Bonku Babu's Friend - Story Summary

Introduction to Bonku Babu

• Bonku Babu is a mild-mannered geography and Bengali teacher at Kankurgachhi Village Primary School.
• He has been teaching for twenty-two years.
• Students often play pranks on him, such as drawing cartoons on the blackboard, putting glue on his chair, and setting off chasing-rockets behind him.
• Bonku Babu rarely gets angry, usually just saying, "Shame on you, boys!"

Bonku Babu's Calm Demeanor

• He maintains his calm because he cannot afford to lose his job at his age.
• He finds teaching the good students rewarding.
• He invites good students to his house, offers snacks and tells them stories of foreign lands and exciting adventures.
• These stories include tales of Africa, the North Pole discovery, flesh-eating fish in Brazil, and Atlantis.
• He is a good storyteller who captivates his audience.

Bonku Babu's Social Life

• Weekends are spent at Sripati Majumdar's house with other regulars.
• The other attendees often make fun of Bonku Babu, pushing his patience.
• He endures pranks from adults at these gatherings, such as hiding his belongings or filling his paan with dirt.
• He feels obligated to attend because Sripati Babu values him as the group's butt of ridicule.

The Ghost Incident

• After Bonku Babu declared he was not afraid of ghosts, he was attacked by someone in black ink while passing a tamarind tree.
• He was not frightened but suffered injuries, including neck pain and a damaged kurta.

The Space Discussion

• One evening, the group discusses spaceships and space-travel.
• A light in the northern sky is spotted, similar to a previous sighting of a Russian satellite.
• Bonku Babu was the first to spot the light, but Nidhu Babu took credit for it.
• The group members share their opinions on satellites and rockets, with varying degrees of interest and knowledge.

Bonku Babu's Alien Question

• Bonku Babu asks, "Suppose someone from a different planet came here?"
• Bhairav Chakravarty mocks the idea, sarcastically asking if aliens would land in Kankurgachhi.
• Sripati Babu believes aliens would only visit Western countries.
• Chandi Babu jokes that aliens might visit to take Bonku Babu as a human specimen.
• Others join in, comparing Bonku Babu to a museum or zoo specimen.
• Bonku Babu silently compares the others to animals.

Bonku Babu's Frustration

• Bonku Babu leaves the meeting early, feeling upset.
• Ramkanai warns him about ghosts on the moonless night before he leaves.

The Encounter in the Bamboo Grove

• Bonku Babu notices an unusual silence among the crickets in Poncha Ghosh's bamboo grove.
• He sees a pink glow and discovers a large, upside-down glass bowl covering a pond.
• The object appears to be "breathing."
• He becomes immobilized by an invisible force.
• A voice speaks in an unknown language and then in English.

Meeting Ang from Craneus

• Bonku Babu identifies himself as Bonkubihari Datta, a Bengali teacher.
• The voice reveals itself to be Ang from the planet Craneus.
• Ang's appearance is described: a smooth, bald head, thin limbs, pink outfit, holes for ears and nose, and glowing yellow eyes.
• Ang reveals he intended to travel to Pluto but landed on Earth due to malfunctioning instruments.

Ang's Superiority

• Ang asserts that he is superior to humans.
• He challenges Bonku Babu, contrasting his knowledge of 14,000 languages to Bonku Babu's two and a half.
• Ang is 833 years old, while Bonku Babu is 50.
• Ang mentions that people from Craneus stopped eating meat centuries ago, implying Bonku Babu's inferiority for eating meat.

Ang's Powers

• Ang shows Bonku Babu a pebble-like object that can immobilize anyone without physical harm.
• Ang offers to show Bonku Babu any place or scene he has longed to see.

Visions of the North Pole and Brazil

• Bonku Babu expresses his desire to visit the North Pole.
• Ang shows him a vision of the North Pole through a tube, complete with the Aurora Borealis, igloos, and polar bears.
• Ang then shows him a vision of Brazil, including the Amazon rainforest, an anaconda, crocodiles, and piranhas devouring a crocodile.

Ang's Departure

• Ang emphasizes that creatures from Craneus are superior.
• Ang advises Bonku Babu to speak up against injustice and protest when insulted.
• Ang departs in his spaceship, leaving Bonku Babu in awe.
• With Ang's departure the crickets start chirping again.

Bonku Babu's Transformation

• Bonku Babu realizes the uniqueness of his experience.
• He dances with joy on the way home.

Confrontation at Sripati Babu's House

• The next day, everyone gathers at Sripati Babu's house.
• There is a small news report about a strange light sighting.
• Poncha Ghosh discusses that the bamboos around the pond lost all their leaves overnight.
• Bonku Babu arrives late and bursts into laughter.
• He announces that he will no longer attend the meetings.
• He criticizes the group for speaking rubbish and calls out specific members for their behavior.
• He reveals his encounter with Ang from Craneus.
• Bonku Babu leaves with confidence, leaving the others stunned and spilling tea.