Chapter 13
Parvati becomes so anxious that she goes to Nando’s office. She inquires everyone about them and Sahab as well as Nando went to the border. The border is not far away so the workers in the office decides to aid Parvati. They see a truck going to the border and they put Parvati in the truck heading to the border. Sahab was assigned to resolve the border conflicts to survey and it was the reason why he went to the border. A small mistake can also lead to a big communal riot. Parvati thinks of Nando and Sahab throughout the journey.
Nando and Sahab searches for an isolated place to work. They finds a poles uprooted where some have pulled the poles from the border. Sahab wears a hat but Nando still held an umbrella over him despite his denial. Sahab starts to examine the holes from the poles taken out and doing his survey. Sahab starts questioning Nando’s origin and he tells his family history whose father was Bengali and he has become a Bengali after living in Bengal. Amidst the conversation, Nando gets an opportunity to initiate his plan.
Nando indirectly tells that it is his onus to provide good service to Sahab and Memsahab who comes to Dak Bungalow. Sahab acknowledges his statement. He further states that he can find him an open field for him instead of grazing on other’s hay. Sahab is confused. Nando is quite nervous but he tells Sahab that he need not to look at other married women and if he needs so , Nando will supply him a woman at cheap rates. Sahab becomes very angry at his statement while Nando becomes scared, makes an excuse that other Sahab’s ask for it before.
Nando becomes silent. Sahab asks Nando suddenly and inquires if he abuses Parvati. Nando becomes shocked and he tells Sahab that Parvati is lying and she says it to receive a favour from him. Sahab tells him that Parvati didn’t tell him but he heard it from others. Nando suspects Dashrath. Then Nando tells him that Dashrath is also a liar and not to trust him either. He sees a woman at a long distance, and it is Parvati running towards them in full mess. She then falls down on Sahab’s feet admitting Nando’s abuse on her. She requests Sahab to take her to Calcutta and give her a maid job and she threatens him that she will kill herself in Sahab’s car.
Sahab tells her that he is trying to make him understand but Parvati tells him that Nando doesn’t understand anything. She exposes the conversation between her and Nando about Sahab’s murder. She tells Sahab that instead of protecting her dignity, he is offering other woman and a favour for himself. Sahab feels sympathy for Parvati. Nando tries to defend himself against the accusations and he calls Parvati a mad woman.
Chapter 14
The chapter shift to Calcutta. Ramola is introduced. She realises that she has to reach the office in half an hour. She has a small child to look after. She has not made any breakfast and hasn’t eaten anything yet. She stays in the flat all alone so she is bound to do all the household chores and work as well. To save her time, she eat boil rice, vegetables, egg and water all together sprinkles some salt and chilli powder. She eat this same meal everyday. She gets wearied of everyday work working like a machine with no rest. Even on Sundays, her relatives and friends visit her and she gets busy catering them. Ramola’s mother offers to sent their helper Sachin to stay with her but she denied the help. Since she lives alone, the society does not approve of a man and a woman living together having no relationship.
Ramola publishes an advertisement asking for an unmarried young female maid. She is willing to give free food and accommodation with ₹50 salary per month. She even asks her parents to contact any maid as she stays in office whole day. Ramola thought that nobody is available and everyone has become rich then suddenly, Sachin arrives with a neatly dressed young woman who was willing to take the job. She is getting late for work so questions her mother’s sense of timing. Sachin gives her reason that he would be unavailable for two days with her father. Ramola welcomes her and she is bounded to take a leave from office that day.
Ramola starts questioning her about her origin. The maid comes from Dhalbham village and she gets to know the job offer from her advertisement. Ramola asked her to read the advertisement and the maid reads its slowly and clearly. Then Ramola inquires her about the work she is capable to do and the maid replies with a cross question. Ramola gives her a list of work to do and the maid starts to work immediately. The maid tells her to go to work and she can arrange things for herself. The maid can also skip a meal but Ramola denies it. Ramola is suspicious that she can steal things from her but she regrets it later. She thinks that she has lost her maid but she tells Ramola that she can leave at any desire she wants with the material things.
Ramola thinks of rejecting the outspoken woman but she then discards it. She can fire her whenever she feels disappointed with her work. Ramola asks the woman to call her didimoni instead of Memsaheb. Ramola feels embarrassed to eat before the maid so she informs her about the kitchen and other rooms. The maid cooks some fried potatoes for Ramola which Ramola eats it and she is delighted surprisingly. Ramola asks the name of the woman and her family. The maid’s name is Pahari and she is actually Parvati. Ramola sees a red vermillion on her forehead if she is married. Pahari directly tells her directly that she is unmarried.
Ramola leaves for the office and Pahari tells her to lock the door from outside. The flat is Pahari’s only workplace and she could work with no disturbance from outside. She said it jokingly that she would not be able to run away with the material things as well since she will be locked inside. Ramola said that one can run away through the pipe as well. So she decides to explain her the housework after returning from office. While locking the door outside, Ramola wonders why Pahari lied about her marital life. She thinks whether it is right option to put a strange woman to look after her house.
