"Beim Himmel, dieses
Kind ist schön!
So etwas hab ich nie
gesehn.
Sie ist so sitt—und
tugendreich,
Und etwas schnippisch doch
zugleich.
Der Lippe Rot, der Wange
Licht,
Die Tage der Welt vergeß
ich's nicht!"
As Mr. Rajkumar paused from
his recital, the hall of Philharmonic was full of applause. Lights were
switched off. When they came on, it was Bonamie
Borah on stage.
Bonamie
shouted out to Baruani, "It’s
Smelling, did you put something on the stove?"
Baruani
opened the window, "Oh, it's you. Hmmm... now I can smell it too.
Something seems to be burning."
"Is
it not you?"
"No!"
"Then
wait, I'll ask downstairs". Saying soBonamie rushed downstairs. But only
two steps, when she realized, and got embarrassed. It was no one but Bonamie herself who put milk on the stove and forgot.
She ran
to the kitchen and by that time her husband reached home as well. He found the door open, with the smell of burnt milk wafting in the
air. He looked at Bonamie and gave her a
knowing smile.
Mr.
Rajkumar changed his shoes, hanged his
coat on the arms of his regular chair, took out a bottle of water and stepped inside his studio without a word. Bonamie was
little uncomfortable for her
carelessness with the milk, so she didn't start any conversation. It was
customary of Rajkumar to speak less, keeping his presence in the house quiet.
This was a different Rajkumar from the one millions of people across the
country and abroad knew, someone they might not have ever imagined.
*
Project Banalata worked well and
remained reputed in the last one decade. Bonamie remembered the first night of Project Banalata, when Mr. Rajkumar
launched it in Bhopal Museum. Thousands of people stayed stunned and astonished for almost three long
hours. What an illusion it was! Mr. Rajkumar landed on the stage with a time
machine: "For thousands of years I roamed the paths
of this earth, from waters around Ceylon in the dead of night to the Malayan
seas". People
applauded to see the ocean with high tidal waves in the cyclorama. The time
machine travelled across the history of India, and across the ages Mr. Rajkumar’s magic conjured all charm and bewilderment. That was the first
time Bonamie appeared on stage in his show, as "Natorer Banalata Sen", her
hair like that of an ancient darkling
night in Vidisha.
Immediately after the grand
success of Project Banalata in Bhopal Museum they went to Japan under the
sponsorship of Japan Foundation, and that was their first international hype.
*
Every time they started up
a new project, they scouted out a new location and had some peculiar
discussion. The place could be anything, a picnic spot at the outskirts or a
coffee shop they had never been to before; , just a decent enough space to hang
out. . This time they went to the school playground where Bonamie spent her childhood. After talking a while over her
childhood memories, Bonamie surprised her
husband with an unexpected question.
"Tell me about
Arpita".
"Who Arpita?"
"Your Arpita".
"What?" Mr.
Rajkumar's jaw dropped. "What has happened to you…! After so many
years?" He exclaimed, "and to be frank I've forgotten nearly t
everything about her in the last thirteen years".
"But it's been
thirteen years", Bonamie remarked,
"and that you remembered immediately, right?"
Mr.
Rajkumar smiled like a little child. However, the conversation shifted to
another topic soon. Bonamie played a
song in her MP3 player, a song from Dylan. They spent some time silently,
sitting on the staircases at the entrance of the playground. The song seemed to
hover in the air: "Once
upon a time you dressed so fine
Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?..."
"Can you please stop
that song?" Rajkumar said, "I don’t feel like listening to it now."
Bonamie stopped playing the
MP3.
In his student days Mr.
Rajkumar went to PC Sarkar for a workshop on magic where he met Arpita Kar. Those
days he was known as Raju, Raju Pathak.
They had a good time together. Coming back from the workshop Rajkumar started
his own ventures with experimental magic shows. Along with some trainings he
got from PC Sarkar, he adjoined references from ancient Assamese Tantric
practices and rituals. For a couple of years he also worked as an assistant with
M Hussain, the legendary magician of the time.. As his innovations using Tantric rituals in his magic shows received
promising attention from the public, he developed his own method on the
basis of it. He explored historical and
mythological stories, and narrated them along with his own techniques. However,
zig-zag girl, or splitting the women remained his most popular technique..
