Ajit Bandyopadhyay (character) - Ajit As The Candid Chronicler

Ajit As The Candid Chronicler

Ajit is awed by the methods and intelligence Byomkesh often applies to solve a mystery, and this is vividly reflected in his narrations. He expertly portrays the mannerisms and traits of his friend, particularly on those not infrequent occasions when Byomkesh paces his room agitated and restless, because the epiphany is so near and yet so far. In such circumstances, Ajit, curious as he is, does not interrupt his friend's thoughts and lets him ponder. He also notes in Pother Kata that Byomkesh for all his brilliance, is somewhat queer, as evidenced by his going through only the advertisements in the newspapers instead of the main news, which he maintains is because he thinks it is the advertisements through which criminals often communicate their plans. Ajit refuses to buy this, however for that story at least it proves to be true, for it was a quaint ad that first excited Byomkesh's curiosity and it ultimately proved to be a rather important event as the story proceeded.Occasionally he punctuates the narration with his own insight and thoughts; for example in Chiriyakhana while he is hiding to keep a watch as to the night-time escapades of the residents, he reflects on the possible reasons of Damayanti Devi's actions and what might await her in the future. In Adim Ripu, when Byomkesh decides to burn all the money, stating that it will be their humble sacrifice at the altar of their beloved motherland on the day of her freedom, he finds it difficult to accept, even though his respect for Byomkesh is visibly increased.
He does well to depict the internal struggle through which Byomkesh goes as he torments Ramanath to elicit the location of the diamond, stating that though he ultimately won the battle, it was by no means an easy one. He does not deem it justified and moral when Byomkesh accepts a munificent wage from the lawyer of one of the prime suspects in the murder case in Adim Ripu, saying that it is more a bribe than a wage. He maintains great attention towards the nuances, it does not escape his eyes, that the doctor seemed somewhat perplexed and ill at ease when he learned of the pregnancy of Shakuntala in Bahni Patanga, nor does he fail to notice how Vijay becomes agitated as Byomkesh interrogates Damayanti Devi in Chiriyakhana.
Even though he is a celibate, he never fails to observe the physical attributes of a beautiful woman, and he goes to great length in describing them. In Chiriyakhana, he dreams about Bonolokkhi one night, which Byomkesh somehow divines. Though he initially refuses to admit, he ultimately does in the face of some humorously threateningly pressure from Byomkesh. Though this dream seems to allude to his having a crush on her, Byomkesh reveals that he had dreamt about her too, and as the mystery unfolds, we learn that these dreams were quite significantly associated with it.
His narrations abound in witty humor. His descriptions of Sir Digindranarayan Roy in Sheemonto Heera or Nanibala Devi in Adim Ripu compels hearty laugh from the readers. While he lacks the uncommon skills of observation and deduction that his friend commands, his own candid observations, even if remotely actual, often throw considerable light on the matter. Thus even though he appears to be the stereotype foil to a brilliant character, closer observations suggest that this may not be the case.