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We Also Own the Night
We Also Own the Night
We Also Own the Night
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We Also Own the Night

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With 40 years of experience in a laboratory he knew its ins and outs, aspirations of the people who worked there, their fights, love and malice. But he writes without his involvement in the affairs of the people, though he has observed them from very close quarters. "We Also Own The Night" is the first novel of a new author from India but already a best seller, appreciated by main publishers in the UK. It is wonderful to go through and you will love it.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateNov 15, 2011
ISBN9781456788995
We Also Own the Night

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    We Also Own the Night - K HariVansh

    CHAPTER ONE: DR. RAV’S STORY

    The Director at the Laboratory was standing near a big pile of small and big pieces of stones and was sort of surprised to see such a large one, about 4-5 inches in diameter. It could not have been possible by itself; naturally with a purpose some body would have collected these stones and to do some sort of mischief a little later.

    Times have been bad since a young man Navjot had landed in the Laboratory. When the higher-ups asked the new Director, he did not know about him and he said he did not have any objections the chap was moves to his Laboratory. A lot of water had flown in the Holy Yamuna River since the new Director was at the capital working in another Laboratory over there and he had been here, in Gwalior town for more than 10 years now. After completing his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the famous and very prestigious Banaras University he got his appointment in Delhi and only in a few years he considered himself very lucky when he got the jobs here and there was no problems. He had a good support of his peers and the colleagues were very cooperative; they were very reputed in their field and of course did not have any thing to do with the civic matters but they did not care for this and did not worry as the things were moving very smoothly.

    As far as his competence was concerned Navjot had completed his Master of Computer Application (MCA) from a reputed Institute with flying colours after passing his B.Sc. with a top position in the University in the Examination; now he was holding the position of Scientist B which was equivalent of a Deputy Collector in the civilian set up. His interview was listless as they say, and there was nothing to ask as his credentials were very high and there was no police report which was mandatory.

    The only thing which came out was he was son of a prominent party leader which was in power in the state of UP and the schooling was in the small town of Orai near Lucknow the capital of the UP State but went to the big town of Delhi where he had his later education. Navjot was the only son of his advocate father but brother to six sisters who had been married by now. But this is in fact irrelevant to the concerns of this story.

    Being from a small town, Orai he was a little foolish and lethargic because of his moorings and during his childhood and later as well being pestered by his dear and near people with unlimited affection from his parents and sisters as well.

    Previous few days were eventful for the new Director and he was a little worried because of impending disaster which he foresaw. Navjot was in fact indulging in some mischief and just to instigate him some staff members also started feeding him about wrong and unhappier incidents of the previous period before he landed in the Laboratory. At least one officer who had created a lot of fuss some 10 years back and was instrumental in involving few of the court cases against some of the senior officers who were close to the earlier Director of the Laboratory. In fact the previous director had to be literally pushed of the Laboratory because of some misdemeanor. There was a lot at stake as far as the reputation of a National level Laboratory was concerned

    By the time the new Director took over the reins of the Laboratory the situation had been so vitiated to the extreme and it took the best of his intelligence and maneuvering skill to bring it to the normalcy until he could guide the Laboratory to his advantage. In this effort he had to lean on some of the senior level officers indeed who had been inactive in the earlier fiasco and had nothing to do and helped him to deliver the goods. He had to later award them with plum assignments and some small jobs as well both in kind and character.

    Dr. D.K. as he was well known in the Laboratory came to his office and was immediately reported upon by his Personal Assistant (PA) of the Director.

    ‘Yes?’

    ‘I am Harry. Director wants you to come over to this place.’

    ‘Any thing amiss?’

    ‘You shall know when you meet him.’

    ‘O. K. I am on my way.’ He said. He put the telephone on its cradle and left message with his staff about his whereabouts as he always did so.

    By the time he reached Director’s office, many of the senior officers had been informed and most of them barring a few (perhaps some absentees) had gathered around. There were two dozen of them, apart from the Administrative officer and the security officer.

    The Security officer was of course on his routine round of the premises, the whole area was about 150 acres and there were a couple of buildings in the Laboratory area except the Directo’s block which was positioned nearest to the Gate office where the security office was situated for obvious reasons. Very soon he was also located by the PA of the Director and the message conveyed to report at the Director’s office. On his way his footman was met by him who told him about the urgency of his visit to the Director‘s place as told by the PA.

    ‘Tell him, I am on my way.’

    ‘Yes, Sir.’

    Col was a tall man, very fair in complexion, a man from the Northern part of the country; he was presently looking after the production job if any to be started in colaboration with the trade as they planned and he was looking after the job of security officer of the Laboratory also.

    Gopi was sitting in his chamber when a lean and thin young man came along with Dr. Chandra, his immediate senior colleague.

    Chandra said, ‘Meet Navjot, he has joined the Laboratory today only, he belongs to Orai and luckily got his transfer here to be near his home town.’

    ‘Welcome.’

    He was the chap, a very thin man who as if he did not eat properly and his big teeth, like the Dravidians showed on the face prominently, though he was a fair coloured young man by complexion but there was nothing of note in his demeanor.

    ‘Thanks. I did my post graduation in computer science and I felt this Laboratory was good for me.’

    ‘You will be happy here.’

    ‘I hope so.’ He smiled. But nothing showed by his face, it was a listless smile.`I belong to UP State.’

