The Lowland

From Bijoli’s perspective, we learn about the pollution that has overtaken the lowland, the two ponds becoming more like septic tanks as they are used for illegal dumping. Every evening she walks into the polluted water to bring flowers to Udayan’s memorial; many in the neighborhood think she has gone mad.

Her husband has suggested they leave their life in Calcutta, to escape the bad memories, but it is important for Bijoli to remain close to Udayan. One morning when her husband doesn’t appear for breakfast, she sends the maid, Deepa, to awake him; she finds him dead. After Bijoli’s husband’s death, Deepa starts to take care of everything around the house; she also sleeps in the house and makes sure that Bijoli is cared for.

Bijoli installs a phone line and calls Subhash to tell him that his father died. Since Udayan’s death, Bijoli hadn’t connected with her husband; they had never discussed Udayan’s death, slept in separate rooms, and rarely spoke. Bijoli reminisces about buying the house with her husband, fixing it up, and raising her two sons. She knows that Subhash won’t return to live in the house: “He should have been a comfort; the one son remaining when the other was taken away.