Passage: THE Jijamata Express sped along the Pune-Bombay* route
considerably faster than the Deccan Queen. There were no industrial townships
outside Pune. The first stop, Lonavala, came in 40 minutes.
The ghat section that followed was no different from what he knew. The
train stopped at Karjat only briefly and went on at an even greater speed. It
roared through Kalyan.
Meanwhile, the racing mind of Professor Gaitonde had arrived at a plan
of action in Bombay. Indeed, as a historian, he felt he should have thought of
it sooner. He would go to a big library and browse through history books. That
was the surest way of finding out how the present state of affairs was reached.
He also planned eventually to return to Pune and have a long talk with Rajendra
Deshpande, who would surely help him understand what had happened.
That is, assuming that in this world there existed someone called
Rajendra Deshpande!
The train stopped beyond the long tunnel. It was a small station
called Sarhad. An Anglo-Indian in uniform went through the train checking
permits.
Word Meaning
Townships – Towns or villages
Roared – to move at a high speed while making a loud noise
Permits – authorize to do something
Explanation of the above Passage – Professor Gaitonde was traveling by
the Jijamata Express train which was running along Pune-Bombay Route and was
faster than the Deccan Queen. The first stop of the train was Lonavala which
came in 40 minutes. The professor noticed that there were no industrial towns
outside Pune city. The next stop was the ghat section which was similar to what
the professor already knew. The train followed to the next city – Karjat and
started speeding at a greater pace than before. When the train was in Kalyan,
it moved at high speed.
The professor came up with a plan to be followed when he would arrive
at Bombay city. He was a historian who thought he should have come up with a
plan sooner to go to the big library and glance at the history books there. He
wanted to know how the current situation of India by studying various events.
He further planned to move back to Pune after his work finished and meet with
Rajendra Deshpande to have a discussion over the current events.
He was thinking about it and assumed if a person named Rajendra
Deshpande existed in this world. As he was into his thoughts when the train
stopped beyond a long tunnel in a place called ‘Sarhad’. He saw an Anglo-Indian
in a uniform who was going through the train to check the permit.
Passage: “This is where the British Raj begins. You are going for the
first time, I presume?” Khan Sahib asked.
“Yes.” The reply was factually correct. Gangadharpant had not been to
this Bombay before. He ventured a question: “And, Khan Sahib, how will you go
to Peshawar?”
“This train goes to the Victoria Terminus*. I will take the Frontier
Mail tonight out of Central.”
“How far does it go? By what route?”
“Bombay to Delhi, then to Lahore and then Peshawar. A long journey. I
will reach Peshawar the day after tomorrow.”
Thereafter, Khan Sahib spoke a lot about his business and
Gangadharpant was a willing listener. For, in that way, he was able to get some
flavour of life in this India that was so different. The train now passed
through the suburban rail traffic. The blue carriages carried the letters,
GBMR, on the side.
Word Meaning
Ventured – to say something that might be considered as an apology
Suburban – residential area
Explanation of the above Passage – As the incident was taking place, a
person named ‘Khan Sahib’ asked Gaitonde if he was going to Bombay for the
first time to which he replied yes. He asked Khan Sahib about how would he
reach Peshawar. He told him the whole route – the train would first go to
Victoria Terminus and then he would change the train ‘Frontier Mail’ from the
central. The train will then go to Delhi and then to Lahore and finally
Peshawar. It would be a long journey of two days.
Khan Sahib further talked about his business to Gangadharpant Gaitonde
(Professor) who was listening to him willingly. He got to taste a different
flavour of the country other than what he saw and knew. The train next passed
through the residential rail traffic and he saw a blue carriage with GBMR on
the side.
Passage: “Greater Bombay Metropolitan Railway,” explained Khan Sahib.
“See the tiny Union Jack painted on each carriage? A gentle reminder that we
are in British territory.”
The train began to slow down beyond Dadar and stopped only at its
destination, Victoria Terminus. The station looked remarkably neat and clean.
