'Alone' by Sheila Nayampalli Barua - A summary

Alone

-      Sheila Nayampalli Barua

Sheila began writing late at the age of sixty. She completed her M.A. in English from Madras University. She taught English at a local college in Guwahati for twelve years.

This story narrates the routine events of a day in the life of Anasuya who lives a lonely life on a flat in Bombay. It also presents a dreary outlook of an individual who chooses to live alone having lost her dear ones owing to unforeseen circumstances. Her routine observation begins at her apartment as the children next door say their goodbyes in a hurry to catch their school bus at 8:00 a.m. and the gates clash as they leave. This is followed by Mr. Hedge’s preparations for his Pooja in the opposite flat at 8:30 a.m. Next, at 9:30 a.m. he neighbor Nandita, the eldest daughter at home and the breadwinner leaves for her work. She closes the gates behind carefully and meticulously. Then, there is the absentminded Sarala who needs to close the gates twice. Mrs. Bose, her neighbor’s closing is always painstaking while her children do a loud jarring noise and Mr. Bose gives it a steady and deliberate finality.

Anasuya looks forward to the cheerful chatter of her maid Ramabai, who does all her housework and shopping too. Now Anasuya cannot walk much because of cataract problem. The milk, bread and provisions are delivered at the door.

It is the beginning of the monsoon Anusuya always waits for fervently. Standing at the window, she breathes in the moist earth-soaked sweet aroma. Then at 3;30 p.m. the school children return again causing collision of gates. She can hear the children engaged in their playtime at 4:30 p.m. By 5:00 p.m. Ramabai enters chattering. When it strikes 7:00 p.m., Nandita returns from her work carefully closing the lift gates. Anasuya’s testy neighbor comes back last at 7:30 p.m. It is then silence.

Anasuya as a young girl was in love with Santanu. When she was dreaming of her marriage, her father fell ill and his medical bills never let her think about it. Her father died and she even lost her mother. By then she was middle-aged. The days passed by in her empty life. She just found happiness in the happy coming home of others.

On a certain Tuesday, she takes out the money to pay her electricity bill and her corporation tax when the doorbell rings at 2:00 p.m. she opens to see two men with their face covered. They pull her gold chain and rough up before taking her keys. When she protests, they hit her hard again and again. She screams at last drawing the neighbours. They break open the door to see the two men still inside the house with Anasuya’s lifeless body. The next day, the flat is filled with people to see her dressed in her best saree covered with garlands of marigolds and rose petals. After all, she is not alone in her death.

This tragic story gives us a picture of a lonely woman living in a city under challenging situations.