    ‘We all have come from UP only.’ Dr. Chandra said. ‘Ya?’ ‘I came here to this town, some 10 years back.’ ‘So you are my respected sir.’ ‘By the way, one gets respect if one behaves that way.’ Gopi laughed. ‘I know. That is obvious.’ He again smiled. `But why did you say that?’ ‘Just, matter of fact way.’ ‘I understand that.’ Then he said, ‘Why we don’t go to the canteen; we shall meet others?’

    ‘That is good.’

    ‘Many of us are from UP state only.’

    ‘It is obvious; Agra and Kanpur are not far off.’

    ‘I know.’

    ‘Of course at the lower staff level they will be locals only.’

    ‘I know.’

    Dr. Chandra asked, ‘You had your schooling in…’

    ‘Orai only, later I went to Delhi.’

    ‘Delhi has more opportunities.’

    ‘I know.’

    Presently they were sitting on the chairs of the wet canteen, situated in a building with two big halls and some space for cooking. It was known as such since tea and some snacks were being served and only recently they started thali (plate) for full diet which was costing only ten rupees. `It is subsidized,’ Gopi said to Navjot.

    ‘I know.’

    Gopi said, ‘I have been to Orai some 25 years back. My cousin Girishbhai had been in the D.V. College. It was his first appointment, after doing his M.Com. I was met with him and his pretty wife, Jyoti. They were very young at that time. Girishbhai was very affectionate to every body and was very popular teacher. I remember Jyoti had done her M.A. in Sanscrit, from Allahabad; of course she was my distant relation and while in Allahabad off and on we have been meeting. I knew the family.’

    ‘I know he went the Bareilly College later and moved to Badayun where he was Head of Department of Sociology.’

    ‘I know.’

    ‘I think he would have been retired from service.’

    ‘I know.’

    ‘I used to meet him in Bareilly, since my father was posted there for three years, during the time Girishbhai also was posted in Bareilly.’

    ‘Oh?’

    ‘Ya. He was a lover of good music and sang the celebrated songs of K.L. Sehgal, especially ‘Diya Jalao,’ which was his pet song. During my visit to Orai at that time he arranged for a Musical Evening, a concert at his house which had a big hall. It was highly successful, I remember.’

    They saw the canteen was full of people; it was tea time and lunch in a thali would have to be served by the canteen staff between 1230 hrs and 1400 hours. Navjot said, ‘why don’t they segregate officers and staff?’ He looked unimpressed by unruly crowd many of which were shouting at the height of their vocal chords.

    ‘Yes. It is very unusual, why are they shouting? I don’t understand!’

    ‘It is unusual.’

    ‘I know. But it is usual, it is every day affair.’

    Then Chandra saw, Satish, the in-charge of the canteen

    ‘I believe you are planning a really good block for the canteen? Wider rooms separate kitchen and officers to sit in a different space.’

    ‘That has to be done. Do you hear so much noise? Some times I feel not to come here.’ Gopi expressed his opinion.

    ‘So you are on the job?’

    ‘Yes. Presently it is on the recee stage and may be we could start the Works some time in March and so in about 7-8 months the building could be inaugurated once it is handed over to us by the builders. We would have separate kitchen for cooking meals as well.’

    ‘So by October we can have the new one.’

    Navjot said, ‘Let us see.’

    Satish was shocked to hear the tone, he said, ‘May I know who is the gent?’

    ‘Oh, I have to introduce you. He is Mr. Navjot, he has joined today.’

    ‘Oh! Glad to see you.’

    Though he did not look like one, his face showed it.

    ‘So you have joined today? This was BP as he was known, his full name was Baldev Prasad, but every body called him by his short name, BP only.

    There was one more quality in him. He knew every thing. Rather he would say, interspersing in between, `I know’ which was his takhalus or a pet phrase.

    ‘I came yesterday but went to the admin people to get the formalities done.’ Navjot said.

    ‘I know; it takes some time. You know the drill.’

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘What else you know?’ He laughed.

    ‘Why are you talking like this?’

    ‘Nothing; to irritate you, dear!’

    `OK.’

    ‘Yes, dear.’

    They thought the environment may turn bad to worse but was controlled well in time.

    Satish perhaps to irritate him, saidto Navjot, ‘we have control access system, so without a proper gate pass you may not be able to the Laboratory.’

    ‘I know. The process of getting the pass is on, and I may get the pass within three days, the gate-in-charge said.’

    ‘I think in less than three days you may get the pass.’

    ‘I know.’

    ‘What else do you know?’

    ‘Many things, more I will know as we proceed.’ He laughed.

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘That is true.’

    ‘Yes.’

    BP always knew every thing; every time you meet him you will be surprised how much he knew.

    He will say, ‘I know.’

    ‘I know.’

    They all laughed, ‘I know.’

    By this time tea things were finished and they started leaving the canteen premises.’

    ‘See you later.’

    ‘Thanks.’

    ‘Where do you work?’ Satish asked him.

    Navjot said, showing his big teeth which looked ugly when he spoke, ‘I am presently on the look out.’

    ‘What is your opinion of the other Laboratory you came from?’

    ‘It is fine. Every one of them is so nice.’

    ‘Still you came here?’

    ‘My commitments to my family. They are in Orai.’

    ‘I understand.’ Gopi said. ‘Every body had to take it as such.’ That was the truth, indeed.

    Navjot said, ‘I hope this place will be better.’

    ‘It is the best, you will find.’

    He smiled.

    ‘I know.’ This was B.P., as always.

    On way back he was met with Varun, who asked, ‘How is every body?’

    ‘Fine. Meet Mr. Navjot. He has joined the lab a day back.’

    ‘Hello!’

    ‘How do you do?’

    ‘Fine.’

    ‘Have you met the Director?’