The staff was mostly made up of Anglo-Indians and Parsees along with a handful
of British officers.
As he emerged from the station, Gangadharpant found himself facing an
imposing building. The letters on it proclaimed its identity to those who did
not know this Bombay landmark:
EAST INDIA HOUSE HEADQUARTERS OF
score full marks in class 11
THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
Prepared as he was for many shocks, Professor Gaitonde had not
expected this. The East India Company had been wound up shortly after the events
of 1857 — at least, that is what history books said. Yet, here it was, not only
alive but flourishing. So, history had taken a different turn, perhaps before
1857. How and when had happened? He had to find out.
Word Meaning
Emerged – developed; begin
Imposing – Impressive
Proclaimed – to announce something officially
Flourishing – to grow successfully
Explanation of the above Passage – Khan Sahib explained the full form
of GBMR – Greater Bombay Metropolitan Railway. He further showed him the tiny
Union Jack painted on the carriages which was a mark for the reminder that they
were in British territory. As the train moved passed Dadar, it stopped at the
destination – Victoria Terminus. The station was neat and clean and the staff
consisted of Anglo-Indians and Parsees with few British Officers.
As the professor got down from the station, he saw a big sign which
read ‘East India House Headquarters of the East India Company’ which made the
professor curious as he didn’t expect this in Bombay. According to his
knowledge of history, East India Company was shut down after 1857 events. But
the company was standing there which was growing successfully. He was confused
as to how history took a turn. He had to know what happened.
Passage: As he walked along Hornby Road, as it was called, he found a
different set of shops and office buildings. There was no Handloom House
building. Instead, there were Boots and Woolworth departmental stores, imposing
offices of Lloyds, Barclays and other British banks, as in a typical high
street of a town in England.
He turned right along Home Street and entered Forbes building.
“I wish to meet Mr Vinay Gaitonde, please,” he said to the English
receptionist.
She searched through the telephone list, the staff list and then
through the directory of employees of all the branches of the firm. She shook
her head and said, “I am afraid I can’t find anyone of that name either here or
in any of our branches. Are you sure he works here?”
This was a blow, not totally unexpected. If he himself were dead in
this world, what guarantee had he that his son would be alive? Indeed, he may
not even have been born!
He thanked the girl politely and came out. It was characteristic of
him not to worry about where he would stay. His main concern was to make his
way to the library of the Asiatic Society to solve the riddle of history.
Grabbing a quick lunch at a restaurant, he made his way to the Town Hall.
Word Meaning
Riddle – mystery or puzzle
Explanation of the above Passage – As the professor walked passed the
Hornby road in Bombay, he noticed a different set of shops in the street. There
were no longer Handloom House Building but were Boots and Woolworth
departmental stores and offices of Lloyds, Barclays and other British
originated banks. It was just like a high street in England.
He entered the Forbes building in the Home Street. He asked the
receptionist about Mr. Vinay Gaitonde. She searched for quite some time, all
the telephone list and the staff list but didn’t find anything. She told him
that there is no such person working in any branches of the company.
He was shocked and didn’t expect this. He was thinking about what
would happen if he would not be alive in this world.
He moved out of the building and went to a restaurant to eat lunch. He
then went to ‘Town Hall’.
Passage: Yes, to his relief, the Town Hall was there, and it did house
the library. He entered the reading room and asked for a list of history books
including his own.
His five volumes duly arrived on his table. He started from the
beginning. Volume one took the history up to the period of Ashoka, volume two
up to Samudragupta, volume three up to Mohammad Ghori and volume four up to the
death of Aurangzeb. Up to this period history was as he knew it. The change
evidently had occurred in the last volume.
Reading volume five from both ends inwards, Gangadharpant finally
converged on the precise moment where history had taken a different turn.
