THE HOMECOMING

I have often wondered what attracts people to stories on paranormal experiences. Looking back, I remember cozying my self in Granny’s lap, and listening intently as she spun out tales of paranormal experiences she had in her life. Granny came from a village known for its occurrences of paranormal incidents. Not that I believed in everything paranormal that Granny would spin out, but nevertheless, the kick from sheer thrill of “what Next” would keep me glued to her tales. Perhaps this is what we call “Grandma’s Tales”. As I grew up and started studying science, I began to understand that not every thing unexplained is paranormal. Those that science could not explain, remains paranormal as long as we let them remain as such. Sometimes, its better we leave them as such for the sake of adding spice to the monotony of modern living.

The incident I’m presenting here revolves around a person I met during my trip to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2010. We were on the second leg of our tour of the Islands.

After a visit to the North Bay Island and a stint in snorkeling, Seven Star, headed towards Ross Island we had two hours to spend including lunch. After lunch, while most tourists spread out to explore the Indian Navy controlled Island, a handful of tourists like us decided to take it slow and easy. We were rewarded with some wonderful moments in the company of ‘Guide Aunty’ along with the friendly deer, birds and squirrels. We went around dilapidated structures and the water treatment plant, the swimming pool and other facilities built by the British and returned to the jetty rather early. Amongst the people at the jetty were some local vendors waiting to return to Port Blair by another boat. I spotted Kalipada, the Kulfi seller who had sold us some very tasty kulfi during lunch.

I struck a conversation with him as I downed one kulfi after another. Kalipada turned out to be a Bengali and incidentally from the same village my Granny came from. I soon found out how Kalipada reached Port Blair. Kalipada was unemployed youth looking for a job with decent earning. Fed up of the local politics , he wanted to move to a better place where he could breath freely and earn two square meals a day. One day, quietly without telling anyone, he left his family for Port Blair. He worked on the ship to pay for his fare to Port Blair.

I asked Kalipada if he missed his family. “I used to, but now I don’t miss them any more…” he had replied with a sullen look. “Are you married Kalipada?” I prodded a little further. “Yes…” was his short reply. “You have any children?” I asked him. “No..” was his reply again. By this time I had finished the tenth kulfi too. “Your kulfi’s are very tasty” I said to him as I asked him to give me another one. “You left your family in Bengal?” I went on. “Yes I left them there…”he said. The milk from the kulfi was running down my arm. Wiping off the sticky streams of milk I went on “and, you say you don’t miss them… by the way when did you go home last?” “Sir, that was About ten years ago” Kalipada replied. “I had taken a flight to Kolkata” he continued with a twinkle in his eyes. “You must have spent all your savings in the air tickets…” I chided. “That’s ok, what’s there in money… its like water and it will trickle down from the gaps in your fingers…” he said smiling as he pointed to yet another stream of Milk beginning to trickle down my arm. “Like this…” I had laughed with him.

We were beginning to strike a chord and I went on with the tête-à-tête as we waited for our boats to arrive. “Why did you say you don’t miss your family… did your wife desert you for another man?” I asked Kalipada as discreetly as I could. Kalipada just kept silent. It was an indicator that I was invading his privacy. Silently I finished my eleventh Kulfi. The children and my better half had gone back to the Island to see the deer again till the boat came to pick us. “You have any more Kulfi with you Kalipada?” I gingerly asked him for the twelfth kulfi. “My Granny belongs to the same village you are from” I told Kalipada as I took my first bite from the twelfth kulfi. “Oh is that so… which house Sir?” Kalipada had asked me surprised. “The Morols (village headman) daughter she was… they disposed their property long ago before settling in the town” I told him. “Oh yes Sir, my mother used to say, the Morol’s daughters were beautiful.” For the first time I saw Kalipada grin. “Yes, and my Granny was the fairest and the eldest of them…” I said proudly adding “She was in her nineties when she passed away last year… and my great Granny at 110…”. “Sir those were the good old days… people worked hard, lived simple and ate simple and healthy food and they lived long…” said Kalipada. I shook my head in support. “And, how long will I live on your kulfis kalipada..?” I asked kalipada. Both of us broke into another round of laughter. “Kalipada, there was one more thing associated with the village…” I began again. “What Sir…” Kalipada grinned. “I don’t know how true it is, but my Granny used to say, the village was full of ghosts… since you are from the same place, do you think, ghosts really exist…?” I asked Kalipada smiling. Kalipada looked at his watch. “There is still some time before the boats come back” he said as he began telling me about his experience when he had returned home ten long years ago.

