyway, what has he written?" "Read it aloud, let me hear it." "I must say, the gentleman's Bengali is still very fluent." ""My dear little child..." ""Little child"?" "Who's the little child?" "Let me read, will you?" ""My dear little child," "Since I don't know your formal name, I'm addressing you in this fashion." "I hope you will not take offense." "Wow!" "That is indeed sacred language." "When I left home, you were actually a little child." "Anyhow, I have finished with my travels in the West and only just arrived back here." "When I met Uncle Sital, I found out that you are the only close relative I have left, and that you are living a happy family life with your husband and son." "I will very soon return to my nomadic lifestyle." "Meanwhile, I dearly wish to spend a week as a guest in your house in Calcutta, the city of my birth." "You cannot recognize this uncle of yours and I cannot recognize you, either." "Under the circumstances, I realize that my request amounts to an imposition." "The social norms prevalent in the old days in our country allowed even a stranger to enjoy the hospitality of a household." "Keeping this tradition in mind, I gathered the courage to put forward my request." "I have decided to take the Rajdhani Express on the 1 6th and arrive in Calcutta on the morning of the 1 7th." "I shall then take a cab and present myself at your house." "I will humbly respect your decision of accepting me as a guest or not." "Let me assure you, I am used to all kinds of experiences -- sour, sweet, bitter, and sharp." "With blessings, your youngest uncle, Manomohan Mitra."" "You said you have no memories of him." "Short, fat, dark, fair, thin, tall -- Don't you remember anything at all?" "No." "Then there is only one solution." "Send an immediate reply." "Not a letter." "A telegram." "Tell him a barefaced lie?" "A fortnight's holiday?" "What do you mean, "a lie"?" "Don't people go on holidays?" "He doesn't know I am an executive." "Suppose l were a college professor." "I'd have long holidays for the festival." "But you are not a college professor." "What is the assurance that this man is not lying?" "You know how common fraud is these days." "My father's art collection, it's priceless." "In the sitting room alone there are things worth a million rupees at least." "Take just one bronze figurine from the top of the bookshelf, and one can make a fortune by selling it to a foreign tourist." "You mean this man is coming here with an intent to steal?" "Uncle was a great favorite of my mother." "Grandfather was also very fond of him." "And not without reason." "Uncle had many qualities." "He never came in second in his life." "A man can change completely in 35 years." "But it doesn't seem like that from the letter." "Let us assume that he is indeed your uncle and a model of virtue." "But won't you give your husband some thought?" "What do you mean to say?" "He'll be coming on the 1 7th, which is a Friday." "He'll stay for a week." "That means the entire weekend will be ruined." "The festival starts on the 21 st." "I was looking forward to a relaxing holiday." "Now, this old man materializes out of thin air" ""claiming" to be your uncle." "Come in, dear sir." "Please take a seat." "Let me serve your meal, dear sir." " l don't like it at all." "" " What?" "Your attitude." "What else?" "You can't send a telegram like that in response to a letter like this." "It's a really nice letter." " l'm not denying that." "In fact, it's not just nice, it's a little too nice." "That's the problem." "How does a man who's been out of the country for so many years write such elegant Bengali?" "Maybe he got someone else to write it for him." "The language is someone else's, but the sentiment is surely his." "No, something's not right with this." "Very well." "Ma, isn't chhor--dadu going to come after all?" "Ask your father." "What happened?" "Are you angry with me now?" "A fake uncle is better than no uncle at all." "is that what you wish to say?" "I wish to say only one thing." "is there any great need to send back a letter or a telegram?" "He wrote that he's arriving on the 1 7th anyway." "Let him come." "If I find that he is fake, or that he is real but has ill intent, then I will sweep him out with a broom myself." "You won't have to do anything." "is that good enough?" "Wow!" "A fake great--uncle!" "The National Film Development Corporation presents" "A film by Satyajit Ray" "THE STRANGER" "Starring:" "Utpal Dutt, Dipankar Dey Mamata Shankar, Bikram Bhattacharya" "Rabi Ghosh, Dhritiman Chatterjee Subrata Chatterjee" "Promod Ganguli, Ajit Banerjee Avik Dey, Saurav Bannerjee" "Cinematography:" "Barun Raha" "Art Direction:" "Ashoke Bose" "Edited by:" "Dulal Dutta" "Sound Recording:" "Sujit Sarkar" "Additional Sound Recording:" "Jyoti Chatterjee, Anup Mukherjee" "Makeup:" "Ananta Das" "Costume and Wardrobe:" "Lalita Ray" "Chief Production Manager:" "Anil Choudhury" "Production Managers:" "Sudhansu Chatterjee, Swapan Sengupta" "Tagore Song:" ""Whose Veena is it that rings out?"" "Sung by:" "Shramana Guha Thakurta" "Written, Scored, and Directed by:" "Satyajit Ray" "Please sweep well under the cupboard." "There's a lot of dust there." "And, Madhu, once you're done with the bed get a flask of cold water and a glass to put on this table." "You stay right there, all right?" "And call me when he comes." "Ma, he's here." "Listen, come down and help with the luggage." "What is your name?" "Satyaki." "Satyaki?" "As in Lord Krishna's pupil, or Sudhindra Bose's son?" "That's all right." "" " Your name..." "" " Anila." "Please come in." " l hope you got my letter." "" " Yes, I did." "I didn't get a reply." "I hope you didn't write back asking me not to come." "" " No, no." "Have a seat." "" " Here?" "I do realize I've put you on the spot." "To accept someone you haven't ever seen just on the word of " "Why would you say that?" "To get back something that was once lost is a thing of joy." " l guess your husband is..." "" " At the office." "The office will be closed over the weekend." "And the festival starts on the 21 st." " l see." "Can I get you something cold to drink?" "You can rest a little before you take your bath." "Very well, but no ice, please." "I thought of getting sweets for you on my way here, but then I realized I no longer know what you get around here anymore." "I would probably end up getting something unpalatable." "How about Bhimnag, Ganguram, are these old confectioners still around?" "Yes, and a lot of new shops have come up as well." "Oh, a Coca--Cola knockoff?" "is it made here?" "" " Yes." "Good Lord!" " ls this how you spell "thumb," Satyaki?" "" " Of course not." "Very good." "You must go to school, right?" "We have a month's holiday now for the festivals." "I saw a lot of marquees being constructed on my way here, and realized that I have come in the middle of the festivities." "Have you witnessed the Durga Puja anywhere since leaving the country?" "I haven't seen the Durga Puja." "But I have seen the Ratha Yatra." "And do you know where?" "In New York, on Madison Avenue." "It's the same here." "It's swarming with foreign Vaishnavite sahibs and memsahibs." "They're the ones that bring out the Chariot, more than us Indians." "Do you know the 1 08 different names of Lord Krishna?" "1 08 names!" "Do you know them?" "No." "I bow to you, O Hari Hara, Krishna Yadava" "Yadava, Madhava, Keshava," "GopaIa, Govinda, Rama, Sri-Madhusudana," "Giridhari, Gopinatha, Madana-Mohana..." "My grandmother used to sing it." "I will teach you, all right?" "Will you have your bath now?" " lf it isn't too much trouble." "" " Not at all." "Your room is upstairs." "Satyaki will show you." "" " You have a lovely house." " lt was built by my father--in--law." "" " And your husband