Word Meaning
Converged – met
Precise – exact; accurate
Explanation of the above Passage – He reached the Town Hall which had
a library inside. He entered the reading room and made his way towards history
books. He took five volumes and started reading from the beginning. Volume one
was about the period of Ashoka, another was about Samudragupta, the third one
was about Mohammad Ghori and the fourth volume was up to the death of
Aurangzeb. He noticed the last volume, it had some changes. After reading
volume five, he knew about the exact moment where history changed.
Passage: That page in the book described the Battle of Panipat, and it
mentioned that the Marathas won it handsomely. Abdali was routed and he was
chased back to Kabul by the triumphant Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau and
his nephew, the young Vishwasrao.
The book did not go into a blow-by-blow account of the battle itself.
Rather, it elaborated in detail its consequences for the power struggle in
India. Gangadharpant read through the account avidly. The style of writing was
unmistakably his, yet he was reading the account for the first time!
Their victory in the battle was not only a great morale booster to the
Marathas but it also established their supremacy in northern India. The East
India Company, which had been watching these developments from the sidelines,
got the message and temporarily shelved its expansionist programme.
Word Meaning
Triumphant – Successful
Blow – by – blow account – a detailed account
Avidly – with great interest
Morale booster – anything which boosts self- confidence
Supremacy – the condition of being superior to others
Expansionist – a follower of the policy of territorial or economic
expansion
Explanation of the above Passage – He came to know that Marathas had
won the Battle of Panipat. Abdali was chased to Kabul by the successful Maratha
army which was led by Sadashivrao Bhau and his nephew.
The book didn’t give detailed information about the war but it
elaborated about the details about the power struggles in India. The professor
read the account with great interest. Although he recognized the writing style
to be his, he could not recollect having written it. After the war, the
Marathas established superiority in the northern Indian region which also
worked as a great confidence booster for them.
The East India Company got side-lined and abandoned its expansionist
program.
Passage: For the Peshwas the immediate result was an increase in the
influence of Bhausaheb and Vishwasrao who eventually succeeded his father in
1780 A.D. The trouble-maker, Dadasaheb, was relegated to the background and he
eventually retired from state politics.
To its dismay, the East India Company met its match in the new Maratha
ruler, Vishwasrao. He and his brother, Madhavrao, combined political acumen
with valour and systematically expanded their influence all over India. The
Company was reduced to pockets of influence near Bombay, Calcutta* and Madras@,
just like its European rivals, the Portuguese and the French.
For political reasons, the Peshwas kept the puppet Mughal regime alive
in Delhi. In the nineteenth century, these de facto rulers from Pune were
astute enough to recognize the importance of the technological age dawning in
Europe. They set up their own centers for science and technology. Here, the
East India Company saw another opportunity to extend its influence. It offered
aid and experts.
They were accepted only to make the local centers self-sufficient.
Word Meaning
Relegated to – assigned to a lower rank
Dismay – shock
Political acumen – political smartness
Valour – great courage in battle
De facto – existing in fact with or without any lawful authority
Astute – smartness; quick-witted
Explanation of the above Passage – For the Maratha ruler, the
influence of Bhausaheb and Vishwarao increased. Vishwarao succeeded his father
in 1780 AD. Dadasaheb was assigned to a lower rank and he retired from state
politics. The East India Company met its match in Vishwarao. Vishwarao and his
brother, Madhavrao, with their political smartness and courage in the
battlefield, expanded their influence all over India. The company was left with
influence in only a few cities in India like Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras just
like Europeans, Portuguese and French.
The Marathas kept the Mughal government alive for political reasons.
In the nineteenth century, rulers were smart enough to recognize the importance
of technology rising in Europe. On the other hand, East India Company extended
its influence by offering aid and experts in the region where they were
accepted only as local centers.
Passage: The twentieth century brought about further changes inspired
by the West. India moved towards a democracy. By then, the Peshwas had lost
their enterprise and they were gradually replaced by democratically elected
bodies. The Sultanate at Delhi survived even this transition, largely because
it wielded no real influence. The Shahenshah of Delhi was no more than a
figurehead to rubber-stamp the ‘recommendations’ made by the central
parliament.
