I want to recount the few minutes of my association with Janaki Ballav Patnaik. After college days, for some years in late 1980s I translated some best known short and long stories by acclaimed writers like Maupassant, Somerset Maugham, Maxim Gorky, Bashevis Singer and Arthur Konan Doyle. There was a problem of finding magazines to publish the long stories, some of which would run into more than thirty to forty pages. The stories included Gorky’s classic Konovalov, Maugham’s The Fall of Edward Bernard and The Unconquered and Maupassant’s Horla.
The only viable option was to send the Odia versions to the one and only Paurusha, the elite magazine brought out and edited by JB Patnaik. I sent a story that would take away fifty-sixty pages. Could a magazine, already carrying regular translation columns, be able to carry mineIJ This was in my mind.
It was a pleasant surprise for me to find the Paurusha carrying my translation after two months. I became a regular contributor to the journal for four-five years. Short and long stories were published in the magazine, giving me an impression that I could claim to belong to the elite league who wrote in Paurusha. This was not the only surprise. During that year’s Dusshera, I received a registered letter containing a cheque of Rs 250, a princely amount then for an article. Next year, it was a cheque of Rs 350! To be paid by a monthly magazine for a work of translation was like a sweet-dream-come-true. This continued for four/five years. A cheque was accompanied by a two-line letter in chaste Odia wishing “A happy Vijaya Dashami” and hope for further contribution, with a request to accept the cheque. The letter was once signed by JB Patnaik in Odia as “Ja. Ba. Patnaik”.
After receiving his signed letter, I thought if ever I got an opportunity to meet the great man, would he recognise and talk to me. During 1995-1998, there was no scope for this because he used to be surrounded by many. Anyway, as a low-level Government employees I could not go to the Chief Minister him straightway. However, the moment arrived in mid-1999 and thereafter. It happened when I was posted as Manager, Soochana Bhavan (now Jayadev Bhavan). He was no more the CM, but that had never deterred people from surrounding him. He had arrived almost half an hour earlier than the schedule for a personal programme. After interacting with some people, he was alone in the VIP lounge. I decided not to miss the opportunity. I went in. After saying Pranam, I said, “I have been nursing a desire to meet you.”
“Meet meIJ WhyIJ” he asked with a surprised look and I could sense a bit of irritation in his voice when he added, “Tell me, who you are!” I said I was so and so and that I wrote in the Paurusha and received cheques for four times. The scenario changed at one. It was as if he had known me all along. He asked me what else I wrote; how was the library in the Soochana Bhavan; if I had any books published. etc. The interaction lasted for five minutes.
The second time I met him was after five days at his Unit-VI residence, where I had gone on my won to request him to gift two books for the Soochana Bhavan library. His staff told me that he did not like to donate books like this. They frowned upon my audacious request. I requested a staff to pass on my chit to JB. The chit-bearer came running out and ushered me in. And there the great man was standing with two books. He smiled and handed over the books, saying, “Now, you are happyIJ”
The third encounter was also at his residence. A telephone call had come from his house sayig the Governor of Assam would talk to me. His voice came over, “I hear a well-researched book on the history of Raj Bhavan of Odisha has been published. Is that correctIJ” I replied in the affirmative and then reminded him that I was earlier the Soochana Bhavan man. He instantly remembered and was happy to know that I was in the Raj Bahvan. He said, “Babu, can you get me two of those booksIJ” I said I would personally go and give him the books. “WhenIJ” I said “Within an hour.”
When I reached his residence, there was no restriction this time. I was immediately escorted inside. Seeing me, he smiled and called me nearer. Three senior Congress leaders were perched on a nearby sofa. I gave him the books. He glanced through some pages, saw the photographs and remarked that it was a good book. He said he would like to have a similar book on the Assam Raj Bhavan published. I am not aware if he succeeded in doing that.
I mustered courage to ask him a question. “Sir, would you please allow me asking a very different type of questionIJ Sir, would you not get angryIJ” He thought for a second and said, “Go ahead.” My voice trembled when I asked, “Your name is Janaki Ballav Sir! Yet people address you as “Janakibabu” and even writers also write that way. The word “Janaki” is feminine and “Babu” is masculine. How could ..... !”
Janaki Ballav cut me short. He knew what I implied. He was not angry. Then smilingly he said, “Suna, Babu (listen, man), I cannot teach Sanskrit grammar to all the people, Can IIJ” I bowed and came back. This meeting lasted perhaps four/five minutes! last I saw him was in the Abhishek Hall of the Odisha Raj Bhavan when his biography Sarthak Sarathi by Dr Gobinda Bhuyan was released by Governor Dr SC Jamir. I did not get an opportunity to meet him. I am happy that I had a total of twelve minutes of unforgettable interaction with the legend.
(The writer is the Public Relations Officer to the Governor of Odisha)