Author: jualujvu

গার্গী রায়চৌধুরী

পুপু এখন রোজ দেরি করে ওঠে। অ্যানুয়াল পরীক্ষা শেষ, স্কুল বন্ধ এখন। অন্য সময় স্কুল খোলা থাকলে পুপুকে উঠে পড়তে হয় ভোর বেলা। যদিও মা এখনও পুপুকে খুব বেশিক্ষণ ঘুমতে দেন না। পুপুর ভোরে ওঠার অভ্যাস নষ্ট হবে বলে। বাবা, মা দুজনেই অফিসে বেরিয়ে যান সকাল ৯টায়। তার আগে মা পুপুকে ব্রেকফাস্ট করিয়ে, স্নান করিয়ে রেখে যান। পুপু যদিও একা এক এসব করতে পারে, এবার ও ক্লাস সিক্সে উঠবে। হাই স্কুল যাবে। নিজেকে একেবারেই ছোট ভাবে না ও। সাড়ে আটটায় এসে যায় কল্যাণী মাসি। এই মাসির কাছেই সারাদিন থাকে পুপু। মা সন্ধ্যের সময় ফিরে এলে মাসি বাড়ি চলে যায়। অবশ্য পুপু দের বাড়ীতে আরেকজন মেম্বারও আছে। সে পুপুর পোষা কুকুর শ্যাডো। পুপুর চার বছর বয়স থেকে সে রয়েছে এই বাড়ীতে পুপুদের সঙ্গে। পুপু তাকে নিজের বোন মনে করে। মা বাবা যখন থাকেন না বাড়ীতে তখন পুপুকে সেই সঙ্গ দেয়, সারা দুপুর ঘুম আসেনা পুপুর, সেই সময় কি কি করে পুপু আর শ্যাডো দুজনে মিলে সেটা সিক্রেট। সেটা জানে শুধু পুপু আর শ্যাডো।

রোজ সকালে মায়ের সঙ্গে পুপু কে ঘুম থেকে তোলার কাজে লেগে যায় শ্যাডো ও। ‘পুপু ওঠো ওঠো আট টা বাজে। আমার স্নান হয়ে গেছে, এবার তুমি বাথরুমে যাবে’।

মায়ের ডাকের সঙ্গে সঙ্গে শ্যাডো এসে ওর ভেজা নাক টা ঘসে দেয় পুপুর মুখে। পউ পউ পউ করে হল্লা শুরু করে দেয়। তখন না উঠে আর কোন উপায় থাকে না পুপুর।

পুপুরা থাকে শহরের মধ্যিখানে একটা ফ্ল্যাটে। ফ্ল্যাটটা বড় হলেও এতে মন ভরেনা পুপুর। তার পছন্দ একটা বাগান ওয়ালা বাড়ি। ঠিক যেমন  তাদের পাশের বাড়িটা। কি সুন্দর একটা বাগান আছে বাড়ির পিছন দিকে। সামনে থেকে বোঝার উপায় নেই যে বাড়ির সঙ্গে লাগোয়া ওত বড় একটা বাগান আছে। পুপুরা এই ফ্ল্যাট টাতে এসেছে বছর তিনেক হল কিন্তু ওই বাগান ওয়ালা বাড়ীতে ওরা কেউ কখনও কোন লোকজন দেখেনি। বাড়ির মালিক বিদেশে থাকেন। বাড়ি দেখা শোনা করে একটি লোক ও তার বউ। তারা দুজন ছাড়া বাড়ি তে আর কাউকে দেখা যায় না। মাঝে মাঝে ছোট বাচ্চার কান্নার আওয়াজ পায় পুপু। বোধহয় কেয়ারটেকারদের বাচ্চা। পুপুদের ফ্ল্যাট দোতলায়। পুপুর ঘরের জানলা দিয়ে বাগানটা দেখা যায়। অনেক বড় বড় গাছ আছে সেখানে। সাজানো বাগান নয় মোটেই। একটা অগোছালো ছায়া ছায়া বাগান। বেশ লাগে পুপুর। কত পাখি আসে সেখানে।  পুপুর ঘরে তো সারাদিন খেলা করে পুপু আর শ্যাডো। বাগান থেকে পাখির ডাকলেই শ্যাডো কান খাড়া করে, মাথা হেলিয়ে ছুটে যায় জানলার দিকে। একবার বাইরে তাকায় একবার পুপুর দিকে চেয়ে ডাকে পউ পউ। যেন পুপুকে পাখি দেখতে ডাকছে। শ্যাডোর ডাক শুনে কতবার ছুটে গিয়ে পুপু পাখি দেখেছে, হলুদ পাখি ল্যাজঝোলা। কখনও কোন ছোট্ট নীল পাখি। এছাড়া চড়ুই, শালিখ, বুলবুলি তো আছেই। পুপুর খুব ইচ্ছে করে শ্যাডো কে নিয়ে ওই বাগানে খেলা করবে। কিন্তু ওই বাড়ির লোহার গেট সবসময় বন্ধ থাকে। কেয়ারটেকার কথাই বলে না, গোমড়া মুখ তার। তাছাড়া অচেনা লোকের সঙ্গে কথা বলতে মানা আছে মায়ের। কিন্তু পুপুর দিন রাতের সঙ্গী যে বাগানটা, যেখানকার পাখি, গাছ সবার সঙ্গে ওর চেনা সেখানে যাওয়ার ওর কোন অধিকার নেই। এ কেমন অন্যায়। এসব কথা মা বাবা কে বলতে গেলে তাঁরা শুনবেন না। তাই মনের দুঃখের কথা পুপু শ্যাডো কে বলে। সে বোঝে পুপুর দুঃখ।

একদিন বাবা ডিনার করতে করতে অন্যমনস্ক গলায় মা কে বললেন,

‘ও আচ্ছা শোন, বলতে ভুলে গেছি এই রবিবার আমাদের সবার ডিনারের নেমতন্ন আছে পাশের বাড়ীতে’।

মা বললেন, ‘সেকি, ওখানে তো কেউ থাকেই না’।

বাবা বললেন, ‘বাড়ির মালিক কাল বিদেশ থেকে ফিরেছেন। আজ সকালে অফিস যাওয়ার পথে দেখা, আমাদের বাড়ি আসছিলেন নেমতন্ন করতে। পাড়ার বেশ কিছু লোকজন বলছেন। আলাপ করতে চান’।

‘পাশের বাগান ওয়ালা বাড়ীতে নেমন্তন্ন বাবা? পুপু উত্তেজনায় চেয়ার থেকে লাফিয়ে ওঠে’।

মা, ধমক লাগান, ‘কি হচ্ছে পুপু, পড়ে যাবে যে। এত উচ্ছ্বাসের কি আছে? হ্যাঁ ওই বাড়িতেই নেমন্তন্ন’।

পুপু অতি কষ্টে আনন্দ চেপে রাখে, ওই বাড়ীতে যাওয়ার সুযোগ পাবে সে কোনদিন ভাবতেই পারেনি। আর মা কিনা বলছেন উচ্ছ্বাসের কি আছে। আর বাবাই বা কেমন, এত বড় কথাটা বলতে ভুলেই গেলেন। বড়দের হাব ভাব কেমন যেন অদ্ভুত লাগে পুপুর।

যাইহোক, পুপু প্রশ্ন করে, ‘বাবা আমরা বাগানে যেতে পারব তো’?

বাবা বলেন, ‘তা তো জানি না সোনা। বাড়ির মালিক নেমন্তন্ন করে কোথায় বসে খাওয়াবেন তা তো ওদের ব্যাপার’।

মা তাড়াতাড়ি বলে উঠলেন, ‘তোমার কি মাথা খারাপ পুপু? ওরা আমাদের ডিনারে ডেকেছেন, রাতে তুমি যাবে ওই বাগান দেখতে? সাপ, খোপ কি না কি আছে ওখানে। কেউ পরিস্কার করে না’।

পুপু চুপ করে রইল। শ্যাডো পাশ থেকে দুবার ফোঁস ফোঁস করে দীর্ঘশ্বাস ফেলল, বোধহয় মার কথা শুনেই।