Kalipada had found Neelmoni Dey, a friend from his village when he arrived at Port Blair. In fact it was Neelmoni’s flight from home which inspired him to follow suit. Neelmoni was about fifteen years old when he left for Port Blair. Five years later when he had returned home, he had returned as changed Neelmoni. Gone were the Lungi (loincloth) and the Gamcha (towel) and the chappals (slippers). Neelmoni was clad in a bush shirt and pants. He also sported new shoes. He also brought with him, a new saree for his mother and wife. Along with the sarees, he had brought a new bottle of ‘alta’, sindur (Vermilion) and an assortment of colored glass bangels. He had also brought a set of Shirt and pant for his father. But that was in vain, his father had passed away a year ago. Smoking a panama, he had looked like a Gora (Britisher). Kalipada had made up his mind to be one like Neelmoni.

A fortnight later, he ran away with Neelmoni to follow a dream he dreams of even today. He spent the first few months on the Island doing odd jobs. He worked for a while at the Chatam Saw Mill, later at the harbour followed by stints at the market and shops. He was happy with himself but not content. He wanted a stable job and a stable source of income like Neelmoni. One day they met at a restaurant for lunch. After a rather hot tasting lunch, both thought it would be nice to have something sweet and cold. The idea of kulfi emerged there and then. Kulfi or ice-cream at that time was not easy to find in Port Blair. Neelmoni agreed to invest his money and be a partner in the business. Thus Kalipada started his own SOHO business, selling Kulfis in front of the restaurant. As time passed, he tried his luck selling kulfi’s to tourists. He has never looked back since then.

Five years later, Neelmoni and Kalipada, decide to return to their village. This time they thought of taking the flight back home. In about three hours, they had flown to Kolkata. After a quick shopping spree behind Sealdah railway station, they took the galloping train from Sealdah to finally return home. They agreed to meet again the next day as they bade each other goodbye. The station was an hours walk from Kalipada’s house. By the time he had reached home, it was already dark. From the entrance he could see his Saudamini praying in front of the Tulsi plant. “Wash your feet, I have kept the bucket beside the well” Saudamini told him as he entered. “The village urchins must have tipped her off…” Kalipada mused and a shade disappointed that the surprise bubble had burst. putting his bags down he proceeded to the well. After a refreshing bath, Kalipada changed into fresh clothes as he entered the hutment. “In another five years, I’ll change this into a pukka (made of Bricks and cement with corrugated tin roofing) house…” he vowed to himself. Saudamini was waiting for him with a fan in her hands. She had laid out in front of her everything Kalipada was fond of, warm and freshly cooked Bhat (rice) Lau chingri (bottle gourd with prawns), begun bhaja (fried Brinjals), allo potol (Potato Parmal Curry) and rossogollas too.

In the dim light of the hurricane lamp, Saudamini looked more beautiful than ever before. “How are you Mini?” Kalipada asked her softly as he sat for dinner. He felt very hungry. Suddenly he also realized how much he had missed Saudamini. He mixed some potol and alu with rice and offered Saudamini the first morsels before he began to eat. Saudamini looked so wannable as a thin smile crossed her lips as she shyly said “I’m on fast today..”. Saudamini was barely fourteen when he had left her five years ago. He had bade her goodbye from a distance as he left her lying beside his mother, shining like a pearl in the moonlight. “How is Ma (mother)” he asked Saudamini. “She is at Pochas’s house at the other end of the village. They have a religious ceremony tonight. She will be back tomorrow.” Saudamini spoke in her typical sing song voice. “Baba… Where is he…?” Kalipada continued. Saudamini was silent, tears rolled down her cheeks. “He’s in the Sadar Hospital for three months now… Doctors say they don’t have much hope for him… he suffered a stroke.” Saudamini spoke between sobs. “Why did you leave us like that… why did you have to run away like that…” Saudamini had sobbed uncontrollably. Quickly finishing his food, Kalipada waited for Saudamini.