    ‘By the way I have not met with him so far. Is it necessary?’

    Varun looked towards the other side of the road. At the other end of the road his eyes were met with another fellow, who was calling him to come over.

    ‘Yes, I am coming.’ He said to him.

    Navjot, Chandra and Gopi went back to their room. It was a small room but good enough to seat three people, with well laid out plan and facilities for a senior officer and another two persons to occupy their seats. Well lit and amply endowed with equipments such as a computer and the like. It was an eyesore for those who did not have such things.

    On reaching his room Chandra started the Air-Conditioner and took his seat. He asked Gopi and Navjot also to be seated.

    ‘Well?’

    ‘Well, with today‘s work so far we have earned our salary.’

    They laughed.

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘Where do you propose to stay?’ They started small talk with Navjot who had landed in the Laboratory only yesterday.

    ‘I am in the guest house and I believe I can stay over there as long as I please.’

    ‘It is not like that. You can stay in the guest house at the discretion of the Director. You have to move out in 2-3 days. Of course it is at the discretion of the Director I say.’

    Satish was behind them and he entered this room and he said, ‘we are going to have a small period training course, so you have to vacate for the out-station-participants of the course. We need a lot of space, may be we book suitable accommodation in nearby hotels as well.’

    ‘Course?’ he asked. ‘I believe it is one week course to be arranged with some International Authority.’ ‘Oh!’ This was Gopi. ‘I did not know.’ ‘One should know the minimum so that one is not unnecessary worried.’ ‘I think you are correct.’ ‘Yes. I am always correct.’ Chandra said smiling.

    They laughed.

    But a little later they found Navjot found accommodation in the scientists’ hostel. It was a new entity, which had come up only recently. Perhaps they were planning to get built another block of Scientists’ hostel for the bachelors, both men and women. So in the next 1-2 years there would not be a need of new incumbents moving out to private premises, which may not be near the Laboratory and not so cozy and clean.

    Dr. Chandra, who was known as CP among all and sundry, said, ‘you know, in Delhi, there is a block called Habitat Centre on the Lodhi road, a sort of five star set up, with all the requisite facilities. It was built for programmes such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions, etc where the foreign delegates could participate and stay for a short while.Varun had been there a couple of times. An organization, some thing called Centre for Research for South East and African Countries, is based over there which thrives on funds created by the African and Asian Embassies I believe, to take care of their scientific aspirations, interests and of course hold the programmes.’

    ‘But they could not make our hostel like that. So good and such a big set up.’

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘I know.’ As usual BP said. He had just landed in the room where Chandra and others were having talk on small bits and the like.

    ‘Do you know where is it based?’

    ‘Of course in India.’

    ‘But where in India?’

    ‘In Mumbai of course.’ He said.

    BP was of course late entrant in the discussions and apparently did not know what it was all about.

    ‘So?’

    ‘It is fine.’

    Scientist’s hostel was well kept apartment block with a two storey façade; it had a set of two rooms, one of which served as the kitchen and facilities for two persons to live. One had to be accommodative to the other person how would be your flat partner, but as you were in the same Laboratory it was not expected some problem may crop up. Except living and food habits between different people coming from different ares of the country some problems may crop up initially. But no body is likely to cook as bachelor and would be using the community cook house for fooding and the like, and no difficulty should arise.

    While there were a couple of girls but they could live with other girls only, there were none married scientists living alone in the beginning. One Ms Modi continued to live alone as her spouse was in the Army and came over to stay with her only once in a while during the Annual leave if so required. For example while she was in the family way after a year or so of their marriage. Observers felt there was a tremendous change in the appearance of Ms Modi and more so after she got to carrying, that was expected. In the advanced stage it was still all the more embarrassing for one or two of her colleagues. For example, once Gopi was requested by her to give a lift on his scooter, from the lab back to the hostel. Fortunately for him he was supposed to go to the market with his wife and so saying excused himself. Ms Modi took it to her heart perhaps because she never expected him to refuse and for many years subsequently she never took any obligation from him.

    Gopi was telling the story to some body, ‘I was sort of saved since to carry a woman with an advanced stage like she was in was very embarrassing to me while the woman was not my wife!’

    Same day he had told his wife also, ‘I was sort of saved, you know!’

    ‘How was it?’

    He told her the request by Ms Modi.

    She laughed, ‘But you should have carried her back to this place, after all she was our neighbour for many years now.’

    ‘What are you talking? Ms Modi, you know, how she looks, she asked me to take her on the pillion back to the hostel. The onlookers would think it was my wife on the pillion!’

    ‘So what?’

    But this time Gopi did not reply.

    Later he found Ms Modi had arranged for a cycle rickshaw to come to the Laboratory and back. That was of course best for her, in that condition, indeed.

    A little later the Half Yearly project discussions were due to be held in the laboratory as a routine and she excused herself to be absent in the programme. She told her senior about her condition and permission to be sought from the Director to be absent and so that no body minded.

    The Director asked Dr. Chandra if she was absent and promptly informed of her condition.

    ‘She may be expecting in another 2-3 weeks.’

    ‘I did not ask you. Any way, no worry, you may present her work as well.’

    He stammered, ‘Sorry, sir, I will not be able to present her work.’

    He got an amused smile only; others were watching with centered attention. When no further discussions were there on the topic they proceeded with their topics.

    This talk was carried to every nook and corner of the Laboratory and the houses of the people. Kamesh was particularly interested and he wanted to know every thing about the issue.

    ‘But she was married only recently.’

    ‘So what?’

    ‘So what? What do you mean?’