পুপুর খুব ইচ্ছে শ্যাডো কে নিয়ে ডিনারে যায়। কিন্তু সেটা সম্ভব নয়। সবাই কুকুর ভালবাসেন না। হয়তো বিরক্ত হবেন। পুপুর খুব মনখারাপ করছিল শ্যাডোর জন্য। কি আর করা। পরদিন যথাসময়ে মা বাবার সঙ্গে পাশের বাড়ীতে ডিনার করতে গেল পুপু। পুপুর বয়সী ছেলে মেয়ে এই পাড়ায় নেই, সবাই বড়। পুপুই ছোট একমাত্র। সবাই গল্প করছেন জমিয়ে, খাবার সার্ভ করছে কেয়ারটেকার আর তার বউ। এদের আগে দেখেছে পুপু। বাড়ির মালিক বললেন, ‘এরাই দেখাশুনা করে সব, দুজনে থাকে’। পুপুর খুব কষ্ট হল ওদের বাচ্চাটার জন্য। ওকে তো কেউ কাউন্টই করলো না। পুপু বলে উঠল, ‘আর ওদের বেবি থাকে, সে মাঝে মাঝে কাঁদে। আমি শুনেছি’। পুপুর কথা শুনে ভদ্রলোক পুপুর কাছে এগিয়ে এসে বললেন, ‘ওদের কোন বেবি নেই তো। তুমি ভুল শুনেছ। হয়তো বিড়ালের ডাক’। এপাড়ার সব বেড়ালদেরই মোটামুটি চেনে পুপু। ওদের নামও দিয়েছে নিজের মনে, স্টেসি, তার বাচ্চা ডোরেমি আর একটা হুলো তার নাম কালু। কিন্তু যে সময় পুপু বাচ্চার কান্না শুনেছে সেটা হুলো দের লাঞ্চ এর সময়। ওরা তখন পুপুদের বাড়ির কেয়ারটেকারের কাছে লাঞ্চ খেতে আসে। তাই কান্নার আওয়াজ বিড়ালের হতে পারে না। পুপু কিছু বলতে যাচ্ছিল কিন্তু মার চোখের দিকে চোখ পরতে চুপ করে গেল। মা চোখ দিয়ে পুপুকে নিষেধ করলেন কথা বলতে। যাইহোক পুপুর তো একবার বাগান দেখার ইচ্ছা। কিন্তু পুপু বড়দের কাউকে জিজ্ঞেস করার ঝুঁকি নিতে পারল না। যদি না বলে দেয়? সবাই যখন গল্পে মশগুল পুপু আস্তে আস্তে ঘর থেকে বেরিয়ে বাগানের দিকে এগুলো। অনেক বড় বাড়ি। গুলিয়ে যাচ্ছিল পথ, তবু পুপু বাগানের রাস্তা খুঁজে বার করে ফেলল। বাগানটা বেশ বড়, অন্ধকার। বেশ গা ছমছম করছিল পুপুর। যদিও একটা আলো টিমটিম করে জ্বলছিল একপাশে। পুপু ওই আলোর দিকে এগিয়ে গেল। আলোটা যেখানে জ্বলছিল সেটা একটা ছোট ঘর, বাগানের একপাশে, গাছে ঢাকা। পুপু উঁকি মেরে দেখল ঘরের মধ্যে ছয়টা পিস বোর্ডের বাক্স রাখা। তার মধ্যে কাপরে মোড়া কি সব যেন রাখা আছে। কাপড় গুলো নড়ছে, কয়েকটা বাক্স থেকে চিঁ চিঁ আওয়াজ ও বেরচ্ছে। ইশ নিশ্চয় এখানে স্টেসিটা বাচ্চা দিয়েছে। পুপু ভাবল। ওর খুব লোভ হল বাচ্চাগুলোকে দেখে। ও এগিয়ে গেল ঘরের মধ্যে। কিন্তু কাপড় সরিয়ে দেখার সুযোগ আর হল না। কে যেন আসছে এদিকে। পুপু চট করে ঘর থেকে বেরিয়ে সরে গেল অন্ধকারের দিকে। দেখল কেয়ারটেকার এসে ঘরের দরজায় তালা মেরে দিয়ে চলে গেল। ভাগ্যিস ঘরে রয়ে যায়নি পুপু। কেয়ারটেকার চলে যেতেই পুপু গুটি গুটি পায়ে এগিয়ে গেল ডাইনিং হলের দিকে। দেখল খাবার দেওয়া হয়ে গেছে। মা পুপুকে বললেন, ‘কোথায় ছিলে, তোমাকে খুঁজছিলাম। তাড়াতাড়ি এসো’। পুপু এসে ডিনার করে নিল। ডিনার শেষে খানিক বসার পর একে একে সবাই বাড়ি যেতে লাগলেন। পুপুরাও উঠে পড়ল। বাড়ি যেতে যেতে বাবা মা দুজনেই বাগানবাড়ির ভদ্রলোকের প্রশংসা করছিলেন। ভদ্রলোক অমায়িক ও শিক্ষিত। পাড়ার সবার সঙ্গে কেমন সুন্দর নিজে থেকে আলাপ পরিচয় করলেন। মা বাবা খুব খুশি ভদ্রলোকের ব্যবহারে।

পরদিন রবিবার, মা বাবাও দেরি করে ওঠেন ওইদিন। পুপু তো আরও দেরি করে। সেদিন মা পুপুকে ডাকেননি। পুপু নিজেই ঘড়ি দেখে উঠল, আরে সাড়ে নটা বাজে। নির্ঘাত বকা খেতে হবে। পুপু চোখ ডলতে ডলতে ঘর থেকে বেরিয়ে দেখল মা বাবা বসার ঘরে বসে চা খাচ্ছেন। দুজনেরই মুখ গম্ভীর। মা বলছেন, ‘কি দেশে বাস করছি আমরা। খবরের কাগজ পড়তে ইচ্ছে করে না। ছিঃ’। বাবাও সায় দিলেন। সামনে কাগজ খোলা ছিল। পুপু মায়ের কাছে গিয়ে দেখল সদ্যোজাত বাচ্চা চুরির খবর কাগজের পাতা জুড়ে। আর ছবি দেখে পুপুর চোখ ছানাবড়া। বাচ্চা গুলো কে যে রকম বাক্সে কাপড় মুড়ে রাখা হয়েছে ঠিক সেই রকম ছটা বাক্স যে ও দেখে এসেছে বাগানের ঘরে। পুপু মা কে বলল সে কথা, মা বাবা আমল দিলেন না। ওরা বললেন কোন কাজের জিনিস রাখা আছে হয়তো। মা তো উল্টে পুপুকে বকলেন বারণ করা সত্ত্বেও বাগানে যাওয়ার জন্য। কিন্তু পুপুও নাছোড়বান্দা। ততক্ষনে টিভিতেও দেখাচ্ছে সেই খবর। বাক্স বন্দি সদ্যোজাতদের ছবি। পুপু অনেক বলে বাবাকে রাজি করাল বিষয়টা নিয়ে বাবার বন্ধু অলোক কাকুর সঙ্গে কথা বলার জন্য। অলোক কাকু পুলিশ কমিশনার। বাবা ফোনে অলোক কাকুকে বললেন। অলোক কাকু বাবাকে বললেন বাড়িতে এসে পুপুর সঙ্গে কথা বলবেন। মা বাবা দুজনেই পুপুকে বারবার বলতে লাগলেন বানিয়ে কিছু না বলতে।

ঘণ্টা খানেকের মধ্যেই অলোক কাকু চলে এলেন পুপুদের বাড়ি। গায়ে পুলিশের পোষাক নেই। সাধারন জামা কাপড় পরা। কাকু অনেকক্ষণ ধরে পুপুর সঙ্গে কথা বললেন, খুঁটিয়ে সব জিজ্ঞেস করলেন, তারপর বললেন, ‘পুপু মা, কোন অভিযোগ ছাড়া আমরা তো কারো বাড়ি সার্চ করতে পারি না। আমাদের অন্য কোন উপায় ভাবতে হবে’। বাবা বললেন, ‘আমরা গিয়ে মালিক ভদ্রলোকের সঙ্গে কথা বলতে পারতাম  কিন্তু উনি তো আজ ভোরেই মুম্বাই চলে যাবেন বললেন। কেয়ারটেকার তো কাউকে ঢুকতে দেবে না’। পুপুর মাথায় একটা বুদ্ধি খেলে গেল। ও বলল, ‘কাকু আমি যদি শ্যাডো কে ওদের মেন গেটের  গ্রিল দিয়ে ভিতরে ঢুকিয়ে দি তাহলে একবার শ্যাডো কে নিয়ে আসতে আমি ভিতরে যেতে চাইতে পারি। কেয়ারটেকার নিশ্চয়ই তখন আমাকে যেতে দেবে আর আমি সেই ফাঁকে গিয়ে বাক্সে কি আছে দেখে আসব’। আলোক কাকু বাবার দিকে তাকিয়ে বললেন, ‘কি বুদ্ধি রে তোর মেয়ের। কিন্তু তুই ভয় পাবি না তো? যদি কোন বিপদ হয় আমরা জানব কি করে’। পুপু ছুট্টে খেলার বাক্স থেকে ওর স্পোর্টসে পাওয়া ছোট্ট বাঁশি নিয়ে এলো। ‘এই যে কাকু কোন বিপদ হলেই হুইসেল। আর তোমরা তখন ভিতরে ঢুকে আমাকে আর শ্যাডো কে বাঁচিয়ে নেবে’। মার মুখ দেখে বোঝা যাচ্ছিল পুপুকে এই বিপদের মধ্যে যেতে দিতে মায়ের মন সায় দিচ্ছে না। আলোক কাকু মাকে অভয় দিয়ে বললেন, ‘পুপুর কিচ্ছু হবে না বৌদি তুমি ভেবো না’। এবার শ্যাডো কে ট্রেনিং দেওয়ার পালা।  শ্যাডো পুপুর সব কথা কেমন বোঝে তার বর্ণনা অলোক কাকুকে দিতে থাকলেন বাবা আর পুপু ততোক্ষণে শ্যাডো কে বলে দিল কি করতে হবে তাকে। ‘তোকে গ্রিল গলিয়ে ভিতরে ঢুকিয়ে দিলেই তুই ছুটে বাগানের দিকে চলে যাবি বুঝলি? বাগানের পাশের ঘরেই বাক্স রাখা আছে’। শ্যাডো ডাকল পউ পউ, অর্থাৎ সব বুঝেছে ঠিকঠাক। পকেট ডগ ছোট্ট শ্যাডো কে সঙ্গে নিয়ে পুপু চলল পাশের বাড়ির দিকে। বাবা আর আলোক কাকু সঙ্গে চললেন। অলোক কাকু বাবাকে বললেন, ‘আমরা কিন্তু আড়ালে থাকবো। কেয়ারটেকার এতটুকু সন্দেহ যেন না করে’। প্ল্যান মতো ছোট্ট শ্যাডোকে গ্রিল গলিয়ে গেটের ভিতরে পাঠিয়ে দিল পুপু। তারপর বেল বাজিয়ে কেয়ারটেকারকে ডাকল। কেয়ারটেকার  দোতলার বারান্দা দিয়ে মুখ বাড়াতেই পুপু বলল, ‘ও কাকু আমার কুকুরটা গ্রিল গলে ভিতরে ঢুকে গেছে আমায় একটু ঢুকতে দাও না, ওকে নিয়ে আসি’। কেয়ারটেকার বিরক্ত মুখে বলল, ‘এখানে কোন কুকুর ঢোকেনি, মালিক নেই দরজা খোলা হবে না’। বলতে বলতে ভিতরে শ্যাডোর চিৎকার শোনা গেল পউ পউ পউ। পুপু বলে উঠল ‘দেখ কাকু চেঁচাচ্ছে, ও কিন্তু খুব কামড়ায় তুমি ধরতে যেয়ো না। কামড়ে দেবে’। কেয়ারটেকার, ‘ওরে বাবা আসছি, তুমি তাড়াতাড়ি এসে নিয়ে যাও বলে চাবি নিয়ে নেমে এসে দরজা খুলে দিল’। পুপু ওকে বলল, ‘তুমি গেটের কাছে দাঁড়াও আমি এখুনি নিয়ে আসছি কুকুরটাকে’। কেয়ারটেকার বলল, ‘না না আমিও তোমার সঙ্গে যাব’, বলে গেটে তালা দিয়ে চলল পুপুর সঙ্গে। পুপু বাগানের দিকে এগিয়ে গেল, কেয়ারটেকারও পিছু নিল। পুপু দেখল বাগানের পাশের ঘরটা খোলা আছে, ও শ্যাডোকে খোঁজার নাম করে ঘরে ঢুকে দেখল সেখানে কোন বাক্স নেই। কাল রাতে যেগুলো ছিল সেগুলো কেউ সরিয়ে নিয়েছে, কিন্তু কোথায় তাহলে বাক্সগুলো? কেয়ারটেকার কে জিজ্ঞেস করা যাবে না। অথচ পুপুকে খুঁজে বার করতেই হবে। পুপুর মনে হল ওই লোকটা আজ সকালে বাক্স গুলো নিয়ে মুম্বই চলে যায়নি তো? পুপুর নার্ভাস লাগছিল, কিন্তু মন শক্ত রাখতেই হবে। শ্যাডো টাই বা কোথায় গেল? পুপু বাগানের দিকে এগোচ্ছিল এমন সময় ঘরের মধ্যে থেকে শ্যাডোর চিৎকার শোনা গেল। লোকটা বলল, ‘ওই দেখ তোমার কুকুর ঘরে ঢুকেছে’। পুপু তাড়াতাড়ি ঘরের দিকে ছুটে গেল। ডাইনিং রুমের পাশের একটা ঘর থেকে শ্যাডোর ডাক আসছে। পুপু গিয়ে দেখল সেই ঘরেই রাখা আছে ছটা বাক্স। কিন্তু কেয়ারটেকারের সামনে পুপু কাপড় সরিয়ে দেখবে কি করে বাক্সে কি আছে? পুপু শ্যাডোকে কোলে নিয়ে কেয়ারটেকারকে বলল, ‘কাকু একটু জল খাব’। লোকটা বলল, ‘চলো আমার সঙ্গে এই ঘর থেকে তারপর জল খাবে’। হঠাৎ শ্যাডো পুপুর কোল থেকে ঝাঁপিয়ে পরে কেয়ারটেকারকে তেড়ে গেল। লোকটা বাবা গো বলে চোখের আড়াল হতেই পুপু কাপড় সরিয়ে দেখল বাক্সের মধ্যে ঘুমিয়ে আছে ছোট্ট একটা বাচ্চা। বেড়ালের নয় মানুষের। কেয়ারটেকার নিমেষে হাজির হল হাতে একটা মস্ত লাঠি নিয়ে। পুপু তাড়াতাড়ি শ্যাডোকে কোলে তুলে নিল, তারপর ছুটে চলল গেটের দিকে। কেয়ারটেকার তখন তার মাতৃভাষা বলতে শুরু করেছে, ‘অউর এর বার ঘুসা তো মার ডালেগা’। তালা খুলে পুপুদের বার করে দিতেই পুপু ছুটে গিয়ে আলোককাকু কে জানাল সব কিছু। এর পাঁচ মিনিটের মধ্যে পুলিশ ফোর্স এসে বাড়ি ঘিরে ফেলল। গ্রেপ্তার হল কেয়ারটেকার ও তার বউ। উদ্ধার হল ছটি সদ্য জাত শিশু।