When Kalipada woke up the first rays of the morning sun filtered through the open doorway. He did not know when he had fallen asleep. Saudamini was tending the earthen stove near the kitchen. “Mohan kaka was here sometime ago. He got news from the city that they will bring Baba home this evening… The doctors have said the worst is over and he can go home now.” Kalipada had planned to go to the city by the morning train. Now that they were bringing him back, he would not go anywhere thought Kalipada. After refreshing himself with a cup of hot tea, he got back into the hut to fetch the bag of goodies he had brought from the City for his dear Saudamini. “Mini…” he called out lovingly as he held the makeup kit he bought for her from Kolkata. It contained a blush on, powder compact, a puff, a couple of lipsticks, two bottles of nail polish, two rolls of sleek ribbon, one black and the other red and a pencil eye liner. He remembered how he had haggled with the shop keeper when he had asked for two hundred rupees for the thin pencil like thing. Saudamini was awe struck as he held one thing after another which he had bought for his beautiful wife. He held her hands softly as he struggled to push the colorful bangles on to her arms. “You have learnt nothing about women…” Saudamini had giggled as she put on the bangles one after the other. The reflections of the suns rays from the bangles formed a twinkling silver tiara on her face. “Look, Bindis… they are for you… all of them... you may give Ma one strip…” He said smiling as his Mini sat beside him wide eyed. He had quickly taken one giant bindi off from the strip and applied it on her fore head. Mini had quickly covered her face seeing her reflection on the small mirror on the lid of the make up kit. “This is for you… this one for Ma and these for Baba…” Kalipada had kept saying as he pulled out one packet after the other from his air bag. Finally he pulled Mini into his arms and kissed her on her lips as she freed herself and shied into the hut.

The intimate touch of the female body sent waves of electricity through Kalipada. He had a distinct feeling that he was running fever as Mini felt so cold to the touch. Whatever it was Kalipada felt good. His mother had still not returned and in the hut it was only Mini and him and silence for company. Kalipada knew that once Ma would return he would not get any scope to get out of the house. Then they would bring Baba home, tying him up at home for the next few days. He took a quick bath and left for Neelmoni’s house promising to return home for lunch. Neelmoni lived on the other side of the railway station. Walking down the path he met a few acquaintances, but surprisingly very little beyond formal pleasantries were exchanged. It was around 9:30 am Kalipada reached Neelmoni’s house. Neelmoni’s house was at the farthest end of the village, but that day, something made it look unusual. The unkempt overgrowth of grass and plants around the hut made the place look deserted and haunted. Kalipada pushed the rickety gate and entered the courtyard. There was no sign of any one in the hut. “Neel…, Neel…” Kalipada had called out, but no one answered. Lying in one corner of the courtyard, he could see Neelmoni’s luggage. “So Neel was here, but where is he now… this place looks so untidy as if no one has been living here for ages… Neel boy must have gone to relieve himself…” Kalipada thought as he made himself comfortable on the raised platform in front of the hut.

Kalipada must have been sitting there for about ten minutes thinking where the rest of the family was. Looking at the palm trees in the distance with the white clouds in contrast behind them, he thought they looked beautiful. After a while he heard a faint snore coming from inside the hut. Kalipada peeped inside to find Neelmoni sprawled in one corner of the room softly snoring with his mouth open. A big fat fly sat on the corner of his lips and kept rubbing his two limbs every time they touched his lips as if it were trying to wipe off the dirt from them every time they touched the white grime on the corner of his lips… Kalipada shook Neel awake… Neelmoni seemed to be reeling under some spell. His eyes were blood shot and listless. He did not seem to recognise Kalipada. Neel's body was burning. He had very high fever. “Neel hold on for a moment, I'll get some water... you are running high fever and you need a cold compress...” Kalipada left the room looking for water and a towel. After what seemed to last till eternity, Neelmoni’s temperature seemed to subside. Kalipada asked him to lie still. “why is no one around, tell me what happened to you last night... let me fetch a doctor for you...” Kalipada hastened towards the door. Neelmoni’s feeble voice stopped him at the door. “Wait, friend wait, they have already gone to fetch a doctor...”. “Who are they?” enquired Kalipada. Jhimli and Tarun. Jhimli was Neelmoni's wife and Tarun his brother in law. “Why have they left you alone like this?” Kalpada wanted to know. “No brother, I was not left alone... Jhimli was with me... Tarun left early in the morning to fetch the relatives from the other village where they had shifted after Ma passed away...”. Kalipada stood speechless as Neelmoni continued. “It was when the fever had increased that she had rushed to fetch the doctor... good you came by...” Neels voice was frail. “But, when I left you last evening you were alright buddy... what happened to you that you caught a fever by the morning...?”Kalipada had wanted to know.

