Manik Bandopadhyay's novels are about the human psyche, relationships, and societal conflicts where 'villagers love to be afraid'. Shashi is seen at the beginning of one such rural story in colonial Bengal – The Puppets’ Tale¹. On the way back to the village by boat, he sees the body of Haru, who was killed by lightning, leaning against the trunk of a banyan tree, surrounded by a jungle and wetland full of snakes, on the bank of a canal. The boatman, Govardhan, fears ghosts, but Shashi is 'a Kolkata-trained doctor'; hence, he ignores the objections from Govardhan; rather, he says, 'If it’s a ghost, then I will tie it up and bring it to you and break its spirit; take the boat back'.

This is how “Shashi Doctor” appears in the first scene of Manik's novel, the protagonist throughout the story. Manik Bandopadhyay, a prolific writer in Bengali (or Bangla) literature, penned The Puppets’ Tale in 1935, nearly a century ago. This is one of the most widely read Bengali novels that tells us the story of a village at a time when colonial Bengal was experiencing conspicuous socio-cultural conflicts such as tradition versus logic, European rationalism versus age-old rituals, urban versus rural life, modern medicine versus conventional therapeutic approaches, and so forth. My intention is not to criticise the literary merit of this novel, nor is that my job. Rather, I want to dissect and detach Shashi Doctor's ballet of life from the entire story of The Puppets’ Tale – to gain insights into the life of a physician who settled in a rural countryside of colonial Bengal after 'passing from medical college and becoming a doctor'.

In the second chapter, Manik introduces the main character of his novel by stating, 'Shashi’s character has two distinct parts. On one side, he does not lack imagination, passion, and a sense of humour; on the other, he also has enough affection for domestic acumen and wealth. His imaginative side is hidden and silent. Only those close to him see his deep, empathetic understanding of beauty and flaws in life.'

Can anyone entwine themselves into the tapestry of Shashi's life and form such a deep bond with him? Manik certainly does, or how else can he describe the character of Shashi Doctor in such an efficient way? Readers might also get familiar with Shashi – with the 'intelligence, restraint, and accountable nature' of Shashi Doctor – as described by Manik. Even so, no characters in the novel share such closeness with Shashi. But why?

Shahaduz Zaman, a prolific writer and medical anthropologist, has explored the intricacies of healthcare delivery systems in Bangladesh through his ethnographic studies. His work highlighted that doctors often lack social proximity to individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds in Bangladesh. The highly educated physicians, entrenched in their positions of power, fail to bridge the gap with impoverished patients. This distance arises from their establishment as a dominant professional group, leading to a treatment dynamic where lower-class patients are seen through the lens of upper-class authority².

Shashi’s case unfolds the same dynamic. Manik states that Shashi, endowed with ‘common worldly wisdom’ and a nuanced understanding of wealth, is both feared and obsequiously admired by everyone in the village. People's actions often align with Shashi's thoughts. Yet, no one is so close to him. The social distance with patients stems not only from Shashi's medical expertise but also from his family's social status and class. Shashi's father, Gopal, is a notable figure. 'People claim that Gopal Das's business is to put a knife to the throat. He buys and sells property and lends money – that means he’s both a broker and a moneylender.'

With ill-gotten gains from people, Gopal sends his only son, Shashi, to study medicine in Kolkata, the capital of colonial Bengal. Shashi realises the harsh truth that he 'studied medicine with the money of his father's thievery and embezzlement'. Driven by a desire to atone for these sins, he seeks redemption by bringing smiles to the faces of the ordinary people of his village. Shashi takes care of Jamini Kabiraj's wife, “Sen Didi”, during her smallpox, ultimately curing her. He tirelessly works day and night to construct a hospital with the property left by the deceased priest Yadav. In this way, Shashi earns a cherished place among the villagers. However, amidst the crowd, he discovers a profound solitude. He is respected and revered by everyone, sought after for his judgments and opinions on everything, both good and bad, yet he remains alone.

During and after the British colonial period, doctors in the Indian subcontinent often grappled with loneliness. Today, medical education, centred around medical colleges and hospitals, demands students' time with classes, hospital wards, outpatients, clinical rotations, and studies. Brief moments of reprieve allow them to converse among themselves, but once they enter the profession, they become deeply engrossed in their fields. The journey into studying medicine subtly creates class divisions, weakening pre-existing friendships. Professional life rarely offers a chance to mend these bonds to a large extent. Early departures and late returns home, coupled with spending additional hours in the pursuit of higher degrees and professional excellence, widen the chasm with family members. As a result, modern-day doctors like Shashi bear this persistent solitude and isolation.

In some ways, doctors, too, bear a portion of the blame for such isolation. Dick Teresi’s The Undead poignantly notes that many doctors, having spent their early years buried in textbooks and their later years consumed by demanding careers, miss out on the essence of human bonding and connections. Their lives, divided into relentless study and the pursuit of medical mastery, leave little room for family ties. A recent example is a doctor whose marriage crumbled due to neglecting his family and rarely spending time with his children, even on weekends, which serves as a stark reminder of this tragic reality³.

Shashi's thoughts are confined to 'old prejudices of good and evil'. Modern medical training fails to liberate him from this archaic mindset. He forbids Govardhan from touching Haru's corpse, deeming it sinful by societal standards. His reverence for the priest Yadav mirrors the 'unwavering convictions of the rural psyche'. Similarly, due to societal disapproval, he hesitates to pursue an extramarital affair with his friend Paran's wife, Kusum. When Kusum leaves for her father's home permanently, Shashi sees it as a blessing. He contemplates that 'the wife of the house has upheld her purity and chastity; virtue and faith have been preserved.'