পরে জানা গেল পাশের বাড়ির ওই মালিক লোকটিই  এই শিশু চুরি ও পাচারের পাণ্ডা। বিদেশ থেকে ব্যবসা চালান, মুম্বই থেকে ধরা হয়েছে তাকে। ভারতের অন্যান্য শহরেও এই ব্যবসা আছে তার। বছর চারেক আগে পুপুদের পাড়ার বাড়িটি কেনেন তিনি। পাড়ার লোকের চোখে ধুলো দিয়ে ব্যবসা চালাবেন বলে তাদের সঙ্গে ভাব জমিয়ে নেমতন্ন করে খাইয়েছিলেন।

সব ধরা পরবার পর দুষ্টু লোকটির কলকাতার বাড়িটি সিল করে দিয়েছে পুলিশ। পাড়ার লোকেদের অনুরোধে বাগানটা পাড়ার বাচ্চা দের খেলার জন্য খুলে দেওয়া হয়েছে। বাগানের রক্ষণাবেক্ষণের দায়িত্ব নিয়েছে পাড়ার লোকজনেরা। এই কাণ্ড ধরা পড়ল পুপুর কেরামতিতে। তাই পুপু আর শ্যাডো এখন এ পাড়ার হিরোইন। সাহসিকতার জন্য তাদের পুরস্কৃত করেছেন স্বয়ং মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। তবে এসব কিছুর চেয়ে পুপুর আনন্দ হয়েছে ওই বাগানটাতে খেলতে পেরে। সে আর শ্যাডো এখন নিয়ম করে সেখানে গিয়ে খেলা করে। ঘরে বন্দি হয়ে থাকতে হয়না ওদের। খোলা আকাশ আর বাগানের গাছেরা এখন পুপু আর শ্যাডোর সঙ্গী।

Shampa Dasgupta

A little over 33 years ago, a young girl of 23 with the bright red vermilion on her parting spilling onto her forehead, proclaiming her status a new bride, stepped on platform no.1 of Secunderabad Railway Station, apprehension and excitement writ all over her face. They were there – old friends of her new husband, their beaming faces and helping hands making it all too easy to begin with and it seemed she had known them and the city all her life. And it was easier to think of Moloyda and Naruda as older cousins whom she looked up to and admired. Finally, the lovely little house at Kavadiguda, putting up new curtains, the scent of polish on new furniture, exciting adventures with the kerosene stove and the gargantuan fish, weighing no less than 5 kg that the man in her life decided to surprise her with; the early days of sweet nothings, romantic rides on the old Lamby scooter, the breeze from Hussain Sagar ruffling her hair and billowing out her dupatta – not for a moment did the old malady of homesickness invade her soul. There were not too many tears for that little room back in faraway Durgapur.

Then came a more welcome invasion, the additional responsibilities of motherhood – baby scents, babbling sounds and teething woes and milk boiling over, chaos and noise and tiny clothes, tinier mittens and teeny-weeny fingers trying to grasp your own. Two years of this and it starts all over again and then suddenly, almost magically, there were two pairs of little feet keeping the days alive and alight and making the house – a home.

As the years rolled by, the young parents grew into middle age, the children played and grew up and spent an idyllic childhood amidst the tall eucalyptus and the wide open grounds of the office campus. Then school happened, followed by college and one day the mirror on the wall revealed the first grey strands in the hair; the laugh lines were actually beginning to look like wrinkles while large-sized shoes and fancy heels replaced the tiny sneakers and ballerinas on the shoe rack. And the carefully nurtured nest was no more as noisy or full because the fledglings were beginning to look out for themselves and build their own little comfort zones. And throughout these years, the city was also transforming itself, losing a lot of the old charm and consequently, some of its identity, moving away from the much trodden, well known paths to LED lit, modern roads; small shops disappearing into the cavernous depths of huge malls. But thankfully, the warmth and the love of old friends remained much the same. Today, more than three decades after yours truly – the wide-eyed young girl of yesterday, adapted and adopted and made this city her forever home, I feel as blessed, as grateful and as much in love with this lazy, laid back city of biryani, haleem, Nanking, traffic snarls and a million other woes as the initial days. Even in distant Gurgaon, Hyderabad and the friends of a lifetime will never be out of sight or mind and absence will only make the heart grow fonder.

Koyal Roy

The time is 8:30 or so in the morning. We are eight of us in an open gypsy, tearing our way through the jungles of Tadoba. Summer is already way ahead here and the previous afternoon the safari turned out to be hot, humid and uncomfortable, but today the air is cooler, the jungle – peaceful and intimate, apart from being friendlier, notwithstanding the chill in our bones that an early morning cruise on an open gypsy has induced.

We reach a clearing and out of the blue (pun unintended), there is a nilgai staring at us – with its large ashen body it seems to be a cross between goat and deer. The safari this morning has so far been monotonous to say the least, maybe because the previous day, thanks to beginner’s luck, we had seen three tigers. We feel let down, because frankly, one wants to see, show and tell and right now our bragging rights are at an all – time low. Our guide deciphers animal calls – he is convinced a predator is around. We spend almost an hour looking for it and then get a faint glimpse of the lithe body of a cheetah jumping from a tree before disappearing into the dense woods. At that distance, it is difficult to tell whether it is a cheetah, but at least it is a box checked.

Then Matkasur, the reigning male tiger of this part of Tadoba and his paramour Maya, are known to have made a certain pool their haunt for the past three days and thereby increasing the odds of tiger sightings for all the grateful visitors stewing in the summer heat. However, they disappoint us by not budging from their positions on the other side of the pool where we had seen them sunning last afternoon. If it is presumptuous on our part to expect tigers to put on a show for our benefit, I doubt we realize it. We are gradually getting so accustomed to instant gratification that it is difficult to imagine a world which does not play by our rules.

The guide is now uttering platitudes – it is all luck and there is nothing one can do. We are rationalizing, maybe tigers are seen more often during afternoons. The kids are wondering what all the fuss is about, my mind is already on the breakfast that awaits us at our resort, and the husband, having long given up hope, is catching up on his morning sleep (priorities clear).

The guide, making a last attempt to make our morning worthwhile, decides to take us to a particularly dense part of the forest. As we make our way through this narrow strip of road paved by dry deciduous trees almost touching the vehicle, we know we haven’t been here before. This is the jungle proper and it’s not often disturbed by humans. We feel strangely vulnerable, because we are the interlopers here and should anything happen, the road is too narrow to afford an escape. In the silence the sounds of the jungle come alive, we are quiet, even the children, sensing this is not a world where noise is appreciated.

