The Faltering Pendulum by Bhabani Bhattacharya

Introduction

The Faltering Pendulum is a short story by Bhabani Bhattacharya that tells the story of a young woman who is ostracized by her community because she is barren. The woman, who is called the "rag woman," buys three pumpkin seeds and a goat at the weekly bazaar. She plants the seeds in her garden and tends to them with great care. However, the plants wither and die, and the goat dies as well. The woman is heartbroken, but she eventually finds hope in the form of a young girl who discovers the two tiny pumpkins that have grown from the withered vines. The story ends with the woman feeling a sense of peace and acceptance.

The story is a powerful exploration of the themes of loneliness, isolation, and hope. The rag woman is a tragic figure who is shunned by her community because of her inability to bear children. However, she finds solace in her garden and in the company of the young girl. The story suggests that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for redemption.

Summary of the story

The rag woman is a young woman who lives in a small village in India. She is poor and uneducated, and she is ostracized by her community because she is barren. The woman has no friends or family, and she spends her days wandering the streets, collecting rags and other discarded items.

One day, the woman goes to the weekly bazaar. She barters for a few coins, and she buys three pumpkin seeds and a month-old goat. The woman takes the seeds and the goat back to her garden, and she plants them with great care.

The woman tends to the pumpkin plants and the goat with loving attention. She watches them grow and thrive, and she begins to feel a sense of hope for the first time in her life. However, her joy is short-lived. One day, the woman discovers that the pumpkin plants have withered and died. The goat also dies shortly thereafter.

The woman is heartbroken. She feels like she has lost everything. She sits down in her garden and begins to cry. However, her tears are not tears of sadness. They are tears of relief. The woman realizes that she is finally free from the burden of her barrenness. She is no longer a pariah, and she can finally start living her life.

The next day, the woman goes back to the bazaar. She buys a new set of pumpkin seeds, and she plants them in her garden. She also buys a new goat. The woman tends to the new plants and the goat with even more care than she did the first time. This time, the plants thrive, and the goat grows strong.

The woman is no longer lonely. She has found a new purpose in life. She has found a way to overcome her barrenness and to start living her life to the fullest. The story ends with the woman feeling a sense of peace and acceptance. She knows that she will never be able to have children, but she is finally content with her life

About the author

Bhabani Bhattacharya was an Indian author who wrote novels, short stories, and essays. He was born in 1906 in Sylhet, British India (now Bangladesh). Bhattacharya was educated at the University of Calcutta, where he studied English literature. After graduating, he worked as a journalist and a diplomat.

Bhattacharya's first novel, Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat), was published in 1933. It was a historical novel set in the 17th century. His second novel, Pather Panchali (Song of the Road), was published in 1944. It was a semi-autobiographical novel that tells the story of a poor family living in rural Bengal. Pather Panchali was adapted into an acclaimed film of the same name by Satyajit Ray in 1955.

Bhattacharya's other novels include A Goddess Named Gold (1949), He Who Rides a Tiger (1954), Shadow from Ladakh (1963), and A Dream in the Offing (1971). He also wrote several collections of short stories, including Steel Hawk and Other Stories (1968) and The Inherited Heart and Other Stories (1976).

Bhattacharya's work is known for its realism, its psychological insight, and its exploration of social and political issues. He was a major figure in the development of Indian English literature. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, in 1968. He died in 1988.

Additional facts about Bhabani Bhattacharya:

* He was a close friend of the Indian writer and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

* He was a founding member of the Progressive Writers' Association, an organization of Indian writers who were committed to social and political change.

* He was a diplomat for the Indian government, serving as ambassador to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia.

* He was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, India's highest literary honor.