He screamed at the helpers as they tugged down the furniture from the truck . Bholanath a general physician working for the state government , was a plump yet stout looking man in his 50’s. white hair streaked his forehead . those age lines on his forehead gave his a more aged look , yet his face shone of resolute jasmine purred by his side , his Persian cat of 7 years. She has been his companion since his wife died and his children moved abroad. Leaving his busy medical practice behind in Dhanbad seemed to be a blessing for him . he decided to make full use of the silence and serenity the small town had to offer.
The bungalow caretaker came from nowhere . with a lithe built the tribal lad , with weaving long hair and a fanged earring came up to the doctor . “I am your care taker Saab” he said with folded hands . Bholanath smiled at him and asked him if he could arrange for a assistant to help him with his private practice evening (for the patients who come in the evening ).
The caretaker smiled “ of course Saab , well my younger brother Mohit can be assistant . he is nice boy sir and has worked with previous doctors before .”
Ok ok tell him to meet me tomorrow , today I just intend to rest.” Said the doctor.
The caretaker smiled “ of course Saab , well my younger brother Mohit can be assistant . he is nice boy sir and has worked with previous doctors before .”
Ok ok tell him to meet me tomorrow , today I just intend to rest.” Said the doctor.
The sun was about to set . the only problem with small town forest areas is the lack of population . you don’t see much people around. The town seemed to shut by itself. He heard jackals howl far away. He stretched his feet on the sofa. Looking around at the furniture , he wondered whether to ought to take a smaller bungalow . With 6 rooms he felt the place was way too much eerie and silent , lost in his thoughts he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
Opening the door, he found a thin balding old man, with manic bloodshot eyes looking up at him. “Saab, help me please .”
Bholanath babu was a bit puzzled. It haven’t been a day that he was in the town that he been asked to see a patient. A small town maybe but to have a new patient on the first days seemed so unlikely.
The man looked above 60 . he almost seemed to croak . Pulling two chairs in the verandah , he asked him what was the problem . “Saab , how could you not know ? . I have been taking the medicines as you have prescribed. My headaches have been worse doctor .”
Bholanath was flummoxed. Sure he got crazy patients all the time , but getting one in the new place was unlikely . Checking his heart pulse the old man suddenly yanked his hand away . “ Doctor you said I will be fine . I am not fine. Do something about my headaches. .
Bholanath gave a sigh “ You never came to me before . How do I know what kind of illness are you having? You know I am new in town. Tell me you e ailment and maybe I can help you .”
Opening the door, he found a thin balding old man, with manic bloodshot eyes looking up at him. “Saab, help me please .”
Bholanath babu was a bit puzzled. It haven’t been a day that he was in the town that he been asked to see a patient. A small town maybe but to have a new patient on the first days seemed so unlikely.
The man looked above 60 . he almost seemed to croak . Pulling two chairs in the verandah , he asked him what was the problem . “Saab , how could you not know ? . I have been taking the medicines as you have prescribed. My headaches have been worse doctor .”
Bholanath was flummoxed. Sure he got crazy patients all the time , but getting one in the new place was unlikely . Checking his heart pulse the old man suddenly yanked his hand away . “ Doctor you said I will be fine . I am not fine. Do something about my headaches. .
Bholanath gave a sigh “ You never came to me before . How do I know what kind of illness are you having? You know I am new in town. Tell me you e ailment and maybe I can help you .”
The old was looked sheepishly at him. And then gave a toothy smile. Suddenly laughing out loud he said “ doctor you joke a lot saab ,” laughing out even more loud and looked like a maniac . Bholanath was a little befuddled. He didn’t get many patients who laughed like crazy . The old man then composing himself and looked straight at Bholanath and asked for a glass of water .
Bholanath looked inquizically at the man . He deduced he was suffering from some kind of stress. Nevertheless he decided to get a glass of water , funnily he noticed Jasmine missing . She was always there whenever there was a patient around.
Bholanath filled the steel glass to the brim . Most of his belongings were still packed so he had to maneuver his way around the boxes.
Clutching the glass of water he came out in the veranda and saw the man was nowhere in sight .
A chill went down his spine . The street lamp flickered away in an distant . putting down the glass on the chair he walked up to the gate . Peeking through the distance of the road he saw no soul in sight . Sighing to himself he went over the strange incident in his mind . Suddenly he heard something crash in the house .
To be continued …………
Bholanath looked inquizically at the man . He deduced he was suffering from some kind of stress. Nevertheless he decided to get a glass of water , funnily he noticed Jasmine missing . She was always there whenever there was a patient around.
Bholanath filled the steel glass to the brim . Most of his belongings were still packed so he had to maneuver his way around the boxes.
Clutching the glass of water he came out in the veranda and saw the man was nowhere in sight .