“I don't recollect much” said Neelmoni. I remember walking down the path and then just as I was passing below the neem tree, I tripped over a root and fell down... then I reached my home and I was surprised to find it deserted...” Neelmoni continued. “then somebody called “who goes there...”from the darknes out side... a form appeared at the gate. It was Mohan Kaka... Mohan Kaka, its me Neelmoni... where is my family kaka... why is the house deserted?” Neel had aksed Mohan Kaka a village elder who was returning home and had come down to see who had tresspassed into Neels property when he heard movements inside. It was Mohan Kaka who had sent someone to Neelmoni's inlaws village to fetch them. “Alright I'll wait till they come.” Kalipada sat down beside Neelmoni. “Have you had anything since last evening?” Kalipada asked. “Should I get something from your bag?” he continued as he went outside to fetch Neel's belongings. As Kalipada rummaged through Neels bags, he could not find any eatables in them. The jingle of anklets at the gate announced Jhimli. She was carrying a couple of packets, the larger one containing beaten rice (Chidwa) and the smaller one containing medicines. “Maleria it is... the doctor says its there all around...” She stopped midway in her speech as she saw Kalipada in the room. Quickly covering her face with the end of her saree and with a quick hello on her lips, Jhimli vanished into the kitchen.

It was close to 2pm and Mini must be waiting for him, thought Kalipada as he bade his friend good bye. When Kalipada reached home, he found Mili dozing by the doorway. She had fallen asleep waiting for him. Kalipada had promised to have lunch together. Mini had put on the new Saree he had bought for her from Kolkata. He had gone wrong about the ready made blouse. It was a size too big for her. “Hmm, that will need some alteration...” Kalipada thaught as he quietly sat beside her admiring her beauty in her new attire. Though he wanted to caress her, he restrained himself from touching her in order to treat himself to some more moments of the natural beauty. A moment or two later as if driven by instinct, Mini opened her eyes. A smile traced her lips as she shyly asked Kalipada “How long have you been here... why did you not wake me?” “I've been waiting for you all afternoon... the food has also gone cold” she continued as she went into the kitchen. “I was treating my self to some rare beauty so, I did not feel like waking you” Kalipada had replied. “But honey, I want to remain awake as long as you are here, lest I lose you again... promise me you'll never leave me...” Mini's eyes turned into lakes of blue. Kalipada had held Mini's face in his palms and said “Honey, I'll take you with me whereever I go and I'll never leave you alone thats a promise”. Tears had rolled from Mini's eyes and down Kalipadas hands. Also with them the color of the eye liner had streaked down her cheeks. Kalipada quickly rushed inside to fetch a mirror so that Mini could see what had happened. They burst into peels of laughter... Kalipada’s mother had not returned that evening. She had gone to Sadar Hospital with Mohan Kaka to bring Baba home. Someone who had accompanied them had returned to tell them that they would be returning the next day. Kalipada and Mini made the best out of the evening discovering and knowing each other better. Kalipada had always wanted his Mini remain happy and those were some of the best moment he had ever shared with Mini. Little did he know that those would also be the last he would spend with Saudamini.

“Sir, next morning I woke up late as usual... Saudamini was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. The eveing before had turned her from a carefree girl to a complete woman. And her looks were more mature than the last evening. My watch said it was 9 am.. late by all standards..” Kalipada continued with his tale as I began to have my fourteenth Kulfi. Saudamini announced that Baba was due home by the afternoon. Saudamini's Baba had sent a message that since Jamai (son in law) had come home, he would also reach their place by evening. So there was anticipation in the air. A little after mid day Kalipada's Baba came home surrounded by friends and relatives who had gone to fetch him. It looked like a marriage procession minus the band and music. Mini had cleaned the room and laid fresh sheets on the bed where Baba could rest after the tiring journey home. Ma had held Kalipada to her bossom, with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. We are a complete family now... “Now don't ever leave us to go to some far off place just to earn money... earn less but remain in the village... you don't know how we spent each day worring about you. Your Baba had a stroke worring about you...” she wept as she caressed his face. Kalipada touched her feet. Since Baba was lying on the bed, he had not touched his feet, but baba called him to his side and blessed him. On a corner of the room he found his Mini standing with her father. As Kalipada touched his feet, Saudamini's father told him that it was time to leave and that he would come a couple of days later to take Kalipada and Mini home to spend a couple of days with them. Nitai babu, Kalipada's father in law left soon after seeking Kalipada's Ma's permission to take the couple home to spend some time with them. Kalipada also felt happy that his Ma had granted the permission.

