Young Writers Society

The Untitled

Sometimes things come when you least expect them, or when you really have lost your power to react to the whole issue. Or may be when you are not ready to take it in any more.

I mean I had never expected to come across yesterday’s news headlines.

And if you ask for my first reaction to it…well, in a word I was numb!

It makes me go back really to old times…when you felt things happen as you had wanted them to, when you want them to, the way you want them to!

In memories, those yellow walls of the college do not ever seem to change. They are as good as or as bad as they used be some twenty years back when I actually tread that path as a student, fresh out of school, about seventeen or eighteen years old.

Just out of school, college was a whole new way of life. A different spirit indeed it was. A mix of music, politics, poems, theatres, Coffee house, College Street and of course boys…it all beckoned us. Kolkata’s true vibe caught us. And of course there was this feeling of freedom from the clutches of discipline of a convent.

From smoking cigarette to watching adult movies it’s a time to rub your shoulders with the forbidden.

Okay for a moment that carried me away…after almost two decades when its time for my son to go to college its but surprising that I recount those dates so intently but you know what sometimes just a phrase, a word or a moment sets you thinking and here in front of me was an incident. And no wonder that it set me reminiscing.

It’s actually nice to see a person you knew sometime, whether you liked him or not, achieve something and then you proudly go about saying- look here’s a man I knew who’s done so much! That’s exactly how I felt when Dr. Ashwin Thakkar won the prestigious International award for the second time this year. The last one he had won was about 12 years back. That was for his book of poems, but this one was for his new novel and the last of the trilogy to the series ‘The untitled’. The two other books have been appreciated as much but this one was fetching him the honur internationally.

Literature enthusiastics feel that this series is the high water mark in his career. He was wonderful before also but these three books over the last seven years have marked a deviation from his characteristic style and of course it welcomed him into the world of novelists. Some even feel that his poetry may die out some day but his ‘untitled’. And having read it, I feel it was actually lovely.

AT- yeah that’s the way we referred to him, was our English professor for about two and a half years in college and for us English students he literally was ‘God’!

And we were the only batch whom he taught through all the three years of college life.

Later on he moved to Baroda and continued as a professor there. But it was not his teaching but his writing that has kept him in news, on and off, for many years now.

In fact when we were in our third year his first book- an anthology of poems and short stories got published. It was not an instant success but two of his stories really got mass acclamation.

Later as he shifted base we did not know much of him, except when his first play written fifteen years back got national recognition. Then it has been a steady walk for him and a high profile life. The first international award’s fever had died down when the first in the tri-series of untitled got released seven years back. In between his other books got released which were as much bestsellers.

Personally speaking I liked him during the initial days of my college life I liked him a lot, but later as time progressed different unpleasant incidents took their toll and my respect for him ebbed. But yet, I have to acknowledge that as a teacher he was amazing.

First day in college, threatened by the uncertainties of life ahead I was quite unsure as to where the college gates actually led, when a familiar voice called out. She was Nirviri.

“ Hey, see we are in the same college!” she hooted with lot of energy.

Yeah indeed it was a relief seeing her in college…she had studied the plus two in our school and so I knew her, though we were not the best of friends.

Niv- as we all called her came from a business backed, well to do, family of the city, but she herself was not interested in it, so had taken up English honours just like me but unlike me she had done science for her plus two.

She was counted amongst the best students in school, but she definitely wasn’t the topper. And yet, if you ever went in to the science section the first girl you would encounter would be Niv. While the rest of us had been in the same school for so many years, every year the school took about only twenty students from other schools for plus two and she happened to be one of them before that she was into a boarding school in Delhi.

By the time we reached college she was in full swing! I mean you found her everywhere and my first day’s relief of finding a known face transformed into envy in no time as I felt she always got more importance than she deserved. But when it came to resisting her, I could not do that, because she was too helpful to be annoyed, too confident to be swayed, too intelligent to be obedient.

It was this inter-college volleyball match we were practising for, in the compound of college, when we saw a silver Maruti enter the college premise.

After about two hours when we entered the class, a new English professor walked in.

A man in a semi-formal attire- tall and dark but definitely not handsome came in. he was perhaps in late thirties and stood out amongst the grey-haired teachers we were used to.

So no points for guessing that at least twenty-five out of the forty girls in class had this huge crush on him. Actually it surprised the fellow boys of our class that how could we fall for him and every now and then would tell that we had bad taste in men!

He was so dynamic, with unparalleled intelligence and appealing sense of humour, and a capability to take people into his confidence made him just the best!! With a background of research in English in England and an impressive personality he made us all drool.

