A SHADOW: RK NARAYAN

Sambu, the young son of his dead father begs four annas to see the film the
next day. But his mother feels fear in her heart because she does not want to
see her husband again on film screen because he was dead since six months1
ago. She fears that her husband may not be seen on screen. She had a vague
idea that the producers would not release the picture in which her husband
was acting.

Sambu’s mother could not tolerate the view shown by the young boys who
holding the pictures of her husband were moving across and along the road.
The mass protest rose. But at last she came to know that the picture was going
to be shown and her husband was again going to speak, move, and sing and so
on.

Actually, Sambu was highly delighted as if his father had come back to life.
He repeatedly asked his mother to see the picture. But she explained that she
could not tolerate to see her husband again move and speak like alive. Sambu
explained her that a mere photo was also no more different that from film
photo.

Sambu could not do his class properly. Getting a chance, he would speak up to
his friends that his father had been paid ten thousand rupees for the film
acting. Sambu persuaded his friend to go to cinema for observing the show
acted and story written by his father. Previously his father had told him the
gist of the story. The story was about a young girl named Kumari who was
forced to marry at the age of fourteen and who refused and wanted to study in
a university and earn an independent living. Then after, she was away by her
stern father who was not other than Sambu’s father.

Sambu was seen sitting in the film hall eagerly waiting for the picture to
begin. Since his father’s death he had not seen any film and the hall started to
be darkened. After the show of trailers, the real picture started. His father
came on the screen. He was wearing the dhoti and shirt he used to wear at
home. Then Sambu saw a little girl on the screen to have been patted on her
head by him. The girl was with a slate on her knee and he started dictating to
her. He asked her a little arithmetic to which she accurately answered. Then
his father was delighted. Sambu remembered how he once committed mistake
in solving a puzzle.

After the film ended, Sambu gazed at the aperture in the projection room as if
his father had vanished into it. The world seemed very lonely to him and he
started running to his house where his mother had been waiting for him. He
told his mother that it was a lovely film show and he also narrated how his
father sang and acted. His mother listened to him in grim silence. He also
asked her why she did not say anything. He also requested her to give him
four annas every day for film. His mother warned him to be careful for his
study.

Then she refused to go to film but Sambu went everyday and at the end of
every show, he felt sorrow because his father was no more seen. Sambu was
always longing for to have his father’s company, but his mother felt sorrow at
his neglect in study. His mother was unable to understand his carvings for the
film enacted by his father.

After a long persuasion, Sambu’s mother agreed to go to film. Both son and
mother went to the cinema at the night show. She sat in the women’s row. She
gathered all her courage to view the picture. After trailer, the real show began
and by the time, she had been ready and her heart started beating faster. She
could see her husband talking to her, singing and playing with children and
everything seemed as usual. She felt the show as an affliction to her and she
shut her eyes several times.

Then she came to saw her husband sitting in a chair reading newspaper. She
remembered how he had been reading the newspaper before he died. Now she
could not control her. The scene was really unbearable and she started
sobbing.

Meanwhile Sambu was observing his father on screen and father was talking
with a girl named Kumari who was about to cry. Immediately Sambu heard a
high-pitched sobbing from women’s class (row). People present there shouted
for light to on, because there was an accident. Sambu woke up and saw his
mother was being lifted from the floor. So he impatiently rushed to the spot
and found his mother being faint. Coming back to her sense, she told Sambu
to go away. They both left the place ridding a small horse carriage. Sambu
realized it was the last parting from his father.

GLORY OF TWILIGHT
                                                                                              -by Bhabani
Bhattacharya

THEME:

'Glory Of Twilight' is a a story  about Satyajit,an honest,hardworking

man.Born in a humble village home self educated,struggle had been his life
breath.He is leading a
prosperous,chearful life,he is happy with his wife and new born child.He has
risen in life from ashes to glory but finds himself shorn of his wealth,status
and peace of mind at one stroke of destiny.The life that he has so carefully
built,lying in shreds around him,but wants to taste glory one last time and
decides to go to his village where he is still regarded as a millionaire,to attend
a wedding.But his attempt to taste glory for one last time proves more
disastrous than anything he could have ever imagined.After his economic
downfall,he goes to the village to attend marriage of daughter of
uncleSrinath,a neighbour at a village where uncle demanded a huge amount
of money so that he could give dowry in his daughter's marriage.Unknowingly
that his business was at downfall.But when uncle Srinath did not get any
money Satyajit,went to moneylender where he mortgages the only property
left with him,his house in village,which was the only thing he could gift to his
wife and newly born child.The story shows how Satyajit gives away even his
last property left to help his uncle.
The author has beautifully depicted the glory Satyajit used to cherish earlier
and his situation after his economic downfall.
The title is well justified as Satyajit is able to taste the glory even after his
economic downfall.

