Revolution 2020 - Chetan Bhagat

CHETAN BHAGAT

1? v I>UBI IF »,TIO

INIDIA

Copyright © Chetan Biiagal 2011 First in Rupa Paperback 2011 Second Impression 2011 Pii.blisli.ed by Eitp a Publicatioiis India P v t Ltd, 7/16, Atisarl Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110 002

Saks Centres: Allahabad Bengaiurii Chennai Hyderabad Jaipur Kathmandu Kolkata Mumbai All rights reserved... N o part of this publication may be reproduced stored, in a retrieval system^ or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical* photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers* The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work Disclaimer:

f-oi aachtiiocrt);

mihm has used iMrneis iUiOc icM places,

upk and mst tiUicns as tht*\ ap*es»eul ul'ural 'tuit t>i todav and Morvreii itg. Tbtre ^ no uuentioij to miulv anv*hmg eke. Ptirmd in India by Gopsom Papers Ltd. A-2&3/Sector 64 Noida 201 301

To my mother io Varanasi To the holy river To the Indian student

i .clanks to i My readers, for their love and support. God who lodes after me, Shrnie Antony, who remains the first: reader and editor of my books, Aoubha Bang, for her suggestions at ail stages in the writing of this book. Nutan Beridre, Niharika Khaima> Michelle Perelra, Prateek Dhawa«» Zitim Dhawan and Aoerag Anand, for their great comments on the manuscript Saurabh Rungta and Kisliore Shanna, for their help in research.

The amazing, amaang people o f Varanasi

All the people I met during my travels and talks, who helped me

understand my country better. My mother Refcha* wile Aiiuslia, brother Kcim% for being In my life. My sons Ishaan and Shyaro, who tell me. I t s OK, Daddy during my lows. My extended family on Twitter and Facebook. Rupa and Company for publishing me.

Thefilmmakerswho chose to make my stories into hlim And once again, yon, dear reader, for wanting a revolution.

And / hopt not rust you hut oar %holc coti'iry will keep that spark ifiivt, ijfnr: is something an>/ about sayhr; - i ujrne from the land of a bdlion sparks Ihiif'k YOU! f mid, tiidvw nn m>*ir;ational speech at Tiluk Hall, 'Vmmmi The daps and whistles-were my me. to; leave, Security volunteers formed a. humm barricade and soon I managed a neat exit from-the hail 5Thank you so much sir* someone. said right- behind me.. r I turned around to face my host 'Mr Mhhra? I mid, T was looking for you! "Berne call me Gopal! he said. Ihe car is over there! I walked- out -with the young director- of Gangalhch College, Copal Mlshra, His Hack Mercedes whisked us amy. from the crowded Vidyapaih Road,, "So you saw the temples and the ghats f Gopal asked. "Ikats aB Vdrmmsi has, anyway! 'Yeah, 1 went to the Vtshwanaih 'Temple, and Dashashwamedh five in • the miming* f love this -city! I said>

Ghat at

'Qht.goodL What.did.you like best about Varanasif* 'Whiif cThe

0(^;all0i^md;$urprmd,

morning aarii ai the ghats, 1 saw it for the first time, all those diyas

floating at dawn. It was out of this world! Gopatfrowmd, 'What?'I said, 'Isn't Varmmtk mrti beautiful? "Yeah, Yeah., His.... ft is not thai! he-said, hut did not • com- home, he finest wh'ski m the tvorld' he said i undid / snook mv 'thanks, Gopal, hut 1 don t drink much" 4Cheim sir medrtnkH cm Mi people I had a drink with "the* Clrntm BhagaL' ' >at^hed 1 Thais nothing to hag about 'Jdk ~oy d if you want You hmt actuiiUv hove to drink tt ith sNoi like that, sir. I actually nmil to !io\\ o drmk l(h you' I sene in3 mfense eyes. He had m mv he^Uy incites in the last six tit thihiu ihitil I finally agrn'd to cotoe / kreve he toidd persist* Okay Jre drrddd 1 $,?td, hop***i% I ^'ouidn* regret this later, \Excellent' Gopal said. V»i- du^e icn kthmteiw* 'hi uti jh the J ax know Highway to r.Kui OongiTcch. The gumds dmmfOit court-med lamr (Nia house/ / said a* f nd oh a cushy brown \elvif sofa, I noticed the Ktra-high ceiling. lfItMik>. I designed it mese'lf The u^tr.ufCf bud] iU but 1 supervised ,, e< vetting' Copal said, He proceed, d u* tin bar counter at the other end of die room. Ids the hungolow ofan engineering college director. You and your hu nds redded oiu , right?1 'How do you hiov/f / so id. 7 ves \ont know. Wen nod the book. Seen doe movie, Ac i,;i/ghld He hmid/hJ me > ' r >> »/ Hi *- filled >t#fi a generous Amount of- whiskv. 'Thank \>vu 'Sm&le i*taL, fwehe^on aid! he

