Synopsis.1comp

7/31/2019 Synopsis.1comp

1/6

SYNOPSIS

At 5.30 am on13th of January 2010, two men: Annant Bharadwaj and Agastaya Vashisth, go their

separate businesses, in the holy town of Haridwar on the banks of the river Ganga; the next day is

the first of the Eleven great baths of the Kumbh Fair spread across four months in which millions

of devotees are expected to take a dip of the holy river.

Annant Bharadwaj is an upcoming writer who lives in the Nanku Havelli. He is joined by his

cousin Sameer Bhargava, a medical intern, who brings in Jorden, a Jew from London who

researches on the Raj relics. They go through their morning rituals on the roof of the dilapidated

building on the foothills of Shivalik range, discussing literature, philosophy and the death of Nina

who was Annants disciple and for whom he grieves. .

The three men have their tea and enter the bazaars; they are eager to take the morning dip in the

holy river, but search for an isolated beach where they can bath in nude. They come across a sea of

humanity, a procession of the naked Naga sadhus and the police barricade; after much of a struggle

they succeed in reaching a quiet bank, hidden from the crowd. They bath naked, assured of their

privacy; but two washerwomen eye them.

Annant leaves the river bank and his two companions in his grieving and reaches the Birla College,

where he teaches Philosophy on an ad hoc basis. It is his last lecture today, as the college

management is discontinuing the subject from the next term. He lets the student discuss themes

on philosophy pertaining to relevancy and irreverence. But Ninas memories continue to haunt

him. Minnie, one of his students, is attracted to his rebellious ways and consoles him as he feigns

his sorrow for her sympathy. They end up having a fight and Minnie leaves him. At the end of the

class he meets the principal, JDB, his fathers friend, who advises him to take up a job at the

1


2/6

newspaper, owned by Chadhuary brothers- Beware Haridwar. Annant laughs it off and asks for

his payment. He loiters around with money in his pocket and sits on the embankment of the ganga

canal, reflecting his days in his school; St. Georges College; the Christian value system, his quest

for excellence in yoga, secular beliefs and the emerging capitalist system in the country, his brush

with religious fanaticism when he was a teenager and a mosque was broken down, his quest to

create and his struggle to take up writing as his vocation, contrary to what his father Dr. Bhardwaj,

the veterinarian, has planned for him. He remembers his relationship with his cousin Shamistta; a

girl Ricky and his infatuation for his aunts breasts.

After the bath Sameer and Jorden go to Annapurna caf for breakfast. They are discussing

Annants knowledge and his chances of becoming a writer of repute. Himnash, Minnie and

Moniriil- Annants students join them and Jorden treats them to a wholesome breakfast. Mr.

Tweny, a Brit and Shamisttas husband is seen having breakfast with her and succumbing to her

control.

Meanwhile, Agastaya Vashist, a clerk in the district administration office, wakes up and goes for a

walk. His wife Aditi is up and early and is preparing to receive Agastayas Uncle and Aunt, who

are coming for the Kumbh bath. She complains about the lack of space in their small apartment

which they share with Mr. and Mrs. Vashist; Agastayas parents. But she is excited about going to

Mumbai the next day after the Kumbh bath to hold talks with an art promoter Mr.Tulli for her

upcoming art exhibition in the financial capital of the country. It happens to be Agastayas birthday

and Keerii wishes her father. Aditi pesters him on his inability to provide them with better standard

of living but also seeks his support for her pursuit of art. Agastaya baths with cold water and sits

for his meditation. He plans the day and vows to improve his economic condition. Aditi packs a

few chapattis for him for breakfast as he bid her goodbye. She hands him a wish list, of things he

2


3/6

has to get from the market, and requests him to attend the Satsang of Ekaba; probably his last- she

says.

Agastaya attends a meeting of the Kumbh Authority on the smooth conduct of the Fair. Between

his office hours Agastaya takes time out to buy a book on Ayuerveda from a book shop at

Rishikesh a town twenty kilometers away from Haridwar. Pankaj Bhuria; an Indian Police

Services trainee, accompanies him and discusses applied yoga. They meet Annant at the shop and

Agastaya invites him for lunch saying that Aditi has packed a few Chapattis too many and they

would suffice for them both.

Agastaya finds Ninas parents waiting for him when he reaches his office. They have come to get

their daughters aisle, paints and the blue brush, which their daughter had left at his house, as she

was a student of Aditi who gives painting lessons.

Local M.L.A. Mr. Ram Singh Saini accosts them and asks the District Magistrate Mr. T. Namgyal

to take steps for an early solution to the case. Mr Namgayal promises an interim relief to Ninas

parents and deputes Pankaj Bhuria to conduct a detailed enquiry on the events which led to her

mysterious death. Annant is called to give his testimony and misses his luncheon appointment with

Agastaya.