As he read on, Gangadharpant began to appreciate the India he had
seen. It was a country that had not been subjected to slavery for the white
man; it had learnt to stand on its feet and knew what self-respect was. From a
position of strength and for purely commercial reasons, it had allowed the
British to retain Bombay as the sole outpost on the subcontinent. That lease
was to expire in the year 2001, according to a treaty of 1908. Gangadharpant
could not help comparing the country he knew what he was witnessing around him.
But, at the same time, he felt that his investigations were
incomplete. How did the Marathas win the battle? To find the answer he must
look for accounts of the battle itself.
Word Meaning
Figurehead – a carving; image
Outpost – a small military camp used as a guard
Explanation of the above Passage – India was a democratic country
inspired by the West during the twentieth century. The Peshwas of Marathas lost
their empire and democratic bodies took their place. The Mughal Sultanate at
Delhi survived the transitions as they had no influence. The Mughal rulers were
no longer a carving on the rubber stamps. The professor started liking India as
he continued reading about it. It was different from the one he believed he saw.
This country knew how to stand on its feet and it was no longer the slave under
white man. Bombay was made an outpost on the sub-continent region by the
British. According to a treaty in 1908, it would expire in the year 2001. The
professor was comparing the country he was witnessing now. But, he still felt
that his investigation was incomplete and he wanted to know more answers about
the Maratha battle.
Passage: He went through the books and journals before him. At last,
among the books he found one that gave him the clue. It was Bhausahebanchi Bakhar.|
Although he seldom relied on the Bakhars for historical evidence, he
found them entertaining to read. Sometimes, buried in the graphic but doctored
accounts, he could spot the germ of truth. He found one now in a three-line
account of how close Vishwasrao had come to being killed:
And then Vishwasrao guided his horse to the melee where the elite
troops were fighting and he attacked them. And God was merciful. A shot brushed
past his ear. Even the difference of a til (sesame) would have led to his
death.
At eight o’clock the librarian politely reminded the professor that
the library was closing for the day. Gangadharpant emerged from his thoughts.
Looking around he noticed that he was the only reader left in that magnificent
hall.
“I beg your pardon, sir! May I request you to keep these books here
for my use tomorrow morning? By the way, when do you open?”
“At eight o’clock, sir.” The librarian smiled. Here was a user and
researcher right after his heart.
As the professor left the table he shoved some notes into his right
pocket. Absent-mindedly, he also shoved the Bakhar into his left pocket.
Word Meaning
Seldom – not often
Doctored accounts – manipulated accounts related to history
Melee – a confused fight
Shoved – to push someone roughly
Explanation of the above Passage – As he was going through the books
in front of him, he found the clues in one of them, which was Bhausahebanchi Bakhar. He never relied on
Bakhar for any type of historical evidence but he always found them
entertaining. Among the manipulated accounts, he found the three-line account
about Vishwarao and how he was killed. Vishwarao was shot and the bullet
brushed past his ear while he was running upon his horse in a confused fight.
The book said that even a sesame seed would have been a reason for his death.
The librarian asked him to finish as the library was about to be
closed at eight o’clock at night. He noticed he was the only one left in the
reading room. He asked the librarian whether he could keep the books with him
and asked him about the opening time of the library. The librarian told him
that it opens at eight o’clock in the morning and the professor left the table.
He pushed the notes into his right pocket and pushed the Bakhar book into his
left one.
Passage: He found a guest house to stay in and had a frugal meal. He
then set out for a stroll towards the Azad Maidan.
In the maidan he found a throng moving towards a pandal. So, a lecture
was to take place. Force of habit took Professor Gaitonde towards the pandal.
The lecture was in progress, although people kept coming and going. But
Professor Gaitonde was not looking at the audience. He was staring at the
platform as if mesmerised. There was a table and a chair but the latter was
unoccupied. The presidential chair unoccupied!
The sight stirred him to the depths. Like a piece of iron attracted to
a magnet, he swiftly moved towards the chair.