But Niv was not to be impressed. She already had too many men in her life to have those girlish crushes and definitely boys loved her for that.

Okay though she might have said that she snubbed men, yet she would not shy away from a thing that would benefit her. So you would often find her talking to AT outside class exchanging notes and all that. Besides she was preparing for ILETS and TOEFL, so she was consulting AT for that.

And we on our part would not leave a chance to talk to him and he always entertained our requests to help us, and even spoon feed us at times so that we at least read one honours paper properly!

For the first time when I felt disgusted with AT was towards the end of our first year. During our annual concert, AT was in charge of the theatre section and we would love to act in a play written by him. But he did not do that. He made Niv write a play instead. Now as for marks and knowledge, I knew I was better of Niv and so I could not take that Niv was preferred over me.

But according to AT it was more important to be creative than great at academics to script a play!! Could not contradict him, but hated it. Yet when Niv asked me to join the actor’s group it was impossible for me to say ‘no’.

Niv would continue to be a mystery if we would not go for the trip to Ghatshila from college during early second year. As I got to know her closely, I found myself to be addicted to her just like others were. The softness beneath her tough shell, her smile, her attitude was just too good.

And I loved her for the fact that it was through her I got introduced to Pritam, a senior in college who presently is my husband. It was Niv’s rapport with both juniors and seniors that made her all the more popular.

We met AT’s wife there. She was this quiet and simple lady. Unlike AT she had nothing dynamic about her, but yet she was so sweet. And AT’s one year old son became our playmate!

Niv and I would talk all night but in the morning she was almost nowhere around. In the evenings too when she was around she would take part in the cultural events otherwise I knew she must have gone out somewhere alone.

I learnt one big quality she had was that she would never lie. If you asked her something she would never tell you falsely. She would answer it for sure. But most of the times, in front of her we fell short of questions.

When I asked where she had been, she would say-“ I was out!”

“ Yeah, but with whom?”

“ The wind and breeze of the valley!”

It was about four five months later when a guy rushed into the class informing that AT dropped Niv to college that day.

While the whole class burst to rumours I was quite confused. So when Niv entered to sit beside me, I asked about it. She was like-“ yeah, he dropped me. So? Actually I had been to his house to get some books.”

That’s it. And no speculations any more.

Bengali theatres were the best extra-curriculum we could ask for. But AT being a non-Bengali could not become a part of it. And yet he was involved with dramatics. So he wanted to begin a new troupe of English plays. No one understood its necessity except Niv, because Niv herself could not speak Bengali properly with right pronunciation having stayed in Delhi for so long!

So they joined with professional theatre group outside college to back them.

Initially the biggest hiccup they faced was that of the adamant literates of Bengal in us, trying to save Bengal’s culture from becoming cosmopolitan.

But Niv always was a big draw as per popularity terms. Her fans and gang of well-wishers joined them. And then what started as a theatre group went about to become a political ideology soon.

And they formed this new party with completely different goals and rules.

The astonishing part was that, Niv’s family being a well to do business family had been long-term supporters of the ruling political party, which was represented by our party in college. And she openly not only seconded a different ideology but also led the college against it.

Yet her relationship with me did not change, though she now was in our opponent party. Because she knew that I lacked political consciousness and frankly I had joined the troupe only to ensure that I got to spend time with Pritam who was an active part of college union.

Backed by AT’s western philosophy she vouched for ways and opinions that were incomprehensible for most of us, but Niv’s presence guaranteed immense support. Her active involvement and the anti-establishment nature of the youth made for a strong support system and they pulled in a huge surprise in the elections.

They not only won it, but also won it by a huge territory.

But whatever be the reason for so much support, and the loss of our party in elections, the good part was the college for once witnessed a year without any strike.

But on one hand as she was climbing the ladder of power, Niv was going through a personal problem. Perhaps no one else knew of it, but I felt that. And one day she herself told that AT’s wife was not liking her and AT’s association.

Instantly calling it a case of female insecurity I thought it was quite foolish of AT’s wife to think that a man like him could be provoked or cheated by a young girl and Niv definitely was not that type.

But strangely Niv supported his wife. She felt that might be his wife was not being able to take the fact that AT should hype a young girl like that. Daughter of a joint family I felt, Niv was taught the values of united family and did not want others to fall apart because of her.

But she was AT’s shadow and they were a duo who were doing so much together and it wasn’t only a question of personal relationships.

There was this guy, Abhi, who was quite madly in love with her. He was always with her. She tried spending more time with him now, to put all other relationships straight. I thought it was quite an immature decision, but I too was not sure that what she should do.

AT personally liked Abhi, because he was a good student and it all continued that way.