.REVOLUTION 2 0 2 0 * 5

ike directors bungalow, buiym donfham a dM$rgh$m 2 said, "You aretti efenmamed, Ihe youngest director Ive ever.-seen! He smiled, *'H®w old areyout I was curious. i7w$t$iy~$ix!. Gopa! mid, a hint of pride in his . mice* "Not just the youngest, but also ike most uneducated director youve- met! "Umduca&df3 f never wmi to college! 'Whaif I. said as I twirled the ice-cubes in. my glass md wondered how potent this drink was, f did do a foke >4a < ar^spoudcucp degree! 'Wowi i wtd Ti hoi a joke to opm mm a big colLgt! hundred situiems a^^ :j\iufO}U auoss ail batches. Bach 1 * tying one lakh a ye^r liV al end) n-TvC y zixtecn-aore turnover:. And you inavguttitid Ihe rlBA c^achwg t^day Vtatc another new business! K.qL ? sip. Ihi * Hooih A'h-.d ba >1* * v 'hroaK 'Da yor have beer?' Or winet I coughed. Gdpdsfacefdl Not only had I ignored Ins impressive business statistics, I had also rejected his whisky 'Not goodf Gopa! asked.. *lfs Gienpddich, four thousand a bottle. Should.t open Blue label? Thai's fen thousandu-hottte! It is not a-price mm I wanted to lei! him-but dMA 7 deot i drink whisky. Too strong for me* I said instead, Gopai laughed*'live life. Start having fine whisky You wiU develop a imie! 1 attempted another bip uod r iraui H" smded and poured mort wide, 0 *uy dtrtfk tn> d^vtL u. It nnmd tit h bat ^ued mv sanity. ** w be t'tijuved. u ok /4 at- > , , /' I said as he cat me* '\:ext}ear 1 wdl maktpve wo,id I realised he would keep pvrca >ting his salary until I demonstrated suitable awe. 'Five notes!* I said, my voice loud and fake, (iopal grinned, 'Baby, tat this fo? I have made it? is probably the T-shirt slogan he would choose. "Thais incredible? [ murmur en iv< vide nog ho^' I could switch the topic, i noticed stars winding up, 'IMiats upstaiisf 1 na-.*., 'Bedrooms and o terrace, Come, ! wdl show you! U e climbed up the steps and wall ed patf a room with a luxurious kingsized bed, 1 took in the panoramic view from the terrace, 'This was a wasteland, all of it My grandfather's old agricultural land,3 Gopal said. * Jen aermt 1 m ade a :gm$s: 'Fifteen, We had fifteen acres more? Gopal said, fbut we sold it to fund the construction;?

"Every Indian city b building mails now' 1 suUt *India shining, Chttan-ji? he said and clinked his glass with mine, (rtepcl drank more than four times my pace. I hadni finished my first when he poured nts fifth. 'You mg-a1*1 teres I n to king for style? he tinned when / refused arefilL 7 don t drink much, Really? I said, I checked the time; 10:00 p.m. %twhMUmeMyoueatdmnerrhemked 'Up to you?I said, though I wished hed decide to mt right away, "What is the big hurry? Two men, one educated, one uneducated. Having a.good time? Gopal said and raised his glass- in the air, I nodded out of - 'Surprising, given you are doing so well' "What well, Chetm-pf Gopal said, now completely drunk and, presumably, completely honest i k pointed io the hay 7 K ?tr*eo eesi "n e>nd the silk carpet under our feci m cpuck

if with pte$t$- who had visited the college. I w picture imuM also he there soon, When -he-hadn't returned in twenty minutes took me to the bathroom, I knocked at the m will have to bre&k.tm door! the maid-said, V- 1} who had come as a chief' guest for a college orienMtmn pmgrmnmei .fyecmm involved with forcing open random toilets in

The rustle -ofsheets on the hospital bed. woke mefromrny nap, rlhe bedside ved 3:00 a. nt I had brought o pmsed-out Gopai to the Hospitalin the. Lanka, area of Vmmmisi Gop-al sat up: on the Bed mm massaging his temples. His hangover reminded me of my college days. However* here th director had hinged on alcohol, not. # student. here aB :m0ttf'He looked surprised, not let my m a sheepish grin.

is: head to stare at the-opposite wail 4 life Gopair

•mswm i smua up- after a minute.-1 should leave, catch some sleep be) ignt, i wamecz. m the door. Do you think I am a. good person> Chetan-ji?' ?3 he asked, ogam I shrugged my shoulders, 1 doni know you, talk well Tmaied me^good. You seem-fine? I said. You think soV