And then, a proverbial (and literal) bend in the road, a clearing, and a Nilgai staring at us, almost like a magical creature- telling us you never know what to expect here. We slow down (a couple of vehicles are parked here) and watch the nilgai as it comes to the watering hole, followed by a tiny fawn, probably seeking protection, standing by the stronger cousin. Occasionally they perk up, alert and listening, look around, and then go back to drinking. There’s a tiger around, the animals are restless and as if on cue, the guide points to a fresh pugmark on our side of the pool. We are on the right track and taking leave of the nilgai, we decide to give it a last shot.

We are again distracted, but something has changed since we saw the nilgai. We feel a subtle stirring, too faint to be called excitement, but the gloom of the morning has been dispelled. Suddenly, as if to reward our new found optimism, a tiger surfaces from one end of the woods. He is about thirty feet ahead of us, which is good I decide, because my heart is already in my mouth. The guide warns us to be silent, but he needn’t have. My hand covers my son’s mouth and I am saying my prayers as the tiger crosses the road without a single glance to us. We have almost frozen at our spot, so sudden and intimate is this encounter, but as it navigates to the other side, a few of us take out our phones and cameras out. We are overwhelmed, grateful and still reeling from the shock of the sudden encounter. We also realize that the tiger (Bajrang, an adult male) is least interested in us, which is both relieving and humbling, because we live to see another day and to realise that everything is not about us.

Our day is a success, mostly because of this majestic climax, but even otherwise, seeing the nilgai was a taste of the surreal- a moment when time seemed to have stopped, when we were outsiders being let in on a different existence.

Many people have asked me since then, what my three-year-old son felt and how he reacted. Well, he was quiet, but I doubt he registered the significance of seeing a tiger in it’s natural surroundings. He reminds me ever so often that he has already seen tigers in the zoo twice (in a been there, done that kind of nonchalant way). He was in fact more animated when he saw a hen with it chicks in the nearby village. Well, to each his own, is what I say, but boy, am I glad we were there and lived to tell the tale!

Anindita Chowdhury

When I was about seven or eight years old I was distinctly under the impression that the roads of Kolkata had two names – just like me. One a pet name and the other, as Indians are prone to say, the ‘good name’. For instance, the short and crisp ‘Amherst Street’ also had a long drawn, formal sounding name – ‘Raja Rammohan Sarani’. Similar was the case with Harrison Road whose good name, I had presumed in all innocence, was Mahatma Gandhi Road. I had also observed that bus conductors, especially of those of private buses always preferred the pet name. Banging on the windows they would shout “Amherst Street” “Amherst Street”, presumably to alert distracted passengers or wake up those managing to doze off despite the heat and the crowd; but they were actually loud enough to wake up even the dead.

However, shop owners preferred the ‘good name’ so their sign boards would always display ‘Raja Rammohan Sarani’ instead of the shorter version or the nickname. My eight-year-old pea-sized brain had not yet grasped the need to obliterate colonial legacies, as our city fathers had once felt, particularly during the first few decades after Independence. Later, the exercise turned into a renaming spree for the civic body and the familiarity of Lindsay Street was stripped away to be replaced by the somewhat distant sounding Nellie Sengupta Sarani. It was particularly catastrophic when Park Street was renamed after Mother Teresa (no offence meant to the angel of the slums). In this game of one-upmanship I wonder how many realised that a part of the city’s history created at a time when Kolkata was still dear old Calcutta – was being slowly stripped away. Did anyone spare a thought about Park Street which was once called “ Burying-ground Road ” by the early inhabitants since it led to the new cemetery which was quite far away from the White settlement, then centred around Lal Dighi, Writers’ Buildings and the old Fort (where the GPO stands today)? The old cemetery behind St. John’s Church had no more vacant space and so the town needed a new one. Calcutta was still a hot, swampy land where the heat, rains and pestilence claimed large number of inhabitants every season. Hence, the road to the burial ground was well frequented at least by the chaplain or the pall bearers, though somewhat isolated from the settlement. Park Street derived its name from the deer park adjoining the residence of Sir Elijah Impey, one of the first judges of Supreme Court (now Calcutta High Court). The new names may honour our great personalities but sadly, the city seems to be losing a piece of its own in each of these renaming efforts. Road names like Nimoo Khansama Lane, Rani Mudi Lane or Ramjan Ostagor Lane said quite a bit about our city’s past, particularly when the roads were named by the public after the master craftsmen or the chef who resided by it and bestowed on the city a great legacy of egalitarianism. Fortunately or unfortunately, the number of roads that require baptism anew have dwindled, leaving our city fathers with little scope, unless they want to start the renaming game all over again.

But this is not what I had set out to do; I have digressed so far from my original subject that I should try to go back and start all over again. This road renaming exercise piqued me when I first arrived in Hyderabad. Born and brought up in Kolkata I was wired to think differently. Imagine my surprise when I learnt that the main thoroughfare near my house was known as the “100 feet road”. Of course, it has a “good name” too which is Road No. 36 and there I encountered another surprise. The roads are identified by numbers instead of great personalities! I found it to be really unique and a welcome change. Indeed it was an excellent method for everybody except perhaps for those like me who are numerophobic. Numbers absolutely terrify me and my aversion goes up with the increasing number of zeroes after any digit. I was simply doomed. Apart from my childhood phobia for any exercise requiring number crunching I encountered another peculiar problem. Road No. 10 could mean either Road No.10 of Banjara Hills or Road No. 10 of Jubilee Hills which are quite far apart and I learnt my lesson after a few mishaps involving annoyed auto rickshaw drivers.

I realised, when it came to looking up addresses, there was not much difference between Kolkata and Hyderabad. I was reminded of the gentle sarcasm of Rabindranath Tagore in his letter to Amal Home, the editor of Municipal Gazette, (written in 1928) after failing to locate a house despite knowing its postal address. Tagore wrote: “The present system of numbering houses and planning streets may be a splendid way of training the younger generation to become future Livingstones. But the course is, perhaps, too difficult, and I sometimes wonder if Livingstone himself would not have found exploration in Darkest Africa easier than fruitful exploration in the City of Palaces.”

Anyway, after a bit of digging I realised not every road in the twin cities was known by a number. Quite a few had names like Sardar Patel Road or Mahatma Gandhi Road and the very beautiful Necklace Road which truly graces Hussain Sagar like an elegant neck piece. Surely, the state did not lack in its share of great sons of soil that they had to resort to numbering the roads or even refer to measurements (100 feet road). I was intrigued whether there was a road renaming committee like Kolkata. Was it obsolete? I even asked Narendra Luther, noted author who has penned several books on the city’s history and culture. He practically sounded relieved that no one had suggested such a thing to the city planners. And then I discovered something that explained his reluctance towards adopting such a practice. The slender stretches of roads have been spared, probably because they were not found to be worthy enough. Instead of the teeny weeny roads an entire district was named after the leaders. For instance, several districts bear names of former chief ministers. And just after Telangana was formed somebody suggested it should be named after the president of a national party who was instrumental in its formation. Can you beat it? Well, we do have Bidhannagar but apart from being a tribute to a deserving leader it is just a satellite township. However, my faith has been shaken after this discovery and I live in daily fear that someday some wise one would take a cue and implement it in my home town too. Our very own Tollywood (Tollygunge film industry) can serve as an inspiration. The industry had once thrived on copying films, scene by scene from its richer cousin and namesake, the Telugu film industry. After all no one can claim a copyright on renaming. It remains a favourite obsession, nationwide.

Tagore’s letter appeared in The Municipal Gazette, edited by Amal Home. Reprinted by Kolkata Municipal Corporation,1991

Col R K Bhattacharya

I have been in Kolkata for the past six years. Since I never required heavy winter clothing here I finally decided to discard some of them. My long association with counter insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir had led me to accumulate too many of these heavy woollens but they had become redundant in the warm weather of Kolkata .

I picked up a faded, hand-woven, cheap-looking jacket. Should I throw it out? I wondered. It has been with me since 1997. It reminded me of the days when I was a Major.

I had just then been posted for conducting counter insurgency operations in the then most challenging district – Kupwara in Kashmir Valley. I had left behind my family at Allahabad. My wife and two small daughters were then fighting their own battle in order to adjust themselves in an alien town. I did not have time to get them settled. I had to move at a very short notice.

Within twenty four hours I found myself leading a major cordon and search operation on a cold winter night. There was snow all around and we had encircled the village where the suspected militants were holed up. The moon was up. I was sure that I was about to get a ‘good catch’. After all visibility was very good and the terrorists would be spotted, distinctly against the white snowy background. Remember those were the days when the army was yet to get night vision devices.

As was the custom we had asked the villagers to come out of their homes and assemble at a safe place just to avoid collateral damage. Then I saw her. She must have been of the same age as my younger daughter. Curled up in her mother’s lap she was looking as innocent as any baby in any part of the world. She was unaware of the fact that hell will break out soon. Automatics would open up, grenades about to be burst and the white snow would mingle with blood. She looked exactly like my younger daughter who had waved me good bye from her mother’s lap, when I left home. But this girl was out in cold. Possibly her mother could not get her woollens while hurrying to find a safe place.

I was wearing a heavy army jacket. Running between cover to cover with a blazing Kalashnikov, I may not require it at all. I was reminded of my daughters who would be under the quilt to ward off the cold in UP, listening to bed time stories from their mother. I shrugged out of the jacket and gave it to her. Then suddenly I heard a burst from an automatic from one of the houses. My search party must have come under fire. I rushed to be with them.

The operation ended in a resounding success. We had no major casualties, but eliminated two foreign terrorists. I had received a minor splinter injury that required some medical attention. In the ecstasy of a battle won and administering of first aid I forgot all about the jacket.