So whenever Niv and Abhi met, they would discuss things they loved, and the most common topic was AT.

Abhi actually was a good painter. And he was so fond of art that even when part two exams was at hand he did not give away the chance of holding an exhibition at the academy.

Most of us did not turn up there. But for Niv it was pay back time and she did go. AT and his wife turned up as well.

But AT’s wife faced Niv and somehow she burst! She asked her straight not to meet AT.

Niv, a girl who lived on her own terms shot back and she made it clear that she would do whatever she liked. AT somehow got things under control and left with his wife.

The way AT’s wife talked with Niv hurt Abhi, as it would to any genuine lover if his love would be insulted. He knew Niv was not in the wrong and yet she was being victimised. So he asked Niv to keep away from- this man with a mad wife!!!

Niv broke off with Abhi instantly. She thought Abhi had no right to say so about AT or his wife.

Ignored for so many years by Niv, and then being humiliated for caring for her how long could he take it all. Abhi went out and created an issue out of it.

You know how politics works. Abhi joined our party who scandalised Niv and AT. It was a trick to get back the powers of the student union from their reigns.

While the scandals aimed at Niv and AT, only AT’s resignation from the party was asked for. We all felt AT had victimised Niv and if he wanted he could have stopped his wife and also Niv’s strange indifference towards her boyfriend.

The ultimate issue came out to be AT was harassing ‘our girl’. But Niv justified her character. She was not an escapist. She claimed that if AT was believed to be in the wrong, you don’t clap with a hand that meant even she should be believed to be have been in the fault.

Our part two exams began. On one hand we were facing it, on the other hand the code of conduct of AT was under examination by college council.

Before the last day of the exams Niv resigned from her post in the party. On the last day of the exam we met. She looked unscathed by all that happened over so many days and was as confident as she was always reputed to be. After all it was one of those baseless college common room scandals that die down as they rise- really fast!

But after the last day of the exam I never met Niv again. And why I no one ever met.

After the results came out some eight-nine months later, we came to know that Niv had topped it and I was sure now that she was being referred to as college’s pride she will definitely be back. But she wasn’t.

Her family continued to be in news, but she was not to found there. And meanwhile AT left with his family for Baroda and he too became a high profile person.

Niv had disappeared from the graph of our lives. No one knew anything for sure. Some told she married and settled abroad, some told that she’s taken to Christianity; some told she has become a social worker; but whatever it was the most promising girl of our batch had left.

As I took hold of yesterday’s newspaper to check out his picture and how he looked now, after all these years I was shocked to read that the headlines pertained to the award night and it said:

“ The untitled becomes untitled as Ashwin Thakkar claims it to be penned by n anonymous lady: Nirviri”

Nirviri? For sometime we had come to believe that she no more existed…but then did she?

But where…I read ahead:

“ Dr. Ashwin Thakkar declined to receive the award himself, claiming that the trilogy that fetched him immense fame had been someone else’s writing. The lady in question has never been heard of before and her connections with Dr. Thakkar has not been revealed. While Dr. Thakkar’s wife and son, who were as shocked as us, declined to comment, Dr. Thakkar himself answered some basic questions by the press.”

So when AT’s wife would behave abnormally rudely with Niv during college functions, she wasn’t being insane? So when Niv showed she understood what his wife was going through, she wasn’t just being a diplomatic, so when Niv was supporting AT, it wasn’t just mere non-escapism? So…so were they not the victims of college politics?

For a moment I felt all of us had been victims of their game! For so long….

The report continued:

“On being asked why Dr. Thakkar published those books with his name, he only said that he owed a lot to this woman and when she decided that she would not like to publish this in her name and neither with a pseudonym, which would also have a distinct identity, he succumbed to the request of Ms. Nirviri and gave his title to the work. And when we asked then why did he reveal today?

‘ I had tried to do this for long, but as I said I owe a lot to her and can not do something that she does not want me to, but for all these years a guilt has been working in me and I am sure she will understand this…I mean she never knew I would do this...but Niv I am sorry, I could not take this any more.’

That’s all he said. He handed over the trophy to a young girl Nivashi, Nirviri’s daughter. The fifteen year old did not speak to us, and during the function too she did not stand for a moment on the stage after taking the award.”

So wasn’t it a mere act of a teacher when he handed the duty of writing the play, he was supposed to, to Niv? I don’t know if I was reading too much in between lines, but that’s how I felt…

The report ended saying:

“It’s only been known that Nivashi, the girl who was handed the prize, is a resident of England, while the identity of her mother, the author in question or even her father could not be known.”

But I think I know both of them.