Chapter 15
Ramola returns back home and knocked the door out of suspicion. She is relieved that Pahari didn’t runaway and steal anything. The house is neat and tidy. Pahari offers her some hot water for washing. She serves Ramola hot tea and freshly prepares Nimki. Ramola becomes happy after seeing a different dish. She praises the dish Nimki to give Pahari the satisfaction of her work. Pahari didn’t bring any clothes with her as she didn’t think while leaving the house. Ramola however offers her own old Saree for her but she demands for a torn one, Ramola didn’t have any inexpensive saree.
She wear the saree and they become very comfortable with each other. Ramola is happy as she is relieved from her lonely, boring and meaningless life after Pahari. Ramola asks her about her husband after pointing at a vermillion on her forehead. Pahari left her husband and she hated herself because the man treated her as a maid and abused her. Ramola stops her queries. Though Ramola’s family were against Ramola’s departure from her husband yet they had not deserted her. Ramola’s sister visits her and she is impressed with Pahari works. She asks Ramola where did she get Pahari from and Ramola consider her as god given. Her sister taunts Ramola indirectly.
Ramola’s mother visits and the door is not locked outside any longer. On her arrival, Pahari serves her. The mother observes Pahari about her behaviour and personal questions. Pahari is a bit irritated but she calmly responds to all inquiries. Ramola returns and her mother reasons the closeness between her and Pahari as both of them has deserted their husbands. Ramola’s mother consider Pahari cunning and warned Romola that she was opening the suitcase. Ramola’s mother tells her that one day she may take everything and run away. Ramola accepts that if she takes everything away then it is her own stupidity and foolishness. Ramola’s mother taunts her for playing a game of lessening the pain. She embraces her mother and showed her happiness.
Her mother thinks that her sister had jokingly praised her. Ramola also consider that life itself is a joke. Her mother thinks that she has a made a joke of her own life. Her mother tells her that the wife had to stay at home if the husband got a transfer and she had to take care of the family. At present, the times have changed and a wife can settle and go along with husband but she left her husband for a job. Ramola tells her mother that why there’s a difference in societal customs between her time and Ramola. Her mother tells her that it was same custom and it is different now. Ramola considers the traditional life of woman seems a funny life to her.
Ramola’s mother is traditional and she believes in traditional woman but everything seems abnormal in Ramola’s case. Ramola denies the immemorial times when woman used to pacify the gods when their husbands were away and they consider themselves fortunate once they get to see their husbands once in a while. The wives had always took care of the home and family than their husbands. Her mother gets very angry with her ego. She tells Ramola that she has hurt a good son in law of hers. Ramola’s mother warns her that Pahari’s intentions didn’t seem to belong from working class.
Ramola is unable to sleep that night as the image of a good man revolves in her mind. She imagines him putting his hand on her shoulders that she is ready to leave him but not her job. Ramola argues that he also left her by going to America but he states that she lives with his family at that time. Ramola revealed that she left him because she was bored staying inside the house without any work to do. The work was always done by the maids and servants and since he was not present at home, she became idle and she started to apply for jobs. She blamed his parents who failed to take responsibility for a working woman. His parents wanted her to stay with her parents but her parents wanted her to stay in her laws and she decided to stay all by herself.
Ramola decided to be independent of anyone. She spends her luxurious life for five years in her in law’s house and she was surrounded with maids. She started to send applications for a job and she received one. She starts talking to the image where she argues if a woman cannot exist for herself and the image replies that she has to pay a price in return. She expected her husband to write letters for her and meet her whenever he comes to Calcutta but he didn’t. As time passes, Ramola becomes strong and harsh. Even Pahari becomes significant in her life. Pahari herself is unable to sleep for two nights and the image who is an old man wearing a diet lungi and a torn out underlip, squatting on the floor is disturbing her. He eats only boiled vegetables and he washes dishes and brings water from the well. He sits idly on the charpoy smoking a cigarettes making it dirty.
The next morning Pahari and Ramola behaves as usual. Ramola is pleased to see variety of foods on the table and she teases Pahari that she will become like pumpkin after having distinct breakfast everyday. Pahari shows a photo album to Ramola which she has been noticing from some days. Pahari also desires to have this kind of love and romance. Pahari tells her that she has seen the man in the photo album and Ramola is shocked. Pahari tells that he is in Dhalbham but Ramola lies to her that he is England for some office work. Pahari suddenly becomes quiet and knows that Ramola does not want to say anything regarding Sahab. Pahari tells her that the man he met is identical to the man in the album. Ramola cunningly tries to get information about Sahab and Pahari has met Sahab in Ghatshilla at Dak Bungalow as he visited there to resolve border conflicts. She starts praising him and Ramola wonders if Sahab (Ramola’s husband) and Pahari had any illicit affairs or he literally just helped the poor Pahari.