The next day saw more friends and relatives thronging Kalipada's house. This kept the whole family busy and on their toes. The ambiance was nothing less than that of a house where a wedding ceremony was to take place. But, the thought of Neelmoni's illness kept him distracted and Kalipada thought of visiting the village doctor and enquire about his health and if possible take him to Neel's place for a thorough check up. The old doctor looked up in surprise as Kalipada announced himself in. “Sit down my Son...” offered Kalipada a seat beside him... “Tell me when did you return and by the way where have you been all this while?” “This is not done my son, your Baba passed away grieving for you and as luck would have it, your Ma and your Lovely wife too followed suit succumbing to a strange illenss...” Kalipada sat speechless... he was too shocked to hear what the doctor had been saying. “But Doctor babu, that can't be true, I have been with Mini since the last two days. Baba came home yesterday. Ma was with him, so was my father in law and some friends and relatives too... this can't be true...so many people in flesh and bones... oh my God, Doctor babu I hope you are not mistaking me for someone else... see this lipstick stain on my shirt... here these red marks, they are from Mini's lips... I'm sure you are mistaken Doctor Babu...” Kalipada was speechless again as the Doctor continued “Your Baba was admitted to the Sadar Hospital when he suffered a stroke. He was there for about three months. His condition had started to improve and he was discharged, however while returning home he suffered a second stroke which he could not survive...” Saying this he called out “Raakhal, take Kali to his home and show him its ruins...” B...but Doctor Babu I had come to enquire about Neelmoni. “Why, what happened to Neel...?” the doctor had asked. But Kalipada, stopped him in between “Didn't Jhimli come to you for medicines? You had said its Maleria...” Kalipada asked the doctor again. “Yes Jhimli and her brother died of maleria about two years ago. Neel's mother succumbed to the same disease your wife and Ma died of...” “And Mohan Kaka ?” Kalipada heard himself blurt out one name after another... and one name after another, the Doctor announced their demise. Kalipada was shattered, he could not believe what he was hearing.

As Kalipada came back to his senses, he rushed to Neelmoni's house. He had no time to wait for Raakhal. He found the gate open the same way he had left them two days ago. Neelmoni's bags were at the same place he had left them. The gamcha told that Neel was there when he had last met him. Marks of water and just two pairs of footprints on the dusty floor told him that the Neel and Kalipada were the only ones present in the room. Neel was no where to be seen... So they had taken Neel with them. It was like the end of the world for Kalipada. His thoughts raced as proceed homewards. Far in the horizon, in the moonlit landscape he could see the ruins of what used to be his house. “Sir, that night as I approached my home I had decided to accompany Mini when they came for me... I waited all night, but no one came, I lay there waiting for them under the sun, but no one came for me... in the courtyard lay strewn Mini's glass bangles. The contents of the make up kit lay strewn all over the place. While mini's saree was found on the branch of a tree some paces away, the packets containg clothes for Ma and Baba remained in one corner of the ruins.... Raakahal found me a day later, unconcious and severly dehydrated... The doctor told me that it was sheer luck that Raakhal had found me at the nick of time.. I was almost at the point of no return...” I could see tears well up Kalipada's eyes... “Sir you still think I am lucky to be alive....” The sombre mood was broken by the horn of the Seven Star and it was time for me to bid Kalipada good bye.

As we prepared to go our different ways, I asked Kalipada “the soul is something which can not be contained in a particular place, have you ever felt the presence of your Mini around you and in things you do?” “Yes Sir, I feel her around me and when she is around, my kulfi's taste the best...” Kalipada eyes glittered as he smiled... “Keep this smile on your face, Mini will be happy... next time you meet her, tell her I loved her kulfis... also tell her I have my roots from the same village, so in a way I am her brother in law” I fished out a 500 Rupees note and handed it to Kalipada for the 20 odd kulfis I had taken from him. He would not accept the money... “No Sir, how can I take any money from the Morols family...” he kept saying... “Ok then this is from a friend...” and I thrust the note into his pocket. Kalipada was visibly moved as our boat proceed to our next destination...

Viper Island.