inherited it?" "" " Yes." "Come, Satyaki." "Well, I don't really know what you prefer to eat, so..." "Listen, I am omnivorous, and a small eater." "So you have nothing to worry about." "" " Has he come?" " Yes, about 1 5 minutes ago." "What do you make of him?" "What can I say?" "He's well--spoken." "And he addresses me with affection, and I quite like it." "Have you started addressing him with affection, too?" "I'm not quite so impressionable." "Small mercies!" "Does he resemble your mother?" "No, but there's one thing they have in common." " What?" "" " A singing voice." "Good Lord!" "He found time to sing to you already?" "Not really." "Just two lines." "I'll explain when you get back." "" " How is his Bengali?" "" " Probably better than yours or mine." "What are you saying?" "I'm finding it more and more suspicious." "" " Listen!" " What now?" "Ask to see his passport." "There's no better way to determine fake from real." "Are you out of your mind?" "You think a woman can be so rude?" "You do that yourself if you want to." "I'm hanging up. I have a lot to do." "We have come, dear." "Please come in." "" " Kurta--pajama!" "I hope this will do." "" " Of course." "I had nothing appropriate to wear here." "So I had to buy these in Delhi." "Come." "That's fish." "Please sit." "Since you claim to be omnivorous, you have to eat everything." "You remember that, but forgot the bit about me being a small eater." "I suggest you set the meat aside for dinner." "Let us relish the fish for now." "Do you know what this is?" "You won't believe how long it's been since I've tasted Bengali cooking." "" " This is spinach curry." "" " Spinach!" "Do you know Popeye the Sailor, Satyaki?" "Yes, spinach is what gives Popeye all his strength." "Let me show you something new." "" " Good Lord!" "What are these?" "" " Fancy crisps." "The women of Medinipur prepare these at home." "Ornamental food, this can only be found in Bengal." "Give me one, Ma." "" " Won't you eat, dear?" "" " After you finish." "That means you haven't quite become a memsahib yet." "You say you haven't tasted Bengali cooking in years." "But there are a number of Bengalis in the West." "In New York alone, we know so many of them." "Haven't you socialized with any of them?" "Once I broke free of my roots, my shackles, then there was little point in hobnobbing with Bengalis again." "But you haven't forgotten the language." "You speak it beautifully, you write it beautifully." "I usually have the lentils first and then the fish." "We have it the same way." "You know something, dear?" "You never forget your mother tongue, unless you wish to forget it." "And those who want to, can forget it in three months." "And for that, you don't even have to leave the country." "In fact, I heard children in Delhi addressing their parents as "mommy" and "daddy."" "Do you do the same, Satyaki?" "" " Of course not!" "The crisps are eaten with the lentils." "Shall I give you one?" "Very well." "Ornamental crisps." "Why did you leave home?" "I heard from my mother that everyone was fond of you." "You were a good student with a bright future." "And yet, why did I leave home?" "There is a lovely word in German:" "Wanderlust!" "It means an addiction for travel." "Was that the only reason you left home?" "I certainly had that addiction, but there was another reason for leaving home." "Shall I serve the fish now?" "I'd rather have the meat." "Fish bones are not conducive to conversation." "Not too much." "That's all." "You didn't say what the other reason was." "I see!" "So you've been listening intently, have you?" "I'll tell you. lt will amuse you." "As a small boy, I used to draw very well." "Yes, I heard that from my mother." "So I had decided that after finishing college, I would join art school." "One day, during my first year of college," "A foreign journal fell into my hands." "I opened it and found a full--page picture of a bison." "Not a photograph." "It was hand--painted." "You know what a bison is, right, dear?" "" " Yes, they have horns on their head." "Yes, it was charging with its horns sticking out." "You know, dear, it was an extraordinary picture." "Such intent!" "Such a poised stance!" "It left Da Vinci far behind." "Who painted this picture?" "Who was the extraordinary artist?" "Then I read the description under the painting." "It said the bison was painted 2,000 years ago in the stone age in a place called AItamira in Spain by a cave-dweIIing primitive man." "It was so astonishing that I said to myself," ""l bow to you, my bison brother." "Whatever else I choose to become in life, I will never become an artist." "Because there is no art school in the world which can teach me to draw a bison like this."" "Ever since then, I developed a deep curiosity about the concept of what is civilized and what is uncivilized." "And added to that was my wanderlust." "And these two things together forced me to leave the country." "You mentioned that you're planning to set off again." "Yes." "This time I want to go to Australia." "I've never explored that part of the world." "This is a Greek coin, a drachma." "This is Polish, a zloty." "This is Mexican, a peseta." "This is from Peru, a sol." "Anish's uncle is also a coin collector." "I know what they're called." "What are they called?" "Well, I don't really collect coins." "I do not make a habit of it." "I just happened to have them." "So I gave you some." "Really?" "They are for me?" "You can show them to your friends." "I've already told my friends." "Not all of them, just a few." "What have you told them?" "That a man has come to our house who may be my great--uncle, or may not be." "They're going to come down to see you today." "Satyaki." "Come along, now." "Don't you want him to get any rest?" "I will leave then." "What did you say?" "It's a German phrase." "It means, we will meet again." "Wow!" "Just think, on the highest mountains in South America, the Andes, at a height of 8000 feet is a city built of stone." "For 400 years no one even knew that there was a city in these mountains." "Then, in 1 91 1 , the year Mohun Bagan beat the British soccer team and won the Ifa shield, that same year, an explorer by the name of Hiram Bingham, suddenly came across this city." "What did I tell you the name of the city was?" "" " Here you are!" "" " Wow!" "" " Have you been to this city?" "" " Of course, I have." "I shot this photograph." "I went there 20 years back, riding on a mule." "I was dumbstruck at the sight of the city." "Everything there is made of stone." "And yet there are no stones for miles around." "Nobody knows where they got the stone, or how they carried it up the mountainside." "The Inca civilization was a truly incredible civilization." "" " Please tell us another story!" "" " No, no more stories." "Now let me show you a magic trick." "What are those?" "I will ask all of you a few questions." "Let me see if you can answer them correctly." "All right, then tell me, is the moon bigger or is the sun?" "The sun!" "How do you know?" "Wait a minute." "Let's say this is the moon, and this is the sun." "Up in the sky, they look the same size, don't they?" "That's because the sun is much farther away." "How far is it?" "I'll tell you." "The sun is 95 million miles away." "And the moon is merely 500,000 miles away." "That's why they look the same size." "What if the moon was not 500,000 miles away, but only 200,000 miles away?" "Then the moon would look bigger." "Somewhat like this, right?" "And what if the moon were 800,000 miles away?" "Then the moon would look much smaller." "Somewhat like this, right?" "But that didn't happen." "The moon is exactly at a distance such that... it looks just the same size as the sun." "That is why when the moon moves in front of the sun slowly covering