    Her husband had been here a couple of times; they had a regular marriage followed by a formal reception in the Community Hall of the Colony before they went for their honeymoon as usual. This many people knew including Kamesh.

    ‘I think she was engaged in summer and got married later in winter. They had been absent for fairly longer periods at regular periods.’

    ‘I Know.’ It was BP as usual; he always knew every thing. He always had his smiling face.

    ‘I know.’

    ‘What do you know?’

    ‘Nothing.’

    ‘Her husband is presently posted here only. That is why they have arranged a regular cycle rickshaw for moving in and out.’

    ‘That must be comfortable for her now, and the best under the circumstances.’ ‘He is having a Maruti car.’ ‘Has he brought it here? ‘Of course.’ ‘So?’ ‘No problems for him.’

    Gopi was worried for a variety of reasons, so he came to Kamesh. Kamesh in general, was of short height even by Indian standards and less darkish than Gopi, who was of middle height but always wore a smiling face, to whom so ever he talked.

    ‘How is every thing?’

    ‘Fine.’

    ‘When is she expecting?’

    ‘Ask her husband.’

    ‘You don’t know?’

    ‘How could I know? What are you talking?’

    Kamesh some time stammered a little.

    ‘So, what next?’

    ‘Nothing, in particular.’ Then he said, ‘Navjot had been here for some time now.’

    ‘One thing I am just asking. Was he pushed out from the other Laboratory?’

    ‘Are you sure, he was pushed out?’

    ‘I know that.’

    ‘He stayed in the other Laboratory for less than a year. His home town is Orai, a small town near Kanpur.’

    ‘I know. Batra’s family lived there. Batra’s father and paternal aunt were killed in the anti-Sikh riots.I heard they were killed opposite the Gurdwara, their temple from where they were coming out after their prayers, by the rioters.’

    ‘Is it? Oh! I did not know this. Very shocking!’

    ‘Ya.’

    ‘Oh!’

    ‘His father had been here for a couple of times; our Batra, he had come to Gwalior after his transfer on promotion. Such a nice and simple fellow, his father. You know his name was Mr. Ram Lal.’

    ‘Unlike the Sikhs.’

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘Normally the Sikhs add a Singh to their names.’

    ‘That is true.’

    ‘I know Batra’s in-law’s live in Delhi, near the Filmistan cinema, in the Karol Bagh area, you know. I had been there once with Batra’s family.’

    ‘Sethi also used to stay in Karol Bagh area. You know his house number was 4/20.’

    ‘Any way, it was not 420.’ He laughed.

    ‘After some time Sethi moved to Lajpatnagar area, in Delhi, until he purchased the present house near the Kailash Colony. I think it is called Masjit Moth.’

    ‘Interesting.’

    ‘Ya.’

    ‘His wife is a Professor in a Degree College in Delhi itself, that is why he moved to Delhi from here, after his marriage in mid-seventies, though he came on transfer from Kanpur to this place.’

    ‘I know.’

    ‘They are fine people, very highly cultured and disciplinarian so to say. I met them at his house only last year.’

    ‘His father had a shop selling shoes in a posh area over there, called Juhi. I met them long back. You know myself and Sudhiyya studied with him in the same college, BNSD College. Of course after the death of his father, Sethi sold out every thing in Kanpur and moved ultimately to Delhi; he had to, after his marriage.’

    ‘Do you know once I taught in this College.’ He smiled, `for a day.’

    ‘How come?’

    ‘In fact I had done my M.Sc. and went for an interview at this college. In fact I had just landed from Barreilly where my father was in the state Govt job. In those days it was not a problem to get a job for Postgraduates. They said, ‘you join immediately.’ But I needed some time to find a place to live and rent a room or some thing of that sort. So I said I could come tomorrow and join the college.

    ‘They said, I mean the Management Committee which interviewed me said, ‘OK, do so and join tomorrow.

    ‘I came to the college the next day, but I found I had to take 5 periods of tutorials continuously. The class strength was more than 100 students and some of the students were taller than me and perhaps elder also to me. I was just a boy fresh from the Post Graduate College. It was my initial interaction with such students as far as teaching them was concerned, some of whom may have been failures for a long periods perhaps I imagine now.

    `I went to the Head of the Department and I asked him if I could do with some practicals but he said for practicals they already had Technical Assistants for that type of job. I was supposed to take teaching assignments only. Any way, he asked, ‘what was the problem?

    ‘I said, No problem.

    ‘But on the following I did not come to the College. In the morning I spotted a boy of my class and asked him if he could deliver my letter of my resignation to Mr. Bajpai Saab, the Head of the Department and he promised that he would do that. Having ensured that the letter of resignation would reach the correct gent, I moved to another School in the town, then known as Kanpur Inter College which was very near to my dwelling place, where fortunately I taught for one month only, until my father arranged for me a position at the CMP Degree College, in the city of Allahabad, where presently he was posted. So I could live with the whole family. Being a Director at the Public Institution he was very well acquainted with many people in the town so it was not difficult for him to fix me a place in this college. I joined this College and continued over there until the end of the session.’

    By this time Madhav Chatterji had joined the group and participated in the conversation. He said, smiling as always; (he was a fat little chap of medium height, somewhat darkish in complexion,)

    ‘Do you know I have studied in the C.M.P. Degree College in Allahabad?’

    ‘Oh! I did not know, until you just now mentioned.’

    ‘I was there in the year 66-68.’