Ramola decides that she will not let Pahari know about her relationship with Sahab. Pahari already knows about their relationship after meeting Ramola’s mother and photo album. Sahab at Dak Bungalow decides to leave early morning to a new place, starts to pack his clothes. Then Nando fell down on Sahab’s feet and he begs him to give Parvati’s address. Nando is unable to sleep, eat and work after her departure. He realises his guilt and thrashes himself about his wrongdoings. He vows to respect her and pleads him to ask her forgiveness and stop abusing her. Sahab tells him that he can have an affair with Parvati but Nando tells him that it is impossible. Sahab tells him about the incident at border where Nando called her a mad person and Sahab is unable to trust his words. Nando actually hold her hair and threw a stone on her head bleeding admitting in an hospital after Sahab left. Sahab aided her for treatment at the hospital but Nando requests him to her whereabouts.
Sahab tells him why Parvati hates him and he calls out Nando’s selfish behaviour and his character. Sahab tells Nando to take address from Dashrath as Dashrath’s friend had escorted Parvati. Nando then goes to Dashrath immediately and Sahab is reminded of Ramola who also pleaded her to stay back then. Sahab only wanted to provide for her and do his duty yet she left him for a job to leave everyone behind. He doesn’t understand the old customs and consider it to be beyond his comprehension. Sahab feels happy as Ramola has received help and Parvati also has a job in which she is efficient.
Ramola’s brother in law writes a letter to Sahab where his wife is happy and enjoying her life. The maid is a good companion and his wife i.e. Ramola’s sister is starting to get jealous of her. He thanks God that his wife doesn’t have a degree so she won’t leave him for a job. He also mentions the competitive environment where woman are taking up jobs and then deserting their husbands realizing the significance of old customs. Ramola becomes disappointed after knowing Pahari has met her. Ramola wonders why she has brought the album with her and not the clothes. She regrets the fact that she should have shown disappointed while showing off the album photos. Their relationship starts to degrade as Ramola is unable to express it.
One day at the market, Khuku who is Sahab’s sister come across each other but Khuku behaves as if she doesn’t know Ramola at all. Khuku warns her that the distance between her and Sahab’s relationship would increase with times. Ramola returns from office and she sees an elderly man trying to look inside her house from the holes she screams at him asking his identity which scared the man. Ramola asks him what he wants to see and he kneels down on her introducing himself ans Nandolal Raut and he has no wrong intentions. He only wants to see Parvati but Ramola denies any Parvati living in the flat. Nando denies returning and he tells her that she may call him ayah. Ramola threatens to call police on him and she presses on the calling bell. Pahari or Parvati opens the door and she sees Nando. Ramola enters the house. Parvati gets angry at Nando and Nando is happy to see her. She asks a lot of questions on her and he apologises to Parvati for his wrongdoings. Parvati asks him if he didn’t find any rope to commit suicide and she thought he may have died by now.
Chapter 16
Nando continues to weep. Parvati tells Ramola that she has to go. Ramola feels betrayed by her as she is suddenly leaving for the man who abuses her but Parvati pleads her to let her go as she needs to catch a train after 2 hours. Ramola threatens to file a case against her for using false name and without proper name. Parvati perhaps believe that since he has come for her weeping and crying for her absence, she thinks that he has learned a lesson so far. She also considers it as a fate if he continues to abuse her even after returning with him. Ramola gives an ultimatum that her husband has to find a servant for her before they leave. Parvati tells her that it will be difficult to find a new servant for her and she is willing to stay with her for some days but it will be difficult for Nando who has nowhere to go. She apologises and she gives a valid reason to leave Ramola.
Parvati argues that numerous woman had left their homes and family for a lesser man and this is what woman do. Nando tells her that she should not speak to memsahab in such a manner. Nando tells Ramola that he doesn’t deserve to be her husband and her absence is a punishment for him. Parvati pleads Ramola to leave while Nando tells Ramola that Ramola can come and live with Sahab and Parvati will work for them for a lifetime. Ramola gets angry and she slams the door. Ramola realises that she has not given any salary for her work but she lets her pride and ego slip to follow them to give the money.
Chapter 17
Parvati and Nando boards the train. Nando asked Parvati to convince Sahab to bring back Memsahab. Parvati argues but Nando tells her that Sahab listens to her. Parvati tells him that Sahab will never give up his pride like Nando to bring back Memsahab. Nando tells him that they don’t love each other anymore but Parvati tells him that they do love each other but they shall keep longing for a little gesture from each other but it will go on drifting because of the ego in between. They watches from the window longing for each other but they both don’t want to step in and break the distance. The novel thus give the title “The Distant Window” where the human relationships between man and woman drifts apart due to the inability of both to step in to break the chains of ego and bring each other closer.
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