I was advised rest due to loss of some blood. So it took me a few days before I once again drove into the village. And there she stood wearing my olive green jacket with the field emblem of Major on it. She saluted me. I gave her a toffee as was the custom of all officers when they met children. But I did not have the heart to ask her to return my jacket. Will it be misused? May be yes, may be no. But I decided against asking for the jacket.

Later, whenever I passed the village she was always there wearing the jacket and saluting me.

Three years later I was posted out. I had made many young friends in the village by then. We played cricket with them. So a large part of the village was there to see me off. It was then she came with her mother with a hand woven Kashmiri jacket for me. I could not ask what was the price of the jacket. There were orders against accepting any gift from locals. But I simply took the gift. It is the same jacket which I was just thinking of discarding. No, I decided I could not throw it away. It went back into the same box where it had remained for so many years.

As I write this, news of another Fidayeen attack in the same village keeps pouring in. The soil of Panzgam is again soaked with blood. How long? Oh lord! How long must the Valley suffer? I wonder in deep frustration.

Soumalya Chakraborty

The strains of a mysterious tune wafted through the night. It floated through the misty forest and found its way to a small cottage by the woods. As 10-year-old Marie was preparing to climb into her cozy bed, the music reached and almost immediately enthralled her.

Marie and her mother, Giselle, had moved into the cottage after they lost Paul, Marie’s father, in an accident near Munich. Paul’s absence made the familiar locations unbearable with a barrage of memories constantly flooding in. Also, the expenses of living in Munich proved tough to bear on the earnings of Gisele alone.

That’s when Gisele took up the offer to teach music to little kids at a school on the outskirts of Hamburg. The quiet, scenic life and the presence of the little ones around her, comforted Gisele. Marie was happy to roam the countryside and play with the 3 kittens her mother had recently adopted.

One night, as Marie opened her bedroom window to look for the source of music, something made her immediately turn to the cathedral a mile away, on the road towards the school where Gisele taught. She visited it with her mother for prayers every Sunday. Marie wondered how a service could be in progress at this time of the night.

There was only one way to find out; she would have to pay the cathedral a visit.

Ordinarily, Marie would never consider going out that late. However, there was something about the music that called out to her. Her inclination towards playing the piano added to the appeal of the notes, enveloping her senses. As she quietly made her way out of the house, she didn’t seem to notice that the door had opened by itself and softly closed behind her as she walked out. Gisele’s sleep was not disturbed.

The cathedral loomed over Marie like a prehistoric monster. Built in the 17^th Century, it once served as a shelter for the town’s residents during the World Wars. On its frame, one could still spot bullet marks and damage caused by shelling from tanks when the Allied army had stormed it towards the end of 1944, dragging out Gestapo officials hiding in it and executing them in the porch.

Marie walked past the aisles towards the altar. As she approached it, she turned right to take the stairs towards the priests’ quarters. Unerringly guided by the music, she approached a small room adjacent to the balcony on the first floor. The door opened for her and she entered, looking at the German soldier who was playing a piano.

The soldier’s uniform was nothing like she had ever seen. The untucked shirt was held by a belt around the middle. Several medallions hung from the breast pockets while a curious cross adorned the shoulder.

The soldier looked at Marie and smiled. He seemed quite young.

“Come here, child. Do you play the piano?” he asked.

“I do, but not as beautifully as you. I have a lot to learn”, Marie replied.

“Would you like to learn from me?”

“I would be happy to, Sir”

The soldier left his seat and let Marie take it. The instant her fingers touched the keys; a rush of notes overwhelmed her mind. The notes were jumbled at first, making no sense, just noise, but gradually, they fell into place and arranged themselves into a composition.

Marie had no clue how it occurred to her. Her fingers flew over the keys, producing an unfamiliar but enchanting wave of music. She realized it was an entirely new tune that she was playing. Something great, which generations would remember.

Yet, after playing for an hour, she stopped-or rather, her fingers stopped moving. The notes which seemed imprinted in her mind suddenly vanished.

Puzzled, she looked at the soldier standing beside her, a wistful smile on his face.

“We seem to have learnt a lot already”, he said.

“I did not play that. It appeared my hands were no longer in my control.” said Marie, “It all occurred to me on its own.”

“And why did you stop?”

“Because the notes ended abruptly. The composition seems….incomplete”

“You are right! So let’s finish it. I started composing this piece but was interrupted while I was at it. Afterwards, the tunes just wouldn’t come to me no matter how hard I tried. Maybe you can help me find them”, said the soldier with a note of determination in his voice.

“But how can I assist you with a grand composition such as this? I can barely play”, exclaimed Marie.

“Creation has a way of completing itself, child. Music can manifest itself through a passionate mind and strong will. I believe it has a life of its own. It only needs a dedicated medium to come together”

The soldier put Marie’s hands on the piano again. As her eyes closed and fingers hovered over the keys, the notes engulfed her mind again. Through the familiar stream of chords she had played earlier, she started to envision new ones which made sense as extensions. As her fingers conjured the new pieces, the soldier laughed in excitement.

“Yes, yes! We are making progress!”, he was elated.

Marie played in frenzy-repeating the entire composition over and over with the new additions which took it forward. She hardly felt the transition of her existence from normal to ethereal through the steady stream of music which seemed to fill the entirety of her existence.

The next morning found Gisele sick with worry as she looked for Marie all over the place. She could not figure how she left the house when the door was locked. She hardly knew anyone in this town, having moved in only a month back. After informing the authorities, she stopped by the cathedral to talk to the priests in the hope of comforting herself.

Father Arno Moriani listened gravely as a tearful Gisele narrated her story. When she told him how much her daughter loved playing the piano, Father Moriani gasped in shock.

“What’s the matter, Father?” asked Giselle

Father Moriani escorted Giselle to the first floor. Towards the corner, she spotted a heavily bolted room which didn’t seem to have been opened in years.

Father Moriani asked one of the cathedral helps to get the keys to the room. As the ancient door creaked open, it revealed a decrepit piano in the middle of a dusty, disheveled room.

However, there was something on the piano which caused Gisele to almost faint. Marie’s gloves!

“Those gloves…they are my daughter’s”, screamed a hysteric Gisele. “Where is she?”

“I am afraid your daughter is no more, my child”, said Father Moriani in a gentle voice.

“But…why…how?”, Giselle stammered.

“This room was the hideout of Colonel Dieter. His army had been massacred by the Allied forces near Cologne. He had managed to escape and find shelter here.

Apart from being a decorated soldier, Dieter was also a gifted musician. Those who heard him play said that had he devoted his life to music, he would have become a great composer. Away from the battlefield, Dieter confined himself to this room, pouring out his anger and agony through music.

Unfortunately for Dieter, the Allies found out about him and few of his men who were hiding here. As Dieter was in the middle of his composition, they stormed the cathedral, overcame the weak resistance his men offered and dragged him out. As they prepared to shoot him, he kept pleading with them to allow him to finish the composition before they killed him.

From that day, the piano seems to have taken up the mission to complete Dieter’s work. It makes itself heard to those who play and bring them here. In exchange for their lives, a new section is added to the composition. Each note in that composition is music perpetuating itself through sacrificial souls”

Later that evening as Fabian, one of the young students of Gisele at the music school, was passing by the cathedral, he was surprised to hear an unfamiliar strain of music being played in it. As he found his way to the source, he walked into the room in the first floor to see a young girl of 10 intently playing the piano. Transfixed, Fabian listened as she played the most wonderful tune he had ever heard, only to pause suddenly in the middle of it.

“That was fantastic! Why did you stop?” asked Fabian.

The girl turned to him, “I can’t think of the next tune. Will you help me?”

Shantanu Dey

A famous Bengali poet once wrote –

উমা হৈমবতীর অর্ঘ্য পেল ওলাই চন্ডী কি তায়

বেসান্ত পাবে সে নৈবেদ্য অর্পিত যা নিবেদিতায়।

The meaning of this verse, though not literal, is that the tribute or offering meant for the divine mother Durga goes to a local goddess. Annie Besant, best known for her theosophical society background and political work got recognition which was perhaps more befitting for Sister Nivedita.

Indeed, an ardent admirer of the life and works of Sister Nivedita is bound to be disappointed at times by the gross underrating of her efforts by contemporary and post-independence historians and political leadership of India. In this respect they have followed their colonial masters. Post-independence, Indian History has witnessed a zeal to maintain the secular credentials of India and this has often come at a cost; anything being perceived, even remotely as religious or spiritual, especially​ connected to the revival of the so called aggressive Hinduism, was regarded with suspicion. Sister Nivedita had often been accused as one of the architects of its revival. Therefore, it is not surprising that she would be considered as an untouchable by certain historians to the extent of even ignoring her contributions​ towards nation building particularly at a juncture when the Independence movement was at a very nascent stage. Fortunately, there have been several conscientious people who kept alive the interest in her and her work, the most notable among them being Shankari Prasad Basu, to whom we are eternally indebted for his magnum opus in Bengali – “Nivedita Lokamata” spread over two volumes. But the efforts of the contemporary historians have borne fruit as her contribution is now almost unknown to the people in general. Even the contemporary media, in order to prove its secular credentials, has shunted her. There is not even a passing reference in English media about her contributions and legacy. Everybody seems to be aware of the general facts; that she was an English disciple of Swami Vivekananda, established a girl’s school and participated in National Movement but the story stops there. This article is a humble attempt to bring forth some of her most notable contributions towards India, which were possibly no less spectacular, if not much more than some of those leaders of the National Movement who have gained special favour among post-independence academia.