A chill went down his spine . The street lamp flickered away in an distant . putting down the glass on the chair he walked up to the gate . Peeking through the distance of the road he saw no soul in sight . Sighing to himself he went over the strange incident in his mind . Suddenly he heard something crash in the house .
To be continued …………
Running inside, Jasmine ran outside. The table clock had crashed on the floor . The scattered glass gleamed from across the floor . Cursing himself he got the broom and carefully cleaned the room . Bholanath felt a chill through the room , funny he though in the hot may weather . jasmines haunting green eyes shone from the darkness . feeling tired , with the days events he went to sleep . while drowning off to sleep he could have sworn voices in the room .
The sun shone bright in the morning . Bholanath perused through the newspaper.
Mohit his new assistant was on time . He looked dreary eyed but with a stout resolute . Bholanath called out to him . “ mohit , set out the chair and table , we might get some patients today.”
Mohit looked up at him “ theek he saab , but it might be a day or two before you get any patients ,you know news travels slowly here .”
“But I got a patient yesterday only , though he was a lunatic .”
A madman why sir the previous doctor dr. Dingra used to get lunatics a lot . people even said he was mad .”
Bholanath looked at mohit quizzically . These gossiping lads he thought . He remembered his own conversation with the housing authorities. They assured him that the house was in good condition . and its previous owners were happy . no one talked about crazy people .
Mohit his new assistant was on time . He looked dreary eyed but with a stout resolute . Bholanath called out to him . “ mohit , set out the chair and table , we might get some patients today.”
Mohit looked up at him “ theek he saab , but it might be a day or two before you get any patients ,you know news travels slowly here .”
“But I got a patient yesterday only , though he was a lunatic .”
A madman why sir the previous doctor dr. Dingra used to get lunatics a lot . people even said he was mad .”
Bholanath looked at mohit quizzically . These gossiping lads he thought . He remembered his own conversation with the housing authorities. They assured him that the house was in good condition . and its previous owners were happy . no one talked about crazy people .
His new day at the hospital went smoothly . he got patients in droves . even the new doctors seemed accommodating .
Coming back home , mohit was sweeping the lawn . it was sunset. Bholanath went inside the room and freshened up . and staring through the front door he noticed a shadow . pulling the curtain up he saw a man standing there .
Coming back home , mohit was sweeping the lawn . it was sunset. Bholanath went inside the room and freshened up . and staring through the front door he noticed a shadow . pulling the curtain up he saw a man standing there .
“Yes … what do you …”, “ saab please cure me , I cant sleep at night.”
Bholanath dragged the chair infrnt of him and made the man sit .he seemed to be young ,but kept on getting distracted . he kept saying the same thing again and again , that he wanted to be cured . Bholanath deduced the same levels of stress he had earlier experienced in the man.
Suddenly the man got up and without even a second glance went out of the gate and disappeared .
The doctor was now a little fed up . one mad patient was enough , but all of them the same !!
Mohit came by the verandah , dragging the broom .
Suddenly the man got up and without even a second glance went out of the gate and disappeared .
The doctor was now a little fed up . one mad patient was enough , but all of them the same !!
Mohit came by the verandah , dragging the broom .
“boy where were you , I had a patient just now .”
Mohit lookeda little puzzled , “saab I just right here , by the gate , I saw no one.
“what do you mean you saw no one , I was talking to a man didn’t you see.
Saab I heard you talking , but just by yourself . I thought you were talking on the phone !. saab I will properly see from now on .
Bholanatha didn’t say anything . the day was tiring enough .how could not mohit see the man . it wasn’t as if the bungalow was huge you could not hear people coming in through the rusted gate .
A thunder crackled in a far away land .
Mohit lookeda little puzzled , “saab I just right here , by the gate , I saw no one.
“what do you mean you saw no one , I was talking to a man didn’t you see.
Saab I heard you talking , but just by yourself . I thought you were talking on the phone !. saab I will properly see from now on .
Bholanatha didn’t say anything . the day was tiring enough .how could not mohit see the man . it wasn’t as if the bungalow was huge you could not hear people coming in through the rusted gate .
A thunder crackled in a far away land .
Continued from the previous edition :
The two sweepers gave inquisitive looks at him . ok Bholanath thought people really gossip here. Welcoming Dr Sanyal in his chambers, he asked his assistant for some tea . “what happned doctor you look really tired” asked his curious colleague.
“na na sanyal da just been having some weird experiences , since these few days I have been having some strange patients . I mean I know news travels fast but not that fast that I get some crazy patients . not to mention that I have got only two people coming to my house with mental issues .” saying that Bholanath babu laughed .
“na na sanyal da just been having some weird experiences , since these few days I have been having some strange patients . I mean I know news travels fast but not that fast that I get some crazy patients . not to mention that I have got only two people coming to my house with mental issues .” saying that Bholanath babu laughed .
