The Adventure Summary

The Adventure by Jayant Narlikar is a unique story in which the author has tried to concoct a new
blend of history and physics. In this story he writes about Professor Gaitonde’s unique experience.
He time-travels into the past and experiences something that never ever existed. He finds himself in
a Bombay that never ever existed.  The Bombay Gangadharpant saw in different world was quite
different. As the train stopped at Victoria Terminus, he found the station to be extremely neat and
clean; the blue coaches of the train carried GBMR, “Greater Bombay Metropolitan Railway”. The
working staff consisted of Anglo-Indians and a few British officers.  As he came out of the station he
saw the Headquarters of East India Company; while walking on Hornby Road, he saw buildings of
British brands, such as Boots and Woolworth departmental stores, imposing offices of Lloyds,
Barclays and other British banks. The most startling thing was at the Forbes building where his son
worked, he did not find him there.Then he went to the Library of Asiatic Society to solve the riddle of
the history. As a historian it was his duty to find the truth and the reality related to the battle of
Panipat. He wanted to know the details of battle of Panipat. And as he read the book he was amazed
to find the details totally contrary to what had actually happened. In the book he read the Marathas’
morale was very high because their leader, Vishwasrao successfully pierced the enemy defense line
without being hit by the so many bullets that were fired at him. Thus they succeeded in defeating
Abdali’s troops. Not only the Marthas had defeated the troops of Abdali, but they had also kept the
British at bay. They had successfully established their kingdom in North India and through political
acumen steered India to a state of prosperity and power. They had managed and administered India
efficiently in all spheres such as finances, defense, and international trade. He was wonderstruck at
this phenomenon.After leaving the library he went to a guest house and took a light meal. Professor
Gaitonde went to Azad Maidan where he found a lecture going on; on the stage he noticed the
presidential chair unoccupied. There he had an argument with the audience regarding the unchaired
lecture, which turned out to be violent. The audience got on the stage and threw Professor Gaitonde
off the stage.The throw had an effect on the professor as it was after this experience he came out of
the other world experience. He had been found unconscious in Azad Maidan.In order to solve the
mystery of this unique experience, Professor Gaitonde went to Professor Deshpande. The latter tried
to give scientific explanation to the former. According to professor Deshpande, reality is something
we experience through our senses which are kind of instruments. These senses or instruments have
limitations. What we call reality may have other manifestations or dimensions. Physicists have found
there are many worlds existing besides the world we see through our senses. They have also found
something startling during experiments on small systems of atoms and their particles. The behavior
of these systems is unpredictable. This is called lack of determinism. Keeping this law in mind it can
be said what we call reality may be different in another world.  According to Deshpande, Gaitonde
made transition from one world into another during his unique experience about battle of Panipat.
The reality is he was visiting Bombay in coma.  He met with an accident and went into a coma; at the
time of accident, Professor Gaitonde was thinking about Battle of Panipat and the possible
consequences of theory of catastrophe on it. He also found history to be changed in which India had
never ever become slave to the British. He also found that Marathas had defeated the troops of
Abdali at Panipat. During the time he was in coma, his consciousness experienced an experience of
British India in which he always wanted to see; but that India had never existed in reality; it existed
in Gaitonde’s mind only.
 Introduction- THE GHAT OF THE ONLY WORLD
The write-up by Amitav Ghosh is a glowing tribute to his Kashmiri friend Shahid who died of
cancer in America. Shahid was a poet. He also taught at various colleges and universities in the
US. His brother and two sisters were also settled there. He was adored by his students, loved
and admired by his friends. He himself had a broad and secular outlook. He condemned
fanaticism and violence in Kashmir. But he did not allow politics to overshadow his literary skill. It
was in February 2000 that he had a sudden but short blackout and loss of eyesight. The tests
revealed that he had a brain tumour. He struggled against this disease for some 14 months and
died in his sleep on 8 December. Before his death, he had requested Amitav to write something
about him. The writer highlights Shahid’s love of old film music, of Kashmiri dishes, of the lively
company of his friends, of his sharp sense of repartee and appreciation of art.
Complete Summary
Agha Shahid Ali was a Kashmiri, settled in the US. He was a cancer patient. He had been under
treatment for 14 months. But he was still on his feet and cheerful. Only sometimes he became
unconscious, lost his memory and his eyesight for a short while. On 25 April 2001, he spoke to
the writer about his approaching death. The writer tried to console him, but he was cut short.
