Of Another Time

By K. Kumar Bhattacharyya

Of Another Time is a novel about the childhood adventures of Emon Barua, Barua, Kansan Konwar, Jai Saikia, Rupa Choudhuri and Puja Barua as they grow up in their neighborhood in the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. Set in the heart of India's North-East in the closing decades of the last century at a time when insurgency and terrorism was at its height not only in the North-East but other parts of India. In Of Another Time the contemporary Indian society has been shown through the eyes of children and all types of characters appear. The fortunes of some characters ends happily while the fortunes of some ends in tragedy. Both ordinary and extra-ordinary incidents fill the pages with the novel. Murders, bank robberies and other evils of contemporary Indian society like oppression of women and dowry are realistically narrated. Of Another Time (2005) is Mr Bhattacharyya's first novel. Mr Bhattacharyya has also published two other novels, Spring Also Comes (2010) and Fading Away.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pencil
• Release date: Apr 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9789354382628

Book preview

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Chapter – 1.

Summer Holidays Begin

IT was morning. Emon Barua was in his room seated at his study-table. His Science text book was open before him. His other school books were lying around on the table. In one of his hands was a comic. He was reading the comic and he frequently looked out through the open window. In a corner of the table was his school bag and other school things.

Emon, are you studying? came his mother’s voice from outside the room.

Hoo! Emon shouted.

What are you studying?

Science.

Why don’t you read aloud so that we can hear what you are reading?

Ouu Maa! Emon said as the door of the room opened and his mother came in.

Emon quickly closed the comic and hid it under his school bag. Then he began to read loudly the Science text book. His mother came near him and looked around the table suspiciously. Then she said: Go on reading loudly in this way.

After that, Mrs Barua went out of the room.

Emon continued to read aloud for a few minutes. Then he stopped reading and looked out of the window. A moment later, he brought out the comic and again began to quietly read it.

Later, the room door opened again. Emon hid the comic and began to read aloud the Science text book. This time, it was only Zibon coming with Emon’s milk. Zibon put the milk glass on the table and went away. Emon frowned at the milk glass and re-opened the comic.

After a while, Emon took up the glass and looked at the milk and sighed. He put down the glass without taking it to his mouth. A moment later, he again took up the glass. This time he drank a little milk and rose from the table with the glass. He bent down and poured out the milk on a saucer that he kept hidden under his bed for Gypsy, the cat. He put back the empty glass on his study-table and took out a packet of cheese from his pocket. He tore off the paper cover of the packet and began eating the cheese.

After Emon had eaten the cheese, he picked up a match-box that was lying on his study-table. Then he put the torn cheese cover on the floor and lit it with a match.

Soon, the cheese cover turned into ash.

Emon gathered up the ash and put them into the wastepaper basket. Then he sat at his study-table and continued reading the comic.

A little later, Zibon again came into the room and called Emon for morning tea. Then he picked up the empty milk glass and went out of the room.

Emon also rose and went to the dining-room. There, Emon found his father already at the dining-table. After Emon took his place at the dining-table his mother put a plate of buttered toasts before him and he began eating.

A few minutes later, Mr Barua left the dining-table. By then, Emon’s mother and Puja, his younger sister, had also taken their places at the dining-table.

Emon, did you eat a packet of cheese from the freezer? Mrs Barua asked.

No Maa, Emon said.

Are you telling the truth?

Yes.

It’s strange, I had saved that last packet to make a dish today. Just now, when I opened the freezer to take it out, I couldn’t find it.

Emon continued eating in silence.

Both of you must study two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening every day during the bandh, Mrs Barua said after sometime.

But the summer vacation has only started, Maa, Emon said.

So what! Just because the school is closed it doesn’t mean that you’ll give up your studies!

Ouu Maa!

Now both of you shall go back to your study-tables. Emon, you can’t loiter about the whole morning, Mr Barua said sharply from outside the dining-room.

Emon frowned.

After tea, Emon came back to his room and resumed reading the comic. He kept looking out of the window from time to time. And once or twice he turned and looked up at the clock on the wall.

After sometime, Emon heard the front door of the house open and close. His face brightened and he went to the window and looked out. He saw his father going out by the gate. He looked at the clock and knew that his father had gone to office. He closed the comic and hid it under the school bag. Then he went out to the front veranda.

