Ubj AND PLANCHET ==================================================UDDALAK BANERJEE I(UDDALAK BANERJEE)----ASSOSIATE SOFTWARE ENGINEER,BIRLASOFT GARGI CHATTERJI----------NEIGHBOUR (STUDENT OF ECONOMICS ,CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY.) SHAYAK SENGUPTA----------NEIGHBOUR (STUDENT OF PHYSICS HONS,VIVEKANANDA COLLEGE) MOU SENGUPTA-------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF ECONOMICS,CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY) MITALI GUHA--------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF LITERATURE,GOKHALE UNIVERSITY) ABHISHEK SAHA------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF COMPUTERSCIENCEENGG,FUTURE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEER) KUSHUM SAHA--------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,RCC COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING) GAURAV DUTTA-------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF ST XAVIER COLLEGE) TOBBY PODDAR-------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF ST THOMAS COLLEGE) ARJUN DAS----------------NEIGHBOUR(STUDENT OF KALYANI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING) JATINMOY DUTTA-----------COLONY PLAY MATE(WORKING IN TEA SHOP) JOSHNA ROY---------------FORMER TUTION FRIEND OF PAINTING CLASS AND COLONY RESIDENT BAISHALI ROY-------------STUDENT OF DADASH SCHOOL IN CLASS X BIMALA ROY---------------STUDENT OF DADASH SCHOOL IN CLASS xII SUCHITRA MITRA-----------STUDENT OF MP BIRLA FOUNDATION IN CLASS XII Sandya di----------------OUR MAID SERVANT FOR 15 YEARS AND IS MORE LIKE OUR FAMILY NOW. #ALL NAMES hAvE bEEN ChANGED with thiS bEiNG A REAL LiFE StORY AND thE DESIGNATIONS HAVE HOWEVER REMAINED INTACT LIKE ALL MY PREVIOUS STORIES.MAY BE IN FUTURE WHEN THEY WOULD READ ABOUT THIS THEY WOULD LAUGH AND ME TOO RELIEVING THE WONDERFUL TIME TIME AND AGAIN.I HAVE KEPT A SIMILARITY IN THE NAMES SO THAT THEY AS WELL AS ME CAN CO RELATE WITH IT EFFORTLESSLY.AND THIS STORY ALSO INCLUDES KUSUM AND GARGI WHO HAD ALWAYS SAID TO ME THAT THEY NEVER GET INCLUDED IN MY STORIES. ALL CONVERSATIONS ARE REAL AND WAS HELD IN 29.12.2010.HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS AND ALSO TO THE CHARACTERS. All diAlogues Are in BengAli inorder to mAintAin the originAlity of the whole thing and the english translation is given in brackets[::::] IN MY HOUSE AFTER COMING HOME FROM MY VILLAGE I WAS SITTING SILENTLY PERHAPS IN A SAD KNOT AS THE IMAGES OF MY COUSINS AND NEPHEW WAS FLASHING IN MY MIND.

One after another calling bell rang and sandya di came forward and told me ,”bulu dar meye dekha korte esheche…ki bolbo?[::::Buluda’s daughter has come to see u .What shall I say?]” I,”darja khule dao.[::::Open the door]” Gargi,”akash ta megla kore ache na ?[::::Isn’t the sky cloudy?]” I,”hmm..ha..ta thik.tarpar(pause) Amartya Sen er baper pindi chotkano holo naki aro baki ache?[::::hmm ..yupp ..it is ..well then [pause] So are u through cooking Amartya Sens philosophies or there is still something remaining?]” Gargi,”he he he he.2 numberer jore pash hoyechi..(smiles)(pause)ektu labon ar garom moshola na dile ki ar pindi bhalo lage?[::::he he he he.Passed somehow by 2 marks …(smile)(pause)if there is no salt and garam masala then the cooked soup would be stale]” I,”tor danpitemi ar galo na..sotti mane tor je biye kibhabe hobe..seta ekta gobeshonar bishoy.[::::your mischivious nature is evergreen..really..how will u get married is a hyper complicated topic of great research.]” Soon there was noise of rapid steps in the staircase and heavy movement was heard in the ground floor.Thereafter Mou,Bimala,Suchitra,jyotsna,kusum,mitali,abhishek,sayak was seen crowding the room. Mou,”tomar dadu mara geche shunlam?Really sorry..ma bolchilo kal ashte ..ami porchilam to aajke elam.[::::I heard your grandfather died?Really sorry…mom asked me to come yesterday only but I was reading then so I came today]” I,”ar gas dewar jaiga pele na..santu der porikha shesh hoyeche 2 mash hoye gelo..tor ar or to eksathei… tor o mane beshi beshi..Amartya sen ke je ke sorge bati debe tai niye competition..[::::you not did get a place to let the gas out of your bowels or what? Santu’s exam was over 2 months back..and u and he are in the same college..so ?Really..it feels like there is a competition for who will be the one who will be the first to give Amartya sen a worthy shoulder]” Bimala,”he he he he” Suchitra,”he he he he “

