The Home and the World

Bimala’s Story. IV. Sandip Babu comes to Bimala’s neighborhood to preach about Swadeshi, and Nikhil has invited Sandip to stay at their house. Crowds come and lift Sandip up, saying “Bande Mataram,” a patriotic slogan. Although Sandip is handsome, Bimala has always found something about him in photographs that looks false. When Sandip speaks, however, whole crowds listen at attention, and at the end of one speech recently, Bimala feels like he looked right at her. The moment changes her, and she comes home from the speech filled with Sandip’s words.

When Bimala is back with Nikhil, she wants Nikhil to be just as enthusiastic about Sandip’s words, but instead he seems to avoid the subject. Finally, she asks how long Sandip will be staying and gets Nikhil to see if Sandip can stay an extra day so that Bimala can invite him to dinner.

Bimala, wears simple, traditional clothing the next day to prepare a midday dinner for Sandip, trying to impress him. But when the Bara Rani sees her first and laughs, Bimala almost changes back to her normal clothes, only barely resisting the urge. She is further embarrassed when dinner isn’t ready in time, and she has to come out to deliver the news to Sandip.

Although Bimala is nervous talking to Sandip, he puts her at ease with his charismatic manner. By this point, Nikhil has been married to Bimala for nine years, and although he has known Sandip for a while, this is the first time that Sandip and Bimala have met. He tells her that he hopes it isn’t another nine years until their next meeting, since is 27 and expects to die shortly—none of his ancestors lived past 30.

Near the end of dinner, Sandip asks Bimala for water. He says he has indigestion and the only cure is more Swadeshi, but Nikhil points out that Sandip does in fact have shelves full of foreign medicine at home. Sandip says these foreign medicines are imposed on him as a punishment. Nikhil doesn’t seem convinced. As Bimala goes to the zenana to get water, she sees the Bara Rani eavesdropping.

V. When Bimala returns to the dinner table, Sandip is pleased she came back, fearing she would take this chance to leave. Sandip talks with Nikhil about Bande Mataram, deliberately bringing up points to provoke him. Nikhil dislikes how Bande Mataram makes a country like a god, believing that there is God in other countries too. Sandip insists on reasons why it is just to put one’s own country first. Bimala is so moved overhearing all this that she joins in the discussion, taking Sandip’s side. It’s her first time being involved in this type of discussion.

In the middle of this heated discussion, someone appears at the door. It is Chandranath Babu, an old gentleman. Nikhil whispers to Bimala that Chandranath Babu was his own master, so she should be obedient to him. She bows and wipes the dust off Chandranath’s feet.

Nikhil’s Story. I. Nikhil, now narrating, believes that he can take any trial God sends at him, and he believes that a moment of great trial is upon him now. He finds himself wondering whether Bimala really loves him or whether all the things she does for him are just part of daily routine and duty. He wanted her to become more free but didn’t expect her to change so much. He thinks she has an “infatuation for tyranny” and now that she is freer from him, her husband, she instead devotes herself to Sandip and Bande Mataram.

In general, Nikhil feels more isolated from the people around him due to his hesitation to join the Bande Mataram cause. He feels that he needs to explain to Bimala that Sandip’s supposed love for his country may really just be a new phase of Sandip’s own self-love. Nikhil hopes he isn’t judging Sandip too harshly but feels he needs to speak the truth about Sandip.

II. Nikhil has known his master, Chandranath Babu, for 30 years. He can tell at once that Chandranath senses something dark on the horizon and wants Sandip to leave soon, in order to hopefully avoid danger. Nikhil suggests to Sandip that he should leave town, but Sandip has been thinking just the opposite, that his work might be more effective if he picked a home base. Sandip flatters Bimala and says she would be very helpful in getting his message out. Chandranath suggests that Nikhil isn’t looking well and that Nikhil and Bimala should take a trip to Darjeeling, but Bimala doesn’t want to leave Sandip and the Cause.

Sandip’s Story. I. Sandip, now narrating, believes that greed is just natural for humans. He thinks that nature only opens up its wonders to those who take things by force, like a robber. Sandip has no shame about asking for what he wants, and he sees no glory about choosing to live in poverty. Sandip feels that, unlike Nikhil, Sandip deals in reality instead of just words and theories. He disagrees with the idea some have that all men are meant to be with just one woman, and he feels that he has just noticed a new person that he might have an “affinity” with.