Shahid, however, made a request. He wanted the writer to write something about him after his
death.
Shahid and the author had studied together at Delhi University. But they had never met. In 1998
and 1999 they had several conversations on the phone and also met a couple of times. But the
acquaintance could not grow until both moved to Brooklyn, US. They were in the same
neighbourhood. Shahid lived in a building some eight blocks away. He had his sudden blackout
in February 2000. He had a malignant brain tumour. So from Manhattan, he moved to Brooklyn,
where his youngest sister Sameetah lived. When Shahid spoke about his approaching death, he
laughed but he was dead serious. He entrusted a great responsibility to the author. ‘You must
write about me,’ he said. And the author promised to grant his wish. Since that day he started
noting down all his conversations with Shahid. And that record helped him keep his word.
Shahid was a poet who wrote in English. The author had read his 1997 collection The Country
without a Post Office. He was greatly impressed also. Once they became neighbours at
Brooklyn, they began to meet very often for meals. Shahid’s condition was serious but that illness
did not depress him. The author and Shahid had many common friends. They also had a shared
love of rogan josh and liking for Kishor Kumar’s songs. Both disliked cricket and loved old
Mumbai films. They began to meet regularly.
One day the author went along with Shahid’s brother and sister—lqbal and Hena – to fetch him
home from the hospital. It was on 21 May. Shahid had already been through several operations
that failed. A hospital orderly arrived with a wheelchair. But Shahid sent him back. He thought he
was strong enough to walk out of the hospital on his own. But his knees buckled after only a few
steps. The hospital orderly was summoned again with the wheelchair.
Shahid loved company, partying and shared meals. He didn’t have time to be depressed. His
apartment was on the seventh floor. But it was worth going all the way up. There was the
fragrance of rogan josh and songs to welcome the visitor. Shahid would open the door and clap
his hands joyously. There were poets, students, writers and relatives in the house. Even though
his health was failing, he loved to talk, laugh, eat and, of course, enjoy poetry. His deep interest
in kitchen matched with his skill as a poet. James Merrill had great influence on his poetry. He
dreamt that he was at the ghat of the only world.
Shahid was not a fanatic. He regretted that Pandits had left Kashmir, and he expressed that
feeling in his poetry. He loved Bengali food also. He loved the poetry of Begum Akhtar. His
repartees were equally sharp. Once at Barcelona airport, the security guard, a woman, asked
him what he did. His answer was he was a poet and his vocation was to write poetry. Finally, that
woman asked if he was carrying anything that could be dangerous to the other passengers,
Shahid cried ‘only my heart.’
He was very popular as a teacher. He taught at several colleges and universities. He was
appointed a professor in 1999, and he had his first blackout in Feb. 2000. After 1975, Shahid
lived mainly in America where he joined his brother and two sisters. His parents continued to live
in Srinagar. The political violence in Kashmir had a great effect on him. But he was not a political
poet. He was true to his art form of language. His vision was all-embracing. He had a secular
outlook. In his childhood, he once created a small Hindu temple in his room in Srinagar. His
parents never stood in his way.
On 4th May, he had gone to the hospital for a test to discover whether the course of
chemotherapy had the desired effect or not. The next day he told the author that the doctors
were going to stop all his medicines and there was not much hope. He wanted to go back to
Kashmir to die, to be with his father. But for certain reasons, he changed his mind. He died in the
US and he was laid to rest in Northampton. He died peacefully in his sleep at 2 p.m. on 8th
December.

Short Answer Questions 

1.What information do you gather about Shahid from this lesson?
Ans. Shahid was a Kashmiri by birth. He had migrated to the US. He was a man of letters, a poet
and professor. But he contracted cancer there. He was under treatment for 14 months. He was
operated upon thrice for a brain tumour. But no treatment could save him from his untimely
death.
2. How did the author come to know of Shahid’s approaching death?
 Ans. Once while scanning and thumbing through his engagement book Shahid spoke that he
could not see a thing. He added that he hoped he did not mean that he was dying. This
telephonic talk between Shahid and the author gave the author a feeling of Shahid’s approaching
death.
