Adventure Flashcards
“You neither traveled to the past nor the future. You were in the present experiencing a different world.”
This statement was said by Rajendra to Professor Gaitonde. When he was hit by the truck, he was thinking about Catastrophe theory and its role in the war. He was unconscious in the hospital for the next two days but he was in an alternate world having a real-life experience of many things which were not true in the real world where he actually lives. He noticed that the scenario was different and facts about history were different. So, he had passed a catastrophic experience.
Gangadharpant could not help comparing the country he knew what he was witnessing around him.
Gangadharpant Gaitonde had witnessed different facts of history which were the decline of Marathas and British rule. But here in a different world, the reality was different. Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat and there was no slavery under the white man. India was free and here people had self-respect. When he compared two different facts of the same country, he liked this different version of India more.
“The lack of determinism in quantum theory!”
The lack of determinism means the inability of the scientist to know where the electron would move. Quantum theory means in physics, it can be measured how the energy is produced and in what direction electrons may move. This happened when Professor saw two different sets of history in the case of the Battle of Panipat. In one reality, Marathas had won the war and in other, they had lost the battle. The same happened in the case of the Battle of Waterloo.
“You need some interaction to cause a transition.”
Professor Gaitonde before the collision with the truck was thinking about catastrophe theory and its role in the war. He was wondering what might happen if the result was different in the Battle of Panipat. When he hit the truck, the neurons in his brain made the transition. This was explained by Rajendra to the professor when he failed to understand why only he made the transition.
“You have passed through a fantastic experience: or more correctly, a catastrophic experience.”
This statement was said by Rajendra to Professor Gaitonde. When he was hit by the truck, he was thinking about Catastrophe theory and its role in the war. He was unconscious in the hospital for the next two days but he was in an alternate world having a real-life experience of many things which were not true in the real world where he actually lives. He noticed that the scenario was different and facts about history were different. So, he had passed a catastrophic experience.
The story is called ‘The Adventure’. Compare it with the adventure described in ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die…’
‘We’re Not Afraid to Die…’ is a story about a family who went on a seafaring trip with their two children and two crewmen. The challenge was to keep them alive and reach the shore safely when the Storm hit the sea and affected their boat. Their experience was real and painful. On the other hand, Professor Gaitonde’s experience was imaginative. After his collision, he travelled the world through his mind when he was unconscious for two days.
Why do you think Professor Gaitonde decided never to preside over meetings again?
When in a different world, the professor noticed the empty presidential chair on the stage in the ongoing lecture. He tried to sit on it as it should not remain empty. He was asked to move away by the speaker. Later when he started talking on the mic, the audience was not ready to listen to him. They threw many objects at him and asked him to move aside. They physically lifted him from
the stage.
Such experiences prompted Professor to never preside over meetings again.
A single event may change the course of the history of a nation.
For: A single event may change the course of the history of a nation. In the case of the Battle of Panipat, when Marathas won the war. The course of history changed and it led to a different shape of India. British rule ended and India soon became a democratic nation. People no longer were slaves under the white man. India was self-dependent and had self-respect.
Against: It is a matter of perspective that a single event may change the course of the history of a nation. As explained by Rajendra in the chapter, it is a catastrophic phenomenon that the Battle of Panipat had two courses of history in different worlds. Similarly, there may be different worlds having a different history of the same nation.
Reality is what is directly experienced through the senses.
For: As Gangadharpant experienced a different reality in the different world for two days, he even brought back a torn-off page of Bakhar book. He was experiencing different realities one at a time. It happened due to the lack of determinism in quantum theory and catastrophic theory. We sense our reality with our taste buds, hearing, seeing, smelling and a sense of touch.
Against: Reality is not entitled to the senses. Electrons can move to any direction at any point in time. They don’t have a definite path to travel. When we can predict the direction of the fired bullet, we cannot predict the same thing about electrons.
The methods of inquiry of history, science and philosophy are similar.
For: The methods of inquiry of history, science and philosophy are similar. In the chapter, history, philosophy, and science converge and Professor Gaitonde experienced a different set of events and reality in two different worlds. In one world, the Battle of Panipat was won by Marathas and in other, it was won by the Mughals. Later, Rajendra explained to him the catastrophe theory and lack of determinism. This explained to us how history and science converged. Similarly, in Philosophy, truth is relative.
Against: It is inaccurate to say that the methods of inquiry of history, science, and philosophy are similar. In the chapter, Rajendra tried to explain the events with a catastrophic theory which surely convinced Professor but not us. Philosophy is speculative, while science is about the exact fact which is tested. History is based on a set of events and how they shaped the existing reality. The chapter is a science fiction where the writer tries to show the convergence of the three different subjects but in reality, it employs different methodologies.
Who is Khan sahib?
Khan Sahib was a passenger in the Jijamata Express. He was travelling to Peshawar. He told endless stories of life in India that were so different from India as was known to Professor Gaitonde.
Why did the professor want to go through History books?
The professor went through history books for the details of the battle of Panipat. He found that a shot brushed past Vishwasrao’s ear and he escaped his death.
Where was the Jijamata express heading to?
The Jijamata was heading towards Bombay from Pune.
As the train entered the British Raj territory, what did Gaitonde notice?
When he got down at the Victoria Terminus and saw the headquarters of The East India Company. The professor was shocked because the East India Company had closed down after the events of 1857, but he saw the company functioning well right in front of his eyes. He concluded that history had taken a different turn. While walking down the Hornby Road, he found offices of Lloyds, Barclays and other British banks, instead of Boots and Woolworth departmental stores.
What did the professor do at the Town Hall library?
The professor made his way to the library of the Asiatic Society to understand this alternate version of history. He asked for a list of History books including his own. He went through all the five volumes and noticed that the change had occurred in the last one which took place in the Battle of Panipat.
He looked into a book, Bhausahebanchi Bakhar, for the details of the battle and found that a shot brushed past Vishwasrao’s ear and he escaped his death. As Gangadharpant was leaving the library, he absentmindedly tore and put a few pages into his left pocket.