Dr sanyal looked a little somebre . he didn’t seem to get get the joke . you are getting mental patients at your place ? don’t they know ……?
Bholanath babu abruptly stopped laughing . why this man seemed more upset than me . “ what , what don’t they know Dr sanyal .”
Dr sanyal had a glazed yet somber expression on his face. “the previous doctor staying at your bungalow Dr bedi was a psychiatrist . he committed suicide a year ago , and therefore the bungalow was vacant for the whole year due to police issues. Infact I am surprised you took that bungalow . anyways what I am most surprised at is the fact that you are getting his patients who clearly have no idea he is dead . even though the fact is that the whole town knows about this tragedy .
Dr bedi infact never entertained patients at home .
Why infact eve n he was a crazy person , it is said he was responsible for the death of many patients . And he committed suicide when he could not bear the humiliatin anymore .”
Bholanath babu abruptly stopped laughing . why this man seemed more upset than me . “ what , what don’t they know Dr sanyal .”
Dr sanyal had a glazed yet somber expression on his face. “the previous doctor staying at your bungalow Dr bedi was a psychiatrist . he committed suicide a year ago , and therefore the bungalow was vacant for the whole year due to police issues. Infact I am surprised you took that bungalow . anyways what I am most surprised at is the fact that you are getting his patients who clearly have no idea he is dead . even though the fact is that the whole town knows about this tragedy .
Dr bedi infact never entertained patients at home .
Why infact eve n he was a crazy person , it is said he was responsible for the death of many patients . And he committed suicide when he could not bear the humiliatin anymore .”
Bholanath babu was left gaping the harried man before him . a doctor committed suicide before . well death did not bother him , but the fact the previous inhabitant committed suicide and his patients hounding him bothered him . and to think they though he was Dr bedi .
Dr sanyal seemed to be studying him . “ tell you doctor , go and talk to the psychiatry department and find out if they can help you . so next time they turn up you can tell them you are a general physician .”
Bholanath babu hesitated with the turn of events. Enquiring into the psychiatry department he was not prepared for what he was about to hear.
Bholanath babu hesitated with the turn of events. Enquiring into the psychiatry department he was not prepared for what he was about to hear.
The psychiatry department looked dusty and unkempt. With the lack of patients there weren’t any beds either. A compounders just sat by the side sleeping.
He heard the doctors echoing footsteps; running up to him. “Where is the doctor? Who is in charge?”
“Sorry saab, after the deaths this department was closed down .”
“So you don’t have patients” enquired the good doctor.
“No saab whoever comes we tell them to go to the next hospital in district.”
Browsing through the files, his eyes fell on a familiar picture . Pulling the page out from the files , Bholanath babu felt the colour drain from his face . It was the same picture of that young boy who had come to visit his house. Looking much cheery and happy, his twinkling black eyes pierced through the paper.
The name read Mohit Singh, and with big block letters the word ‘DECEASED’ spiked through him.
The compounder looked over his shoulder. “Poor chap , he was the last patient to die under Dr. Bedi . His family made a lot of ruckus.”
Bholanath babu gulped. He felt a rising tension in his throat. Ruffling through the patient files, he went through even more reports. All of Dr Bedi’s patients seemed to have been transferred or have died. Suffering from several mental disorders, they stared from the pages. And then he saw another picture which was of the old man who came to him on the first day of his work. With shaking hands, he kept down the pages and turned to the compounder .
“These patients, tell me how so many of them died ?”
The compounder lowered his voice and said with gleaming eyes, of a eagle which has suddenly found his prey. “The previous doctor was mad. He was a killer. He killed all his patients. He was famous for his madness, doing all kinds of experiments on unsuspecting people. When the authorities got to know his practices, they threatened to rusticate him. And that is when he committed suicide. Good for him, though I personally would have liked to see him being whipped.
Why it’s his first death anniversary after 2 days.”
Saying the compounder rushed out of the room without any word.
Bholanath babu sat there, heaving and breathing hard. He felt that the world had gone mad, but could not help but notice the face of the deranged boy smiling from the flying page in the room.
He heard the doctors echoing footsteps; running up to him. “Where is the doctor? Who is in charge?”
“Sorry saab, after the deaths this department was closed down .”
“So you don’t have patients” enquired the good doctor.
“No saab whoever comes we tell them to go to the next hospital in district.”
Browsing through the files, his eyes fell on a familiar picture . Pulling the page out from the files , Bholanath babu felt the colour drain from his face . It was the same picture of that young boy who had come to visit his house. Looking much cheery and happy, his twinkling black eyes pierced through the paper.
The name read Mohit Singh, and with big block letters the word ‘DECEASED’ spiked through him.
The compounder looked over his shoulder. “Poor chap , he was the last patient to die under Dr. Bedi . His family made a lot of ruckus.”