On the cane sofa of the front veranda Emon’s grandfather was sitting.

On seeing Emon, grandfather asked: Emon, going out to play?

Hoo Koka, Emon said.

Good.

Outside on the lane, Emon met Kansan Konwar.

Did you see Raju? Kansan asked.

No, Emon said.

He promised to come now.

Let’s play marbles.

Let Raju come, then we’ll play.

Instead of waiting, why don’t we go over to his place.

Emon and Kansan began to walk towards Raju Bora’s house.

Aoi Emon! a voice called after Emon and Kansan had walked a little.

Emon and Kansan looked around. They saw Nakul Goswami coming towards them from the gate of his house.

We are going to Raju’s. Want to come with us? Emon said when Nakul was beside them.

I’m now going to the bazar with Maa.I’ll come in the afternoon, Nakul said and went back to his house.

Emon and Kansan walked on until they got to Raju Bora’s house. At Raju’s, Kansan pressed the calling-bell.

Mrs Bora opened the door.

"Aunty, is Raju in? Kansan asked.

He is studying, Mrs Bora said.

Can we meet him? Emon asked.

Didn’t I tell you, he is studying.

Aunty, will you tell him that we came? Kansan said.

No, I won’t!

What do you boys want? Raju’s father said in a stern voice after coming out to the door and standing by his wife.

Let’s go, Kansan, Emon said and he and Kansan stumbled out to the lane.

It was your idea to come here. I knew this would happen, Kansan said.

I thought we’ll meet Raju, Emon said.

Why doesn’t his Maa and Dewta allow him to play with us?

I don’t know, Emon said.

Emon and Kansan walked to the field. At the field, they found some boys they did not know playing football. In a corner of the field, they saw Pranab Dutta and Jai Saikia, whom they knew, playing marbles. They went and watched Pranab and Jai playing marbles.

Now hole the blue, Pranab said.

Jai tried to hole the blue marble, but failed.

You missed. I have won, Pranab said gathering up the marbles.

We shall also play, Kansan said.

Who will play with whom? Jai asked.

Pranab will play against Emon and I’ll play against you, Kansan said.

No, that won’t do, Emon said.

Why?

Because nobody can choose against whom he’ll play. Besides, I’ve got an idea.

What? "

We’ll toss. If it’s head, I’ll play Jai. And if it’s tail, I’ll play Pranab."

Aatchaa.

Emon took out a coin from his pocket.

You can’t toss, Pranab said.

Why? Emon asked.

Because the person who’ll toss will have to be neutral. Only Kansan can toss.

That’s right, Kansan said.

Aatchaa, aatchaa, Emon said and frowned.

Kansan tossed a coin.

When the coin landed, the boys bent down to look.

It’s tail, Pranab said.

Pranab will play Emon, Kansan said.

But I said if it’s tail, I’ll play Jai, Emon said.

No, you said if it’s tail, you’ll play Pranab, Jai said.

Right, Pranab said. Come Emon, let’s start.

Emon reddened but kept quiet. He and Kansan took out their marbles from their pockets. Then Jai and Kansan made a new hole a few feet away from the old hole and began playing.

Emon andPranab played in the old hole. After the marbles have beenplaced in their proper places, Emon said: You hit first.

Which one? Pranab asked.

The red.

Pranab threw the marble in his hand and hit the red marble.

Now hole the blue.

Pranab holed the blue marble. Then he said: Now it’s your turn.

Yes, Emon said.

Hit the green.

Emon threw the marble in his hand but missed the green marble.

Hole the red.

Emon tried to hole the red marble, but failed. There you missed again. I have won, Pranab said gathering up the marbles.

Let’s play again, Emon said.

Aatchaa.

This time I’ll hit first.

Hit the blue.

Emon hit the blue marble with the marble in his hand.

Now hole the blue.

Emon failed to hole the blue marble.

Now it’s my turn, Pranab said.What shall I hit?

The orange, Emon said.

Pranab hit the orange marble.

Now hole the red.

Pranab holed the red marble and said: I’ve won again.

How? Emon said sharply.

I hit the orange and holed the red.

Who asked you to hole the red?

You.

I didn’t.

You did.

No! I asked you to hole the orange.

That’s a lie!

It’s the truth!

You liar.

You are a liar!

You cheat!