It was in Vidarbha region,
when he was collecting some historical materials for his next show, that he met
Bonamie for the first time. Raju became known
as Mr. Rajkumar by that time. Bonamie was then a young researcher working on the Shalabhanjikas from Amrawati..
Bonamie was an intelligent woman, extremely ambitious
about her academic career at that time. When she got engaged with Rajkumar, her friends and colleagues warned her that with a big name like Mr. Rajkumar, it would be
difficult to nourish her own dreams. But she was confident about her choice. . With time, however, she had lesser and lesser time to think over her
academic career independently. Gradually, she
got engaged into Mr. Rajkumar's projects. The best ever gift she received
from him was the Project Banalata. That
was the first show where she participated in the ‘splitting the woman’ trick part
and greatly enhanced it. a . A very common trick in contemporary magic
shows, it was improvised by Rajkumar to
include picturization of the famous
Bengali poem, ‘Banalata Sen’ by Jibonananda Das. Bonamie would get inside a set of boxes, then Mr.
Rajkumar would appear as "The Incredible Butcher", and cut her
body parts by splitting the boxes. He would then carry the box containing her
head and walk down amidst the audience, allowing them a closer look of the
miracle. In no time, he would place the
box in its place, and the unharmed woman
used come out of the box. What an incredibly popular show it came to be in the
course of time! !
"If we have a girl
child, we'll name her Vidisha", he used to say.
"Why Vidisha, and why
not Vimbisara?"
"Vimbisara sounds like
Hidimba, he he he!" He used to laugh.
There are ups and downs in
everyone’s life. In recent times, people
had started saying that Mr. Rajkumar's glorious days were slowly dying out. Live performances like magic shows were
beginning to be effectedfor various reasons.
But the hard times hardly harmed the mutual bond of
the couple.
When they
were on the way back home from the play ground, Rajkumar was mumbling to himself,
"When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to
lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to
conceal"
He realized that he
was singing the same song he didn't want to listen to a while ago. Bonamie smiled at him.
Rajkumar said,"We were so close to each other, that
time, when we were training under PC
Sarkar. So close we were, we spent all our times together- good and bad. We ate together,
we travelled together, we worked together."
"And also slept
together", Bonamie gave a naughty
smile.
"Dhutt", an
utterance of disgust came out of Mr. Rajkumar's mouth.
"Sorry. Continue."
"Well", Rajkumar
continued, "but I had a strong feeling that if I die in front of her, I would
die being a different person."
"What does it
mean?"
"I can't explain… but I
will try. Once we were in a restaurant. It was sort of a surprise party from
her side. She told me that she had ordered my favorite flavored ice-cream. When
the order came I saw it was strawberry, what I used to hate the most. Anyway
this is just a small instance to explain. When we were with friends or
families, she used to tell about me and small things around us, and then I used
to notice- many things about me were actually not real. You know, they were not
false as such, they were not lies, but they were not true statements about me
either. Somehow I felt, I was not secured in her hand. I
didn't exactly know how it happened. How this thought came to my mind.
But I felt, the portrayal she made of me
was simply a wrong one."
"Hmm... perhaps I can
sense it."
"Perhaps I was too
ambitious, too narcissistic, or, too much conscious about my public image.. I
don't know."
*
Rajkumar's personal adviser
Patgiri also admitted about the need of a shift in the method of performances.
In last few years Rajkumar was
not doing well. He was not having any shows abroad, not any within the country too that had left a mark
on the public.. At times he thought of taking
a sabbatical from live performances. Many people suggested that he should opt
for reality shows on television, but Rajkumar was against
live art form being replicated in
the electronic medium. But it was a fact that circus was almost a dead art in
recent years. The same fate awaited magic
shows. The urban society was engaged
TV and other electronic media for leisure and entertainment. Moreover, magic
shows were criticized by social activists for extensive use and display of the
female body.
After three consecutive failed projects in last three years, at the
time of recession, nobody would believe that Rajkumar and Bonamie now had to
think twice before submitting an
electricity bill.
It was Patgiri's idea to
have a "feminist twist". Now what was that "Feminist
Twist"? Patgiri referred to pornographic works, irritating Bonamie, something
he did often. There was a cover story on an online magazine about feminist
porn: where women were insisting on
making pornography from women's perspective. It was about something not meant
for the male gaze, but for the amusement of women. However, it was another
awkward example that Patgiri made. He could have cited some other example
instead of this, Bonamie mused to herself.