The speaker stopped in mid-sentence, too shocked to continue. But the
audience soon found voice.
“Vacate the chair!”
“This lecture series has no chairperson…”
“Away from the platform, mister!”
“The chair is symbolic, don’t you know?”
What nonsense! Whoever heard of a public lecture without a presiding
dignitary? Professor Gaitonde went to the mike and gave vent to his views.
“Ladies and gentlemen, an unchaired lecture is like Shakespeare’s Hamlet
without the Prince of Denmark. Let me tell you…”
Word Meaning
Frugal – less costly and simple
Stroll – to wander
Throng – a large pack of crowd
Gave vent to – to express one’s feelings
Explanation of the above Passage – He found a guest house to stay in
and eat cheap meat for dinner. He decided to walk towards Azad Maidan and found
a large pack of a crowd moving towards the pandal. The professor moved towards
the pandal. A lecture was taking place and people were going and coming to and
fro. His attention was on the stage. There was an empty table and chair. The
presidential chair was also unoccupied. He was motivated and he moved towards
the chair. The speaker stopped and he was shocked to see the professor sitting
on that empty chair. The speaker yelled at him to vacate the chair. He replied
the lecture doesn’t have any chairperson but the speaker asked him to move away
and told him that the chair was iconic. The Professor didn’t listen to his
instructions and went to the mike to express his thoughts. He started by saying
that vacant chair lecture is like Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and without Prince of
Denmark.
Passage: But the audience was in no mood to listen. “Tell us nothing.
We are sick of remarks from the chair, of vote of thanks, of long
introductions.”
“We only want to listen to the speaker…”
“We abolished the old customs long ago…”
“Keep the platform empty, please…”
But Gangadharpant had the experience of speaking at 999 meetings and
had faced the Pune audience at its most hostile. He kept on talking.
He soon became a target for a shower of tomatoes, eggs and other
objects. But he kept on trying valiantly to correct this sacrilege. Finally,
the audience swarmed to the stage to eject him bodily.
And, in the crowd Gangadharpant was nowhere to be seen.
Word Meaning
Hostile – unfriendly
Valiantly – bravely
Sacrilege – disrespect
Swarmed – move somewhere in a large number
Explanation of the above Passage – The audience was in no mood to
listen to anything. Clearly, old customs had changed now. They no longer
believed the chaired person and his false promises. They asked him to move
aside, as they only wanted to hear the speaker. But the professor continued
talking as he believed he would control the unfriendly audience. They soon
started throwing tomatoes, eggs and other objects towards him. He kept on
trying bravely but the audience started moving towards him to remove him physically
from the platform. In the crowd, the professor was nowhere to be seen.
Passage: “That is all I have to tell, Rajendra. All I know is that I
was found in the Azad Maidan in the morning. But I was back in the world I am
familiar with. Now, where exactly did I spend those two days when I was absent
from here?”
Rajendra was dumbfounded by the narrative. It took him a while to
reply.
“Professor, before, just prior to your collision with the truck, what
were you doing?” Rajendra asked.
“I was thinking of the catastrophe theory and its implications for
history.”
“Right! I thought so!” Rajendra smiled.
“Don’t smile smugly. In case you think that it was just my mind
playing tricks and my imagination running amok, look at this.”
And, triumphantly, Professor Gaitonde produced his vital piece of
evidence: a page torn out of a book.
Rajendra read the text on the printed page and his face underwent a
change. Gone was the smile and in its place came a grave expression. He was
visibly moved.
Word Meaning
Dumbfounded – amazed
Catastrophe theory – it is a branch of mathematics concerned with
systems displaying discontinuous changes
Smugly – to show excess satisfaction
Amok – to behave uncontrollably
Triumphantly – to win a battle
Explanation of the above Passage – The professor was talking to
Rajendra. He narrated everything to him which he saw and lived for those few
days. He said he was found in the Azad Maidan next morning and now he is back
to the real world which he is familiar with. He wanted to know where had he
spent the two days when he was unconscious.