If I’m a cheat, you are a donkey!

You called me a donkey! I’ll never play with you again! Aren’t you ashamed, you lose and then you cheat!

I didn’t lose and I didn’t cheat! You didn’t hole the orange.

Say that again!

You didn’t hole the orange. There, I’ve said again. What shall you do?

I’ll never talk to you again! Pranab said collecting up his marbles.

I don’t care.

You are already going? Kansan asked.

Hoo. Pranab said.

Why?

Emon is cheating.

You liar! Emon said.

I’ll never talk to that cheat again! Pranab said. Jai, I’ve got a new kite. I’m going home to fly it. Want to come with me?

I’ll come – wait a minute, Jai said.

Jai collected his marbles and pocketed them. Then he and Pranab walked away.

Let’s play among ourselves, Kansan said.

Kansan and Emon began to place their marbles in their proper places to start playing again. Just then, the football suddenly came bouncing and displaced the marbles. When the ball came to rest, Kansan picked it up. The boy, who came for the ball, said: Give the ball.

I won’t! Kansan said sharply.

Why? Didn’t you see we are playing, why did you hit the ball on our marbles!

We didn’t hit on purpose.

You did!

We didn’t!

You did!

Who allowed you to play here in our field! Emon shouted coming forward.

Is this your Bap’s field that everybody will have to ask you before playing here! Give me the ball!

Is this your field that you can come and play here whenever you like!

We’ll play wherever we like, what’s that to you!

We always play here! This is our field!

By now the other boys, who were playing football, started coming towards them in a group.

Give the ball quickly, otherwise, you’ll get a sound thrashing! Look, everybody is coming, the boy said sharply.

Aoi, does it take so much time to get the ball! a boy in the group shouted.

Can’t you see! the boy, who was talking with Emon and Kansan, shouted back.

Why don’t you give the ball, can’t you see you are holding up play! one of the bigger boys in the group said in a loud voice.

When Kansan saw every boy in the group looking angrily at him, he said in a voice, which was unusually sweet: I never said I won’t give the ball. I was only picking it up and asking whether I and Emon can also play.

After that, Kansan gently threw the ball towards the boys.

The boys in the group talked with one another. Then one of them said: Aatchaa come.

Emon and Kansan picked up their marbles and pocketed them. Then they went and joined the group of boys.

What’s your name? one of the boys in the group asked Kansan.

Kansan, said Kansan.

You’ll be on my side, the boy said, and then looked at Emon. And you, what’s your name?

Emon, said Emon.

You’ll be on the otherside. Aoi Rinkoo, you take Emon on your side. We are taking the other, the boy said looking at another boy in the group.

The other boy frowned and nodded.

What’s the score? Emon asked just before play resumed.

We are down by five goals, one of his teammates said in a sad voice.

Soon they started playing. They played for more than an hour. When they stopped playing it was far past noon. Emon’s team lost the match 7-1.

Later, when Emon reached home, Puja was in the front veranda.

Ish Emon, there is mud all over your body, Puja said as Emon climbed up the veranda steps.

Maybe, what’s that to you! Emon shouted back.

Puja frowned and sat on the cane sofa. Emon went inside. He met his mother in the drawing-room.

Emon, you haven’t bathed till now? Mrs Barua said.

No, Emon said.

Go and bath immediately. It’s already time for mid-day meal, Mrs Barua said.

Emon went to his room, took out fresh clothes from the almira, and entered the bath-room.

After his bath, Emon went out to the dining-room. There, he found everyone already at the dining-table having mid-day meal. He saw an empty chair beside Puja and sat.

A few minutes after Emon sat beside Puja, Puja got up from her chair and screamed: I won’t sit near you!

What happened, Puja! Mrs Barua asked.

Emon is pinching me, Puja said.

Emon, can’t you behave yourself for a single moment! Mrs Barua said.

After that, Mrs Barua pulled out an empty chair beside grandfather and said: Come Puja, you sit near Koka.

Puja picked up her plate and sat on the empty chair by her grandfather.

Later, after mid-day meal Puja said just as grandfather was leaving the dining-room: Koka, will you tell a story now?

No Puja, no stories now. Koka will have to rest. You and Emon must also rest now. Otherwise, both of you start dozing at the study-table during the evening, Mrs Barua said.

Grandfather quietly left the dining-room.

