The Home and the World

Nikhil’s Story. IV. The world around Nikhil is beautiful, and Bimala seems full of life, yet he senses something wrong in his life, with his house feeling empty. He goes into Bimala’s room and sees his photograph hanging in its usual place on the niche, although the flowers she usually puts by it have now all withered. He takes the withered flowers as a sign that she didn’t even care enough to remove them. Just then, Bimala herself surprises Nikhil, and he makes an excuse about how he came to pick up a book.

V. Later, Panchu, a tenant of the neighboring zamindar (a feudal-style lord), Harish Kundu, comes to Nikhil with some coconuts. He says he secretly stole coconuts from Nikhil a while ago, but he wants to make amends, now that he is old and may soon die. Panchu is a devoted follower of Chandranath Babu, and Nikhil knows that Panchu is poor but hard-working.

At one point, Nikhil wanted to set up a charity allowance for Panchu, but Chandranath warned this would actually ruin Panchu and not help others like him. This was a moment when Nikhil realized that the only way to help people like Panchu was to deal with the root problems of poverty in Bengal. Nikhil’s thoughts eventually turn to Bimala and how, in spite of her former poverty, she was born with the sensibilities of a Rani (a noble’s wife). He feels that he has invited her into his home but not fully into his life yet.

Bimala’s Story. XI. Bimala, now narrating, sees a great change sweeping through Bengal. It’s so momentous that it feels like there has been some sort of supernatural intervention. Throughout this joyous time, however, there is a trace of melancholy that seems to always haunt Nikhil. He argues with Sandip, each accusing the other of having the wrong conception of God.

Bimala anticipates a sudden change in her country, seeing it as a woman like herself, standing and waiting for something. In her country, Bimala senses a yearning and a sense of not having a home, and she begins to feel this way about herself.

XII. Bimala notices how the followers that Sandip brings to town look suspiciously on Nikhil’s estate, which still has foreign products in it, like sugar, salt, and clothes in it. On the other hand, Bimala feels embarrassed by the simple country furniture that Nikhil brings into the house as part of Swadeshi, which Bimala feels is embarrassingly humble, particularly if a European guest visits. One day, Bimala calls out the Bara Rani, who loves sewing, for always using Swadeshi goods when Nikhil is around but changing to English-made equipment when he’s gone. The Bara Rani says she just wants Nikhil to be happy, and that women shouldn’t be rigid like rods but able to bend.

XIII. Suksar is the big trade center in Bimala’s district, and one day, Sandip gets the idea for his followers that they must make an example at the Suksar and drive out all foreign influence. He says he will talk the idea over with Nikhil. Sandip is always telling Bimala about the strength of her Shakti (“Universal Power”) and how she inspires his work. One day, Sandip asks Bimala to receive a visit from Amulya, one of his disciples. Bimala can sense that Amulya too is full of Shakti, and after the visit, Sandip praises Bimala for helping bring out Amulya’s potential after just one visit.

Nikhil’s Story. VI. Nikhil, now narrating, learns that Panchu’s wife has just died of consumption. His community tells him that he needs to undergo an expensive purification ritual. Nikhil tries unsuccessfully to convince him that that is absurd—he thinks Panchu is being taken advantage of. Between this, doctor’s bills, and other expenses, Panchu is on the verge of starving. Eventually, Chandranath takes Panchu’s children into his home and insists on giving the reluctant Panchu a loan. Panchu doesn’t show Chandranath as much gratitude as Nikhil might expect. Eventually, Panchu starts getting involved in buying and selling goods at the market to pay back his debt to Chandranath, and it’s while at the market that Panchu gets involve in Swadeshi.

VII. Some pupils of Sandip’s come to Nikhil, asking him to banish foreign goods from the Suksar market. He refuses, but when they persist and claim that Nikhil himself benefits most from the foreign goods, Chandranath comes up and supports Nikhil. Nikhil has never seen Chandranath get so worked up about anything, and he can tell that Chandranath is upset that the students would insult Nikhil. The angry students shout Bande Mataram and leave.