What were her major contributions, apart from establishing a girls’ school? We may provide a brief outline before elaborating upon her contributions in detail in the subsequent paragraphs –

• She was one of the first to realize the importance of promoting the Indian school of art at a time when contemporary Indian artists were too prone to imitating the European school for quick fame and prosperity. She influenced EB Havell and his students, notably, Abanindranath Tagore, Asit Haldar, Nandalal Bose and many of the later artists as well. She actively promoted the idea that Indian school of art was very different from that of Greek school and had evolved on its own earlier though imperialists like Fergusson alleged that Indian art was a mimicry of the Greek art

• Her sacrifice for the school she had set up to educate girls, knew no bounds. She travelled to America to raise funds and was often driven to misery and despair owing to failure of her attempts, except for generous help from few sympathizers like Betty Leggett. She had to fight many battles here to establish India’s credibility and often battled outright hostility and opposition, with very little help coming from the sources

• She was an ardent champion of India in international forum. She could never stand even a whiff of criticism against India and Indians. The best example would be her battle against Lord Curzon which she fought singlehandedly. She exposed Curzon in more than one ways and established the legitimacy and validated the richness of Indian Civilisation through her writings and speeches

• Her attempts to alleviate some of the grossest misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the Indian and Hindu way of life through her writings like “Web of Indian life”, “Cradle tales of Hinduism”, “Kali the Mother” and her speeches in America and England, her debates and discussions with missionaries and some of the enemies within India, notably the Ramabai circle on the status of Indian women

• Her stout defense of India’s right for revival of science and higher education – without her we could not have got a Jagadish Chandra Bose as she did all she could to ensure Bose got recognition, money for research and legitimacy in a hostile environment dominated by racist sentiments. Though not openly admitted by Tata’s for unknown reasons, without her active efforts which were spread over several years and her open battle with Curzon and other British officials on India’s right to higher education we probably would not have had the Indian Institute of Science as was envisioned by JN Tata and inspired by Swami Vivekananda

• Her participation in several relief and rehabilitation programmes out of compassion, notably dealing with the plague epidemic that had gripped Calcutta in 1899 along with Ramakrishna Mission monks and her travel to East Bengal during cyclone relief to help people in distress

• Her contribution towards Indian Independence movement stands above everything else. There she was the shining beacon, very aptly described by Rabindranath Tagore as the Lokomata, mother of the people. She inspired a host of luminaries including Tamil Poet Subramanya Bharati who regarded her as his guru, Rabindranath Tagore who acknowledged his indebtedness to Nivedita for many of his writings and at least three of the early translations including that of “Kabuliwalah”, political leaders both moderates and extremists like Gopalkrishna Gokhale, Aurobindo Ghosh and many other young leaders of the revolutionary movement. Under her guidance came up Anushilon Samity and other societies undertaking nationalist works. She had a very cordial relationship with most of the Nationalist leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal, Dr Rashbehari Ghosh, Brahmabandhav Upadhyaya, Satish Chandra Mukherjee, Surendranath Tagore, Barindra Ghosh, Bhupendranath Datta, Aswini Kumar Datta and others

• She came up with the design of the first national flag of India, with the emblem of thunderbolt

Margaret Elizabeth Noble was dedicated from birth for God’s work, at least that’s what her father said in his deathbed and that’s what her mother believed. She grew up to be an ardent educationist, finding interest in the new methodologies of education as proposed by Froebel and Pestalozzi. She gave expression to her talents in writing and very soon became a member of the Sesame Club which also boasted of such illustrious names as George Bernard Shaw and Thomas Huxley. She was a journalist per excellence. But it was her love for truth that disillusioned her with the established churches, its orthodoxy and dogmas. She was a seeker for the meaning and purpose of the life and her personal tragedies compounded her sense of loss. It was at this time through one of the Founder Members of Sesame Club, Lady Isabelle Margesson that Margaret came in contact with Swami Vivekananda and there was no turning back as she saw nothing but representation of truth in him. She got the meaning and purpose of the life and in Vedanta philosophy she got the intellectual and spiritual needs that she had long sought for.

Responding to Swamiji’s call for working for the upliftment of Indian women Nivedita came to India in January 1898 and got initiated in Brahmacharya in March 1898. But her deep rooted prejudices had prevented her from looking into India as an Indian and it was left to her guru to break her mould and rebuild her. While travelling with Swami Vivekananda, Josephene Mcleod, Sara Chapman Bull and others to North India, she finally found peace in Almora where Swamiji blessed her to lead a new life. She travelled with Swamiji​ to Kashmir and to the caves of Amarnath and the associated experiences deeply transformed her. In November 1898 the school for girls was opened in Baghbazar and it received the blessings of none other than the Sri Sarada Devi. However, she faced threefold difficulty in running her school. 1) The conservative Hindus refused to send their daughters to a school run by an Occidental and she often faced outright hostility while going from door to door to get students for her schools, 2) the few students who joined did not have any fixed schedule and they normally dropped out very soon to get married or for other reasons, 3) the fund situation was getting from bad to worse as she needed to provide free lodging and boarding to the students and most of her students did not pay. She also had to familiarize herself with the Hindu culture and customs and opt for a Hindu way of life to endear herself to the society and students. A great stumbling block was removed when she was accepted with open arms by Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and was permitted to stay with her in the same house as a host to other conservative lady devotees. This ensured that soon all inhibitions about her in the conservative society gave way to adoration and respect. In order to communicate with the locals she devoted her time to learn Bengali and took regular classes on Gita and other Indian scriptures from Swami Swarupananda, another brother disciple and erstwhile editor of the “Dawn” magazine.

Meanwhile plague gripped the city and Sister Nivedita as a representative of the newly formed Ramakrishna Mission was at the forefront of the battle. Together with Swami Sadananda, a brother disciple, she cleaned the streets, ensured disposal of garbage, treated and nursed the patients without caring for her own life and encouraged the youth to join the movement. Under her able supervision very soon the menace was tackled and local youths actively participated in the drives for cleanliness and hygiene. She also soon established herself as a credible orator championing Indian customs through her speeches, particularly through “Kali the Mother”, which earned her many admirers and some detractors. She also made herself popular among the Adi Brahmo Samaj members, esp. through her association with Suren Tagore, Sarala Ghoshal and later Rabindranath himself. In June 1899 she set out for the West, together with Swami Vivekananda for collecting funds for the school to give it a permanent foothold. She delivered many lectures on Indian customs and manners and her lucid depiction and explanation of the various symbols, rituals, and nuances of the Indian household revealed her love for India and the depth of her understanding. Any adverse criticism of India was to her a blasphemy and was enough to rouse the lioness in her. In this way, she fought many battles in America in particular, against missionary falsehoods, many superstitions on Indian ways of life and willful portrayal of Indian women in a very poor light, particularly depicting them as ignorant and uneducated. She fought against bad portrayal of the plights of Indian girls in order to garner sympathy for their conversion as was being done by the Ramabai circle. She was vocal about the political situation existing in India, particularly against any sympathy for British rule and apathy towards colonial despotism and forceful subjugation of an entire race.

Even though her fund collection efforts were not successful her lecture tours earned her many new friends, established her reputation as a fine orator and public speaker and went a long way in removing the cultural and racial prejudices. In 1900, she went to Paris as an associate of Sir Patrick Geddes. In 1902, she came back to India and soon afterwards lost her guru. Thereafter her life was one of continuous struggle. Since 1899 she had been friends with Okakura who hailed from from Japan and with whom she shared many as well as varied interests, chiefly in the revival of Asian glory in general and its art in particular. With Sister Christine taking charge of the school and educational​ activities, Sister Nivedita increasingly began to take interest in nationalist activity and established close contact with many political leaders. During this time she also developed a very close and intimate bond with Jagadish Chandra Bose and his wife and they considered her as a part of their own family. She was flabbergasted with the treatment meted out by a hostile and racist British scientific community towards Bose and did her best to help in establishing his pioneering works. She took help from her friends, notably Sarah Bull to provide funds for research work by JC Bose when the government deliberately stalled his work, toiled day in and day out to help him in finishing his research papers while leveraging her superior editorial and writing skills; spent hours together to help him write his book on botany and also helped him in securing a foothold in London when he had none. Without her tireless effort perhaps we could never have seen the best of Jagadish Chandra Bose, a fact that Bose himself admitted candidly several times. She was enthusiastic about Indian science taking its wings and helped several young Indian scientists like Dr Bashiswar (Boshi) Sen. Her relentless fight for the higher educational institution first conceptualized by JN Tata and supported by Swami Vivekananda, is hardly known today. Tata faced a formidable challenge from the British administration in getting the institution run according to the principles laid by him. British wanted to control and in the process destroy the higher education as they had done in case of Calcutta University. It was Nivedita who wrote to many higher authorities in Britain and India, secured support of noted European intellectuals and thereby ensured that the remnants of opposition against the foundation of the great institution was removed. Tata and Swami Vivekananda could not see the fructification of their ideals for developing scientific spirit of India, but Nivedita did live to see her efforts coming true. Thus Indian Institute of Science was born owing to the ardent wish of two great souls and relentless efforts of another.