After a lot of brain
storming and rehearsals they plotted a
possible twist that could make the public interested in their shows once again:
that was increasing the stage presence of Bonamie instead of Rajkumar. The "Incredible Butcher"
would be Bonamie this time. . He used as
examples the names of women super heroes
and fighters, from Angelina to Claire Bannet, Lynda Carter, Jeniffer Garner…
"Now it is up to
you", Patgiri added, "whether you would like to develop with the Hollywood
action-heroine sensibility, or to put in it a nationalist sentiment with
references from Mula-Gabharu, Rani Lakhshmibai or something".
"This is the time for
you to die", it was the second speculation Patgiri put forward, "and I
can vow it, you cannot even imagine how people would be emotionally and sentimentally
overwhelmed to see the legend dying on stage". Mr. Rajkumar was slightly uncomfortable at this point, but Patgiri added, "And
you know well, the regaining of life after the butcher's killing, will add on a
new dimension with the notion of re-incarnation. Patgiri stressed, "Just
frame it as Mr. Rajkumar in Avatar!"
"Think over it,
re-incarnation- would go with your patent styling, I mean with the time machine
concept from Project Banalata, and
alsowith your current public presence where you are actually trying to re
introduce yourself".
*
The Berlin Zauberkunst
Unternehmen raised the
flag. Mr. Rajkumar was in full enthusiasm after so many years. Surprisingly Bonamie
reduced her weight up to seven kilos in the
last seven months. The Rajkumar
Foundation that was established a decade ago but lying inactive for so long was re vitalized.
It worked hard for fund-raising and
achieved its target in last couple of months.
The royal hall was
houseful. The PR group worked well promoting through social networking. For the
last one month there were stories on Mr. Rajkumar and his life in the social medium.
The preparation process was also being circulated. There were shows discussing about
the "Feminist Twist".
*
As planned, they made some
free time before the performance to walk in the city, the way they always did
before a big performance. The city of
Berlin offered many nostalgic moments. As they walked, they also tried to grasp the
body language of the everyday public. They observed how the people walked, shopped,
how they talked to each other.
"What are you
thinking?", Bonamie asked.
"At the day's end,
like hush of dew
Comes evening. A hawk wipes
the scent of sunlight from its wings.
When earth's colors fade
and some pale design is sketched,
Then glimmering fireflies
paint in the story", Rajkumar uttered.
"It's been a long time since I last heard the
lines of Banalata Sen from your mouth". Bonamie 's face was
glowing. 
*
It was the day.
The day of retrospection of
the best shows of Mr. Rajkumar. The time for re-launching the time-machine of
Rajkumar's magic, the Banalata Sen in Rajkumar's magical interpretation,
"Through darkness I saw her. Said she, "Where have you been so
long?".
Then the time machine
shifted space:
Beim Himmel, dieses Kind
ist schön!
So etwas hab ich nie
gesehn.
Sie ist so sitt—und
tugendreich,
Und etwas schnippisch doch
zugleich.
Der Lippe Rot, der Wange
Licht,
Die Tage der Welt vergeß
ich's nicht!
[By God, but that's a
lovely girl!
More lovely than I've ever
met.
So virtuous, so decent, yet
A touch of sauciness as
well!
Her lips so red, her cheeks
so bright—
All my life I'll not forget
that sight.]
As Mr. Rajkumar pauses from
his recital, the hall of Philharmonic was full of applause. Lights were
switched off. When the lights came on, it was Bonamie on stage. Then
came the magical twist to the magical show. Bonamie took over the stage. Rajkumar was put
inside the four-folded box by the "Incredible Butcher" Bonamie
.
Bonamie pranced along the boxes, folding and unfolding them in front of the audience- what a delightful
rhythmic gesture it was! She closed all the boxes and pulled out the magic
sword. She started riding a horse in the gesture of Mulagabharu and cut down the box at
the top- that is how she beheaded Rajkumar. Mr. Rajkumar, the living legend of
contemporary magic shows got beheaded! She took up the box with care. With
delicate movements she took the box and stepped ahead on the ramp, towards the
audience. A crowd of nearly three thousand people .