Bholanath babu gulped. He felt a rising tension in his throat. Ruffling through the patient files, he went through even more reports. All of Dr Bedi’s patients seemed to have been transferred or have died. Suffering from several mental disorders, they stared from the pages. And then he saw another picture which was of the old man who came to him on the first day of his work. With shaking hands, he kept down the pages and turned to the compounder .
“These patients, tell me how so many of them died ?”
The compounder lowered his voice and said with gleaming eyes, of a eagle which has suddenly found his prey. “The previous doctor was mad. He was a killer. He killed all his patients. He was famous for his madness, doing all kinds of experiments on unsuspecting people. When the authorities got to know his practices, they threatened to rusticate him. And that is when he committed suicide. Good for him, though I personally would have liked to see him being whipped.
Why it’s his first death anniversary after 2 days.”
Saying the compounder rushed out of the room without any word.
Bholanath babu sat there, heaving and breathing hard. He felt that the world had gone mad, but could not help but notice the face of the deranged boy smiling from the flying page in the room.
Continued from previous edition :
The last patient had taken his leave . bholanath babu looked at the man leaving his cabin . it had been a long day . packing his suitcase , he decided to have a nice rest with his cat jasmine.
There was a knock on his door , clutching his coffee mug he peeped through the key hole .
A white haired man was standing at the doctor . wearing, a crisp blue shirt he held out his hands to bholanath babu . “ hello doctor mukherjee , I m doctor arjun , arjun bedi from the hospital . I believe we haven’t met yet .”
Bholanath babu felt a strange air of unease . the nature has seemed to have gone unnaturally . the mans hand felt awfully cold .
Nevertheless , welcoming the man into his house , Bholanath offered him a chair .
“doctor bedi right , hmmm why I feel I have heard about you .”
Chuckling the old man gave a wiry smile . “ yes , you see I have been away . I came to town today , sho I thought let me come and meet .
Bholanath babu offered him a cup of tea. The man looked around the room quizzically.
They chatted for a while. He seemed to ask Bholanath varied questions, from his practice and his personal life . He also seemed to have a critical view of his patients and the lack of freedom in treatment of his patients.
Bholanath was a little unnerved. He had heard someone mention the man’s name but he could not tell why. Then suddenly he could hear doctor Sanyal’s voice echoeing through his mind . “ ….. Dr Bedi was a psychiatrist ……”
Bholanath babu felt his mind numb . “ Dr Bedi , what did you say your specialization was ?”
Bholanath felt he already knew the answer . The old man smiled “ why I thought ypu already knew that . I am a psychiatrist.”
And then the room went pitch dark .
Bholanath went blank. His mind was numb and with a startle he heard his phone ring . It was a sms from Dr Sanyal . Clicking the open button with a he read the message ‘ :D , today is the death anniversary of Dr Arjun Bedi , hope you meet his ghost …. Gn’.
The last patient had taken his leave . bholanath babu looked at the man leaving his cabin . it had been a long day . packing his suitcase , he decided to have a nice rest with his cat jasmine.
There was a knock on his door , clutching his coffee mug he peeped through the key hole .
A white haired man was standing at the doctor . wearing, a crisp blue shirt he held out his hands to bholanath babu . “ hello doctor mukherjee , I m doctor arjun , arjun bedi from the hospital . I believe we haven’t met yet .”
Bholanath babu felt a strange air of unease . the nature has seemed to have gone unnaturally . the mans hand felt awfully cold .
Nevertheless , welcoming the man into his house , Bholanath offered him a chair .
“doctor bedi right , hmmm why I feel I have heard about you .”
Chuckling the old man gave a wiry smile . “ yes , you see I have been away . I came to town today , sho I thought let me come and meet .
Bholanath babu offered him a cup of tea. The man looked around the room quizzically.
They chatted for a while. He seemed to ask Bholanath varied questions, from his practice and his personal life . He also seemed to have a critical view of his patients and the lack of freedom in treatment of his patients.
Bholanath was a little unnerved. He had heard someone mention the man’s name but he could not tell why. Then suddenly he could hear doctor Sanyal’s voice echoeing through his mind . “ ….. Dr Bedi was a psychiatrist ……”
Bholanath babu felt his mind numb . “ Dr Bedi , what did you say your specialization was ?”
Bholanath felt he already knew the answer . The old man smiled “ why I thought ypu already knew that . I am a psychiatrist.”
And then the room went pitch dark .
Bholanath went blank. His mind was numb and with a startle he heard his phone ring . It was a sms from Dr Sanyal . Clicking the open button with a he read the message ‘ :D , today is the death anniversary of Dr Arjun Bedi , hope you meet his ghost …. Gn’.
……Dr kapoor hated the new post in Palamau . Loading the suitcases from the truck he looked at the new house . He heard of the strange rumours of the deaths in the house , but this bungalow was the best he could . taking a deep breath he stepped in the room.
- Anwesha Sen
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