3. When and where did Amitav and Shahid become friends? How did their friendship
grow?
Ans. Shahid and Amitav became friends in Brooklyn, US. They lived a few blocks apart. But they
began to meet for occasional meals. By that time Shahid’s condition was already serious. But
that did not stand in the progress of their friendship.
4. What responsibility did Shahid entrust to the writer? How did Amitav keep his promise?
Ans. The first time Agha Shahid Ali spoke to the writer about his approaching death was on 25
April 2001. He had been under cancer treatment for some 14 months. He had already suffered a
few lapses of memory. He requested Amitav to write something about him after his death. And
Amitav kept his promise.
5. What was Shahid’s profession? How much success did he become in his field?
Ans. Shahid was a poet and a teacher. His first collection of poems was The Country without a
Post Office. No one had a greater influence on his poetry than James Merill. He taught at Baruch
college in 2000, the University at Amherst, and finally the University of Utah. He was very
popular among the students who almost adored him. He was all success.
6. In what spirit did Shahid receive his approaching end?
Ans. Shahid had his first blackout in February 2000. By 21 May, he had already undergone
several unsuccessful operations. He had a malignant brain tumour. But he had no time to be
depressed. He remained lively, sociable and a food lover till the end. He spoke about his
approaching death to Amitav on 25 April 2001.
7. What do you know about Shahid’s likes and dislikes? Which things were most dear to
him?
Ans. Shahid was a wonderful friend and brilliant poet. He was fond of Kashmiri food, of partying
at his house, of music and of Mumbai films. He loved the camera, the rogan josh and the songs
of Kishore Kumar as well as Begum Akhtar. He had no interest in cricket.
8. How can you say that Shahid was gregarious and sociable?
 Ans. Shahid’s gregariousness or love of company had no limit. Almost every evening his friends
used to gather in his living room. They sang songs and shared food. He enjoyed their company
and was always ready to serve. This showed his spirit of festivity.
9. Shahid’s vision was secular and all-inclusive. Give an instance from his childhood to
support the statement.
 Ans. Shahid had his roots in Kashmir. He kept a constant watch on his native state. He was
deeply pained to see violence there. But he was never a political poet. He did not believe in
mixing politics with religion. In childhood, the had set up a small Hindu temple also in his room.
He condemned fanatic people.
10. Describe the incident of the wheelchair at the hospital.
 Ans. On 21 May, the writer went to fetch Shahid from the hospital. Award boy arrived with a
wheelchair. Shahid sent him back. He declared that he was strong enough to walk out of the
hospital on his own. But his knees failed after a few steps. The hospital orderly had to be called
again with the wheelchair.
11. Where did Shahid want to die? Was his last wish fulfilled?
 Ans. Shahid loved his homeland although he, along with his brother and two sisters, had spent
many years in the US. He wanted to go back to Kashmir to die. But for some reasons. he
changed his mind. He died in America and was laid to rest in Northampton,
12. What do you know about Shahid’s love for cookery?
 Ans. Shahid was an expert in cookery. He used to spend days over the planning and
preparation of a dinner party. He stuck to traditional methods and recipes. He had a special
passion for Kashmiri dishes. He could tell from the smell alone which stage the rogan josh had
reached. He did not like shortcuts while cooking a dish.
13. Which English poet influenced Shahid’s poetry most?
 Ans. Shahid’s poetry was at once lyrical and disciplined. While in Arizona, he met James Merill.
This American poet changed the direction of his poetry. No one had a greater influence on
Shahid’s poetry than Merill. After his encounter with him, Shahid started experimenting with
metrical patterns and verse forms.
14. Shahid was no mean practitioner of repartee. Recall the occasion at Barcelona Airport.
  Ans. Shahid had so many stories to tell about Begum Akhtar’s sharpness in repartee. He
himself was no less witty. He was good at the art of giving sharp and clever answers. At
Barcelona airport, the woman guard asked him what he did and if he was carrying anything
which could be dangerous to other passengers. He said that he was a poet and was carrying
only his heart with him.
15. How did the development in Kashmir affect Shahid in the USA?
 Ans. The political situation in Kashmir was full of violence. It affected him greatly. But he was
not a political poet. He respected his art of writing more than what he was writing about. He
respected religion but believed firmly in its separation from politics. Development in Kashmir
pained him a lot.