Rajendra was amazed by the narrative and he replied after a while. He
asked the professor what he was thinking just before his collision with the
truck. Professor replied that he was thinking about Catastrophe theory. He
further told Rajendra not to smile showing excess satisfaction. It is nothing
like that my mind was playing tricks with me. To win the argument, the
professor took out the printed page and Rajendra was surprised.
Passage: Gangadharpant pressed home his advantage. “I had
inadvertently slipped the Bakhar in my pocket as I left the library. I
discovered my error when I was paying for my meal. I had intended to return it
the next morning. But it seems that in the melee of Azad Maidan, the book was
lost; only this torn-off page remained. And, luckily for me, the page contains
vital evidence.” Rajendra again read the page. It described how Vishwasrao
narrowly missed the bullet; and how that event, taken as an omen by the Maratha
army, turned the tide in their favour.
“Now look at this.” Gangadharpant produced his own copy of Bhausahebanchi Bakhar, opened at the relevant
page. The account ran thus:
… And then Vishwasrao guided his horse to the melee where the elite
troops were fighting, and he attacked them. And God expressed His displeasure.
He was hit by the bullet.
“Professor Gaitonde, you have given me food for thought. Until I saw
this material evidence, I had simply put your experience down to fantasy. But
facts can be stranger than fantasies, as I am beginning to realise.”
“Facts? What are the facts? I am dying to know!” Professor Gaitonde
said.
Word Meaning
Inadvertently – unintentionally
Explanation of the above Passage –
Professor told Rajendra that he had unintentionally slipped the Bakhar
into his left pocket and he intended to return it the next morning. But the
book got torn off and lost in the large crowd in the Azad Maidan. This page is
evidence from the book that I had stolen it. Rajendra again read the page, it
described how Vishwarao missed the bullet. He then showed him his own copy of
Bakhar and the texts were different. It said that Vishwarao was hit by the
bullet.
Rajendra told the professor that by reading the evidence, he had begun
to realize it’s not a fantasy. He wanted the professor to know some facts.
Passage: Rajendra motioned him to silence and started pacing the room,
obviously under great mental strain. Finally, he turned around and said,
“Professor Gaitonde, I will try to rationalize your experience on the basis of
two scientific theories as known today. Whether I succeed or not in convincing
you of the facts, only you can judge — for you have indeed passed through a
fantastic experience: or, more correctly, a catastrophic experience!”
“Please continue, Rajendra! I am all ears,” Professor Gaitonde
replied. Rajendra continued pacing as he talked.
“You have heard a lot about the catastrophe theory at that seminar.
Let us apply it to the Battle of Panipat. Wars fought face to face on open
grounds offer excellent examples of this theory. The Maratha army was facing
Abdali’s troops on the field of Panipat. There was no great disparity between
the latter’s troops and the opposing forces. Their armour was comparable. So, a
lot depended on the leadership and the morale of the troops. The juncture at
which Vishwasrao, the son of and heir to the Peshwa, was killed proved to be
the turning point. As history has it, his uncle, Bhausaheb, rushed into the
melee and was never seen again. Whether he was killed in battle or survived is
not known. But for the troops at that particular moment, that blow of losing
their leaders was crucial. They lost their morale and fighting spirit. There
followed an utter rout.
Word Meaning
Disparity – difference
Armour – shell
Rout – a defeat
Explanation of the above Passage – Rajendra explained to him that this
was a catastrophic experience which he had just felt. Professor told him to
continue. He told the professor to apply the Catastrophe theory to the Battle
of Panipat. The Abdali and Maratha army were both equally strong in terms of
troops and forces. Their shell was also comparable but the victory dependent on
the leadership and morale of the troops.
The point where the Marathas were killed was the turning point of the
battle. Uncle of Vishwarao rushed into the crowd and was never seen again. No
one knows whether he survived or died. The troops lost their morale and
fighting spirit and it was a defeat for them.
