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The Ghost of a Banyan Tree

 

Image from here

Fiction

Jaichander Varma could not sleep. It was past midnight and the world outside Jaichander Varma’s room was fairly quiet because he lived sufficiently far away from the city. Though that entailed a tedious journey to his work and back, Mr Varma was happy with his residence because it afforded him the luxury of peaceful and pure air. The city is good, no doubt. Especially after Mr Modi became the Prime Minister, the city was the best place with so much vikas.

‘Where’s vikas?’ Someone asked Mr Varma once. Mr Varma was offended. ‘You’re a bloody antinational mussalman who should be living in Pakistan ya kabristan,’ Mr Varma told him bluntly.

Mr Varma was a proud Indian which means he was a Hindu Brahmin. He believed that all others – that is, non-Brahmins – should go to their respective countries of belonging. All Muslims should go to Pakistan and Christians to Rome (or is it Italy? Whatever. Get out of Bharat Mata, that’s all.) The lower caste Hindus could stay in India, of course. The lowest caste, well, Mr Varma didn’t want them really but he was willing to keep them back. The untouchables and all don’t have any right to live, according to Mr Varma’s ancient wisdom which he is very proud of as a loyal nationalist.

Sleep eluded him tonight for some mysterious reason. He turned this way and that, tried to curl up in bed and then straightened up… No, nothing worked. His wife was snoring away. His children were studying abroad, the boy in Canada and the girl in America. Mr Varma – he was very proud of that surname because it proclaimed his caste loud and clear – was affluent enough to own a villa with a huge garden. He was a manager of a nationalised bank which gave loans to rich people who left the country with it and lived happily in some western country.

He got up, drank some water from the PET bottle kept beside the bed, and then walked out without making any noise. He opened the main door and stared into the opacity outside. A few electric lamps shone feebly outside some of the neighbouring houses. Mr Varma walked to the banyan tree that stood at the edge of his garden and sat down leaning against the enormous trunk of the tree.

A few yards away, outside his boundary wall, stood a half-built house. The construction was abandoned halfway because the owner lost his job unexpectedly. He was working with Ganatantra TV and when he was promoted with a transfer to Dubai he started the construction of this big house. Then he lost his job all of a sudden. In fact, he had to run for his life from that satanic country in which everyone is a terrorist. He did his job honestly and called a spade a spade – that is, called a Muslim a terrorist. Isn’t that what a Muslim is? And they wanted to kill him just for that. These Muslims! ‘If I had the power,’ thought Mr Varma, ‘I’d have exterminated the whole race.’

‘Hello Varma ji,’ someone called him out from the banyan tree.

‘Who is it? Varma ji was a bit scared though he didn’t believe in ghosts and so on.

A misty shape materialised beside him as if from nowhere. ‘I’m Abraham,’ the shape said. ‘What are you doing here at this time of the night which belongs to ghosts like me?’

‘Ghost!’ Varma ji mumbled. He was scared. ‘Are you a … ghost?’

‘Hmm.’

‘Abraham is your name?’

‘Hmm.’

‘Christian?’

Abraham laughed like ghosts do in certain Indian language movies. ‘Arey yaar, do ghosts have religion? Aren’t they citizens of the cosmos?’

Why can’t these bloody Christian ghosts go to Italy at least, if not to a Christian hell? Varma ji wondered to himself. He had no guts to ask that to a ghost anyway.

Just then a creature wrapped in a sheet was seen walking towards a house on the other side of the wall.

‘See that?’ Abraham said. ‘That’s one of your godmen around here going to screw the lady of that house. She gave sleeping pills to her husband after dinner instead of his usual tablets. Were you also on the way to some lady, Varma ji?’

‘No, no, no,’ Varma ji protested vehemently.

The ghost laughed again. ‘If you walk around at this time of the night you’ll see a lot of truths that you wouldn’t like, Varma ji. You should be in your bed at this time with your loving wife.’

‘Are you really a ghost?’ Varma ji couldn’t believe that a ghost could be so benign. And that too, a ghost belonging to Sonia Antonia Maino’s videshi religion.

