"Presented by the West Bengal Government" "Based on the novel by Bibhutibhushan Banerji" "PATHER PANCHALI" "Horihor, the father:" "Kanu Banerji" "Shorbojoya, the mother:" "Karuna Banerji" "Durga, the daughter:" "Uma Das Gupta" "Apu, the son:" "Subir Banerji Auntie Indira:" "Chunibala" "Photography by Subrata Mitra" "Music by Ravi Shankar" "Script and direction by Satyajit Ray" "Who is that?" "That child!" "We won't have any fruit left." "Auntie." "The orchard is private property, bought and paid for." "It will have to be fenced in if we're to save any fruit." "There are so many thieves about." "That wretched girl of Hori's." "She's always taking our fruit." "You have to keep your eyes peeled for her." "I just saw her taking a guava and who knows what else?" " Tell her off." " What's the use?" "She'll take no notice of me, she's not my daughter." "It doesn't matter what we say, it's up to her mother." "The mother will be shocked when she's shamed before the village." "That child is being badly brought up." "Can I help?" " It's too heavy for you." " I can manage." "Did I forget you, Durga?" "Wait." "Come here." "She's doing no harm, let her stay." "Why should she watch you eat?" "Run along to your mother, dear." "Did you take something from Mrs. Mukherji's garden?" "What are you hiding?" "Take them back to her." "Then come back and sweep the yard." "You're spoiling Durga." " I don't understand." " You do." "You eat the fruit." "The fruit Durga brings you." "You should know better, shouldn't you?" "You think you can do as you please, living with us." " I know you." " What do you mean?" "You know." "Don't you take things from the kitchen?" "Oil, salt, chillies." "Shall I look in your box?" "Lost your tongue?" "It's got to stop." "Maybe you'd better go somewhere else" "I've stood it for eight years, my patience is exhausted." "You spoil my daughter and I get the blame for it." "It's too much in my old age." "Where are you going?" "Auntie." "Leave her alone, Durga." "Did you hear me?" "What else did I tell you to do?" " Where have you been, Auntie Indir?" " I was staying with Raghu." "Then this morning I heard that Hori has..." "On my way I found this child coming to fetch me." "So we met." "Go and see your lovely new nephew." "Let me see his face properly." "What a little darling." "What are you cooking?" "Pilau, korma... fine dishes." "One day you shall cook them, or have you forgotten how?" "I've forgotten." "A pity, I thought we might celebrate our son's birth." " What about money?" " I shall start work next month." "Landlord Ray has promised a job, doing his accounts." "Did you ask about pay?" "No, but I shan't slave as a rent collector for ever." "The money from that job and the fees for religious ceremonies will keep the family going for now." "Surely you can understand that." "Lucky January: the boy was born and you got a job." "That's why I think we should spend a little and celebrate his birth in style." "It's good for our prestige, and people will praise your cooking." " Will you be paid regularly?" " Why not?" "Ray is a good man." "You're no judge of that, you've always been cheated." "What do you mean?" "What about our garden?" "They said my brother owed them money when he was alive." "The garden paid off the debt." "If we had the orchard now we wouldn't go hungry." "You should hear what they say when Durga takes a few guavas." "What do such people matter?" "I am a scholar." "Who cares about that here?" "Listen to what I have in mind." "I am going to write original plays and poems." "I'll soon be in great demand." "The travelling players need new material." "Most writers are merely rehashing old stories." "If their stuff is popular shouldn't my stuff be even more popular?" "Of course." "And as a scholar you'll be respected in the village." "And you will teach the boy." "It's not long to the festival." "A good match will be found for Durga." "We'll have two good meals a day and new clothes twice a year." "That's how it will be, my ancestors were writers, after all." "I keep alive the family tradition." "In two years we'll be living in comfort, free of debt." "The house will be repaired..." "and no more spinach every day." "Wake up, Apu, it's time to go to school." "Durga, wake Apu" "I can't make him stir." "There's not much milk, do you feed the cow properly?" "How many more times must you moisten your duster?" "Sit down!" " What do you want?" " Puffed rice, please." "Hand over the money, then." "You've netted a fine catch." "How many pupils now?" "The new boy makes nine." "The nine gems." "What are you laughing at?" "Go on like that and you'll end up behind a plough." " You were saying, sir?" " Have you