all of it," "it is like two matching discs." "A solar eclipse!" "A total solar eclipse." "And when the earth's shadow falls on the moon, even at that time the discs match perfectly." "A lunar eclipse!" "A total eclipse of the moon." "How does it all work so perfectly?" "Can you tell me?" "You don't have the answer." "Ask the most learned man in the world, and even he will not have the answer." "Nobody knows." "It is a mystery." "I would say it is one of the greatest mysteries of the universe." "The sun and the moon, the king of the day, and the queen of the night." "And the shadow of the earth on the moon." "All of them, exactly the same size." "Magic!" "Listen!" "" " What's the matter?" "" " Come here a moment." " l'm completely convinced." "" " That he's your uncle?" "Yes, and he's an extremely nice person." "So you are impressionable after all." "In just a few hours, you claim to have understood the man completely?" "Women can understand." "They are not unduly suspicious like men." "And surely you can tell a lot from the way a man behaves and acts, and from the look in his eyes." "And there is no doubt that he has been around the world." "He even knows German." "And he has given the child a handful of foreign coins." "Foreign coins?" "Do you know that you can easily buy foreign stamps?" "Just the same as foreign coins." "Tell me what coins you want." "I will get them for you tomorrow." "Anyway, I only told you my impressions." "Did he talk about why he left home?" "That's when he used the German word which means an addiction for travel." "Wanderlust?" "Yes, but he didn't pronounce it like you." "" " WanderIust, right?" "" " Yes." "The word is used in English, too." "And pronounced in the English way." "I studied German at the Goethe Institute for a couple of months before I lost patience and gave it up." "I still remember at least 50 or so words." "What other reason did he give?" "For what?" "For leaving home, what else?" "A lot of things." "It will take time to recount everything." "Tell me anyway." "Bison." "Now do you understand?" "There's a guest in the house, and you are the host." "At least go and greet him first." "" " Where is the gentleman?" "" " He must be in his room." "He went out with Satyaki's friends to the playground." "He just got back." "Come on, get up." "You'd better see about that broom." "" " Oh, listen." "" " What now?" " l have just one request." "" " What?" "At least pay your respects and touch his feet." "Sudhindra Bose." "No, no." "Never that." "When your mind is free of suspicion, only then will come the time to show respect." "Not before then." "I wrote this in my letter and I'm going to repeat it:" "I know who you are." "But you don't know who I am." "Unfortunately, there's no easy way to find out" "if I am real or fake, if I have good intent or bad." "You'll have to invest a little time for this." "Think about whether you're willing to spare that time." "But why do you say there's no easy way to find out?" "I'm sure..." "Here it is, this is your name." "Manomohan Mitra." "And that's your picture." "Then it's all in order." "Why are you..." "What does this prove, Sudhindra Bose?" "You might say, my identity." "I will say, not even that." "In these days of global corruption, do you know how many ways there are of faking a passport?" "Therefore, you have every right to suspect me." "But this is not something I can discuss with your wife." "She is carrying out her responsibilities as a host with grace." "Can't fault her for a moment." "And if there is any blood relation it is with your wife, not with you." "See, I haven't unpacked yet." "If need be, I can be out of the house in five minutes." "Why are you saying that?" "My wife has taken to you, so there is no question of my " "Please forget about all of this." "I have just one question." "" " What is it?" "What prompted you to come back to this country after so many years?" "Well, you're free to believe me or not." "I didn't really plan on coming back." "I've finished exploring the West." "And I plan to turn to the East." "I had to make a stop at Delhi." "In all these years, I've never felt the pull of family ties." "This time, perhaps the fact that I'm getting old..." "You rest a while." "I'll go take a shower." "You win, at least for the time being." "" " Passport?" " lt's all right." "He showed it to you?" "Yes, almost of his own accord." "Then why do you say, "for the time being?"" "My real uncle has returned." "He's sharper than 50 of me put together." "Do you know what he said?" "" " What?" "He says, this passport proves nothing." "He says that passports can easily be forged these days." ""l want to see his passport!" Serves you right!" "How could I know that your so--called uncle would turn out to be such a shrewd customer?" "I have just not been able to put my finger on it yet." "It looks like we will come to some conclusion tomorrow evening." "What do you mean?" "I've asked Prithwish to come over tomorrow." "Why him?" "We need someone who doesn't mince words." "And you know perfectly well that your husband is not that person." "I suffer from a chronic affliction that is called social diplomacy." "Prithwish has no such maladies." "I've explained the situation to him, and he's most intrigued." "He said he's handled lots of impersonation cases before." "is he going to interrogate him?" "He can be very blunt, that barrister friend of yours." "What do you mean by interrogation?" "The man is claiming that he's your uncle." "On the basis of that claim, he's demanding hospitality." "Feeding him delicacies four times a day will cost at least 50 rupees a day." "And yet, we know next to nothing about the man." "There are naturally a few essential questions that he must answer." "Prithwish will ask those questions, in as much of a civilized way as possible." "I don't agree." "I think it's perfectly plausible that a man who left home when his niece was two, would want to visit her when he returns home after 35 years." "All right." "If the man has come purely for sentimental reasons, then I have nothing to say." "But if I feel that his intent is not right even though he is your uncle..." "Social diplomacy or not." "And if he is not my uncle?" "Then you are there to take care of it." "Sweep him away with a broom." "This is Chhanda." "Can't you recognize my voice?" "Your voice sounds a little different." "It's nothing but excitement." "Has he come?" "Yes, he has." "Of course, it's true." "" " So, what do you make of him?" "He's only been here one day." "It's hard to tell." "My husband and I are bursting with curiosity." "We've thought of little else since we heard the news from you." "I hope you haven't told anyone else." "Trust me, I've been dying to share the news, but I haven't uttered a word." "Well, now you know." "Talk to you later." "No, wait!" "My husband wants to talk to you." "I'll give the phone to him." "I have a request which you must grant." "What is it?" "For just half an hour, we'd like to drop in." "The two of us." "I see." "But if he gets wind of..." "Listen, I can guarantee it." "He won't suspect even for a minute." "It will be exactly like our usual visits." "We will show up casually, have a casual chat, and then casually take leave after half an hour." "All you have to do is tell Sudhin not to introduce me as an actor." "At least at this point, it is best that he doesn't know." "But you want to come over today?" "I have double shows over the weekend." "All right then." "We'll see you this evening." "It's decided then." "Can you hear me?" "Listen." "" " What happened?" "" " Chhanda and Ranjan are coming over." "They say they won't let him know they've come to see him." "Excellent!" "Why don't you ring up your other friends as well?" "Chameli, Shefali, Juthika..." "" " Don't