    Gopi said, ‘Interesting. You know in the year 1959 I did my B.Sc. from the Ewing Christian College and after many years one of my students was Mr. Basant Singh. He was with me in the year 1957 in the B.Sc. class and became my student in the year 1962, when I had joined the CMP College as a lecturer in the Chemistry Department. In fact to start with he was a brilliant student in the B.Sc. Part one.But he belonged to a small kasba,(a bigger village, you may say) of nearby area. Of course B.Sc. being taught in the English language the tutorials could not be understood by him. Incidentally I remember one Professor Moran was teaching Mathematics, he was an English gentleman, and it was very peculiar. He will just tell the theorem in short without explaining the details and asked to complete the answer to the problem at home; he would ask the students the question the following day. He was indeed very unpopular, because we could not take his English and some times he was booed by the backbenchers.

    `After a few months he left as his term with the College was over, without completing the session and he went away to his native town in England, we came to know. A new teacher took over in his place, I remember. Those were the days.’

    Now he turned to Chatterji, ‘We had two Chatterjis in our division. The junior Chatterji, Mr Ajit had been with us since he joined us as Senior Assistant at Kanpur. He had worked with one renowned Professor at the National Sugar Institute of Kanpur, Dr. Ramaiyya.

    ‘He worked for two years with him on tugmalanga, a thick extract of some weed and could publish two very important research papers in the highly esteemed journal the J. of Chemical Society of America. Based on this work he got a scholarship in the USA and he went away without completing his Ph.D. work with Dr. Ramaiyya. He came back to India without completing his Ph.D. in USA as well and fortunately joined at the same Laboratory as Sen Assistant; that was very unusual we felt at that time. But he got a good chance when he became Senior Research fellow and joined the Laboratory at Gwalior as Sen Scientific Officer.

    ‘He was not mentally sound.

    ‘I heard he came out of the Regal Lodge he lived in, as a completely nude young man on the road.

    ‘That was quite unusual. He was staying in the Regal Lodge and two other our colleagues, Gyanendra and Pant were also staying there in the same lodge. They came to know what had happened and they rushed to the road and to save others from the embarrassment. He was shifted to his home town and a few years later came back all right to Gwalior as a married man to a girl to whom he had been betrothed while he was only one year old. The girl had been chosen in his childhood they say, by the grandparents. I believe there were no marriage proposals initially when he was normal.’

    Madhav said, ‘I heard some times such things happen in certain families.’

    In fact, Ajit’s father did not survive to see the marriage of his younger son, Ajit. Out of several children only the eldest child was married by his parents. This chap was in the Railways but his family as such was abnormal. Another sister married late at the age of 38 years but the youngest sister never married.

    Madhav again said, `I heard so about this family.’

    Gopi also seemed to remember Chatterjis. ‘I went to visit Ajit Babu at his residence and I was shocked to hear his wife was complaining, ‘He earns nothing. This much was my pocket money.’ Her father had been a manager in some private Company in Calcutta, she said. They used to have a car with a chauffer. She had another sister who had been married in a very rich family, so this was another grouse.’

    ‘I know this. All the fingers of the hand are not the same. So, one has to accept the fate.’

    ‘Her fate had been written by their grandfather.’ Madhav Chatterji laughed. Meanwhile Navjot had entered the room and promptly joined the conversation. ‘How is every thing?’ ‘Fine. How about you?’ Dr. Chandra asked him, `Settled now?’ ‘Yes. I will take some time to adjust to the circumstances.’ ‘Yes. I know. I believe you got accommodation in the Scientists’s hostel?’

    ‘Ya. By the way, who allots the place in the Hostel?’ Others listened but were alarmed.

    Many days later it was found that he had his own way of finding what is happening. He was quite smart to assess what others were doing and what some others did not, like in any outfit like the Laboratory. Not every body worked but they earned their salary without working and of course at the expense of who worked indeed! This was true even at the national level and this was indeed the tragedy of Indian science!

    When V.K. came to know of his analysis the news was spread like wildfire in the jungle and many came to discuss with him the problems and he became a problem solver so to say and sort of a hero for many of them. It appeared to him, that there were so many problems in the Laboratory and to him it appeared he had come here as a Messiah and without his help people were suffering. God had sent him here and he felt he was to gear up for the kill and how soon it could be possible was being watched by others who were sitting on the fence. But sort of Messiah had indeed come on the scene. For their problems he will get to any where and to do any thing he will do for the benefit of the people, he said.

    VK and Malik would come to him at any hour whether in the Laboratory or the Scientists’ hostel and it appeared he did not have any inclination to do the job he was assigned. Only thing was how to create certain conditions and how to go about them so that ultimately a situation of confrontation would be there so that the authorities are compelled to have a discussion on the table for bargaining. It may take some time but Navjot felt his chance would come soon to save them from the clutches of an oppressor.

    Malik had many axe to grind and he had been having confrontation at every stage of his career. He was like that only; he could not tolerate sub-ordination and many a times he was subjected to a crime without any involvement.

    VK had come some time back from Delhi; why he had come to a small Laboratory like the one at Gwalior was never clear, perhaps he was shunted out for some reason which did not come out.

    Kamesh had blood on his hands earlier; he was instrumental in creating a Union of the Staff to fight the atrocities of the erstwhile Director of the Laboratory and somehow because of the callousness of the later the Union was able to force him out of the Laboratory perhaps for the first time in the history of any Laboratory.

    He was assisted in this effort by Mr. Singh who had since retired from the service after attaining the age of superannuation as per the rules and had moved to his home town near Kanpur. He had of course some creditable work in the scientific domain with his immediate Boss Dr. RK, as Ram Kishore was always known, that he was once recommended for speed-up promotion as per procedure and because of this took over as an officer overlooking the prospects of many of his peers.