seen any good plays?" "I did see one company." "Gupe, what are you doing?" "The next village has booked a very good company" "I'll thrash you." "They thought they'd be one up on us, but they reckoned without me" "I've booked the finest company anyone's ever seen." "May I have some of your oil?" "I've not put you down for a contribution but I'm sure you won't forget my needs." "Don't forget your friend Boidyonath." "Wait, Mr. Chakrabarti." "The drummer of the company sounds like thunder." "Sude, come here and bring your slate with you." "Bring me his slate." "So this is what you've been up to." "Hold out your hand." "What are you doing?" " What are you doing in the kitchen?" " Nothing." "Nothing?" "Didn't I see you take something?" "I have no chillies, so I thought I'd take a couple." "Why didn't you ask?" "Durga, come and help me when you are free." "Girls of your age should help about the house, cooking, washing up performing religious rites." "Is it right to skylark about all day?" "You must learn to cook, mustn't you?" "Are you feverish again today?" "Remember to drink your herbal tincture." " I'm hungry." " Haven't you had your puffed rice?" "There is rice for you in the bowl ask Durga to give you some." "Help me up." "My back is stiff." " How are you these days?" " Who cares about an old woman?" "Just look at this." " It's my shawl for the evenings." " I'll buy you a new one soon." "Can I have a light?" "We can't afford so much tobacco." "Did you ask for your pay today?" "Landlord Ray has his own troubles." "I might risk my job if I ask now." "There must be other jobs in the town." "You haven't been paid for three months." "It's the first time." "You're happy to let things slide." "Durga has not been well, she needs medicine and better food." "Apu needs new clothes, he's going to school in rags." "The house needs repairing, debts must be repaid." "We owe Mrs. Mukherji five rupees, she'll press for repayment." "You must do something." "You won't tell mother?" "She'll hear you." "The sweet-seller." "Halva, fudge, coconut cakes." "Ask father for money." "You ask." "Is he asking for money?" "Don't pander to him." "None today?" "Let's follow him to the others." "Let me see what you've got." "Coming to play with us, Durga?" "Coming?" "If not, go home, I'll be back soon." "Like a sweet, Durga?" "Don't give them any." "If they want sweets, they should buy their own." "Tunu, come and play." "What lovely beads." " Who gave them to you?" " Father." "Let me help you." "What have things come to, when an old woman has to patch her shawl?" "Durga, come here." "You know it's time to do your hair." " Can you plait four strands?" " Don't move your head." "Ranu can." "What dry hair, and we have no oil." "Never mind four-stranded plaits." "Some people are coming to see if Ranu is a suitable bride." "Who are they?" "Ever seen a train?" "Don't lie." "Do you know where the railway line is?" "Over the big meadow, beyond the rice fields." "Let's go there." "Now write the word... wealth." "Were you good at school?" "You're so tiny, do the other boys tease you?" "I'm not surprised he's left it." "He gets nothing but rice, but what else can I afford?" "Wash your face." "Where's Durga?" "Shall I fetch her toy-box?" "She's not well brought up." "What has happened?" "Durga has stolen Tunu's beads." "Don't look astonished, she is an accomplished thief." "Her father bought the beads in town." "Tunu showed Durga." "This morning the beads had vanished." "Durga hasn't been back, anyway, are you sure she took them?" "Are you suggesting we've invented it?" " The string could have broken." " It didn't." "We've searched everywhere." "Did you take Tunu's beads?" "Didn't you?" "She's a liar." "Where do you suppose she got that fruit?" "What's the matter?" "What's going on?" "The garden isn't ours, it's wrong to take the fruit." "But how can you accuse her of stealing something bought for money?" "She's a child." "Fruit has no name on it." "Listen to that!" "The rupees I lent you had no name on had they?" "When will you pay them back?" "I can't wait forever." "When you find the beads I hope you'll return them." "Our fruit disappears." "I complain and the mother says:" "Suppose the children take it, fruit has no name on it." "Like mother, like daughter:" "a pair of thieves." "Come here." "Tell Durga to come in for her meal." "Then came an ogress, hobble, cackle, gobble." ""I smell humans!" "Who is awake in my temple?"" "Iue Lotus Prince kept guard while Red Lotus Prince slept." "And at midnight the ogress came once more." "Hobble, cackle, gobble." ""Who is awake in my temple?"" "Father's home." "Give mother the fish." "Put it down." "Come here, I have