SATYAJIT'S CHARACTER SKETCH:

Satyajit was a tall,thin,near forty,having sharp features,the hair receding wide

in wide shiny smooth patches characteristics he was honest,hard working
man.Born in a humble village home,self educated,struggle had been in his life
breath .His heart fealt pain for lack of air when a person tried to withdraw
money from some other's account.
Instances from story show that he loved his wife.He was also very
sympathetic.He could have refused to give any help to his uncle but he did
help him out by mortgaging his house in village which was the only thing he
possesed after his economic downfall.Even though he had a new born child
and had nothing but then he also helped his uncle.He was a self esteemed
person,since he could not confess to people that he was no more a millionaire
as after knowing people will no more respect him and will not get that honour
from people.

The slow moving, narrow-gauge Indian train had an awkward freak of an

engine. It usually stopped unscheduled and unauthorized for no valid reason.
Some of the passengers grumbled and thought of complaining to Authority or
to the Press. Some other passengers availed of the opportunity to get merrily
out of the compartment for a breath of fresh air and a view of the green fields.

Satyajit was a passenger in that train. He intended for a cigarette but gave up
such thought afterwards. He told himself to restrain from luxuries and to
ration his smoke. For over a month he has became a different man. He could
not afford the unrestricted luxury of chain smoking. Life had come down to
stark realities far away from the lights of dream. Saytajit went round and
round along the orbit of reminiscence pulled by an invincible force. He had
attained control of the banking establishment when fortune was in his stride.
Starting as a mere clerk he could become the Managing Director of the bank.

Satyajit was tall and thin and was forty with sharp features. He wore smart
glasses to hide the hated glare in his eyes. His hair was receding on his temple
in wide smooth patches. His thin mouth suggested his strength of will. He
breathed heavily on his present plight, which has become an obsession with
him. With the sudden collapse of his bank all his private property was gone
overnight. He had lost all his equities, the house on Tagore Street and the two
cars. Therefore, he had to travel on that wretched train. His wife was away
with her parents at Delhi. She was unaware of the extent of his ruin.

Satyajit received the news of the birth of his child. Satyajit sold off his
diamond ring to send his wife money for the name giving ceremony. His wife
knew all about his earlier life. That was like storybook stuff. Born in a humble
village, Satyajit had struggle hard to attain that height. He was appointed as a
clerk in a bank. The range of his life is quite dramatic. It was all about a
forged cheque for Rs. 2000/-. The cheque was presented for encashment.
The man who presented the cheque looked frightened. His hand shook
because the cheque was a forged one. The consciousness of his own guilt and
the fear made him nervous and timid. Although signature tallied, the clerk
suspected its authenticity. The clerk withheld it by ringing up the account’s
holder. The man was caught. He admitted that he had committed forgery
because his wife was suffering from tuberculosis. He had to forge the cheque
to collect money to buy medicine. By detecting this case, the clerk became an
accountant. By the bank, ckerk felt contempt rather, than pity for the man in
the thrill of his own achievements. Ironically, this incident ultimately paved
the way for his promotion and prosperity. The clerk had all the regrets for the
man detected for forgery and put behind the bars.

With his trembling hand, that wretched fellow had turned the wheel of
fortune for the clerk. Since then the wheel attained volition of its own and
moved continuously. He had every reason to be grateful to the forger. But it
was too late to seek him out in order to give him a chance to live. Rather
Satyajit needed a chance for live. Each wrong step was now clear in time’s
perspective. If the success had come fast, failure had come faster. Just before
his journey, he received a letter, which was about the wedding of his Srinath
Uncle’s fifth daughter Beena. “That was to take place on the 20 th of that
month. Satyajit was present in the marriage of the other daughters. Satyajit’s
benediction can only be helpful for Srinath to pull him through the present
daughter crisis.