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'You \e tcL>:i t d o lor, »H ^ x{>ensh\ whiskies can be harmful" he smiled: and gave, u brief nod, T wm drtnk less? he said, "Anything elsef lor >"eyoreiy, •• nv, v io v j."',' f checking mv wotsm T 4iy ^nndefi r ^ oici y>f f,v«.< £ ** ma u w, oori:5 ? eenorm, ht uud ' * V,?: wv 'r , jui } i j U^f mi ^f Whose o j nt: I u w ^

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t™ zd heiV * v.. no? ? ~xiia sadhu at* 1 f , t iv ' iUot* fcn all their thvoiloii u>4 iagethcu duUl how ihm'i} ke> d he*! i aUiufhcd the onatogx Cut nary hot* ehmd

I offered a bt!e< He i timed. I had not had aiiy breakfast at.home, I i ^ g e u * -r the cat e, my lingers smeared with iclftg. l Whv

don t yen IOO your own e;ffirt?'

said

I ?»poke vith my ir-tuith stuffed, li *v-s 1 i mcj.i extra work fen Baba 1 le pialces lunch md dinner anyway." 'So?1 I Lt> urn I d< u* J he left hoi or U

nui^iv' At) tat he t taught hi a government „ user eaiiu *ha< o>e I Lckoi the chocolate

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t ai.aring oil* e into mv moi lb Hoi i ^, hunt ?

Raghav t a*d

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the Barhe bag,

4

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.aVb >ok T - cad c.ur the kibe! on the a uso oaro Pratap Pradhan, Subject; 1 ohs

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thefmiolfaneous

.REVOLUTION 2 0 2 0 * 11

Sntirar Gill aiodatn, our class teacher, atrrveda mlimite later and the died down. 'MulHpLcahon,' sfee wrote on the board, even as tlis children were still settling down,

i stii up straight and craned x m r n e k m see-Aarti Pratap Pracihan,

roll number one. She wore a white skirt, white shirt, red cardigan and. had ribbons m her-plaits*- and she faced the: teacher most, seriously, as she sat down.. £

1 > < \ a . t i ^creaped * i-d jumped up. She picked up a chocolate-

, tamed 1 u?cr from lie'

The K t k of hei shirt nad chocolate «tams 4Oh

•^j/ God!' A;..iitichilli voice made thv eaiire ciafo 15 ' ' t j f i bii di f/nf Oil!

nolkt.

screa^M xi a yoj;e k *d enough ,o

•nakc the tack rows uho er. Gnl ma

UUL JEGFA

hL. noise, even if it tdint

torn girls with cute plait®.

Eaghay and I exchanged a worried glance. We had left behind evidence, '

•

"Madao^ 8om£o:ii€ has put a dirty ruler on 1 1 ? seat My new school dress is-spoiled* Aarti wailed.

Hie whole:class laughed and Aarti. broke into tears, "What?' the teacher said. She, placed the chalk, down, dusted her hands and took the ruler from Aarti,

Aarti continued to sniffle. Ihe teacher walked, along the aisles, Students shraiiklii their seats as she passed them. "Who brought chocolate cake today?' ihe launched into an investigation,

1 dkr Aarti said. She opened her tiffin and. realised how her own. cake had been used to rate her dress, tier howls reached new decibel lewis, 'Someone ate ray cake** Aarti cried so loud, the adjacent class S B

could hear M&* Hat yt nt a h " ••anlcd ti fell h* 1 Pa^fw ,

ed a» use - -a/r? ss f '

^ ^ a> ^iM

'on i m d r I vTi^ere i I v !

•Vhe.i Gel euda r o waibd kn * hppc *>

were greasy.

akl and pinched hb neck., "God promise,

imam! 'I he teacher squinted at bum, still suspicious

swear upon Ganga, ma am' Goish ^aid a?> be broke down. Th«-* Garjga reference worked, Everyone heiie\ed him. Who1; the other GM? Gopa? iVHshra^ the tether shouted myname.

\!1 eyes turned to me, The teechei walked up io my desk. I. stood up. 1 didn't sava word. Neither did the teacher Map. Slap! Both my cheeks were' stinglog, "Stealing food? Are you a thief?* the teacher said.. She looked at me as if 1. had. stolen, the Kohiiioor diamond from the British queens museum, something-'fcoiocial studies teacher had told m about two days ago, I hung my head., low. She smacked the back of my neck. "Get out of my dassf 1. dragged niyfeet-out of the class, even as the entire 5 C stared at me.

Aarti go clean up in the bathroom- GUI madam said. • .

I leased against the wall outside the class. Aartrwiped her eyes and walked past me towards the toilet "Drama queen! It was only half a slice of chocolate eakef I thought Anyway thife how I, ..Gopal Mlshra, met the great Aarti. Pratap Pradhao, I.must tMym^mm. though this is my story, you won't like me very much. Alter a % a-.ten-year-old thief isn't exactly a likeable person to begin-with.

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