‘Well, if I tell you the truth you won’t believe me,’ the ghost said.

‘So you’re not a ghost?’ Varma ji asked. Is this the devil himself? Who knows? All Christians are children of the devil. They eat mleccha food, fuck their neighbours’ wives, and drink alcohol.

‘If you look carefully you might see me inside you,’ the ghost said. And then he disappeared.

Varma ji’s terror intensified. He could feel his heart becoming heavier as if something had entered into it. That something had the shape of the ghost, he could see faintly.

 

PS. This blog is participating in the Blochatter’s #MyFriendAlexa campaign.

 

 

 

Comments

  1. Nice sarire.. I hope this isn't the ending though.. There's more to it?

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  2. Now that's such a nice fiction story. Just loved the way you have penned. Hope to read more fiction stories

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  3. Varma ji & Ghost :( .. Glad I started my day with this story .

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  4. My goodness such a wonderful fiction story. I liked the Muslim & Christian part.
    But what does the end portrays ? As I couldn’t understand it well.

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    Replies
    1. Every ghost is a part of ourselves so to say. The ghost is not out there, in other words.

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  5. That was an interesting work of fiction, but I believe that there is also a sequel to it?

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    1. No sequel in plan. Varma ji will have to grapple with the ghost that has entered his heart.

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  6. I hope that there is more to it!!

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    Replies
    1. Glad to hear that. It's always heartening for any writer to hear this sort of a comment.

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  7. Loved the build up and the way you have highlighted the deep-seated prejudices that a man nurses. You had me gripped till he meets the banyan tree. I would have loved to read more about their interaction and I believe that the end was a bit rushed. But then, that's my opinion, every writer has the freedom to write and express the way they believe is best for their stories. All the best!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your detailed observations. I didn't want to moralise. Let the protagonist deal with his own ghosts.

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  8. Oh, this is brilliant! Brave writing and loved the tongue-in-cheek tone you have used! Waiting for more.

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  9. Wow this is so beautifully written. This work of fiction is par excellence.

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  10. Wonderfully written with a good message.

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  11. Wondeful! I wish it had more and didn't end so quickly.

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  12. This is an interesting story and I love the way the conversation flows between the the ghost and Varmaji. Great story-telling!

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  13. Nice story telling. Is this the end or is there more to come?

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  14. Now thats we call a wonderful story, I like how you narrated a perfectly drafted story.

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  15. Great piece of satire. You're good at it. It comes across in your fb posts as well.

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    Replies
    1. The sociopolitical situation now encourages satire.

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  16. oh wow. this is such a interesting story . loved the write up. #MyFriendAlexa #Hemareads www.zenithbuzz.in

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  17. I enjoy reading your posts. And this satire was excellent. Looking forward to reading more throughout the series.

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    Replies
    1. Welcome to the space though i don't intend to write a sequel to this.

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  18. Suoerb post, really enjoyed reading this one

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  19. Enjoyed reading your work of fiction, though I would say it's a fact. The ghost is within us. Keep writing.

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes enlightenment comes from the inner ghost!

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  20. We all have a ghost lurking in and d ghosts have a religion I wonder. Unusual tale though.

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  21. Really so true such people and their believes are even worst than a ghost 😂😂😂😂😂

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  22. Simple narration and a tale with a lot of spice, whoa

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  23. Great work of fiction, loved how you connected it with what's happening around us.

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  24. Very well narrated facts in form of a fiction. Liked it. I generally do not like to write to talk about religion or politics surrouding religion, but I liked your approach to sharing your thougths through a story.

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    Replies
    1. It's difficult to talk about religion and politics in India today especially if you belong to certain communities.

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  25. You narrate so well. Simple language and to the point. Happy Alexa month to you

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    Replies
    1. Same to you. The campaign brings many of us together.

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  26. Really enjoyed reading the story. Wonderful narration.

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  27. I really loved reading such simple yet powerful filled message story!!

