Page 1 - LN- ADVENTURE

The Adventure By Jayant Narlikar

This fictional narrative by Jayant Narlikar belongs to the genre of science fiction
and deals with the much intriguing aspect of time.The protagonist of this story,

Professor Gaitonde, a historian is preparing for his thousandth presidential
address in which he would speak on the topic "What course history would have
taken if the result of the Battle of Panipat had gone the other way?"

 While on an evening stroll he is hit by a truck.
 At that time he was thinking of the catastrophe theory and its implications

for history.

Reaching Bombay now Mumbai

 He found himself in another Bombay-which looked more like England
(cleaner, big English shops).
 Train stopped VT station, station was neat and clean ,staff included Anglo-
Indians.

 Handful of British officers were out of the station,Gangadhar Pant found
himself facing an imposing building.

Headquarters of the East India Company

 Walking along Hornby Road,found a different set of shops and office
buildings, turned and entered Forbes building.

 Requested the receptionist to see Mr.Vinay Gaitonde,she replied that there
was no such man.Thanking her made his way to the library of the Asiatic
society to solve the history riddle.

Reading the History Volumes.

 In this different Bombay, he went to the Asiatic Society library in the town
hall, to read some History books, including the ones he had written.

 Five volumes arrived on his table,started reading from the beginning.
 Most of the history was as he knew it in his world-but the point where
history had changed was the Battle of Panipat. In this different world, the
Marathas had won.

 ·The Marathas had not allowed the East India Company to expand. In fact,
its influence was limited to a few places like Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
India had become a democracy but allowed the British to carry on for
commercial reasons.