    Many years later when Nikhil had come to the Laboratory from Delhi, the situation had changed tremendously. He came courtesy Dr. Chandra otherwise he was well settled in Delhi. At Delhi he was very close to some body in the higher echelons of the Government and thus managed to visit the President House, known as Rashtrapati Bhawan for looking after the rose and other gardens in the vast land of the premises. It was quite well known that he was very close to the Director General of the Department of the time and over the years was getting accelerated promotions. He had a horticulture degree and later completed his Ph.D. on kagzi neebu (thin skinned lemon) in half the world from a very prestigious University of Kanpur.

    However when the Govt decided to move some scientists to implement certain policies decided by a committee to moot out some reforms he was one of the casualties. His transfer to this small town of Gwalior became a prestigious issue and sort of open challenge among the senior officers that he would not be moved and the Director General had to see that he moved. Ultimately that is what really happened.

    Nikhil used to live alone and it was known to those who were conversant with his conditions he would never be able to live with his family because of the exigencies of his joint family in the village to which he belonged in the Eastern part of the Uttar Pradesh state. They said his wife as illiterate and would not be able to cope with the problems of big towns. Some said, she was not very close to her husband and in fact the relations between them were not very cozy almost since the marriage which was solemnized while he was still studying at Kanpur for his Graduation degree and she was hardly ten years of age at the time of their marriage. As was wont in those areas the marriage was consummated many years later, after the girl came to the village for her Gona, or second coming and lived for a brief period of few months, with Nikhil as they say.

    In fact one of his well wishers said it was because she saw her husband had illicit relations with his elder brother’s wife and she had refused to come back to stay with him, as she had seen with her own eyes, the two persons in uncompromising position. It was natural that she had her own pride and so would never come back even after her Gona, several years after her actual marriage.

    Thus the life started as a forced bachelor for Nikhil and continued as such for many years and once in a while he probably visited some prostitutes with his so called friends who enjoyed at his expenses as he later remembered. Later it became clear his wife would not come back to him to live with him in Delhi since he was going to the bad women. It was in the fitness of things that the good lady would not come back and live with her husband in the big house that was allotted to him by the Govt authorities in the Lodhi Colony, although she remained as his lawfully wedded wife.

    As he passed his career at this small town every thing was shrouded in mystery and nothing came to light about the excursions of Nikhil and his local friends here. He was a good company and used to share his spare time after the office time with his group of people who enjoyed and sura (wine) would flow freely and sundari (a woman) would also be there and both at his expense, without doubt. While most of the other individuals were not affected by the so called vices Nikhil became sick and later when he was in his fifties more sickly. He was now always complaining about the friends who did not guide him at the proper time.

    In fact in the official or the personal parties it became an expected scene that he would create by becoming drunk and abusing every body including even senior officers, may be some times the Director as well if he was around, or if he tried to interfere in any way or talk in any way whether good or bad. Ultimately it was not possible for any body to give advice to him even if he was in sane or insane condition. Thus he became abuse to any body who may try to suggest some good thing. Most of the times he was not in his senses in such parties and if he was not he would try to show that he was out of his mind.

    This condition continued for some years but probably some good sense prevailed on him and it became clear to him that if he did not change his habits he would not survive. His pancrease had been damaged and it was only time and money and good timely diagnosis of his medical condition he was little controlled although he had to take several medicines round the clock, for BP, diabetis and Alzeimer disease,etc. Thus it became sort of a long ending process to save him from oncoming prospect of bad times if that came about.

    By this time as we said in the above a good sense prevailed and he called his only daughter from the village, his home town, who was around 26 years of age to come over and stay with him in the sprawling bungalow he presently, lived to serve his ailing father. His daughter was very sweet and could take over complete command of the situation and to try to repair the damage God willing.

    His daughter would prepare good food to the best of her ability and conviction and great regard for her father who had given her an opportunity but who did not give a chance to the family as such, to live together for reasons not known to her. But it did not matter to her. But, as her chance came to rescue the ailing father, she was very happy to come over indeed. She knew her father was able to come to the Laboratory but had some difficulty if he forgot the series of medicines he was supposed to take regularly at pre-appointed times during the day. The life was now proceeding as such.

    Many a day before Kamesh had come and others were also present in Nikhil’s chamber, so he started relating the horrific story which happened only recently.

    ‘You know how the people are after me?’ Nikhil said.

    ‘What happened?’

    ‘I will tell you,’ and every body was at attention, `You know they sent to me that woman, and she came to my flat and she started behaving as if I shall jump at the chance to do her bidding. She behaves as if I was her devoted lover. She does have her husband, though, she herself still a pretty woman in her forties had been working as a maid in this colony in some houses. I heard she had been removed from the Director’s house. This I knew but they had sent to me this woman to trap me as if I shall pinch her bottoms and jump at her other things. She started showing her assets and then I said to her,

    ‘You know’, I told her, `I know your deal, and I shall be the last to engage you, after you have been booted out from Director`s house. Do you think there is some ‘mai ka lal’ (mother’s son) who dares to pick you as a servant after this?’

    She says,`Sirji, I am sorry what canard people have fed you? But I have great regard for you that is why I have come to your house otherwise I have so many houses in Delhi and I can go to any place I wish to go.’

    ‘So I said, ‘do you think after what ever I have heard, I shall do what ever you assume shall be accepted by me? You think that I shall mince meat your nipples and enjoy you?’ I said just like that. The fools they were to think that in spite of my daughter I shall be in their trap. But they were mistaken, indeed! And I turned her out warning she should not turn her head towards my place ever.’