be silly." "Then the responsibility to entertain him will not be ours alone." "Listen!" "Will you please introduce him as my uncle?" "May I join you?" "I hope I'm not intruding." "Not at all." "Let me introduce them." "Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Rakshit." "And this is Manomohan Mitra." " l don't think we've..." "" " He's Anila's youngest maternal uncle." "Youngest..." "Young... I think I made a mistake." "Another friend's wife, what was her name again?" "Wasn't it Manju's youngest uncle that..." "Manju never had an uncle." "You have three maternal uncles or is it two?" "Two." "My elder uncle expired." "My younger uncle left home 35 years ago." "I'm getting all mixed up." "You always mix things up." "Anila's uncle left home 35 years ago." "He came back this morning." "From where?" "The West." "Occident!" "But this is sensational!" "This is another Bhawal Sanyasi." "Do you know the case of Bhawal Sanyasi?" " l do." "" " A world famous case." "Do you know how long it went on?" "Ten years." " ln this instance, there's no court case." "" " No?" "You mean the fact that he's her uncle... ls completely undisputed." "Thank God." "You have no idea what a lucky escape you've had." "The lawyers these days would have made a pauper out of you." "And you would've had to go off again with a beggar's bowl in your hands." "I see these are your famous homemade biscuits." "Famous, are they?" "Delicious!" "Tell me, now that he's back, will you put a notice in the papers?" "I will not." "And if I find out that any journalist has gotten wind of it, I'll know you are the source." "My lips are sealed." "But I can easily visualize the headlines." "Do you know that the word "prodigal" has two meanings, Mr. Rakshit?" "Two meanings?" "One is "wasteful."" "And the other is "repentant."" "I am neither." "I'm happy to hear that." "May I ask you a question?" "Certainly." "We only just came to know about you." "You've returned after so many years, have you returned alone?" "I have no one else." "So you never settled down?" "Settling inherently means a home." "The point of leaving home was that I didn't wish to settle down." "I see." "That is true." "Tell me." "You must be visiting Calcutta after ages." "You set out from Calcutta, right?" "" " Yes." "How do you find the city after such a long time?" "Mind you, I'm a true blue "Calcation."" "But I'm also used to people criticizing Calcutta." "Why would I criticize?" "It's undoubtedly a civilized city." "" " You think so?" " ls it not?" "The roads are full of people and vehicles." "And on all sides you'll find tall buildings standing proudly." "And even after 35 years, I come back to find men pulling the rickshaw." "If such contradiction is not civilization, then what is?" "You seem rather bitter about civilization." "" " What would you say about New York?" "" " Why, it's colossal." "Judging from what we see in the movies." "Lines of families sitting with long faces, holding placards that say:" "We are homeless!" "Imagine that!" "Did you come straight from New York?" "South America." "Brazil." "Heavens!" "Brazil!" "What are you saying?" "" " Why, what's the matter?" "He's probably thinking of Pelé." "" " Pelé?" "" " Pelé!" "You've been to Brazil and you don't know of Pelé?" "Oh, you mean the footballer?" "He used to score goals with a back kick." "Look, Mr. Rakshit, my knowledge of football is abysmal." "Mohan Bagan and East Bengal is the limit of my knowledge." "You have to admit, football is a Bengali's lifeblood." "Football and one other thing." "Something that I'm sure you miss when you are abroad." "What thing?" "One can say Bengalis have a monopoly on this." "In fact, you can call it a Bengali invention." "The sweetmeat "Rasgulla"?" "Adda!" "Unadulterated intellectual discussions." "Adda on the street corner, adda at the park, adda by the lakeside." "Adda at the coffee house." "That without which a Bengali cannot be at peace." "Adda, made in Bengal." "Do you know, 2500 years ago in Greece, there were gymnasiums." "The place where you exercise your body?" "Not just the body." "Are you familiar with the writings of Juvenal?" "We actually studied them back in school." "Mens sana in corpore sano." "There they exercised the body as well as the mind." "And there was a time when all of it would take place inside the gymnasium." "The great minds of that age would get together in the gymnasium at Athens." "Socrates, Plato, Alcibiades would get together." "There would be sessions of intellectual exchange on philosophy, politics, mathematics, art, literature." "These were the subjects of discussion." "Dialogues!" "You can read them even today." "What would you call this?" "Why, it sounds very much like our adda." "No gossip, no backbiting, no braggadocio." "I'm not dismissing Bengali adda outright." "I'm sure there are examples of productive discourse here as well." "But what happens most often, or at least what used to happen back in our day, these days everything is on a decline anyway, cannot be called anything more than endless empty twaddle!" "If Bengali discourse was at the same productive level, then Tagore would also have engaged in adda." "That is true." "Tagore never engaged in adda." "Did he, Sudhin?" "Did Tagore ever engage in adda?" "I haven't given you a complete introduction." "Ranjan Rakshit." "He's a well known actor." "" " Stage, TV, film, he does everything." "" " Really?" "What do you say, civilized, or uncivilized?" "Do you find material for comedy here?" "All I read in the newspaper today was an endless stream of bad news." "Not comedy perhaps, but there is some scope for satire." "At least as long as our politics flourish." "By satire I do not mean anything as serious as Aris -- " " Aristotle?" "" " Not "--totle."" "Pardon?" "Aristophanes." "Yes, well, nothing like him, of course." "It is more like snippets." "" " Skit." "For instance, a gentleman..." "Let me give you an example." "A gentleman from Bengal..." "A gentleman from the East of Bengal, to be precise..." "Oh, I'm from East Bengal, too." "Really?" "Well, now, I'm from Faridpur, and she's from Netrakona." "And you?" "" " Jessore." "And you, Sudhin?" "Burdwan!" "There's no accounting for those from West Bengal!" "" " Anyway, this gentleman -- " " Stand up, and tell it properly." "Very well." "This gentleman goes to the Writers' Building to see the Chief Minister." "This gentleman is of the opinion that on certain occasions, using 75%% English in your speech helps." "So he enters the building." "There's an elevator up front, with a guard in front of it." "The guard asks:" ""Where do you want to go?"" "The man says:" ""l've come to see CM."" ""CCM?" "You mean CPM?" (Communist Party Marxist)" ""No, how can I see PM?" "The PM is in Delhi, isn't he?" "I have come to see CM."" ""Do you have an appointment?"" ""Yes, of course!" "Right now at 4:00 c.m." "Oh, I mean 4:00 p.m."" ""Sorry." "The CM has left."" ""Sorry?" "Why should he be sorry?" "I am also Left." "What is there to be sorry about?"" ""Brother, the CM has left for home." "He went home."" ""Left already?"" ""Right."" "Well, Mr. Rakshit." "Can I ask you a question?" "" " Certainly." "What did you people make of me?" "You came over to see me, didn't you?" "What's the need for a newspaper when there's a telephone." "These things are difficult to keep to yourself, aren't they, dear?" "It has all the elements of drama." "Suspense, suspicion, conflict... I hope you didn't mind my frank speech, Mr. Rakshit." "No, not at all." "In fact, to keep up the pretense, I was feeling quite, uh..." "Now that the need's no longer there, I'm feeling..." "Very "uh"?" "What is it?" " l can't get over it." "" " What?" "Ranjan's face." "Completely took the wind out of his sails." "I must say, I'm