With the rising tide of Nationalism especially in the wake of the tyrannical and whimsical rule of British India under Lord Curzon, Nivedita was more and more entangled in politics. It was dangerous for her to be in touch with Ramakrishna Mission as the nascent spiritual and welfare organization had come under the scrutiny of the police and was often subjected to harassment in various forms. So publicly she severed her ties and perhaps it was one of the most painful decisions for Ramakrishna Vivekananda’s Nivedita as she made herself known. But behind the scenes she was as involved with Belur Math as ever, still being very intimately associated with the two pillars – Swami Brahmananda, the then President and Swami Saradananda, the secretary, who loved her dearly. Moreover, Swami Sadananda was always there as a guardian angel to help and protect and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi could never abandon her “Khuki” for the best or for the worst. During this time the Nationalist fervor had reached its peak which culminated in the break out of the first major Nationalist movement since the mutiny, the Swadeshi, which was triggered by the Partition of Bengal. Nivedita was not idle. She had been touring almost whole of India and working tirelessly to bring all the different factions of Nationalist forces on a common platform, to pursue a common agenda and her main target was the youth whom she roused through her speeches and writings. Her writings were at this time fiery and her tirades received appreciation from all quarters. Her ardent friends were journalists SK Ratcliffe, editor of The Statesman at that time who was sympathetic towards India, Henry Nevinson, another prolific pro India writer and several other dignitaries. Under Ratcliffe’s patronage she took up the pen to expose Curzon. One of the most notable events was Curzon’s speech in a gathering at Calcutta University where he accused the Indians of being liars. The Indians heard the speech but not a single person protested as they were apprehensive of earning the wrath of the establishment. It was therefore left to Nivedita to produce evidence from one of Curzon’s books as to how he had lied to the Korean emperor for gaining favors. Curzon was mocked in his own fraternity for this exposure but this was not the end of the matter. She continued to write against Curzon and his policies, especially​ in matters of higher education for Indians and his derogatory stance against Indians. This was a period of intense turmoil. Through her increasingly aggressive tirades she made herself popular among Nationalist leaders, Aurobindo being one of them. Aurobindo Ghosh made her one of the five members of a council that he established to coordinate amongst various revolutionary activities that had stirred up the nation and to promote self-rule in every sphere, including that of education. She designed the first national flag with thunder or vajra as its emblem, reminding the story of Dadhichi who gave his bones for developing the weapon for destroying the asuras and thus became immortal through his sacrifice. This story reflects on a poignant truth that any great work needs great sacrifice and selflessness as its foundation so that it can be strengthened. Nivedita understood it so well that this became her own symbol and according to her the symbol of Indian life – one of sacrifice and renunciation. The leaders of Congress, both moderates like Surendranath Bannerjee, G K Gokhale and extremists like Bipin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Aurobindo and his brother Barindra, Bhupendranath Datta of Jugantar fame, had very close relationships with Nivedita and often visited her house in Bosepara Lane to plan and strategize. Many young revolutionaries, who were part of secret societies like Anushilon Samity of P Mitra and Mukti Sangha of Hem Chandra Ghosh, were also ardent supporters of Nivedita and she mentored many of them. Brahmabandhab Upadhyay of “Sandhya”, Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyay of “Dawn” and many other noted journalists and reformers were her close friends and fellow workers. She however, did not support some of the unlawful means adopted by some of these organizations, like Swadeshi dacoities. She was in favour of moral superiority and she considered ethical means were the best means towards gaining independence. Any shortcuts on the ideological front were according to her dangerous as it compromised on the ideals of a nationhood based on principles of dharma. She however was a champion of Swadeshi and advocated use of only Swadeshi goods. In her school she promoted Bande Mataram as the choir song, which was an anathema to the British. She helped Rabindranath Tagore in many ways which Tagore himself admitted, although the two could not see eye to eye in all matters. Nivedita was scathing in her repudiation of those whom she considered “soft” towards the British rule. However, she respected them for their qualities and merits, like she ardently helped historian and writer Dinesh Chandra Sen, a long standing friend and admirer, who nevertheless was not supportive of the nationalist movements. Noted Tamil poet and patriot Subramaniam Bharati openly regarded her as his guru as she planted the seeds of love for the nation in him together with removing his especially​ against women. Historian Ramesh Chandra Dutta was her godfather and she was indebted to him for her book, “Footfalls of Indian History”. Despite the tremendous heat of Calcutta, the extreme strain of her work and her constant worries about the finances of the school and educational activities, her writings continued, and several books like “A Web of Indian Life”, “Cradle Tales of Hinduism”, “Kali the Mother”, “My Master As I Saw Him”, “Notes of Some Wanderings” and “Footfalls of Indian History” came out and earned appreciation. Some of them like “Cradle Tales” and “Web of Indian Life” did yeoman service to change the perception of West about Indian culture and customs and enabled them to see the rich traditions where their scholars had only seen horrible superstition and primitive customs. She extensively wrote in many contemporary magazines like “Modern Review” of Ramananda Chattopadhyay who was a great friend and admirer.

The strain of the tremendous work, the inclement weather and complete self-abnegation broke her health and it took her time to recover. But she never lost her spirit. She attended Congress sessions and wanted Congress to stay united but unfortunately its split was unavoidable owing to differences between moderates and extremists. At this time Nivedita was under danger of being arrested by police but providence again favoured her. Lady Minto developed a very strong bond with her and even went to her house and visited Dakshineswar Temple together with her. This association and the more benign rule of Lord Minto brought some change in attitude in the higher orders of the bureaucracy. After recovery Nivedita continued her Nationalist activities with renewed vigour. She helped Aurobindo Ghosh escape to Chandannagar to evade arrest and continued in his absence to edit “Karam Yogin” and “Dharma”, the two nationalist papers edited by Aurobindo, to provide a subterfuge. She helped to secure the bond for Bhupendranath when he was arrested. She also helped several noted revolutionaries escape India and settle in the America. All these put her in real danger of being herself arrested and in 1906 she left India under advice of some of her friends in the Government and settled in England. But this retreat did not diminish the intensity of her zeal to work for India and she increased her effort to gain support for India in the intellectual societies of Britain and America through her public lectures. Any session of India in House of Commons would invariably demand her presence to participate in the debate and the discussions and thanks to her persistent efforts India gained many friends and sympathizers among educated British.

After coming back to India she immersed herself in work to secure funds for her major work, that of educating Indian women. She had also done great service in the field of art. So far Indian art was held contemptuously by the colonial masters and their pet scholars like Fergusson. They regarded every art form of India as not indigenous but borrowed from European cultures and art forms like that of Greece and Rome. Some of the Indian artists like Raja Ravi Varma toed their lines and forsook the Indian traditional style. Nivedita, who was an ardent lover of art took it on her own shoulder to rejuvenate Indian art. She found enthusiastic support among noted artist EB Havell and pioneers like Anand Kumaraswamy. She brought along Abanindranath Tagore and his students like Nandalal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar and several others to study and develop the Indian art form. She sent Nandalal and Asit Haldar to study the arts in Ajanta and Ellora caves. Together, they revitalized the Indian art and developed interest among artists to follow the new found school of art rather than imitating the Europeans. Her efforts received support from Sir John Woodroffe, another Westerner who loved India and Hinduism. The result was revolution in Indian art. The renewed interest and vigour produced many well-known artists all over India in the later periods whose art belonged to the intrinsic Indian school of art.

Nivedita’s contribution towards the rejuvenation and resurrection of an independent, progressive and self-confident India has been grossly underestimated. It was she who was one of the first to sow such seeds that sprouted later when the environment and soil became favourable. She herself gave up everything to follow her principles and ideals and hence her life was a shining beacon to those who followed her. It is thus only befitting that today we remember her and reevaluate and recognize those contributions; else we’ll be held guilty forever in the eyes of the posterity.

A K Chakrabarti

“Aalo, aamar alo ogo, aalo bhuvan bhara..” ( Light, Oh Light, The world is vivid with light) – with these few lines in verse, Tagore described the celebration of life, illuminated by the wonderful rays of light. The universe is full of light, and of energy.

Tagore imagined the ‘dancing light waves’ – a phenomenon that had puzzled the scientists for over more than two centuries. Whether the light danced like sea wave as Tagore had observed, or was ‘fluttering and dancing’ discreetly like Wordsworth’s daffodils – it attaches a great meaning to the quest of the scientists since the 18^thCentury. The great duality in about physics whether light is a wave or discrete particles, is yet to be resolved. Tracing the path of light a group of scientists is struggling to solve the mystery of creation through the theories of the ‘Big-Bang’, and ‘Unification of fundamental forces’, while the other group is very actively engaged in new inventions which turn “Fantasy into Reality”- destined to make a huge impact on the course of human civilization in 21^st Century and beyond. 

Part I : Brief on Quantum Mechanics

The colour of light amazed the observers for centuries. Rainbow with seven distinct colours, and the same through the prism, red-hot iron, white- hot electric bulb are the very common examples of light in different colours.

Since early 1800 scientists believed that light is a wave ‘dancing around’, and proved it experimentally. But questions about the cause behind the separation of seven colours in a rain-bow or why don’t we see a gradual change from violet to red, have opened up opportunities for revolutionary discoveries. The manifestation of light in distinctly separate colours made the scientist view the light spectrum as multiples of whole number. If this assumption is true then no light will exist between the gap of two whole numbers which indicates the existence of distinctly different colours.

What is Light? Light is an electro-magnetic radiation within a certain portion of electromagnetic spectrum. Three types of lights are known – Visible Light, Ultra- Violet and Infra-red. Visible light is between infra-red ( longer wave length) and ultra- violet ( shorter wave length).

The Great Break Through:

This very elementary question bothered a great physicists Max Planck who was seriously advised by his mentors to take up any subject other than physics , as many thought that every problem of physics has been solved. It is simply the good fortune of mankind that Planck continued his studies with physics. Exactly at the dawn of 20^th Century, Planck published the revolutionary theory describing that electromagnetic energy could be emitted only in quantize form and energy could be multiple of an elementary unit. Nobody could guess at that moment the significance of it, even perhaps the inventor himself. Helge Kragh mentioned about this in his article ‘ Max Planck , the Reluctant Revolutionary’, in Physics World Magazine (written in 2000). He wrote “ If a revolution occurred on December 1900, nobody seemed to notice it. Planck was no exception…” Planck created an yet simple but path breaking equation like that of Einstein’s E = mc2, ε = h v

ε (epsilon) is a discrete energy element of a radiating atomic system, v is the frequency of radiation, h is Planck’s constant. Planck was awarded Nobel Prize in 1918.

Arrival of a Genius

The research in light is almost 200 years old. Scientists observed through spectroscopy the light emitted and absorbed by various elements, known as Spectral Lines. In 1888, physicist Johannes Rydberg described the spectral lines by mathematical equations. Nobody knew how the equation worked till it was modified by Niels Bohr in 1913 using quantum theory. In 1905 Albert Einstein published four path breaking articles in Annalen der Physik. The Annus Mirabilis papers ( Latin annus mirabilis means “ extra-ordinary year”) on Photo-electric effect, Special theory of relativity, Mass-energy ( E=mc2)equivalence and Brownian motion considered as the foundation of modern physics.

In the first paper Einstein postulated that the light itself consists of localized particles, the ‘Photons’- the name was introduced by Gilbert N Lewis in 1926. Einstein published this postulate titled, “Concerning an Heuristic Point of View towards Emission and Transformation of Light”. ‘Light is wave or particle’- duality still exists. It is still not clear how the particles are related to waves.

