It's been a while
since Monotosh, the narrator of The Ruffian, moved out of the city in
which he grew up. He has arrived at his old neighborhood once again – Galiff
Street, Bagbazar, and the surrounding areas in Calcutta. While strolling
through his neighborhood, as he reminisces about the changes that have taken
place since he left, he accidentally meets old Nata da – a famous rogue of his
time. Not Monotosh, but Nata da is our unruly protagonist.
Monotosh accepts that he is a failed writer, yet he wants to record the life and times of Nata da, who has lived long enough to see it all. What follows is a sweeping account of Nata's life, told by himself in multiple sittings.
Source: https://www.theantonymmag.com/the-ruffian/
Monotosh
notices that the old streets have changed, and so have the houses. New
structures have risen in place of warehouses and depots, the brothels have been
demolished, and the luminaries that once marked the city are either dead or
forgotten. Smells, sounds, and sights have changed, and in it, the house he
grew up in has been crushed. But Nata hasn't forgotten them, because he lived
through that time — it has been etched into him and remains stuck in his
still-intact memory. We come to know: a city can forget a man, but a man never
forgets his city.
"I fucking embody pleasure. Haven't you seen legends behind trucks saying, 'In dreams, you get pleasure, for peace, you head to the cremation ground!' All bullshit! I've always found pleasure, wherever I went. I found it in jail when they booked me for being a mole, when I was beating up people, when I was beaten. Khagen the madman used to sing a song, 'Happy from weeping, farting, illness, and shitting…'"
Nata da lives in a Lebutala slum. He recounts his beginnings, his family, and most importantly, how he began as a rogue — a man wielding power in the locality. However, Nata's life is incomplete without the people he lived with; therefore, the story branches out to include multiple characters who shaped and marked Nata's life.
Nata and his friend Manik had to find a trade for themselves. They couldn't live like ordinary kids; they had to grow up early and find their own way. Such was the time when boys like them, from different localities, would claim territories, and any chance of earning a few bucks would be contested, giving rise to disagreements, disputes, fights, and rivalry. Nata da fared well in all of those and made a name for himself. Even political parties needed rogues — the likes of Nata da.
The world seen and lived by Nata da is so detailed and intricate that you'll be transported to the era. He was in his prime youth when ruffians ruled the city. It was the 1960s and ’70s, when Kolkata became a center stage for political changes and tension, especially during the rise of the Naxalites. And Nata is a witness to those societal and political changes, as well as to wars. Whether through allegiance, getting favors, helping with bombs, or a runaway case, Nata's life was not only touched by these events but was also colored by them.
Like mentioned earlier, Nata is made up of the people of his time: Jui, Joba, Panchi Mashi, Nepal Roy, Shato da, Chhanu da, Abhoy da, Gopal-the-Goat, doctors, Khagen, Khendi, Manik, the theatre manager — all these characters and many others shaped Nata's life. Once we finish the novel and reflect, we feel the extraordinary life he lived. What if it had been different? Should we be sad for Nata? Maybe not.
Nata da, who once held strong authority in Lebutala and its surroundings, recounts how he slowly vanished and lost his vigor and valor. He just faded away — Nata, who wielded soda bottles in fights, was involved in the illicit business of selling movie tickets on the black market, lived inside a brothel and even managed it, made bombs, taught people how to make bombs, and provided protection to thugs. It was a burgeoning era of thieves, gamblers, extortionists, and pop culture. But Nata tried to stop being a small-time rogue and to settle into a real profession, though it never worked out for long.
Ruffians meted
out justice in the locality. They earned names for themselves, owned it, held
it, to the extent that local celebrations were named after them. Such was the
time! And Nata was one of them.
Three or four years back, they were
erecting the pandal when I went and met the boys bossing around and I told
them, 'Do it well. Any problem, let me know.' One of the boys asked me, 'Who
the fuck are you?' Well, this sort of bullshit makes me really sad, but such is
life.
"Ah, wasn't Kolkata a dear place
back then! Three movie shows at 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm. Rickshaws would wait up
near theaters close to midnight to take people home. Trouble broke out first in
1965 during the war with Pakistan. When they declared the blackouts, the
streetlights were covered in black cloths after blackouts were declared. Night
shows were stopped…"
Nata is old,
jovial, and carefree. He is happy with what he has become, carrying no guilt,
no grudge, and no great ambitions now. He reminisces about different times, as
his memory takes him. His memory lane holds the statues of time.
The style in
which this book has been written is playful. The author doesn’t let the
narrative deviate. What Nata da calls digressions and meanderings are
meaningful. Nata da’s narrative is sometimes dramatic, sometimes a way to
understand the social, political, and even psychological fabric. We see how
human relations thrive in places, especially among the downtrodden. We see how
human relations take shape. The intricate details of the brothel and the world
inside have been portrayed excellently.
"Human beings are fucking strange! Tell you what, I live only to watch their damn kind…"
The Ruffian has become strong and true by using a casual style and language. Nata da is one of the most memorable characters to have been written recently, or in the past few years, decades, or maybe ever. You’ll find an old friend, or a forgotten dweller of your city, someone who’s seen it change and lived it in different ways at different times — the life and times of Nata da, a famous mastaan. You’ll never forget Nata da, and you’ll never forget this novel — a reflection on a city that transcends time.
Lastly, great thanks to the translator for such a superb work!
Translator: Kathakali Jana
Publisher: The Antonym Collections
