write the character sketch of mariganko babu
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Mriganko Babu, a famous author, is stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car runs out of petrol. He sends his driver Sudheer to fetch petrol, while he is waiting. He is on his way back to Calcutta from Durgapur where he was felicitated this morning.
He lights a cigarette and starts observing the surroundings. It is the month of January and all plants have been removed leaving miles of barren lands. There are two huts seen with no people. In the middle of the field is a scarecrow. Mriganko Babu returns to his car and starts reading a detective novel. He is all alone, but no one on their way has stopped to help him. He started cursing the Bengalis. He is unable to concentrate on reading and so takes a book and starts jotting down some points related to a plot. He climbs out of the car as it is boring sitting in the car.
He looks at the scarecrow again. It is a vertical bamboo pole with a horizontal one fixed to it. A torn shirt is slipped on to it and an earthen pot is placed upside down. The pot is painted black and huge eyes drawn with white paint. Babu starts thinking how weird it is that birds get scared of this figure. He also tries to figure out why dogs don’t mistake it for human. He again justifies himself that dogs could smell the humans and wonders if birds do have the ability to smell. He sees that the scarecrow is wearing a torn, red and black printed shirt. It reminds him of someone. He is sure that he has seen someone wearing that shirt.
He drinks some tea from the flask and feels a bit warmer. He notices some change in the appearance of the scarecrow and his heart beats faster. It is slowly taking shape of a man. He lights another cigarette and starts thinking about the possibility of a scarecrow coming to life. He now sees that it has another leg and that it is limping towards him. Instead of the earthen pot, it now has a human head. It still has the same shirt on and a slightly dirty dhoti.
The scarecrow calls out to him, “Babu!” with a human voice. He now recognized that voice. It was the voice of Abhiram, who had been Mriganko Babu’s servant. Babu recollects that Abhiram’s hometown is close to the place where he is now. He is so terrified and leans heavily against his car. The scarecrow is now much closer to him and asks if Babu can recognize him. Babu says that he has recognized him as Abhiram. He also says that he recognized because of the shirt which he had bought for Abhiram in the past.
Abhiram says that he was quite innocent and questions Babu why he didn’t believe him. Babu recollects past.