Flashes of cameras, bright
colorful lights glared at her hair. She stepped ahead. . She opened the box on
her hand, and it was Rajkumar's head inside it, with blinking eyes. The crowd broke out in an outburst of applause.
She walked and walked ahead on the ramp. The hall began rumbling. The flashes made her blind….
The (zimmy zip) cameras recording her
live (telecast) came in front of her. Applause increased gradually. As the
bright flash dropped on her eyes, she closed her eyelids.
A sudden silence it was.
She opened eyes in bright
sunlight. She was walking on the street. She tried to control her walk, as she
realized she was trying a catwalk on an ordinary street. Anyway, what street was
it? Which place was it? Was it the street 18 in Kathmandu where she was lost
for a while and she was clueless as her mobile was not working that time? When
was it? Five years ago? Seven years ago? Or was it in Vimbisar, Vidarbha, or
somewhere in Shravasti? She walked and walked ahead. Very few people were on
the street. None were known to her. Then she saw a man singing with a guitar on
the footpath. She came close to him. She knew that person, somewhere she met
him earlier. There was a name tag on the upper pocket of his shirt, "Mr.
Tambourine man". She could not convince herself, no, this man is not Mr.
tambourine man at all.
"Please do sing a song
for me, I may indentify you. Today I have no place to go, nothing to do"
she said.
With a smile he started
singing,
" How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone"
It was impossible for her
to remember the man singing on footpath. But she left the place soon, as it was
not so important for her anymore. Moreover she didn't want to listen to the
song at that moment since she had the glory of success of the night, the night of
her victory, the successful magic show as the ‘Incredible Butcher’.
She speeded up her walk and
suddenly she noticed a narrow path ahead that led to a small hilly area. Oh it’s
Kharghuli. Somebody was playing a mouth Organ, may be the same person she met
on the footpath. She reached Kharghuli. Then suddenly she heard many people
talking. A crowd was coming from behind, she looked back on the side of
Navagraha, a procession was ahead. It was actually a huge crowd, and it was
coming close to her. As the crowd reached her she understood it was carrying a
deadbody. Many men, women, children, old were participating in the procession. Without
a second thought, she eventually started walking with the crowd. Whose funeral was it? Who died and how? Was he or she a very
famous one? Anyway, why was she walking with the crowd?
She stopped. The crowd
moved ahead leaving her behind. An old man from the crowd looked back at her. It
was a bad gaze; in fact, very disturbing. She diverted her eyes from him and
walked towards the narrow path towards the hillside. Just a little walk, she
was at home. The door was left open. She entered. Called Rajkumar. But there
was no one at home. She looked at the stool, Little Maphisto was not there.
That means no message Rajkumar had left for her. She went to the dressing table
and sat down. Her eyes were dark. Her skin was sun burnt.
"Where have you been
so long, Banalata sen?" a voice came.
Bonamie looked around.
" All birds come home, rivers too,
All transactions of the day
being over
Nothing remains but
darkness
to sit face to face with
Banalata Sen." the voice came again.
The little Maphisto was
hanged beside the dressing mirror as it
used to be earlier. She looked at Little Maphisto. "Is it you Maphisto
talking to me?"
"Why did you do
this?" Maphisto said.
"What? What did I do?
What do you mean by this?" She exclaimed.
"You are brilliant.
You are talented. Performance was in your blood, he said it right."
"Yes, it is fine. But
what do you mean?"
"Allwissend bin ich nicht; doch viel ist mir
bewußt".
"What does it mean?"
"I am not Omniscient, but I know a lot. You did the best of the performances ever
Mr. Rajkumar wanted to do in his life time.
All around the Globe it has become a historical event now. But being the
Incredible Butcher, why didn't you complete the game?"
"What Game?" Bonamie
got surprised.
"You beautifully
beheaded Mr. Rajkumar. You took the box where his head was put. You walked ahead
on the ramp towards the audience. You celebrated the applause. Yes it was the
greatest applause ever in the history of magic. But what did you do with the
box thereafter? Why didn't you put the box back in its place?"
Bonamie was stunned.
She could not really
remember what happened next. She could remember taking the head of Mr.
Rajkumar, walking on the ramp of Philharmonic and then... then.... nothing. She
could remember nothing.