Passage: “Exactly, Professor! And what you have shown me on that torn
page is the course taken by the battle, when the bullet missed Vishwasrao. A
crucial event gone the other way. And its effect on the troops was also the
opposite. It boosted their morale and provided just that extra impetus that
made all the difference,” Rajendra said.
“Maybe so. Similar statements are made about the Battle of Waterloo,
which Napoleon could have won. But we live in a unique world which has a unique
history. This idea of ‘it might have been’ is okay for the sake of speculation
but not for reality,” Gangadharpant said.
“I take issue with you there. In fact, that brings me to my second
point which you may find strange; but please hear me out,” Rajendra said.
Gangadharpant listened expectantly as Rajendra continued. “What do we
mean by reality? We experience it directly with our senses or indirectly via
instruments. But is it limited to what we see? Does it have other
manifestations?
Word Meaning
Impetus – the force with which body moves
Manifestation – the action of showing something; demonstration
Explanation of the above Passage – Rajendra continued by saying that
the torn page that he read was about how the events took another turn and
everything happened differently from what they knew. The Professor added
similar statements are made about Battle of Waterloo where several texts talk
about ‘it might have been. Rajendra then made his second point which was, how
we experience reality. It is via our senses or with the help of instruments.
But is reality really limited to what we see or is it a demonstration?
Passage: “That reality may not be unique has been found from
experiments on very small systems — of atoms and their constituent particles.
When dealing with such systems the physicist discovered something startling.
The behaviour of these systems cannot be predicted definitively even if all the
physical laws governing those systems are known.
“Take an example. I fire an electron from a source. Where will it go?
If I fire a bullet from a gun in a given direction at a given speed, I know
where it will be at a later time. But I cannot make such an assertion for the
electron. It may be here, there, anywhere. I can at best quote odds for it
being found in a specified location at a specified time.”
“The lack of determinism in quantum theory! Even an ignoramus historian
like me has heard of it,” Professor Gaitonde said.
Word Meaning
Startling – surprising
Assertion – a confident statement of a fact
Determinism – a doctrine that all the events are caused by the
external will
Quantum theory – a theory of matter and energy based on quantum
mechanics.
Ignoramus – an ignorant person
Explanation of the above Passage – Rajendra explained that the reality
is not the same, it has been founded by the experiments of small atoms and
their particles. The physicists studied such system and found something
surprising. They found that the behaviour of such systems cannot be predicted.
He gave an example of an electron. If he would fire a bullet from a
gun. He would know where it will go but it cannot be predicted about the
electron. We can count odds about where it can be at a specific time and
position. Professor added ‘the lack of determinism’ which means lack of a
doctrine caused by external will. He added that he had also heard of it.
Passage: “So, imagine many world pictures. In one world the electron
is found here, in another it is over there. In yet another it is in a still
different location. Once the observer finds where it is, we know which world we
are talking about. But all those alternative worlds could exist just the same.”
Rajendra paused to marshall his thoughts.
“But is there any contact between those many worlds?” Professor
Gaitonde asked.
“Yes and no! Imagine two worlds, for example. In both an electron is
orbiting the nucleus of an atom…”
“Like planets around the sun…” Gangadharpant interjected. “Not quite.
We know the precise trajectory of the planet. The electron could be orbiting in
any of a large number of specified states. These states may be used to identify
the world. In state no.1 we have the electron in a state of higher energy. In
state no.2 it is in a state of lower energy. It can make a jump from high to
low energy and send out a pulse of radiation. Or a pulse of radiation can knock
it out of state no.2 into state no.1. Such transitions are common in microscopic
systems. What if it happened on a macroscopic level?” Rajendra said.
Word Meaning
Marshall – to gather something
Precise – error-free; correct
Trajectory – the path followed by a projectile flying
Explanation of the above Passage – Rajendra while gathering his
thoughts told the professor that in one world, the electron may be found here
and in another, it may be found in another place but in the third world. It may
be at different locations. Once the observer knows about the correct placing of
the electrons at every world, it might happen that an alternative world exists
at the same time. The Professor asked him whether there are any contacts
between these many worlds. Rajendra told him it might not happen. He said in
both the worlds, the electron is orbiting the nucleus of an atom.