Mitali,”he h ehe hehhe” Jyotsna,”ha ha ha he he hehe” Abhishek,”he he he “ Kusum,”he he he he” Sayak,”poring..poring and poring..[::::reading..reading and reading]” Kusum,”Na go ..o na aajkal khub porche…[:::: No actually she is really reading regularly thesedays]” I,”rastai ghate na porlei holo… ke jane boyfriend er sathe bichanateo porche ki na ?ja obostha ghor kalijug[::::It is okay aslong as she doesnot fall in the roads while meticulous reading ….who knows she is falling on the bed with her boyfriend while reading or not?afterall it is Kalyug.” Bimala,”ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah ah hah ah” Suchitra,”ha ha ha ha hah ha ha” Abhishek,”ha ha h ha ha ha” Kusum,”he he he he” Mitali,”sono na ..o na ekta kalo mato lamba mato chele ache take darun line dei..[::::listen to me..she is emphatuated to a dark tall boy] ” Mou,”Na go..mithe katha bolche..[::::No no..she is lying]” I,”ami to bhagobaner shadok…litmus test tai neutral dekhai..tai bola muskil..jai hok..planchet korbi??????[::::I am Gods disciple…hence a litmus test will show a neutral colour..anyways..are u all ready to do planchet today??????” Shayak,”Planchet !!!!yupp I am ready …circle kajoner korbe?[::::Planchet!!!!yupp I am ready….how many people will be there in the circle?]” Jyotsna,”jadi bhoot na name tabe?????[::::what if the ghost doesnot leave the body?]”

I,”tahole ar ki..jhatar bari mere mere bhagate hobe..[::::then what !!!we will have to use the broom to strike out the ghost] Shayak,”he he he he” Mitali,”he he he he” Suchitra,”he he he he “ Bimala,”Amar montro nawa ache..amake bhute dorbe na ..[::::I have already taken the rhyme which makes me immune to ghosts.]” I,”acha!!ooooooooooooo….bhalo to test korte hobe tarmane..good good..anyways shayak ja na giye jatin ke,baishali ke,arjun ke,tobby ke ,gaurav ke deke aan..tarpar planchet korbo…[::::really!!ooooooooooooo…ok so then we will have to test that…anyways shayak go and get jatin,baishali,arjun,tobby and gaurav too..then we will begin planchet.]”

PLANCHET BEGINS Now the planchet was being organized in the second floor of our house in the room facing the khudiram sarani temple.Mou’s house was adjacent to us and was just at the back of the club adjoining the temple. I had never been involved in such an activity all my life and hence did not know what to do.We thought of making a chalk star .Bimala said that she had read that there has to be a cross and individuals should stand in the joins of the cross and hold each others hands and the one who would be the chosen one in whom the spirit would be summoned needs to be at the centre.However shayak debated it and said that there should the old school procedure of making a circle around a table with each of us holding hands of the other.But then we were too many in number so had to forgo on that too . I did not have a table that could sit 15 members in its corners. So once that left me with only one possible allotment.I asked shayak and gaurav to lend me a hand to remove the furniture to another room and make the room empty for the time being.And then I and gargi made the circle with chalk (which thankfully jatin brought with him from the shop) and we all sat around the circle. Bimala,”to ke bosbe majkhane ? jar modhe bhoot ke dakbe?[::::who would sit in the middle?in whom the ghost would be summoned?]”

Arjun,”sob to holo ta dakbi kake?[::::all other arrangements are in place …but whom will u call?]” I,”patlar baba ke…he he he”[::::lets call patla’s father…he he he he] Suchitra,”he he he he he” BImala,”he he he he “ Mitali,”he he he he he” Shayak,”he he he he he” Jatin,”he he he hehhe” Arjun,”ha ha ha ha..na seriously dakbi kake..seta bol”[::::ha ha ha ha ..no on a serious note who would u call tell that?]” I,”suchitrar ager bachor gato howa boyfriend ke……..he he he he..[::::lets go with suchitra’s last years boyfriend….he he he he “ Suchitra,”he he he he he” BImala,”he he he he “ Mitali,”he he he he he” Shayak,”he he he he he” Jatin,”he he he hehhe” Tobby,”Ok I think we should go for mother Teresa” I,”mother Teresa!!” Jyotsna,”otai thik hobe..buro boishko badro mahila..maya doya o ache..jodi request kori sobai mile to chole jabe ..surely”[:::: I think that would be the best…after all she was old and she was a gentlewoman with a heart…if we do some sincere request to her then she will leave the body…surely]