    In fact he had a past much before his daughter came to stay with him, some years back. So every body thought he was a loose character, indeed! And he would jump at the idea without thinking of the consequences!

    One of the chaps who thought so was Sandipan who had been married only recently and his better-half had gone to his in-law’s to get herself eased out of the child she was carrying and may not be coming back to her new house for many months. So he was looking for an outing with available material as he thought. He was told by some well wishers that he could do some thing if he went to Nikhil; he had a woman as a servant in his servant quarters. While no body, especially a lonely woman was allowed to stay in the servant’s quarters. Nikhil dared to install the woman in his premises and possibly was doing the unthinkable with her, so if he agreed both could enjoy day or night together.

    So one fine evening this chap, Sandipan when every body in the colony was in the process of sleeping, with no succour to his desire due to the absence of his wife went all the way to the Nikhil’s place and only a little later was virtually thrown out of the quarters and colony.

    In fact Sandipan asked him to partake the fruits of the maid servant as he heard Nikhil was enjoying with her. As was expected Nikhil was extremely furious and ran after him with a sword which led to a congregation forming near his house and people came to know what had happened. But the incident was unfortunately not in his favour.In this bargain, the gentleman as he was Nikhil was also thrown out of the colony for a period of one year along with this fool of a man. It was ruled by a high power Enquiry Committee that after this period of absence the Committee shall be judging their behaviour before allotting the quarters if any were vacant to be given to them.

    Thus just because of the over-reaction of this chap of a man both had to suffer the indignity of the worst kind.

    Every thing about love Kamesh was a past master, they said and he also claimed as such. Once in the good old time he was sitting in his chamber, he claimed to Gopi, his Misses had not been around and he was waiting for her to arrive from their son’s place some where in a small town near Surat in the state of Gujarat.

    He said, ‘Yes, she has gone to my son‘s place, he is in charge of a small hotel there, guiding the coming up of the building as he told me. The block as they told me would be completed in about 6-8 months time and they may inaugurate it as they said to me while I visited the place. The party is a rich diamond merchant. You know if you go to Surat, you may feel every body is in the diamond trade. You know out of a trade of Rs 85,000 cr may be Rs. 75, 000 cr may be in this trade in Surat. To see is to believe, you know, I never thought Surat had a population of over 23 lakhs.

    ‘Deenu, my son you know has done a degree course in Hotel Management from the Tata Institute of Management at Aurangabad; they charge Rs 10 lakhs for the whole course of 4 years. But the Institute has the best credentials now. For my only son I had to spend that much.’

    Gopi said, ‘But you were telling about your younger days?’

    ‘I will tell you, of course; I shall remain young always at heart, you know.’ He smiled. ‘One can not change. You know in the morning a college going young girl met me at the Race Course Road. She was standing on the side of the road, waiting to be picked up by some body, she said, she wanted to go towards the Railway Station. She asked for a lift from me, she looked very pretty and very young and I was very, very ready to help her out and I stopped my scooter and later she alighted from the scooter near the station and while getting off from the vehicle she uttered, `Thank you, uncle.’

    ‘I was shocked.’

    Kamesh though he was in his forties, he was still very strong in his body structure, he followed yoga asanas, had been winner in almost all the games, races and jumps, played kabaddi, badminton, etc.in the Institute’s Spots which were held once in a year as a part of Annual Day Celebrations. Though of middle height he looked still tough and rough he was as they said.

    Gopi laughed, ‘You can not escape from the escapable.’

    ‘I know, that is why it shocked me, I am young at heart!’ He said ‘You know, when I was studying in my 11th class, it was in my small town near, Ballia, in UP state. We used to walk all the way from our village, there were no vehicles in those times; one had to use either our own bullock cart or take a lift from the cart owner if one was available; but that was not so on all the days. Only at the time of farm produce one could hope to get a vehicle.’

    Gopi said, ‘But you were telling about your romantic life?’

    ‘I shall come to that. Once I was met with by one of the village aunts who asked me where I was going to and I told her I was on my way to the school.

    `She said, ‘why not wait for a while and I shall drop you at your school, or wherever you desire. But first let us go to the house,’ she of course meant her house. I did not understand what for she wanted me to accompany her to her place, ‘and I will fetch my cart, I do have one you know and we shall go in my cart,’ she smiled very bewitchingly. So saying she caught my hand and we walked to her house which was at the other end of the village.

    `I knew she was living alone in the house in the absence of her husband. I was told by some body she was married off at the age of 12 years only as they do get married at that age or so, it was not at all surprising to know that. They said, her husband had been in the Army for a long and he did not come back and now she was around 20 years of age or so. She was sort of waiting for any body, who so ever could help her out from her romantic aspirations. That is what happens in the village every body helps when ever it is required. She opened her house and we went inside. You know in the village no body locks the door so it was so here as well. The moment we entered the inner room she pounced upon me and did to me I could not of course reckon at all. That is how our affair started and continued for some time.

    ‘But you know it could not continue for a long time. This woman who seduced me was well known for her charms and her readiness to fall for a young guy like me was well known as her character. Some women you know are like that, they may go to any extent to fulfill their desires. While I was not available as such but was enticed to do what she commanded and a little later I found I was enjoying the fruits of the womanhood. I was only 17 years of age but looked young, sturdy and desirable to her, as they say.’ He smiled when he said this. ‘You know in the villages, it is so open unlike the good cities.’