beginning to like your uncle." "He is a learned, intelligent man." "One can tell that he was a brilliant student." "What I like most about him ls his sense of humor." "He knows how to laugh, and how to make people laugh." "And yet, when you come to think of it, we know next to nothing about the man." "What places he's visited in the last 35 years, what he did with his life, why he did it." "We know nothing." "A big question mark." "lntriguing." "Listen, your uncle may be an early riser, but please do not wake me before 9:00 a.m." "Did you hear me?" "What's the matter?" "What's on your mind?" "Will you please tell me what has happened?" "You should not hide anything from your husband at midnight." "Don't you know that?" "This is not part of the marital code." "It is Sudhindra Bose's code." "Now, come on." "Tell me what the matter is." "Tell me." "Why did this thought come to my mind?" "Why?" "What thought?" "What thought?" "If a man disappears, how many years is it before he's declared dead?" "Seven years." "Uncle left in 1 955." "He sent cards to Sital babu till 1 968." "Grandfather expires in 1 970." "He made a will before he died." "My mother got a share." "So did my elder uncle." "My grandfather was extremely fond of my younger uncle." "My goodness." "You are one smart woman." "Your grandfather must have provided for his youngest son in his will." "Isn't that what you are thinking?" "Even if he did, how would uncle know about it?" "Whether your uncle knows of it or not is another matter." "First we have to find out if your uncle has a share or not." "How will you find out?" "Isn't there anyone who would know?" "I don't know." "I can't think of anything right now." "Your grandfather's lawyer friend?" "The one who came to our wedding?" "A little deaf." "Stinking rich." "And yet only gave us a book of poetry for a gift." "Remember what a laugh we had over it?" "Tridib Mukherjee." "Even at that point he was over 70 years of age." "Who knows if he's still alive." "It is possible." "And if he is alive, he will certainly know about it." "Why did I have to think of it?" "Why, why?" "" " Do you regret it?" "" " Yes, I do." "Very much so." "There's no doubt in my mind anymore that he is my uncle and that he's come only to meet with me." "There cannot be any other reason." "You refer to him as your uncle, but have you even once addressed him as your uncle?" "I haven't heard you do that." "Do you know why I haven't?" "You're the reason." "You've put all these doubts into my mind." "I really want to address him as uncle." "I try so hard." "The word comes to the tip of my tongue, but..." "Good thing it hasn't slipped out." "Listen, dear." "You must be strong now." "The pill may prove to be bitter, and you may even have to swallow it." "You must be ready for that." "You're convinced it is the pull of blood ties." "What if I say it is actually the pull of purse strings?" "All this traveling costs a lot of money these days." "I'm convinced that he has come here to claim his share." "And that must be the real reason for him to come over." "No!" "You're so mean, so small hearted." "Who's the one who thought of it first?" "This is why!" "All this trashy crime fiction." "The thought of a will wouldn't have struck me at all." "You would feel better if you knew your uncle didn't have a share, right?" "It is then our responsibility to verify that." "Even if it turns out to be bitter, we must find out the truth." "TC, right?" "Tridib Chandra?" "Are you out of your mind?" "Calling him at this hour?" "Tell me, is it TC, or TR?" "TR." "What's the address?" "Ballygunge Circular Road." "I don't know the house number." "He has not come for the money." "I have no doubt about this anymore." "Even if he has a share, he doesn't know about it." "It is only the pull of blood ties that brought him here." "is this Mr. Mukherjee's bungalow?" "Mr. Mukherjee, the lawyer?" "I see." "But he is alive, right?" "Oh, I see." "All right." "Fine." "I wanted to find out who all were Mohinimohan babu's warisan?" "Washington?" "Who went there?" "Warisan!" "Meaning heirs!" "Oh, air." "H--E--l--R--S." "I see, heirs, warisan." "Yes, Mohinimohan babu's warisan." "Mohini's heirs are his three children." "Did he provide for all three of them?" "Bromide?" "...in Mohini babu's will?" "Yes, yes." "The elder son got his share." "His daughter got her share, and quite a sizable amount, too." "He was the leading ENT specialist back then." "I made his acquaintance at his clinic." "I had flown to Delhi before that." "There were no jets during that time." "My ears got completely blocked during the landing." "Oh God, they just wouldn't open up." "Once I got back to Calcutta, I went to Mohini." "He was making quite a name for himself at that time." "He inserted a tube through my nostrils, and blew air through it." "Oh, it was really painful." "His youngest son..." "Mohinimohan's youngest son..." "Monu?" "Yes, Manomohan." "" " Did he have a share as well?" "" " Yes." "Of course." "But he was nowhere to be found at that time." "Ground?" "I'm not sure if he was under the ground." "All we knew is that he was alive." "Do you know that he has returned?" "No, I am not aware." "" " Will he get his share now?" "" " What?" "Can he get the money now?" "He can get it." "Why not?" "Money doesn't just vanish into thin air." "He will get it if he puts in his claim." "Of course, he'll have to prove his identity." "Will a passport do?" "Oh yes, it will do." "Where is the money now?" "With whom?" "It will be with the executor of the will whom Mohini appointed." "It will remain deposited in his bank account." "Was this executor a friend?" "Why would he be French?" "It's more likely that he was Bengali." "When Mohinimohan died, I was away in Singapore, at my daughter's." "What is this?" "Tribal music." "How did you come by it?" "Magic." " l have found out." "" " What?" "" " Who you are." "" " Who am I?" "My great--uncle." "" " Real or fake?" "" " Real." "How did you know?" "The others don't." "Can I call you dadu from now on?" "" " You know what will be even better?" "" " What?" " "Chhot-dadu!" -- "Chhot-dadu"?" "Chhot means to run." "And I'm always on the run." "Life is about running from one place to the next." "I'll rest here a few days and then run off again." "Don't you like it here?" "I will stay here as long as I like it." "And then you'll go away?" "Listen, let me teach you a word, a very funny word." "Kupamanduka." "What did I just say?" "Kupamanduka?" "Kupa means a well, and manduka means a frog." "A frog in the well?" "Yes, just imagine how horrible it is." "There's no light, no air." "It's damp, and it stinks." "And yet the frog remains there his whole life." "There are kupamandukas amongst humans, too." "They refuse to leave home." "I'm not one of them." "That's why I keep taking off." "" " What if I take off, too?" "" " Of course you will." "How else will you get to eat armadillo meat?" "What meat?" "Armadillo." "It is an ant--eating animal." "What people eat such meat?" "If I tell you everything all at once, my bag of stories will be empty." "Good things come to those who wait." "God!" "Both my pharynx and my larynx are gone." "An ancient hearing aid that does not work at all." "What about his share?" "He believes your uncle does have a share." "But he said that at the time of your grandfather's death, he was away in Singapore." "In which case, if your grandfather changed his will at the last minute in the event that his son seemed unlikely to return, then Tridib babu was not in a position to know about it." "Then that's what must have happened." "It never occurred to me before." "If uncle had a share," "Shital babu would certainly know about it, even if others didn't." "And he would have informed uncle." "And would uncle have kept