Meanwhile Sameer and Jorden are relieving themselves out in the open. Sameer lays down the

benefits of outdoor ablutions. They discuss things in general, sitting near a stream. Both decide to

lunch with Annant. They meet Annant at the college campus and come to know about the police

enquiry from the college peon, Ramcharan. The news agitates them and they decide to get stoned

and fight the administration. Annant pays up rupees five-hundred for Ganja to Ramcharan.

3


4/6

The three get stoned and lay under the sun. It rains for a short while and wakes them up to their

hunger. The three eat in a street corner and ogle at big bosoms of the Lady who serves them

Pooreis. They leave for the Ghats to carry forward their passion for wet women. Jorden reflects on

the Sadhivi, Meera whom he had met in the Kumbh town and who he thinks is her mother of the

previous birth. The town is ready for the Kumbh and they become a part of the religious gaiety.

Annant longs for Minniee and leaves his companion to search for her. He is carrying A history of

western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell; which he had bought from The Ganga book emporium,

at Luxman Juhla in Tapovan, Rishikesh, as a present for her. He had decided to get intimate with

her tonight, somewhere in the forests, he thinks.

Meanwhile at Ekabas Muth; the Siddehwari Akahra; Kashi is preparing for her first sermon on the

Baghvad Katha and the story of Ganga. She is at loggerheads with her Guru; Ekaba, as to whether

religion should be organized or not and its politicization for narrow personal gains, ignoring its

spiritual nature.

It is the lunch hour and Agastaya goes to the Sharmajis Poorie shop and buys vegetable and eats

his lunch alone. He is thinking of his wife Adidti and her leaving him for her ambition. He plans to

set up a yoga school and reflects on Annants life. He laments his middleclass existence and

worries about the impending capitalism in the country which will increase the aspirations of people

like him. But he favors the corporatization as it would increase efficiency and competition thus

improving the overall productivity of the country. His wife has already succumbed to the charms

of the market by planning to sell her art at Mumbai. She is leaving tomorrow after the bath, and he

would be alone to look after Keerii. He is apprehensive about accompanying her. He decides to

support her quest and vows to improve her art through yoga.

4


5/6

The river town is crowded now and the festivities have begun for the commemorative bath, the

next day.

Annant is stoned and searches for Minniee. He fails to find her but wanders on the Ghats. He

remembers the love story of his grandfather and concludes that he loves Minnie. The search tires

him and in his frustration he is about to throw the book when Minnie catches up with him. She is

happy to get the book which she desired to read. But Annant plans to take her to the nearby forest.

She agrees after much cajoling. In the darkness she agrees to his pleadings and offers herself to

him in return for all that he has done for her. He, however, savors her nakedness from a distance

and presents her a white Jasmine bead which he ties on her hairs. He kisses her. Both return to the

Ghats for the Prayers. Agastaya accosts them and asks them to join him. Malashri, the daughter of

T. Namgayal is already discussing yoga with him. Sameer and Jorden join them later. They

celebrate Agastayas birthday.

Agastaya informs Annant of Aditis leaving Haridwar to pursue a career in arts, for which she is

not yet fully up there. Both go to Agastayas apartment and cook dinner. Annant comes across a

painting by Nina and longs for her company. Both reflect on the time when the two had crossed

each others paths in the last twenty-seven years.

Aditi sits in the pandal of the Siddeshwari Akhara and listens to the satsang. She reflects on her life

and the role of Annant and Agastaya in it. She deliberates the formers rebellious ways with the all

acceptance philosophy of the latter. She thinks of her childhood and her years as Meera a Sadhvi

sermonizing on the teachings of Krishna and her journey in the Himalayas and her chance

encounter with Agastaya. She is saved by Ekaba after she meets with an accident and discovers

that she is carrying Kerrie in her womb. Kerrie is born and she found herself tied up in her

5


6/6

motherly duties. Her quest for arts and philosophy takes a back seat and adds to her frustration.

Annant comes to the village called Gau-char where Ekaba has a small ashram and is charmed by

her. She develops a bonding with him. Annant had known Agastayas chance meeting with a girl

in the Himalayas; the girl is Aditi and he unites the two.

She had married Agastaya and now she is feeling stifled under the pressure of adjustments, familial

responsibilities and poverty. She thinks of Ekabas offer to join his Akhara and her elevation as the

head of the Siddeshwari Akhara, ignoring Kashis, Ekabas devout followers legitimate claim.

She knows that Ekaba is dying but wishes that he holds on till she organizes her career in arts. She

is excited about leaving Haridwar after the bath to follow her dreams and thanks Agastaya from

her heart for the support he had given her. It could be her last shot to name, fame, power and

creativity, she thinks.

She thinks of the night when, in the throes of her passions she had offered herself to Agastaya.

Was it love? She questions thus. What of her duty towards her daughter Kerrie? Ekaba was her life

giver and she owed him his last wish. She is torn between her ambition and what the destiny has

ordained for her. Ekaba dies on completing his last sermon leaving Aditi to decide for her and

chose her pathin life.

6

Synopsis.1comp

Documents

Transcript of Synopsis.1comp