16. Describe the last moments of Shahid’s life. What was his supreme consolation?
   Ans. Shahid struggled with cancer for over 14 months. Even during the last days of his life,
Shahid was the centre of a perpetual carnival, always surrounded by his friends, food, laughter
and of course poetry. He wished to return to Kashmir to die. But he couldn’t make it to his
homeland. He died in America and was buried in Northampton. He had made his peace with the
approaching death. His greatest consolation was that he would meet his mother in the afterlife.
17. How did the writer feel after Shahid’s death?
  Ans.   Amitav felt the loss of his friend Shahid deeply. His friendship with Shahid was brief, yet
Shahid’s death created a vast void in his life. He missed his great friend and his memories
haunted him time and again.
18. Comment on the title of the lesson The Ghat of the only World.
  Ans.   The title of this article has been taken from a poem of Shahid. It sounded as his farewell
to the world. He knew for certain that his death was near. So he regarded himself like a loner
standing on the bank of the only world. He wrote—”I dream I Am At The Ghat of the Only World.”

Long Answer Questions 

1. Describe Gangadharpant’s journey by train from Pune to Bombay.
Ans. Professor Gaitonde (Gangadharpant) travelled from Pune to Bombay by train. The Jijamata
express had its first stop at Lonavala. The ghat section was quite familiar to him. The train
passed through Kalyan.
He made a plan of action in Bombay. He was a historian. He had written five volumes. He
planned to go to a big library and read history books to find out how the present state of affairs
had been reached. Thereafter, he would discuss his findings with Rajendra Deshpande.
The train stopped beyond the long tunnel at a small station, Sarhad. An Anglo-Indian checked
the permits. This was the place where the British Raj began. Pant had not been to this Bombay
before. He talked with his fellow passenger Khan sahib. The professor got some information on
life in British India. He also noticed the words written and the Union Jack painted on the carriage.
He had not expected all that.
2. Give a brief account of Professor Gaitonde’s stay and study of history books at Town
Hall library. What riddle was he keen to solve?
Ans. In Bombay, the professor went to the Town Hall library. He asked for the five volumes he
had written. Up to the death of Aurangzeb, there was no change in history. The change had
taken place in the last volume. Turning over the pages, he reached the exact point where history
had taken a different turn. It was the Battle of Panipat in which the Maratha army had defeated
Abdali. The victorious army was led by the young Vishwasrao. Thereafter began the power
struggle in India. It was his own style of writing.
The Maratha victory dampened the spirit and plans of the East India Company. its influence was
reduced to Bombay region. In the 19th century, the Peshwas needed the help of the British at
their centres for science and technology. They gave an opportunity to the company to extend its
influence. Then came democracy. The professor could not help comparing the country he knew
with what he was witnessing around him.
3. How did Rajendra Deshpande apply his theory of catastrophic experience regarding the
Battle of Panipat?
Ans. Gangadharpant narrated to Rajendra his experience at the Azad Maidan meeting. For two
days he was in a coma. He had met with an accident. He had now returned to the world he was
familiar with. He asked Rajendra to explain where he had spent those days.
He admitted that just before the collision he had been thinking of the catastrophic theory and how
it could change the course of history. He produced a page from the Bakhar to prove that his mind
was working normally. The page described that Vishwasrao had not escaped the bullet, he had
rather been hit and killed by the bullet. It was just contrary to what his own history book said. And
he wanted to know the facts.
4. How did Rajendra explain the concept of reality with the example of movement of an
electron?
Ans. Rajendra Deshpande tried to rationalise the professor’s experience on the basis of two
scientific theories. It was true that Gangadharpant had passed through a strange catastrophic
experience. The juncture at which Vishwas Rao was killed in the Battle of Panipat proved to be
the turning point. The Maratha soldiers lost their morale and fighting spirit. They lost the battle.
Rajendra then moved to his second point about reality. Reality is not exactly what we experience
directly with our senses. Reality can have other manifestations also. For example, the electron
does not follow the laws of science when it moves. It is called the lack of determinism in quantum
theory. The electron can be found in different places, and each is real. It happens by making a
transition. The professor had also experienced two worlds—one that was present, the other that
might have been.