such important news from us?" "Never." "Why not?" "A man who is tight--fisted is likely to be tight--lipped as well." "Why do you say tight--fisted?" "When someone comes empty--handed to visit his own niece after 35 years he can certainly not be called generous." "All right." "You're putting him on trial tonight anyway." "We'll know soon enough what kind of a man he is." "What are you doing?" "Whatever else he may be, he's no thief." "Beautiful!" "Was it here yesterday?" "No, I mean, it was in another place." "Pal bronze." "Rajput miniatures." "Ivory." "is this your collection, Sudhin?" "" " No, my father's." "I noticed that instrument yesterday." "is that a sitar or a tamboura?" "Tamboura." "" " So you sing?" "" " Occasionally." "She not only sings, she dances, too." "A dance recital will be a tall order." "But it would be nice if you sang for us." "How about it, dear?" "I haven't heard a Bengali song since I left the country." " l'll sing when you finish your tea." "" " Very well." "Where is Satyaki?" "The festivities are on at his friend's house." "He usually spends his evenings there." "By the way, if you wish to smoke, please do not hesitate." "I don't believe in this show of respect in front of elders." "And if you don't count me as an elder, I will certainly not sit in judgment." "Did you pick this time so you could be here during the festival?" "I didn't realize till I got here that it was festival time." "Do you know how many times the goddess Durga killed the buffalo demon?" "How many times?" "I thought it was only once." "Do you know why Ganesha has the head of an elephant?" "I did, but I've forgotten." "I got to know so many mythological stories courtesy of my grandmother and I still remember them." "What do you make of the country's situation right now?" "Do you read the papers?" "Caste and religion are both very volatile issues." "The newspapers only bear testimony to that." "Do you not believe in Dharma?" "By Dharma you mean religion, I suppose?" "In the Hindu context, Dharma has a completely different meaning." "I meant religion." "I will answer your question a little later." "Have you finished your tea?" "" " Yes." "" " Ready, dear?" "" " Yes." "Silence, please." "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out with such sweet melody?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "Showering melody upon my new solitary life" "Whose Veena is it that rings out with such sweet melody?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "My heart blossoms like the lotus at dawn" "My heart blossoms like the lotus at dawn" "To adorn whose feet a pair without compare" "Whose Veena is it that rings out with such sweet melody?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "Arousing all beauty, all that is sweet" "This heart thrills in every moment" "Arousing all beauty, all that is sweet" "This heart thrills in every moment" "From where does the breeze" "Bring new awakenings" "From where does the breeze" "Bring new awakenings" "Lifting the veil enveloping my being" "Whose Veena is it that rings out with such sweet melody?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "My heart aches" "In joy and in pain" "How do I convey my emotions?" "I do not know the words" "My heart aches" "In joy and in pain" "How do I convey my emotions?" "I do not know the words" "Today my desires ring out in the universe" "Today my desires ring out in the universe" "Making every river and forest quiver Overcome with feelings" "Whose Veena is it that rings out with such sweet melody?" "Whose Veena is it that rings out?" "Ah!" "Beautiful!" "Reminded me of my sister." "Well, what was your question again?" "Whether or not you believe in religion." "You know, Mr. Sengupta, I am an unorthodox man." "That's not a bad thing." "I cannot believe in something that creates a divide between men." "Religion invariably does that." "And organized religion more so." "For the same reason, I do not believe in caste." "What about God?" "To the blind, give light To the dying, give life" "Who will give light?" "Who will give life?" "The trouble is, Mr. Sengupta, in this day and age it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe in a benevolent God." "The daily newspaper wounds that belief on a daily basis." "What can one do?" "On this subject, I'm of the same opinion as you." "But what about science?" "Voyager has sent pictures of Neptune." "What would you say to that?" "Why do you want to know my opinion?" "For a change, let's hear your opinion." "Nothing new really." "It's the same as the opinion of any educated person." "The unprecedented progress of technology." "Things we couldn't have dreamed of a couple of years back." "Right up there with nesha?" "Addiction." "With the help of hypodermic needles, injecting the deadliest of drugs into their own blood, signing their own death warrants, are millions of people, the majority of them young." "What technology is going to put a stop to this, Mr. Sengupta?" "You've been living in the West all these years, haven't you?" "Yes." "Why?" "The West is ruled by technology." "If you find it so unsavory, why didn't you go to the jungles and live with the aboriginals?" "Look at that!" "Sheer clairvoyance!" "That certainly does not come under the purview of science." "You mean to say you have actually lived with these aboriginals?" "After leaving home, I spent the first five years here in this country, in the forest areas." "I started with the Santhals, and then moved to Kols, Bhils, Nagas, Mundas," "Murias, Marias, Oraons, Todas." "How many do I list?" "You've actually spent time with these indigenous tribes?" "Have you ever tasted the meat of a field rat?" "Snake meat?" "Bat meat?" "Didn't I tell you, dear, that I'm omnivorous?" "It wasn't just a figure of speech." "It was the literal truth." "Then it seems unlikely that you earned anything in those five years." "On the contrary, I had used up the last of my savings." "You must be wondering where l got any savings to begin with." "I don't imagine that your father sponsored your getaway." "Let me tell you what transpired." "My grandmother, the late Giribala Dasi, whom I mentioned a while back, was extremely fond of me." "In fact, it wouldn't be incorrect to say that she used to spoil me." "I was first in my class in school finals, and again in high school." "And when I passed my Bachelor's degree with distinction, then my grandmother handed me a large sum of money and said," ""Child, you have brought honor to our family." "May God bless you."" "3,000 rupees in those days was not a paltry sum." "Therefore, I left home with my own funds, and thankfully did not have to rely on any ill--gotten gains." "I see." "But you said you ran out of these savings." "At this point, the question that naturally comes up... I earned my way, Your Honor, as a cabin boy." "I was a cabin boy on the SS OIympia." "" " And then after you arrived in London?" " l spent around five years." "Not just in London, but in various different cities in Europe." "Doing what?" "Struggling to survive." "Struggle!" "A favorite word with the Bengalis." "But I don't prefer to call it a struggle." "I think of it as nutrition for the mind." "Nutrition for the muscles." "And the first step towards being able to read men." "So when did you return to the wild?" "All these experiences seem to be about cities." "Civilized cities." "Have patience, dear beloved" "Have patience, dear beloved" "I may go to Mathura yet" "My life story won't get you much nearer the truth, my friend." "You want to peel the layers of an onion to get to the core of the real man." "It can't be that easy." "Even so, for the sake of record, let me tell you, I'd started writing in papers and journals by that time." "As a result, I had a small bank