Lancer Barracks. But in the town outside, there would be many who would be asleep, but also many who couldn't sleep because they were afraid. Fear stalked the city, fast depleting it of its women and children. They were being sent to places outside Hyderabad State. If they began planning such a move in Chandru's family, who would they send and where? And those left behind, was it all right if the Razakars beat them up to a pulp? How long would the Razakars hold the city in terror? And, those refugees from Nagpur, were they to make the pavements of Secunderabad their permanent home?
For the first time since he woke that night, Chandru felt his mind return to near normalcy. With increasing clarity came the realisation that no slick solutions were available for any of the questions that troubled him. If only some men would show up now and knock his head in with their staves. His eyes drooped, heavy with sleep.
II
1
It had rained at night the past few days. You wouldn't know it had rained till you got up in the morning. That was how it always rained in this place — a fugitive drizzle now and then. Chandru knew it had rained that night when he put on his shoes in the morning. Only yesterday he had made a resolution never to leave his shoes and slippers on the veranda near the trellis. He could at least have moved them to a safer place before going to bed, but didn't, and now they were soggy and heavy.
Chandru put on his shoes before getting into his trousers. All of them in the barracks – Kasim, Venkat Rao, Jaffar Ali, Mannas, in short, everyone, who wore trousers – did this. By following this sequence, you could avoid crumpling your trousers while bending down to lace up your shoes. Despite these measures, and no matter how carefully you wore the clips at the end of the trousers, a half hour's pedalling was sure to have the trousers ballooning at the knees. It was impossible to get rid of this baggy knee. The creases of your trousers would drop straight till the knee and then follow a curve before they became straight again in the nether regions. But today he wasn't going to ride his bicycle. Three times in the past week he had some trouble or other with his bicycle and Father and Mother both felt it would be better not to take it out till things had calmed down a little. Yes he'd better not.
Chandru gathered up his books and started for college. A hot sun beat down. Good, his shoes would dry on their own.
The fronts of the houses were all empty, all twelve of them deserted. But this was a mirage-like phenomenon. All of a sudden, the place would fill up with school-goers and office people and those who came out to see them off. Once that happened, it would be impossible to walk past in peace. You'd have to smile at everyone, stammer out answers to any questions that might be asked and then for all your trouble, finally leave with a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, when Chandru crossed the block he felt nervous. The Mannas house was quite noisy with Terence and his mother shouting at each other. God, there was Laura as well.
Attempting a frozen expression on his face, Chandru hurried on. It was only after he had reached the main road without any further mishap, that he felt secure in the anonymity offered by its width and walked towards the station to board the bus for college.
The Secunderabad railway station looked like a granite fortress and the people who moved about in front of the building looked like clockwork toys. The station had a large front and few entry points. An Albion bus decorated with a tin plate marked '7' stood shuddering with its engine on. Once started in the morning, this engine was probably not switched off until the night. Diesel fumes permeated the surroundings. Chandru went round to the entrance of the bus and found that it was full.
A few people waited outside ready to climb in when the bus started. He looked inside and felt his spirits sink just a little—Nagaratnam was not among those
For the first time since he woke that night, Chandru felt his mind return to near normalcy. With increasing clarity came the realisation that no slick solutions were available for any of the questions that troubled him. If only some men would show up now and knock his head in with their staves. His eyes drooped, heavy with sleep.
II
1
It had rained at night the past few days. You wouldn't know it had rained till you got up in the morning. That was how it always rained in this place — a fugitive drizzle now and then. Chandru knew it had rained that night when he put on his shoes in the morning. Only yesterday he had made a resolution never to leave his shoes and slippers on the veranda near the trellis. He could at least have moved them to a safer place before going to bed, but didn't, and now they were soggy and heavy.
Chandru put on his shoes before getting into his trousers. All of them in the barracks – Kasim, Venkat Rao, Jaffar Ali, Mannas, in short, everyone, who wore trousers – did this. By following this sequence, you could avoid crumpling your trousers while bending down to lace up your shoes. Despite these measures, and no matter how carefully you wore the clips at the end of the trousers, a half hour's pedalling was sure to have the trousers ballooning at the knees. It was impossible to get rid of this baggy knee. The creases of your trousers would drop straight till the knee and then follow a curve before they became straight again in the nether regions. But today he wasn't going to ride his bicycle. Three times in the past week he had some trouble or other with his bicycle and Father and Mother both felt it would be better not to take it out till things had calmed down a little. Yes he'd better not.
Chandru gathered up his books and started for college. A hot sun beat down. Good, his shoes would dry on their own.
The fronts of the houses were all empty, all twelve of them deserted. But this was a mirage-like phenomenon. All of a sudden, the place would fill up with school-goers and office people and those who came out to see them off. Once that happened, it would be impossible to walk past in peace. You'd have to smile at everyone, stammer out answers to any questions that might be asked and then for all your trouble, finally leave with a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, when Chandru crossed the block he felt nervous. The Mannas house was quite noisy with Terence and his mother shouting at each other. God, there was Laura as well.
Attempting a frozen expression on his face, Chandru hurried on. It was only after he had reached the main road without any further mishap, that he felt secure in the anonymity offered by its width and walked towards the station to board the bus for college.
The Secunderabad railway station looked like a granite fortress and the people who moved about in front of the building looked like clockwork toys. The station had a large front and few entry points. An Albion bus decorated with a tin plate marked '7' stood shuddering with its engine on. Once started in the morning, this engine was probably not switched off until the night. Diesel fumes permeated the surroundings. Chandru went round to the entrance of the bus and found that it was full.
A few people waited outside ready to climb in when the bus started. He looked inside and felt his spirits sink just a little—Nagaratnam was not among those
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