lots to tell you." "No matter what people say landlord Ray is a good man." "My three months' wages." "First I will say evening prayers, then I have much to tell you." "Today I met a rich farmer." "I don't know him but he greeted me and said my father knew him." "He said my father officiated as a priest in his household." "Now he wants me to perform the same duties." "They're having a religious ceremony next month." "He wants me to baptise them." " They are rich." " Have you agreed?" "If I agree straight away, they'll think we are starving." "Accept at once." "The trouble is that some people will criticize if they know." "Who will know?" "You might talk, you know what women are like" "I have better things to do with my time." "Don't be upset." "The client won't run away." "I mustn't seem over-eager, he can wait until after the festival." "We'll manage on my wages until then." "The children need new clothes and Auntie needs a shawl." "We owe Mrs. Mukherji five rupees." "We'll have to pay all that out of the wages." "And the repairs?" "We have survived the monsoon." "The repairs must wait, but I'll get estimates." "Something must be done to the kitchen." "Don't worry." "Kitchen, walls, roof, everything will be done." "How many days to the festival?" "Twenty-one." "Did you take Tunu's beads?" " Do you know who did?" " No." "Go to sleep" "I have another idea for a play." "I might be able to write it in a week." "You once lived in Benares, did you have friends there?" "I had a few." "Isn't there a place by the river where men recite from the scriptures?" "It's called Dasasvamedh Ghat." "Let's go to Benares." "Don't the orators earn lots of money?" "We can't go." "How can we?" "This is my ancestral home, how can I leave it?" "Why not?" "You were away eight years before." "You left me at my father's and never wrote." "Then I did not know how sweet you are." "Save your compliments." "This is my home, too." "But look at it: it's like living in the forest." "At night the jackals prowl around." "There are no neighbours I can talk to." "You are not always here and sometimes I'm so depressed." "You won't understand these things." "You live in your work." "Sometimes you're paid, sometimes not" "I had dreams, too, of all the things I would do." "Those who came before are gone." "I am left behind, a penniless beggar." "Day draws to its close, night's mantle descends." "Row me across to the other side." "Hurry with the twigs, this wood is too damp to light." "A new shawl, Auntie?" "How nice." "What a lovely shawl, Auntie." "Raju gave it to me, to keep me warm in the evenings." "We're having a picnic, please cook something." "Why is it never her turn to go and fetch things?" "What's the matter?" "What's that shawl?" "It's a present from Raju." "A present, was it?" "You didn't ask?" "Why should I?" "I just remarked that the evenings were chilly, so he said..." "Would he feed you, too?" "Don't be angry." "I did ask Hori for a shawl." "And as he couldn't give it to you at once, you went begging." "You should be ashamed." "Can't an old woman have whims?" "Whims?" "Don't you realize that the children often go hungry?" "Are you going to dress and feed them?" "If you're staying here, stop begging, otherwise, go away." "I can always find somewhere else to go." "Fine!" "Take yourself off." "You'd better go, you can't stay here any longer." "It's lovely, your husband will enjoy your cooking." " When is the wedding?" " I've forgotten." "I know when." "It's in two months, isn't it?" " What does it feel like?" " Much the same." " Tell me." " You'll find out." "It won't happen to me, I just know it won't." "Your mother is arranging a match, just wait and see." "Raju, are you at home?" " Who is it?" " Your old auntie." "I wonder whether you can take me in, just for a few days?" "Only a few days." "I get no peace at the other place, nothing but nagging." "Come in." "Tell your mother that Auntie has come to stay." "Bring her a chair and a bowl of water" "I've nowhere to go now I'm old, so I thought of you." "Beware, King!" "If you utter those words again I shall cut out your tongue and throw it to the jackals and the dogs!" "And I shall destroy you, for the good of the world!" "Father, do not do it, I beseech you!" "Durga, go and find the calf." "Please tie this on for me." "Apu, let's look for Auntie." "I want you to find the calf first." "What's that?" "Who gave you the silver paper?" " He's been at my toy-box." " You're too old for a toy-box now." "He took my silver paper." "Go and find the calf." "Stupid!" "Dressing up as a prince." "Anyone at home?" "Why have you come back?" "I'm not feeling very well." "I'd like to spend my last days in the