Srinath was Satyajit’s neighbor at Shantipur village. There was no blood

relation between them. Srinath had a belief that others would bear the brunt
at the marriage of his daughters. Satyajit was liberal in the days of his
prosperity. It was a matter of pride and self-satisfaction for him at that time.
When Satyajit was young, the villagers had not seen any special brilliance in
him. But his wealth could take him to a higher stage. But all that has come to
an end. Satyajit had fallen from his castle in the clouds. He had to cautious
before he spent every rupee. Satyajit made up his mind to go to Santipur to
attend the marriage ceremony. The rural natural scene had been his starting
point once again both inwardly and outwardly. He would also avail chance to
look at his ancestral house and fishpond. He liked to give them to his wife as
his last gift. So he had intimated Uncle Srinath that he would attend the
marriage.

At the platform, the crowd came rushing towards Satyajit as he stepped down
from the train. They welcomed him with a small girl garlanding him. Satyajit
bent his neck to receive the offer. Satyajit was given a warm welcome. He was
called as the glory of the motherland. He was welcomed in a chorus while the
tricolor flag approvingly on the tall bamboo pole. In the village, a group of
ladies came forward to wash his feet. But Srinath wanted Beena to wash and
wipe his reverent feet. Beena was shy, slender with large pensive eyes in a
graceful face. He smiled at her and touched her hair in the gesture of blessing
and wished that groom to be worthy of Beena. He was served with a plateful
of sweets and a glass of whey. The other daughters Kamini, Damini and
Sahashi sat near him fanning with palm leaf fans.

Satyajit was praised by Beena’s mother and said that her daughters would
have still remained unmarried had he not helped them. She wiped off her two
grateful drops of tears. Srinath told about the arrangement of the marriage.
Beena was given the old jewellery of her mother. Her three married sisters
gave her gifts like sari, jacket, chemise and brass utensils. Satyajit had Rs.
200/- in total. He decided to give Rs. 101/- since Been a had all he needed. He
wanted to save Rs. 50/- to buy a perambulator for his newborn son. Satyajit
was treated as the pride of the village. He was entreated to present himself
before the people who sat waiting as his devotees.

Satyajit followed his host to his devotees seated waiting on a floor mat. There
was also the schoolmaster among them who had taught him as a boy. The
schoolmaster had predicted that the Satyajit would be a High Court Judge.
Satyajit told that he was not a High Court Judge. Arithmetic was his subject
of fear. The old man said that the twin Goddesses of knowledge and wealth
would down together on Satyajit.

Satyajit decided to enjoy himself. He felt sad for not coming to Shantipur to
bask in the people’s homage. He wanted to be happy for the day even with a
false echo. He wanted to bask in the twilight glory of his life. Satyajit went
round the village meeting the elders through the rest of the day. He sipped
green coconut water offered to him. He fondly visited his house his house let
out to a tenant. The small house gave him a feeling of security, which he could
not get, even from his palatial city house. He spent some time by his leased out
fishpond and caught a big sized carp. Srinath praised him. He said that the
curry prepared from that auspicious fish would be served to the newlyweds
when they break their marriage fast at midnight.

The groom’s party arrived in ox carts and palanquins by the evening.

Conches blew and the women gathered gave their shrilling greetings. Satyajit
wanted to give Rs 101/-. Srinath requested him to give Rs. 2001/- towards cash
dowry. Srinath said that only last item awaited his benediction. Satyajit felt
burning inside. Srinath told that it would be a drop in the ocean of his fortune.
Satyajit asked why he did such a small amount to a millionaire. Satyajit
wanted to tell about his misery. But he could not get a chance to tell it.
Satyajit took an excuse that he was in a hurry and hence was not well
prepared for the occasion. He wanted if someone in the village would advance
a loan.

Srinath rushed out of the house with panic in his face. Satyajit sat quiet and
looked much tired. His erstwhile peace had gone. He liked to see the face of
the newborn son who would never ride a perambulator. Srinath came back
and said that Harish, the moneylender would give the cash but he needed
security, as he was doubtful of the repayment. Srinath’s face bore helpless
sadness as he mumbled that the groom’s father was a man of stone. He would
break off the marriage unless cash was paid before the ceremony started.
Satyajit felt for his purse once again and decided to give Rs. 151/-.

Srinath told that Harish was willing to pay against the security of his house
and fishpond. Satyajit wondered at the value of his house and the fishpond if
they were more valuable than his signature. The house and the fishpond was
his only possession. These were all he could give to his wife. Srinath came with
folded hands before Satyajit in order to overcome the daughter’s crisis.
Satyajit agreed to the condition and the problem was solved. The villagers
hated the moneylender Harish for his activities. The story presents the
greatness of Satyajit.