balance, which led me to the second phase of my education." "A degree in Anthropology." "And thereafter, travel to the United States." "The United States?" "" " The United States of America." "" " Reason?" "So cabin boy yet again?" "No, sir." "I hope you don't mind." "This may sound a little like I'm beating my own drum, but the truth is, as usual, I placed first in that examination as well." "As a result, I didn't have to struggle anymore." "A well known anthropological society paid for my travels in the US." "The condition was that I would regularly send them written accounts of my experience along with photographs." "And I have fulfilled that condition." "In North and South America, I spent several years researching 43 different Indian tribes." "It is this experience that is the primary reason for my enlightened sensibilities." "Very well." "You sit down." "Your throat seems parched." "As you wish, sir." "I will talk and you will listen." "You can correct me if I'm wrong." "The crux of the matter is that all these experiences have led you to conclude that urban civilization is a big facade." "True civilization is the one found amongst forest dwellers." "It's fair to point out here, that even though I was bred in the city I'm not ignorant about tribal life." "I've done some study on the subject as well." "I know that they have their own language, their own religion, their art, their culture, their music, etcetera." "What is "etcetera"?" "Please tell them what you're hiding behind that "etcetera."" "Otherwise, how will they get to know me?" "How will they know about tribal civilization?" "Why don't you tell me what I've left out?" "My goodness!" "The main thing has been left out." "Science." "Technology." "You're only thinking of Neptune and the Voyager." "But think this:" "Man." "From a barbaric, primitive state goes on to..." "How did he learn all that's required to aid his survival and existence?" "There's more." "Architecture." "Even a basic mud hut shows evidence of the knowledge of architecture." "Are you familiar with the igloo, the dwelling of Eskimos?" "Do you know that they use two different kinds of ice to build it?" "One is opaque, which is used for the roof." "And the other is transparent, which is used to build windows." "What would you call that?" "is it not science?" "is it not technology?" "Hold your horses!" "What about you?" "When you fall sick, do you call a shaman?" "I've had to resort to that as well." "I had no other option." "Where would I have found a doctor in those jungles?" "And do you know what kind of shaman he was?" "The properties of 500 medicinal plants at his fingertips." "He was able to cure me." "Of course, I wouldn't normally call for a shaman." "For the same reason as I'm sitting here and having tea and biscuits with you." "Why do you insist on complicating something that is really quite simple?" "Why don't you understand that I am not a savage myself." "It is one of my greatest regrets that I am not a savage." "I cannot draw a bison like the cave dwellers of Altamira." "But it cannot be helped." "Long before I left home, civilization was drilled into my brain." "Shakespeare, Bankim, Michael, Marx, Freud, Rabindranath!" "That's the reason I have to rely on field notes." "Would I need them if I were a savage myself?" "I wouldn't." "You said you'd studied the Murias, didn't you?" "I did." "What goes on in their Ghotuls, unrestricted sexual relationships between the adolescent boys and girls..." "Sorry, Anila." "What do your field notes have to say about that?" "Doesn't that amount to extreme promiscuity?" "Or would you call that civilized, too?" ""What you feel in your heart, I feel in mine." "What I feel in my heart, you feel in yours."" "That is civilized." "A while back, you just called yourself omnivorous." "Have you tasted human flesh?" "No, I haven't had the good fortune." "Good fortune?" "I have heard that human flesh is very tasty." "But I haven't had it." "My claim to be omnivorous was not entirely correct, dear. I apologize." "Where in the scale of civilized behavior would you place cannibals?" "Civilized?" "It is certainly not civilized." "It is barbaric." "Do you know who's civilized?" "Civilized is that man who uses one finger to press one button, and release one atomic weapon which obliterates an entire city with all its inhabitants in one strike." "And you know who else is civilized?" "The ones who make the decision to use the weapon without turning a hair." "Well, Mr. Sengupta, stumbling on the surname, are you?" "I suppose it's to be expected." "You're still uncertain of my identity." "There's an alternative." "I have a pen name." "I used to be published by that name." "A favorite name from my childhood days." "Nemo." "You can use that name." "Yes, a Latin word, "nemo," meaning "no one."" "An appropriate name for me, what do you say?" "Whether you are no one, or someone, that is precisely the question." "Do you realize the difficult position in which you've put my friend and his wife?" "They've lost their piece of mind, do you know that?" "It's just that they are extremely polite and will always be generous with their hospitality." "But you refuse to make it clear to them whether or not you should be welcomed as a guest." "You say your passport proves nothing." "But you know perfectly well whether or not the passport is real or fake." "They why can you not be open about it?" "Why?" "I will leave now." "Listen." "Was there any need for that last bit?" "He is unfit for civilized company." "There cannot be a place for him in your house." "How does it matter since he would have left in a couple of days anyway?" "And you promised to handle the matter delicately." "He should know where he stands." "I know your wife." "And I also know what she must be feeding him twice a day." "Certainly not field rats." "If I hadn't shouted, he would've clung on like a leech." "You don't know these parasitic creatures, I do." "I don't know how to... I wish the earth would open up and swallow me." "He didn't utter a single word at the dining table." "If I had known Prithwish would create a scene like that, I would never have asked him to come." "He wrote in his letter about our tradition of hospitality." "And this is the sample we give him?" "What we have to do now is wipe away from his heart the feeling of hurt that our behavior must have caused him tonight." "" " Will you tell me something?" "" " What?" "Did you ever imagine that he had spent half his life in this fashion?" "Not in the least." "An amazing life with extraordinary experiences." "It was a learning experience listening to him." "But at the same time, it somehow took him further away from me." "An uncle is someone you can warm up to, someone who loves and spoils you." "But in his case, what I feel for him is reverence and respect." "You know what the problem is?" "So much knowledge has certainly opened up his mind, but his heart has perhaps not opened up as much." "You can't become a savage even if you try." "If you could, you would have automatically felt closer to him." "It is too late for that now." "But in the next few days, we have to break away his hurt." "First and foremost, he is our guest." "It is criminal to have hurt him." "You can address him as uncle, you know." "I have no objection." "If it comes from my heart, I surely will." "But I won't be forced into being a hypocrite." "What's this?" "Listen!" "" " What is it?" "" " He's gone." "His room is empty." "What?" "His belongings are all gone." "Just left this key." "This is just what I feared." "What shall we do now?" "" " Wait a moment." "Let me connect the dots." "Should we inform the police?" "Get me the phone directory." "Who will you call?" "The person whom my sixth sense is suggesting." "Get me