Free The Return of Vaman - A Scientific Novel by Jayant V. Narlikar Page B

without the groom and bride.’
    How did Raj Nath know what the P.M. had said, wondered Kirtikar. Was this part of the grapevine for which Delhi was so notorious?
    ‘Apparently Harisharan’s list included secretaries and additional secretaries from four departments, state officials from Karnataka and the Collector of the region including Gauribidnur.’ Raj Nath continued with a smile, ‘In short there were no real experts on the committee … And so I was summoned to South Block and asked to constitute this committee. You know the result. Harisharan would have had a fit to see such juniors as Arul or Laxman on the committee; but he had to go by the P.M.’s decision.’
    Raj Nath then started briefing Kirtikar about the other committee members from Delhi so that he would be on guard. As he was halfway down the list, he looked at his watch and rang the bell once again.
    ‘ Are Bhai, chay ka kya hua? The time for the meeting is drawing close’, he told his P.A.
    ‘It’s coming, sir! I will telephone the canteen again, sir.’
    ‘Well, that’s Delhi for you, Prashant’, said Raj Nath as the P.A. left. ‘It’s all bound up with who is at what level and who can do what. I cannot go to the canteen myself—the whole deparatment would be shocked if I did. So I tell the P.A. It would be below his dignity to go there now. So he will send a peon … and so it goes on. You notice the contrast in efficiency even more when you come from our institute.
    That’s the tragedy, Kirtikar thought. Efficient people from well run places are called here just to be eaten up by the ‘system’.
    The tea came soon, however. But they were destined not to finish it. For halfway through, word reached Raj Nath that the two ministers were due any minute. He left his cup and rushed to the front gate to receive the V.I.P.’s, while Kirtikar ambled along to the committee room.
    The meeting started on schedule with the chairman calling upon members to introduce themselves. It was then that Kirtikar learned who Major Samant was. After Samant had introduced himself as ‘coming from the Intelligence Bureau’, the chairman felt the need to elaborate further.
    ‘Major Samant has been characteristically reticent. Perhaps I should add that he has been awarded the Veer Chakra for his bravery in the Bangladesh War of Independence. He has since then done a lot for the I.B. but, of necessity, the details cannot be disclosed. I am happy that he is in charge of security at the Science Centre.’
    All but one in the committee were reassured by this description, for they shared the concern for security and confidentiality about the newly found container. All but Navin, that is. Navin had already experienced the effect of Samant’s efficiency. Just how much did Major Samant know about his past?
    An incident came to Navin’s mind, something that had happened a couple of days back. He was getting ready to go to Bangalore for a dinner engagement when Major Samant jokingly remarked, ‘Out for a date, Mr Navin? I am sure you have found a loved one in Bangalore.’ This was spoken in Hindi with the word pyari used for ‘loved one’, and Navin had laughed it off. But now he began to wonder—why had Samant used that particular word? Did he know about the Pyarelal connection?
    A pat on the back brought him back to the present. The chairman was addressing him.
    ‘I beg your pardon, Minister … I was not paying attention,’ he apologized.
    ‘Mr Pande, we have been told that the container was opened last week. Can you give us an account of how this feat was accomplished? The minister repeated his question.
    As head of the archaeological project, it was Navin who had to present the account. This he did in his fine narrative style. For technical details he gave way to Laxman and Arul. By way of conclusion, he added, ‘We can now open and close the container. But we are awaiting this committee’s sanction to proceed further and investigate its