Sunday Short Story By Ritam Kanjilal

Mastermoshai

A man is sitting by the Ganges ghat reminiscing about the violent glimpses he witnessed at his hometown due the Noakhali massacre. A woman comes up to him with a thonga filled with chhola bhaja. She asks:
What happened Arun?
Nothing
Nothing?
(Tears roll out of his eyes)
He stands up, restlessly moves towards the boats. She accompanies him panicked as he takes a boat.

Kalboishakhi (Thunderstorm, heavy splashes of rain is heard in the background)
A few numbers of students sitting inside a classroom with the male and female rows separated from each other.
A random student: Sir ei sanghatik jhor-brishtir dineo poraben? Keu e toh aseni.
He shouts at the one asking. Later asks him a question. As he fails to answer he is even thrown out of the class. Everyone is terrified.

Extreme summer
A class full of students sitting with the male and female students sitting separately as usual.
Another random student: Sir ei maratmak (He anticipates the statement and interrupts).
Na eikhane toh amra…
Scolds the class mercilessly for finding the statement disrespectful and teaches.

Chilly winter
An empty class. He literally drags his students from the playground into the classroom and teaches. Everyone is extremely irritated with him now. The irritation is extremely evident on their face. Arun guesses something is wrong and starts asking questions:
Binay, (a+b)²?
Nods his head
(a-b)²?
Binay simply leaves the class without hesitating much in order to avoid getting scolded.
He is deadly. Extremely disgusted and annoyed:
Class e porashuno korte aso naki rod pohate? pora na dite parle thik erokom bhabei beriye jete hobe.
He is calm and composed now. Revises with the class some recent-past lectures. The time-keeper rings the bell announcing that the class is over. As soon as he leaves Binay comes back.
Apod ta je kobe biday hobe,biroktikor!
(The class bursts into laughter)

9:15 it is the next day. His Maths class with the sixth grades. Everyone is extremely joyous as fifteen minutes have passed still, he is not in the class. A chaotic situation arises when suddenly footsteps are heard. He comes to the class, for the first time being late by about twenty minutes. Everyone, as usual are panicky. They are afraid of getting scolded for their notoriousness. To everyone’s surprise, he teaches for the rest of the class without bothering a single student. He seemed detached. The time-keeper rings the bell. The class has finally come to an end. He hurriedly packs his belongings and keeps them inside his jhola. The class is chaotic again as he is just about to leave. Instead of scolding the class to silence he says in an unexpected tone:
Konodino na asle tora aro beshi khushi hobi,tai na?