old home." "What's the old home to you?" "The best thing you can do is leave." "Just a minute." "What are you waiting for?" "Let me rest here awhile." "Sister-in-law, have you gone to sleep?" "Will you give me some water?" "Your bowl is there, help yourself." "Sit down." "Eat it." "Where are we?" "What are those?" "Those who came before are gone" "I am left behind Row me across to the other side." "Day draws to its close, night's mantle descends." "Will you be away for long?" "About a week." "I'll call at Bistupar on the way back." "It's a good market town, something may turn up there." "Look, there's father." "Ask him for some money." "Put the cat down and go and buy some molasses." "Apu wants rice pudding, he's been asking for it for days." "A letter!" "Give it to me" "I arrived here yesterday." "The rich farmer has lost two sons so a ceremony is out of the question now." "But don't worry." "I'll try to earn money for the repairs and then I'll return home." "Do not worry." "Whatever God wills is for the best Give my love to Durga and Apu." "Charity, lady." "Alms, good mother." "Bless you." "One day you will be goddess of wealth." "Why didn't you tell me?" "You can't go on like this, why didn't you tell me?" "After all, we're not strangers." "Every day I hope there will be some news." "It never comes." "Five months now without news, without letters." "Let Durga come with me, I'll give her something to tide you over." " Don't be silly." " I can't take it" "I feel so ashamed." "A letter!" "No doubt you are worried because I have not written for months." "Anyway, I have good news:" "I have been able to earn money." "I shall be returning home soon." "Whatever God wills is for the best." "Holy Pond, Flower Garland, who prays here at noon?" "I, fortunate sister of my brothers." "Mother Goddess, counsel me, I know not how to pray." "May I live in happiness with my husband." "Mother Goddess, grant me this boon." "Rain, rain, go away..." "Any news of Hori?" "He says he will be back this month." "Why is he away so long?" "Have you any sago?" "I can let you have some." "If the fever continues to increase, apply cold compresses." "No cause for alarm, just see that she doesn't get another chill." "We'll go and see the train when I'm better, shall we?" "We'll have a good look next time" "Durga is worse, can you come?" "Sweep the yard." "I'm going to look at Durga." "Fetch my husband, say I asked him to come." " Is Durga asleep?" " Yes." "Run along, dear." "Mother sends these vegetables." "I'll put them here." "It would fall while I was away." "Couldn't it have waited?" "How are you?" "Are the children out?" "Where are you going now?" "I've brought some presents." "I'd have come earlier, if I could." "My luck turned at Ranaghat, at long last." "See what I bought in the market there a pastry-board and rolling pin." "A picture of Goddess Lakshmi, which you asked me to get." "A new sari for Durga." "After this last year I have no affection for the old home." "I don't know what we would have done if you and your husband hadn't helped us." "If we had done more, perhaps you would have stayed." "It's not your fault, it's just our bad luck." "Other people live here quite happily" "I hope you'll settle down in the new place." "These fell in the storm, I thought you'd like them for the journey." "How kind." "It's only a few mangoes." "I've done nothing for you in the past." "You're really going tomorrow?" "Yes." "Perhaps we should have told you before." "Never mind." "I think that leaving here is a good idea." "Everyone should make a move once in a while." "Staying in one place makes you mean, it's done that to me." "I'd like to go away, too, I'll see what my husband says." "Don't put yourself out on my account" "I've been confined to bed for over a month so I couldn't come to see you" "I'm told you're moving to Benares, is that so?" "Yes, we're leaving at dawn tomorrow." "You're going tomorrow?" "Think for a moment, is this a wise decision?" "You are Rajkestra's son, Tarkalankar's grandson." "Your family has lived here for generations." "We village elders still exist." "You could have asked our advice." "Would that have helped?" "Look at the house, I haven't the means to repair it." "Perhaps I should have asked for your help but how long could that last?" "I have been saddled with debts for fifteen years." "My hopes of clearing them by selling some furniture came to nothing" "I wanted to be a writer, now my manuscripts are worm eaten." "I hoped to educate my boy, but it was not to be." "And the girl... she is at rest." "Sometimes it is necessary to leave the ancestral home." "In town I may earn a little reciting from the scriptures"