I,”ha ha ha ha ha ha …he he he..great logic re…” Suchitra,”he he he he he” BImala,”he he he he “ Mitali,”he he he he he” Shayak,”he he he he he, sotti tui donne..ma donne tui..[::::really u are a genius..hats off] ” Jatin,”he he he hehhe” Tobby,”he he he..logic of Jyotsna is always sound..very sound.” Mou,”he he he he “ I,”ok then thakuma kei daki tahole..hath dhar sobai..ek ek kore..ar chokh bandho kar”[::::ok then lets call the grand mother …all of u hold each others hand tightly and close ur eyes] 15 minutes passed.And the room has grown silent.Nothing really happening.Mou was blinking for sometime and then said,”babu da light ta off karte bolo na …”[:::: babuda,please tell someone to switch off the light] I,”jatin..light ta off kar to..[::::jatin ..switch off the light]” Jatin,”dara..jachi..” Jatin went and switched off the light and then rejoined the group holding hands.Now Mou was sitting just opposite to me and Tobby at my right .shayak at my left .Gargi was sitting on the left side of Mou and to the right side of Mitali.Jyotsna was sitting at the left of Mitali.Shayak to left of jyotsna.kushum was taking the corner seat and vaishali was to his left. 20 minutes passed by nothing happened. The climate had grown dark by then.

Now Tobby said,”Acha amader modhe kar modhe ashbe bhoot ta?”[:::I have a enquiry..in whom of us will the ghost come to?]” Jyotsna,”je moddhe khane boshbe..[::::who ever will sit at the middle]” I,”uffo katha bolish na..puro craze tai khatam hoye jacche….[don’t talk..the entire climate is getting spoiled]” Tobby,”Ok ok ..then I think it should be jyotsna” Jyotsna,”whattttt!!!!!!!!!!” I,”why??? Ki holo tor..sob somay…dhari mach ar na chui pani ..korle to ar hobe na..”[:::why? What happened…all the time the principle of self conservation doesnot work…to catch fish u have to step into water…to get the fun .u will have to take some risks too] Mou,”chup korbe sobai..ami concentrate korchi..” We all became silent again. 40 minutes passed. 1 hour passed nothing happening. Vaishali opened her eyes and said,” I think we are not doing it correct.I think fengsui shouldbe followed. Mou er bosha ta thik hoini..oke pichone kore dile bhalo hoto..”[::::I think we are not doing it correct.I think fengsui should be followed.Mou ‘s sitting arrangement is not ok..she should sit towards the back” Tobby visibly annoyed,”dhus..kissu hoche na…”[:::: nothing is really happening] However I was feeling something happening at my back.It was chilly cold sometime back but now it has grown warm.I felt there was something that was obstructing the flow of wind. I wanted to check out what it was but I too was mighty afraid and could not move but I had stopped talking now.I was just listening.

From a distant place Mou’s mothers voice was heard.The climate around has grown dense and the sky being cloudy the moon was hidden somewhere in the clouds. Just at that moment I heard someone step up the staircase.And immediately in that very second it happened. A black cat just cried out,”maaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuu” The entire team shouted like hell “ ,ooooooooooooore baba re………..more gelam ..more gelam ..more gelam…………bachao…….aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh” In the split of a second tobby made a dash towards the door ,followed by jatin.My heart was beating very very fast too. In a spontaneous jerk mou ended up sitting on the lap of vaishali and mithali in her bid to jump towards the corner ended up hitting her head to the wall. Amidst all this confusion and hurry scurry situation ,the object which had caused the stir had managed to jump out of the window to bring relief to all of us. The passers by have already assembled and were asking questions whether everything was okay or not. Tobby and jatin however did not stop they ran 100m race of their life all the way down to the entrance gate.The team followed them.With only mithali sitting down in pain.I did not know where to go.I ran with them downstairs and then after sometime when outside returned back to check on mitali.Once outside slowly our smiles began to appear and we were relieved.However mou and me rushed back again to check mitali and the team followed suit again. She was in real pain.I brought her some ice cubes to comfort her.I felt guilty for sometime but as soon as the pain decreased mithali was also all smiles.She was just not able to stop laughing .Seeing her laugh we all started to laugh out loud and unbridled as always. Sayak the champ however suddenly asked,”acha light ta abar off korbo?(smiles)”[::::Should I switch the light off again?(smiles)] We all in unison replied,”Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!”[:::NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]