Emon came back to his room and looked down under his bed at Gypsy’s saucer. The glass of milk that he had poured on it in the morning was gone. Then he began to call Gypsy. After he had called a few times, Gypsy jumped into the room through the ventilator, meowing.

Emon played with Gypsy until he was tired and fell asleep on the bed.

Later, Emon was woken up by a voice calling his name. When he got up and looked out through the window, he saw Nakul outside in the garden.

Nakul! When did you come back from the bazar? Emon asked.

Sometime back, Nakul said.

What did you buy?

Maa bought somethings for the house. I wanted to buy a kite. But Maa said it would get torn on the way back. So I didn’t buy.

You should have bought the kite.

Now listen, I have three duplicate stamps. I want to exchange them. Do you want to see them?

Let me see.

Shall I come in by the front door?

Hoo, Emon said.

Minutes later, the door of Emon’s room opened and Nakul came in.

Come sit, Emon said.

Nakul sat on a chair.

Where are the stamps? Emon asked.

Nakul brought out a few stamps from his pocket. He showed the stamps one by one to Emon and said: This is from Spain. This from Bangladesh and this from India.

Emon took the stamps and examined them one by one.

Do you have any of them? Nakul asked.

No.

You want them?

Hoo.

What stamps will you give in exchange?

Let me see, Emon said opening a drawer in his study-table and bringing out his stamp collection.

Emon began turning over the pages of his stamp collection. After sometime, Emon picked up a stamp from the stamp collection and said: I’ve only one duplicate stamp.

Let me see, Nakul said.

It’s from Kuwait, Emon said handing over the stamp to Nakul.

I don’t have it, Nakul said examining the stamp.

You want it?

What will you give for the other two?"

Emon again opened a drawer in his study-table and brought out a packet of hinges. Then he opened the packet of hinges and said: I can give you hinges if you want.

How many will you give? Nakul asked.

Eight for both the stamps.

Only eight?

See I’ve only fourteen left.

Make it ten. That’ll still leave you four.

Aatchaa, Emon said and counted out ten hinges and passed them over to Nakul.

Let me see your collection, Nakul said after pocketing the hinges.

Emon gave his stamp collection to Nakul. Nakul began to turn its pages.

A few minutes later, Nakul finished seeing the collection and gave it back to Emon. Emon put the three stamps that Nakul had given him between the pages of the collection, and put the collection back into the study-table drawer along with the packet of hinges.

Let’s go out, Nakul said.

Aatchaa, Emon said and he and Nakul went out.

Outside in the front veranda, grandfather was sitting on the cane sofa. On seeing Emon and Nakul, grandfather asked: Where are you going, Emon?

To play.

Can you get a packet of tobacco for me when you come back in the evening?

Aatchaa Koka, Emon said taking the two rupees note grandfather held out.

Emon and Nakul went out to the lane. On the lane, they met Pranab and Jai. Pranab had a new kite in his hand.

On seeing Emon and Nakul, Jai asked: Aoi, want to come with us to fly kite?

Where? Nakul asked.

In the field.

Let’s go, Nakul said.

I’m going to Deb’s place, Emon said coldly.

Don’t want to fly kite? Nakul asked.

No.

But why?

I told you, I’m going to Deb’s, Emon said, and hurried away without seeming to notice Jai and Pranab.

Emon walked down the lane to Deb Das’. At Deb’s, the front door was open and Emon walked in. Inside, in the drawing-room, Emon found Deb blowing soap bubbles with a piece of wire and a bowl of soap water. Liza, Deb’s younger sister, sat on the floor of the drawing-room looking at a picture book. Deb took Emon to his room. There Emon sat on a chair while Deb sat on the bed and continued to blow bubbles.

Want to try? Deb asked after sometime, giving Emon the wire and the bowl of soap water.

Emon took the wire, dipped it into the soap water bowl, and blew. But, no bubbles appeared. Instead, the soap film on the eye of the wire broke and disappeared.

You are blowing too hard. Blow gently, Deb said.

Emon again dipped the wire into the soap water bowl and blew. This time, he blew gently, but still no bubbles appeared from the eye of the wire.

No, not that way. Let me show you, Deb said and took the wire from Emon and again started blowing bubbles.