The Professor added an example of planets and sun. Rajendra said not
quite as in the case of the planets we know about the path that is followed by
the planets. But in the case of electrons, it is different. When an electron is
in state 1, it is in higher energy. In-state 2, it is in lower energy. It might
happen that the electron jumps from a higher to a lower position. These
transitions happen at a microscopic level but what if it happened at the
macroscopic level.
Passage: “I get you! You are suggesting that I made a transition from
one world to another and back again?” Gangadharpant asked.
“Fantastic though it seems, this is the only explanation I can offer.
My theory is that catastrophic situations offer radically different
alternatives for the world to proceed. It seems that so far as reality is
concerned all alternatives are viable but the observer can experience only one
of them at a time.
“By making a transition, you were able to experience two worlds
although one at a time. The one you live in now and the one where you spent two
days. One has the history we know, the other a different history. The
separation or bifurcation took place in the Battle of Panipat. You neither
travelled to the past nor to the future. You were in the present but
experiencing a different world. Of course, by the same token there must be many
more different worlds arising out of bifurcations at different points of time.”
As Rajendra concluded, Gangadharpant asked the question that was
beginning to bother him most. “But why did I make the transition?”
Word Meaning
Viable – practical
Bifurcation – division
Explanation of the above Passage – Professor told him that he went to
another world and came back again. Rajendra said it is the only explanation he
can offer right now. According to him, in catastrophic situations, different
alternatives can exist and somewhere the observer can experience one reality
one at a time.
Rajendra added that the professor made a transition and experienced
two worlds one at a time, one in which he lives and another one where he spent
his last two days. This world has the history they know about and another one
has different facts. The Battle of Panipat had divisions of facts in both
worlds. He said that the professor didn’t travel past or future but was in the
present and experiencing different worlds. There may be more worlds which may arise
out of division at different points of time. Professor asked as to why only he
made the transition.
Passage: “If I knew the answer I would solve a great problem.
Unfortunately, there are many unsolved questions in science and this is one of
them. But that does not stop me from guessing.” Rajendra smiled and proceeded,
“You need some interaction to cause a transition. Perhaps, at the time of the
collision you were thinking about the catastrophe theory and its role in wars.
Maybe you were wondering about the Battle of Panipat. Perhaps, the neurons in
your brain acted as a trigger.”
“A good guess. I was indeed wondering what course history would have
taken if the result of the battle had gone the other way,” Professor Gaitonde
said. “That was going to be the topic of my thousandth presidential address.”
“Now you are in the happy position of recounting your real-life
experience rather than just speculating,” Rajendra laughed. But Gangadharpant
was grave.
“No, Rajendra, my thousandth address was made on the Azad Maidan when
I was so rudely interrupted. No. The Professor Gaitonde who disappeared while
defending his chair on the platform will now never be seen presiding at another
meeting — I have conveyed my regrets to the organizers of the Panipat seminar.”
Word Meaning
Speculating – wondering
Grave – serious
Explanation of the above Passage – Rajendra answered that he didn’t
know why he made the transition but he could guess it. At the time of the
collision, the professor was thinking about catastrophe theory and its role in
the war. Maybe he was thinking about the Battle of Panipat at that moment the
neurons in his brain acted as a trigger and made the transition.
The Professor confessed that he was thinking about what would happen
if the battle had gone the other way and he was about to address this at his
thousandth presidential address. Rajendra laughed and said now he can happily
recount his real-life experience than just wondering about it. The Professor
was serious and told him that at his thousandth presidential address at Azad
Maidan, he was rudely interrupted by the crowd and speaker. The professor
Gaitonde who was defending his chair on the stage had to disappear and he would
never be seen again at another meeting. He also conveyed his regrets to the
organizers of the seminar.
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