    `But a little later, it so happened that, I began to lose interest in my studies and of course my father was watching me andI am sure he was of course watching me from the beginning. After all I was his son and he must be having high hopes from me since I was his best loved son and a brilliant one in the studies. As it came to my eyes much later this woman of ill repute was warned by the cronies of my father. He was a sort of a big jamindar, (local big wig) and had a lot of landed property in his nam. He was a well respected in the village as the village headman, and as such, it was all the more, easy for him to know what happened around me.

    `One fine morning when the results of my examination came out, I found my self miserably failed in most of the papers.

    `So my father called me and said, ‘I have arranged every thing, now you will not live in the village but in the hostel of the Institute. There is no worry since your dada,(elder brother) is already there in the same institute. He shall look after you and your interests. Go over to that place in the next session.’ But in the meanwhile I was destined to be moved to another village where my maternal grand-mother lived. In site of protestations from my mother, nothing happened and I moved to a small village near Kanpur. Incidentally my new Institute was also near this place and so when the session began I was ready to move to the school hostel as it was arranged by my father.

    `Thus my encounters with the other sex were done with. But of course it was good for me that I was shifted to another place to pursue my studies, otherwise I would have been lost to the lusts of the woman.’

    Gopi now laughed and asked him, ‘But in later life did not you meet with that woman?’

    ‘No. In fact because of la affaire with me she had become so much infamous that her deeds went to her husband’s ears. I don’t know how, but I came to know that she was divorced from her military man and later left the village and whereabouts were not known to any body they said.’

    `But did not you had ever your sexploits with other girls?’

    `Not really. In fact because of my situation that I had failed in my examination it was for me to prove my self in the eyes of my parents who were looking forward to a boy to come up in life and thus earn their respect including my peers. So I was straight away in the studies and in fact I found my self topping in the school examinations and later in B.Sc. as well with flying colours.’

    ‘So you joined the Laboratory in mid-sixties?’

    ‘Yes. It was so good to join this Institute. Every body was so co-operative and I enjoyed my job as I do now. Until now so many have come and gone, many got transferred or retired from the service after their term ended, but the life had been never dull just because of many a good people around.’

    ‘That is true. I feel if you are good to other people you will be treated with warmth, people are fine always.’ He said rather philosophically.

    ‘Gopi, when we came from Kanpur we never knew it was to be in this small town. We were interviewed in Kanpur and many people were there and of course some of us came here, perhaps for reasons not known to us at that time. We came here and perhaps some of them were asked to join there. But it was good as it begets. I never had any complaint from any body ever and why I came here.’

    ‘It was all India Service so you could have joined any where.’ Gopi mused.

    ‘Yes, I know, Gopi by the time I grew up to understand I thought it has been good to be here that is why the fate has brought us here. I met with you, you are so good, helping every body and people are so nice here. Such a nice brotherhood, such a free mind, and a community feeling!’

    ‘You married later after you came here?’

    ‘No, no. In our side they marry early in life. By the time I was in the college I had already been married. Of Course my wife came to live with us much later. Initially she lived with my mother and others in our village. When I had joined the Laboratory and I had been here for couple of years they thought to send her to this small town. In our side even the marriage had been different unlike now in the big cities. The marriage is solemnized in late night and the ceremonies continue until the wee hours of the morning. The complete ceremonies of the marriage as such take place for three days.’ He smiled.

    ‘We also have like that only in our side down south.’ Gopi said.

    ‘Yes, it is the tradition.’

    ‘In our side the girl is not shown to the groom for the three days of the marriage and she comes to the venue of the pandal (marriage tent) just at the time of muhurat,(auspicious time) though they may have met several times initially many a days before for a formal approval of the girl before several relatives of both sides.’

    ‘This is similar to our custom.’

    Later he said, ‘Gopi, you gave me an interesting book. I found the plot was quite amazing.’

    `I heard it was initially written in English and later translated in Hindi by the well known literateur. By chance I saw this book in Hindi in the AH Wheelers Railway book stall. I had neither heard about the book nor its contents. Later when I started reading, I saw it was based on the life of the kamasutra creator the sage Vatsayana. It appears when he married at a later age he was obviously no longer a younger man, beyond his youth, but his wife had just crossed the puberty age. So it was quite a mismatch.’

    ‘Why he did so it is not clear.’

    ‘You have read it?’

    ‘Yes. And You?’

    ‘Just started. I think I shall complete by the time we meet again. May be, in another five days. It is rather dull.’

    ‘Perhaps in translation it lost its charm.’

    ‘It happens some times.’

    ‘May be.’

    They left with good tidings for the future meeting. `Morning we shall meet again in the Laboratory.’

    ‘Of course.’

    Nikhil was sitting quietly alone in his room. He was in fact waiting for other colleagues to come. First Harry came followed by his side-kick, a contract labour only on daily wages, Ramesh. This contract business type had started only recently, but it was good; the persons employed as such were really laborious, unlike the regular staff of the Laboratory. The Government was not appointing new staff even when people were retiring from service, there were to be no fresh recruitment as per the Government. policy.

    Nikhil had been very strong earlier, a tall strong and sturdy, fair coloured man, very healthy but after coming to this town he had lost his earlier good health. This was because of the company he kept and womanizing they said, but what was a fact no body could say with firmness.

    Nikhil was asked by his Head of the Division to present his work he had done in the last six months or what ever he had done like others in the usual six monthly Project discussions where other senior staff and scientists of his level were also present as per orders of the Director. All the divisions would be doing this as per programme chalked out in the previous days and circulated to every body.

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