You should not blow too hard nor too gently. Only just as hard as is required. See like this, Deb said, and again dipped the wire into the soap water bowl and blew out another bubble from the eye of the wire.

After that, Emon took the wire from Deb and had just dipped it into the soap water bowl again when the door of the room opened and Deb’s mother came in.

Emon! When did you come? Deb’s mother said.

Just now, Aunty, Emon said.

How did you do in your half-yearly exam?

Not badly, Emon said.

Deb, you’ll have to go to Aita’s now. Take Emon also with you. Aita will like meeting him, Mrs Das said turning to Deb.

Aatchaa Maa, Deb said.

Emon, you must have a piece of cake before you go, Mrs Das said and went out of the room.

Will you go with me to Aita’s? Deb asked.

Where does she stay? Emon asked.

Happivilla.

Where’s that?

It’s not far. I know the way. You’ll like meeting Blackie.

Who’s Blackie?

Aita’s dog.

I’ll go, Emon said.

Just then, Mrs Das came into the room again with a plate of cakes and two glasses of orange squash on a tray. She placed the tray on Deb’s study-table and said: You two eat quickly and go. Come back before it’s dark.

Mrs Das went out.

After a few minutes, Mrs Das came back with two bottles and said: Give these bottles to Aita. This is lemon pickle and this fruit jam. Be careful, don’t break them. And walk slowly.

Mrs Das placed the bottles beside the tray and went out.

The boys quickly ate the cakes and drank the orange squash. Then Deb put on his shoes. After that, he picked up the lemon pickle bottle.

Emon picked up the fruit jam bottle. Then he and Deb came out. They went down the lane to the main road, and began walking towards Happivilla. They walked slowly and talked in the way. After they had walked for almost an hour, they came to an old gabled house with a garden in the front. Deb stopped before this house and said: This is Aita’s house.

Deb and Emon entered the garden of the gabled house by the gate. Inside, a big black dog suddenly dashed towards them out of the house. Deb pointed to the dog and said: Fear not, this is Blackie.

Blackie came and stopped in front of Deb shaking his tail. Deb patted Blackie on the head. Emon kept his eyes on Blackie at he walked through the garden to the house. Blackie followed them into the house. Inside the house they found Deb’s grandmother in the sitting-room. She was seated on a sofa and stitching a table-cloth. Deb said: Aita, Maa has sent a bottle of pickle and a bottle of jam.

It’s you, Deb. And who’s this? grandmother said looking up from the table-cloth.

This is my friend, Emon, Aita.

Come – come, be seated. Why are you standing there? grandmother said.

Where shall I put the bottle, Aita? Emon said in an unsure voice and came forward.

Let me see it first, grandmother said.

Emon gave the jam bottle to grandmother. Grandmother opened the bottle, looked inside and put it on a little table, which was near by. Deb put the pickle bottle beside the jam bottle.

Do you go to school?

Yes, Emon said.

What is the name of your school?

I and Deb study in the same school.

In which class are you?

Same as Deb’s.

Now tell me, what shall you eat? grandmother asked.

Oh Aita, I’m not hungry, Deb said.

Not hungry? You come all this distance walking and say you are not hungry! Let me see, I’ve got honey. I’ve got mangoes, bananas, guavas and black berries – and pineapples and curds and yes bread. Now tell me what’ll you eat?

I like everything except bread. I don’t like bread. You can give me anything you want, Aita, only that I like mangoes very much. I’ll have mangoes.

And you, Emon, what’ll you have? grandmother asked.

I also like mangoes, Emon said.

Wait here, while I cut the mangoes, grandmother said getting up from the sofa.

Aita, shall we take Blackie out for a walk? Deb asked.

Aatchaa, grandmother said.

Blackie was sitting on the floor beside the sofa.

Come Blackie, let’s go for a walk, Deb said bending down and patting Blackie on the back.

Blackie got up and shook himself.

Deb and Emon took Blackie out to the road. They walked around the locality for sometime. Then they brought Blackie back to the garden of the house. They remained in the garden until grandmother called.

At grandmother’s call, Deb and Emon came back to the house and went to the sitting-room. Where they found grandmother seated on the sofa as before and stitching the table-cloth. When grandmother saw them, she said: There are mangoes and pineapples on the table. Eat what you can.

Deb and Emon looked around and saw at the centre of the only big table in the room a large plate of cut