Indian Contribution

It is very interesting that the path breaking new concepts in physics in Europe in early 20^th century came from the continent only to reach city of Calcutta to ignite the minds of two young minds – S N Bose and M N Saha, at the University of Calcutta. Satyendra Nath Bose, the noted physicist, made significant contribution in quantum science. While teaching in the physics department of the University of Dhaka, Bose wrote a paper titled, ‘Planck’s law and the Hypothesis of light Quanta’. Bose sent the paper to his ‘Guru’ Eistein who translated it into German and got it published in “Zeitschrift fur Physik” in 1824.

Bose derived the Plank’s quantum radiation law without any reference to classical physics and by using a new concept of counting states of individual particle. Bose’s new concept was later known as Quantum statistics. Interpretation of Bose is now known as Bose-Einstein Statistics. Einstein extended the new concept to study of atom which led to the prediction of existence of new phenomena, known as ‘Bose-Einstein Condensate’, a dense collection of particles Boson, named after Bose who will be remembered ever for his contribution in particle physics, leading to the discovery of Higgs boson, the God Particle. Bose missed the Nobel, but many scientists were awarded Nobel working with Boson.

Brief History of Quantum Mechnics

By 1930s quantum mechanics reached its peak, and then it slowed down till 70s when new theories emerged for strong and weak interactions. Though the intricacies of this advanced field is very difficult to fathom, but the history of development of quantum bymechanics is amazingly interesting. The story goes like this: 1838 – Discovery of cathode ray by Michael Farady, 1859 – Explanation on Black body radiation by Gaustav Kirchhoff, 1877 – Statement of energy state by Ludig Boltzman 1887- Photo-electric effect by Henrich Hertz, 1900 – Quantum Hypothesis by Max Planck 1905 – Explaining Photo electric effect by Einstein through the concept of Photon, 1913 Spectral lines of Hydrogen atom by Weils Borg 1923 Theory of matter Wave by Louise de Broglie, 1926 Wave mechanics by Schrodinger 1927 Heisenberg uncertainty theory 1927 Unifying quantum mechanics with Special Relativity by Paul Dirac 1927 Quantum Field Theory by Paul Dirac et al 1960 Quantum Chromodynamics 1965 Theory of quantum electrodynamics by Richard Feynman 1975 Weak nuclear force and quantum electrodynamics by Abdus Salem

The list indicates some major milestones, but surely not exhaustive and complete. Many other renowned physicists made significant contribution which will someday solve the great mystery of creation.

Unified Field Theory

1. Eisntein worked for three decades for a Unified Field Theory to combine the four fundamental forces, namely

1. Strong Interaction– Holding neutrons and protons together to form atomic nuclei.

2. Electro-magnetic Interaction – Acts on electrically charged particle. Photon is the exchange particle for this force.

3. Weak Interaction- a short range interaction responsible for some form of radio-activity, that acts on electrons, neutrino and quark.

4. Gravitational Interaction- a long range attractive interaction that acts on all particle .Einstein could not combine all the forces. However, in 1960s physicists could combined three fundamental force, except gravitational, to a new model, known as Standard model. Abdus Salam, Sheldon Glashow, Steven Weinberg, and others pioneered to build the Standard Model. The QuantumTheory of Gravity – the last of the four is to be resolved.

Theory of Everything and a brilliant Indian scientist.

A new concept which emerged over last few decade is the String Theory, combining quantum mechanics and relativity.

In this theory the particles are represented by one-dimensional object called, ‘String’. Sting theory is expected to be complete, unified and consistent description of the fundamental structure of the universe, known as Theory of Everything. Ashoke Sen ,FRS, distinguished Professor of Physics, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad is one of the leading scientists of String Theory, and the winner of $ 3 million- inaugural Fundamental Physics Prize, 3 times that of Nobel. That concludes, very briefly, the story of Quantum Mechanics.

Part II : The Fantasies and the Reality

Homo sapiens are gifted with the power of imagination. Absorbing stories in our great mythologies were created by brilliant imaginative minds. In mythological stories characters with super natural power can appear anywhere and vanish, appear but not visible, and many such combinations. Nobody knew that Mind Wave and Matter-Wave will converge some day to transform those fantasies into reality.

Vanish and Reappear : Quantum Entanglement

This is very common in mythological stories. While making Star Trek , the creator Genne Roddenberry was running out of time to prepare a set for landing of Starship. Instead, he created a ‘transporter’ with special effect of ‘Fading-out’ and Fading in. This fictional transporter is the Tele-transporter of Quantum Mechanics Tele-transportation is a theoretical transfer of matter or energy from point A to point B, irrespective of the distance between them and without travelling the physical space between them. This happens due to Quantum Entanglement.

Quantum Entanglement is a physical phenomenon that occurs when pair or group of particle generated in such a way that quantum state of each particle cannot be Star Trek Transporter described independently of the other. Entanglement is an extremely strong correlation between two or more particles to bring them into a perfect unison, even if separated by great distance.

Machine generates the quantum replica of a person, to be located anywhere, even the other side of the universe. It means that the person, entering into a quantum machine reaches instantly on the other end of the universe without losing any identity. Enter a machine in Hyderabad and fraction of a second get out from a machine in New York – absolutely hassle free travels, hoping the immigration is friendly.

Quantum Communication

Alice and Bob are the fictional character commonly used in Cryptology. When the two are in Classical Channel, Eve the eavesdropper can easily enter and crack the code and listen to their talk When Alice-Bob use the Quantum channel Eve gets frustrated . Quantum communication works on fusing two or more particles in complementary state. No particle can be described independently. The particles that exist in shared quantum state will collapse when observed by an eavesdropper. Quantum communication is highly secured, can’t be cracked. China has launched satellite with quantum communication technology.

Quantum Computer : Quantum Superposition

The processing power of Classical computers increases with doubling the number transistors every two years as was observed by Gordon Moore , co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductors. His statement is known as Moore’s law. But processing power of classical computers will still have limit on performance due to many other physical constraints, such as rise in temperature. Quantum computer has no such limitations and will have unimaginable performance when a practical system is demonstrated.

Quantum computer works on the principal of quantum superposition which permits the quantum system to exists in multiple states at the same time- here, there, left, right, up, down and everywhere Classical computer works on binary system – the ‘bits,’ combination ones and zeros. Quantum computer functions with ‘quibits’ – a combination ones and Quibits – mix of photns,electrons etc zeros as in a binary system with added advantage of superposition of ones and zeros, creating much larger combinations of the binary arrangement. Tasks which are impossible to be achieved by conventional computers can be done easily and efficiently by Quantum computer.

Quibits are made of photons, atoms, electrons, molecules and some other particles. Such particles are notoriously difficult to manipulate. Hence scientists have to find ways and means to make quibits cooperate. As of now, two most promising uses of quantum computing are Quantum Serach and Quantum Factoring. Though a practical quantum computer is still years away, experimental computer with few quibits have been built.

Quantum Clock :

If watch goes slow by 1 second per day, who cares. Get ready for a shock. The smart phone in our hand, loses 1 second in 1 million year. The clock which controls the GPS signal from the satellite needs such accuracy to help us navigate accurately on a city road. The clock in satellite is called ‘Atomic Clock’. It works on a principle to measure the frequency of electromagnetic radiation, similar lines as we count a simple pendulum swings. The radiation occurs when an electron is made to change its orbit, either by absorbing or emitting energy. Caesium 133 atom is used for Atomic Clock, having Atomic Clock accuracy of 1 sec. in 1 million year.The Quantum Clock is embarrassingly more accurate. Just guess – 1 second in a billion year. It will be used in Radio-astronomy and space research.

Energy Harvester: Quantum dots

Energy harvester takes energy from the environment and convert into other form of energy. It harvest heat, e.g., from a hot computer chip and convert it back to electricity. Quantum dots, sometime referred to as artificial atoms, are very small size manufactured particles. Quantum dots allow to carry transport electrons at specific energy level to produce electricity from heat . In the figure on left, electrons move from source to drain(to tap) through a pair of left and right dots. Presently, efficiency of quantum dot solar cell is around 7%, expected to be much higher in future. Quantum Well is another energy harvester working on similar principle. Quantum Dots and Wells will be major source of energy, alternate to fossil fuel.

Quantum Wires: It is like quantum dots stretched out in one direction. In some application, such narrow conduit which is 10,000 time thinner than human hair, can be a very good conductor of electricity. Carbon nano-tubes are used to make quantum wires.

Being invisible : Metamaterial.

Science now can make any object invisible like what an expert magician does. This is possible with manipulating the path of light. We know about refractive index which drifts the image when an object is put in a different medium, say a rod in a glass of water as shown. A rod in the tumbler on the left of the picture appears shifted, maintaining the same direction as in the air. But the rod, made of Metamaterial, on the right in the picture is seen shifted with changed direction.

This phenomenon is due to negative refractive index of Metamaterial.

Metamaterial is not a natural material. It is manufactured with its internal elements separated by a distance less than the wave length of light. In the next picture, on left, the light rays rolls over the sphere to reach the other end unobstructed. Hence the presence of the ball is not felt by the viewers standing on the either end of the sphere which is coated with Metamaterial. We can see through a person wearing a cloak made of metamaterial, as the Castle is seen through Harry Potter, in the picture on the right.

The imagination of J K Rowling is now a reaility.

List of new innovations in quantum science is very long. Many other applications in chemistry, biology, drug discovery will be the hallmark of 21^st science and technology. Feynman said, “There’s is plenty of room at the bottom”. By bottom Feynman meant the sub-atomic level.

Half a century back, we studied steam and IC engines, valve version of electronic amplifiers etc. in our engineering courses. To-day, it is an amazingly new world of engineering with atoms and sub-atomic particles.

God said: “Let there be light, and light was there’. Along with light, came the Quantum Magic. 21^st Century will be century of light.

Source; Quantum Computing 101 Univ of Waterloo. Wikipedia.