Summary Of Bepin Choudhury's lapse of memory
This story by Satyajit Ray is quite story because of the element of suspense that is introduced at the end. Bepin Choudhury is very cleverly tricked by Chunilal for not receiving the much needed help from him. Chunilal was passing through some financial straits; he went to Bepin Choudhury with a request to get him a job. However, Bepin could not help him much because of his preoccupation. Chunilal was hurt by his friend’s indifference. Chunilal made a plan to teach Bepin a lesson. He created such a situation for Bepin that he began feeling he was suffering from amnesia. First, a man named Parimal Ghose met him at a bookshop and started talking to him as if he were an old acquaintance. But Bepin had never met him ever. He talked to him about his week-long Ranchi trip in 1958. Bepin was at loss as he was not able remember any incident of the Ranchi trip. Parimal Ghose was shocked at Bepin’s forgetfulness. He even told him he could confirm it from Mr. Dinesh Mukerji who was also with them during the trip. This meeting with Parimal Ghose really left Bepin very anxious; he began feeling he had something wrong with his brain. He was unable to focus on his work as he tried a lot to recall any event from the Ranchi trip but in vain. He called Mr. Dinesh Mukerji to confirm; to his utter shock, he also validated about the trip. When Bepin was going through this tension, Chunilal also called upon him to know whether he had found any job for him. Bepin did not want to see him and asked his servant to send him. But later on he rushed to meet him to enquire of him if he knew anything about his Ranchi trip. Chunilal also confirmed that he himself had got his booking for the trip done. Now, Bepin decided to consult a doctor. The doctor, Chanda told Bepin he was not qualified to treat him for his forgetfulness; he advised him to visit Ranchi again and go to Hudroo falls and other places, which might bring the memory of his 1958 trip back to his mind. Bepin went to Ranchi and visited all the places, but could not remember anything about the trip. At Hudroo Falls he fell unconscious and two Gujrati gentlemen helped him. Next morning Bepin returned to Calcutta. Fearing that he would soon lose his memory completely, he called Dr. Chanda to see him. As he lay in bed after the shower waiting for the doctor, his servant gave him a letter. The letter was from Chunilal in which he had confessed that he was the mastermind behind the Ranchi trip incident; and he had done it to take revenge for not helping him in his trouble. Now the truth was revealed and Bepin felt relieved. As the doctor came, he lied to him that as he reached Ranchi, he remembered everything. The doctor expressed surprise at the strangeness of the case and said he would write it in the medical journal.