the book." "Who is it?" "The main door was found open, babu." "" " When did you find out?" "" " An hour ago." "I couldn't tell you because your door was closed." "It's all right." "You can go now." "Ma!" "Dadu's room is empty, Ma." " l know, dear." "" " Where has he gone?" "I don't know." "What's that?" "Bolpur, direct dialing number." "You have Sital babu's number, right?" "Then you call him." "What will I say?" "Listen carefully." "First ask him if he is the executor of your grandfather's will." "If the answer is yes, then ask him if your uncle has a share in it, and whether that money is kept with him." "If the answer is yes, then the last question is, has he informed your uncle of this fact?" "If the answer to that is yes, too, then tell him we will reach his place by around 1 :30 or 2:00 p.m." "We'll eat on the way, so there's no need to arrange for food." "Now call him." "Come, dear." "Come." "Are you doing well, child?" "" " Hasn't he come?" "" " He has." "The train arrived more than an hour ago." " ls he not around?" "" " Come in, I will explain." "You told me on the phone that he's a little temperamental." "My observation is that he's much more than "a little"." "I saw him last in 1 955." "Have a seat." "I used to carry him to the zoo in my arms." "Where has he gone?" "He's had nothing to eat since morning." "I asked him to at least have lunch." "He refused." ""A cup of tea?" "No."" "Then why come all the way?" "We meet after so many years." "is it only to be a cold monetary transaction?" "Or isn't that required, either?" "" " What did he say to that?" "He said, "No, that is required." "I'm here for a few days." "I'll return from here directly to board the flight in Calcutta." "So I have a couple of days." "There is no hurry."" "And anyway, today is Sunday and the bank is closed." "Nothing can be done before tomorrow morning." "Then where is he right now?" "" " Have you visited Shantiniketan before?" " l have." "Before I was married." "Three times." "There is a Santhal village close by." "It is called Baner Pukur." "That's where he has gone." "He said he spent time there before leaving the country." "I have no understanding of what special attraction it holds for him." "He comes back after so many years." "He has seen so many countries." "One would expect him to sit down a while and talk about his experiences." "And you know the funniest thing?" "Imagine this, before touching my feet, he took out the passport from his pocket and showed me that he is indeed Manomohan Mitra." "Since we've come in search of him, let's try and see if we can find him." "Very well." "And if you find him, just grab him and bring him back here." "We'll do that." "By the way, I hope he's in his right mind..." "" " Yes, of course." " l mean, it's a lot of money." "I've been sitting on guard over it for the last 20 years." "500 thousand rupees. imagine how much it has become in 20 years." "No, you don't need to worry at all." "He is of perfectly sound mind." "Let's go." "You there!" "Will you bring a charpoy and put it out here?" "I'm expecting visitors." "There!" "There is Great--uncle!" "Come." "Have a seat." "Why did you do this?" "To go away without a word?" "I was feeling very restless." "I'm extremely penitent for what happened last night." "You know, the truth is I've gotten used to being amongst simple people." "If I find someone being obnoxious I cannot restrain myself." "You haven't even eaten since morning." "We have come to take you back." "Come with us." "I will not go now." "Fasting for half a day will do no harm." "There will be dancing this evening." "I've arranged for it." "I will go after watching the dance." "You'll watch it, too." "The Kols are the oldest aboriginal tribe in India." "The Santhals are related to the same tribe." "1 50 years back they had risen in rebellion against the British." "You'll return to Calcutta, won't you, to our house?" "Since you have come, I certainly will." "But not today." "By the evening train tomorrow." "I have some work here tomorrow morning." "You're coming into some money, aren't you?" "Yes. lt is true." "Why didn't you share such good news with us?" "There was a reason for that." "I felt that since I never carried out my filial duties towards my father, I have no right to enjoy his property, either." "Later, I felt it is a large sum of money." "And since father left it to me out of affection..." "Why are you standing?" "Sit down, please." "Now breathe in the fresh air." "No more talk." "" " Are you enjoying it, dear?" "" " Yes, I am." "Why are you watching from the sidelines?" "" " Shall I?" "" " Of course." "You see what your niece is up to?" "I was very suspicious about whether she's really my niece." "Not anymore." "Keep my suitcase as a memento, then." "I grew very attached to it." "Why did you have to " "Because one has to be civilized about some things in life." "Very well." "Your word is law." "And these?" "Do you need all of these notebooks?" "Those are my field notes, dear." "I've already thrown away the ones I have no further need for." "Fine, I'll put them in." "You'll have to pay for excess baggage." "After all, you're a millionaire now." "We had all settled on coming to the airport with you." "You may have settled on it." "But you might go there and find that the flight is delayed by eight hours." "Then I'll feel unsettled." "The sun and the moon follow the clock, but the airlines don't." "Take the suitcases down." "The suitcase keys." "Satyaki, dear." "Good things come to those who wait." "And here is the good thing." "Here you go." "This was made 1 500 years ago by the people who eat armadillo meat." "" " Say "thank you." " " No!" "There is no better thank you than that smile." "Come, dear." "Oh, I haven't shared something with you yet." "I've written a book, a sort of travelogue." "An American publisher is bringing it out." "They've given me a handsome advance on it, so to speak." "" " Then you're a rich man now." " indeed." "You will write to us, won't you?" "No one can say what I will do, once I am back in my element." "" " At least to say you've arrived safely." "" " That I will do." "Now, for my final responsibility." "What is it?" "There is a word for it in English, you know." "Floccinaucinihilipilification." "Oh, yes. I remember it from school." "Do you remember the meaning?" "No, not really." "29 letters to convey this meaning." "If that is not civilization, then what is?" "Let me leave first." "You can open it later." "I feel embarrassed if someone reads something I've written in front of me." "They are just a few lines addressed to your hospitality..." "Satyaki, dear." "Now chhot--dadu is going to run off again." "Won't you ever come back?" "Next time you will come to see me." "And what is the one thing you promised never to become?" "" " Kupamanduka." "" " And don't you forget it." "Well then, dear." "I made terrible mistakes, Uncle." "Please forgive me." "You made mistakes?" "Don't I know what a difficult test I put you through?" "But there was a reason for it, dear." "What can you know from a passport?" "Match the name and match the face." "But you can't really get to know the person." "You need time to be able to do that." "We needed that time." "is the tradition of touching the feet common amongst the savages?" "Not that I know of." "Then if I leave out the feet--touching, and instead... I will take leave of you now." "Wait." "Don't you want to find out what Uncle has written?" "Oh, Anila, this is addressed to you." "A poem." ""Of bloodlines, one cannot escape the snare" "For the blessed niece and her care" "The uncle leaves his share."" "What is this?" "It's made out to me." "And there's Sital babu's signature." "Don't you see?" "He transferred his entire share over to you." "Mr. "No one"?"