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    Replies
    1. Welcome to this space where serious stuff is posted always.

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  28. Haha! This was a fun story. enjoyed reading it. Hope there is more to it!

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    Replies
    1. No sequel since the story has to continue in VArma ji's heart.

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  29. This is such a good piece of writing. With a message too. #tmmreads

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  30. A great post indeed, I like the way story is building up.

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    Replies
    1. You make me want to continue with many more sequels...

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  31. I liked the way you left it open in the end and not fitting amoral to the story. Let the reader decide what he wants to know more out of it.
    Yes there are ghosts in all of us and we have to deal with it at some point of time.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, ultimately the reader has to decide what the ghost means to her/him.

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  32. Ahahaha... So. Many. Satires! You really do think quite incisively!

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  33. Very well written Sir, glad to visit your blog after long time. This post has so much to say with its underlines. All the prenotions of the society are very aptly covered in it.

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  34. Definitely interesting and well-written. I especially liked the story flow and build up!

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  35. This is so good! A wonderful piece of satire which I believe something that this country needs more than ever! I just hope that people won't ignore the underlying message because of the simplicity and flow of your language.

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    Replies
    1. People understand, I believe. But they may choose to ignore.

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  36. so you've left us to decide the ending?? is there more to it?

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  37. You spoke my mind.HaHa...nice story.

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  38. I want to know whether story ended here or there is a second part because I think here is someone against Christians.

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha ha...
      The story is going on in India. It won't end in near future.

      Delete
  39. Nice story Sir. Liked reading it. Thanks for sharing.

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  40. I want to read more about it. Such a nice intriguing tale.

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    Replies
    1. My next post will be a book review, something more on this definitely.

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  41. Gosh... so many comments, i feel that this ain't no fiction, most of the things described do happen and for real except with people like Mr. dump Varma, cause people like him are way low in our side of the country.

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    Replies
    1. People like him run this country. My post tomorrow is a book review about that...

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  42. Enjoyed reading the story. Is a second part coming?

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  43. Nice to read such stories, something different but very relevant in todays world...

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  44. Manisha - Nicely written, do we have a part 2 coming too?

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  45. Nice write up. You should think about a part two because we are all waiting for it.

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    Replies
    1. Many have suggested it, but I'm not sure I can continue it...

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  46. Nice work of fiction, loved the end. Finally, Varma ji came face to face with his inner devil.

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    1. Yeah, that's it, the inner devil and the devil has no religion really and it may not be all that bad either :)

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  47. You will find me inside you - what a blow to poor Mr. Varmaji and his superiority.

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    Replies
    1. When Varma ji confronts his real self, a lot of problems will just vanish.

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  48. Nice story. Specially when the ghost said I am inside you. Lovely fiction though I did not like or connect much with Mr. Varma on his thoughts.

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  49. Well written post highlighting prejudices of human mind.

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  50. What an imagination loved the story, ha ha Who is Vikas?
    Do write a series on this loved the take

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  51. I loved the satire, the way you addressed so many issues through this story. Beautifully written

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  52. So vermaji faced his inner devil. Beautifully written story, must say.

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    1. Enlightenment is confronting one's own inner devils.
      Glad you liked this.

      Delete
  53. The story is penned down well. I like the satirical way of writing. But why did you have to bring in the religion into it? Isn't your writing like Mr. Varma now?

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    1. I wish I had the genius to write about religion without bringing religion into it. Religion is the protagonist of this story. It is both the hero and the villain. Varma ji is both heroic and villainous like all of the others in his species. It's his choice to be which. That's the issue.

      I used religion here also to highlight the problem of stereotyping on the basis of religion.

      Delete
  54. Penguin Book Writers weave enchanting tales like "The Ghost of a Banyan Tree," drawing readers into worlds where folklore and imagination intertwine. This forum experience invites exploration of the eerie and mystical, showcasing the diverse storytelling talents within the Penguin community. Prepare to be spellbound by the magic and mystery awaiting between the pages.

    ReplyDelete
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