1, Bullying ae Bullying is a form of aggressive behaviour in which someone repeatedly causes another person discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions. Bonku Babu was the object of bullying by everyone around him. Bonku Babu was bullied and teased by every batch of his students as well as his associates. Since Banku Babu was a teacher in a village school, where he was teaching for the last twenty-two years, his students were the first to bully him. The narrator, in the story, says bullying of Banku Babu by his students was followed by like a tradition with both the old or the new entrants every year. They teased him by drawing his cartoon on the blackboard, putting glue on his chair or by lighting a ‘Scanned with CamScannerchasing rocket and setting it off right behind him on the night of Kali Puja Banku Babu never got upset by any of their acts, remained silent and cajye' Pt of the time, except occasionally saying, “Shame on you boys!” Mos, Another group of people, who treated Bonku Babu disrespectfully and jy, him without fail at every statement and act of his were the people whom he yi‘! to meet at the lawyer, Sripati Majumdar’s house. He used to spend the wees! evenings with middle-aged men, who were regular at the addas hosted by grist Babu. The topics at the conversation ranged from ghosts to spaceships, to spr travel and aliens. Usually, Banku Babu did not speak at these conversations oy whenever he opened his mouth to speak, he was mocked at by nearly everyone present there. At times the mockery used to be so intense bringing Bonkeu Baby, endurance almost to breaking point. One of these persons Nidhu Babu mocking called him ‘Bunkum’, At times he used to think that it was enough and he wou | never come again at Sripati’s house. | However, this bullying came to an end when Boniu Babu was visited by an | alien. He told Bonku Babu that he was too meek and mild and needed to speal up against injustice and to protest if anyone insults him without any provocation, Following Ang’s advice, Bonku Babu paid back, everyone present at Sripati Majumdar’s house in the same coin, leaving them flabbergasted. For example, he told Nidhu Babu that if the latter would call him Bunkum, he would also call him Nitwit. Similarly, he told Sripati Babu, that he should stop counting him among the sycophants surrounding him and instead he would send his cat who was quite good at licking feet. Finally, he left their company for better. 2. Self-Confidence Self-confidence is an individual's trust in his or her own abilities, capacities, and judgments, or belief that he or she can successfully face day to day challenges Bonku Babu lacked self-confidence to defend himself and therefore, he was the victim of bullying by his own students as well as his associates. He was even condemned to be a specimen in a zoo. At times the mockery used to be so intense that he would think of never coming back to Sripati Babu's house. But he would remain silent when others made fun of him, forgetting the insults heaped on him and come back the next weekend. It was only after the visit of the alien Ang who instilled confidence in him and he retaliated and not only answered each one of them, who bullied him but returned their remarks with exact retribution. They Wee shock to see a new, confident Bonku Babu who could take a stand for himself 3. Friendship The theme of friendship is expressed through the relationship between Bonk Babu and Ang, the alien from the planet Craneus. When Ang met Bonku Babu, he greeted him by saying ‘Namaskar’. Initially, Bonku Babu felt quite uncomfortable in Ang’s company. Even Ang had used a small object he had to make Bonk Babu powerless and to prevent him from getting closer to him. But later ?; removed that spell and Bonku Babu felt quite relived and free. Then like a "4 friend, Ang tells Bonku Babu his weaknesses and reminds him of his potenti He told Bonku Babu that although he was a good person but he was to? ‘Scanned with CamScanner' and meek. He then advised him to stand up for himself and speak up against any ' injustice and protest if anyone hurts him. All this pep talk instilled confidence in Bonku Babu and for the first time he realised how unique he was in the whole world for getting a chance to meet an alien. This showed in Bonku Babu’s body language as he walked With a spring in every step, he was actually dancing. It was this realisation of self-worth instilled by an alien who acted more than a friend that Bonku Babu could avenge all the insults and bullying he had endured. This is beautifully summed up by the narrator when he says that Bonku Babu suddenly realised that the invisible bonds that were holding him tightly had disappeared. ‘Scanned with CamScanner