Shashi, a wealthy doctor from Gaodiya, is quite considerate of his wealth. Shashi used to receive charges for the treatment of Bhuto, the son of Basudev Barujja. When Basudev was leaving the village with his family, Shashi insisted on collecting the money he was owed. Despite Basudev's plea for more time, he quarrelled and secured the due payments. Even after toiling endlessly, he earned only a modest sum and mused that 'had he been in Kolkata, he could have become a millionaire by now.' Shashi recognises his greed for money, which leads him to see himself as a 'businessman' and fuels a fire of self-criticism. Yet, when he doesn’t receive his dues after working hard, his mood sours.

Colonialism, or more specifically, the colonial political and economic system, emerged alongside the growth of capital. From its inception, the colonial education system emphasised financial gain from social services. We can see that many doctors trained under this system, including Shashi, are driven by ambitions of fame and fortune, both locally and globally. They mostly prioritise monetary rewards over patient care. This phenomenon often results in troubling situations where critically ill patients are denied treatment due to unpaid hospital bills. Some doctors even refuse to enter the operating room until their fees are settled. Of course, there are exceptions to this trend. Still, we must admit that the colonial education system has left a deep imprint on how we perceive relationships within the medical field. Historically, it emphasised materialism and shaped individual thinking according to colonial values. Consequently, the doctor–patient relationship has often transformed into a provider–consumer dynamic, viewing patients more as consumers than humans. While it is undeniable that doctors need to earn a living, which justifies the financial aspect of their work, this should not overshadow the essence of their vocation. The bond between doctors and patients ought to be grounded in ethical values and humanity, not merely driven by monetary considerations.

‘Shashi, who deeply cherishes life’, loves to live. He takes on the responsibility of everyone living in the village out of that genuine love. Priest Yadav transfers all his property to Shashi to build a village hospital. Shashi then dedicates himself to establishing this hospital with Yadav's funds, aiming to provide healthcare for the needy and helpless villagers. He decorates the entire hospital, weaving new dreams around it. Feeling a profound sense of responsibility, he decides to stay in the village, driven by a new urge to serve those suffering from ‘cholera, smallpox, kala-azar, typhoid, and many other ailments.’ A Kolkata-trained doctor, Shashi, uses his creativity to adorn the ‘Shashi Doctor’s Hospital’ in Gaodiya.

Even so, Shashi carries a lingering regret: the regret that he has not grasped or enjoyed life to the fullest. 'When will he sort out his own life, when will he focus on his own work?' This sense of incompleteness haunts him, leading to an existential crisis. Throughout the entire story, we witness this crisis in Shashi’s mind, who received colonial academic training at Kolkata Medical College. Despite his attachment to city life, Shashi returns to his village but consistently shows a longing for city life. He cannot shake the allure of a 'vibrant, cultured, and gleaming city life filled with education, civilisation, and nobility'. His attachment to the city, with its books and friends in Kolkata, tugs at him relentlessly. Therefore, he often considers leaving everything behind and relocating to the city to truly savour his own life. Yet, an equally compelling urge pulls him to serve the villagers, prioritising their needs over his own identity and existence. Torn between the luxury of city life and the love and affection of village people, Gaodiya's ‘Daktar Babu’ wrestles with indecision. Each time he resolves to move to the city, his love for Kusum, his obligation to the villagers, or Gopal's tricks derail his plans.

Modern allopathic medicine was introduced by colonial powers. Doctors are the main driving force of this modern healthcare system, which focuses on treatment rather than prevention. This approach has made doctors a dominant force in society by securing all the key knowledge of ‘Western medical science’, leaving patients with little understanding of their own bodies. In the past, doctors were revered, even called the ‘Second God’ in Europe. They were seen as ‘Healing Artists’ who had the power to protect people's health. However, the behaviour of some doctors has created a gap between them and their patients. People feel that doctors are arrogant and unapproachable, which has led to a change in attitude towards them. In Bangladesh, this issue is not uncommon. Many patients are dissatisfied with their doctors and often complain about their behaviour. Research shows that some patients even seek treatment abroad due to the perceived arrogance of local doctors. Could this disconnect be traced back to the roots of colonial medicine? It’s a question worth pondering.

In the story of The Puppets’ Tale, we also see Shashi Doctor as an arrogant person. His dismissive behaviour towards patients at his village hospital causes them distress. He even shows 'arrogance' when his old friend Paran visits him for treatment of a throat wound. Shashi demonstrates his impatience by not taking the time to ask Paran to sit down. Medical training in Bangladesh falls short of meeting patients' humane expectations. Doctors see their role as one of compassion and mercy, but often lack true empathy. This lack of empathy is a major reason for patients' distrust and disappointment. Research shows that nearly 80% of doctor–patient disputes stem from a lack of empathy during interactions. However, the story also shows a different side. When Sen Didi has a child, Shashi thinks, "Has Shashi only learned to save people, not to kill?" Then again, out of compassion, he tries to save Gopal's child in Sen Didi's womb.

British colonialism shaped our health system much like it did in other colonial territories, intertwining with capitalist influences. Along with everything else, even the human body became colonised through the introduction of modern medicine. Although the British have departed, colonial values and practices persist in many ways. The esteemed status of medicine as an elite profession has not yet disappeared. Many people still aspire for their children to become doctors to elevate their social status. However, this respect is coupled with a lack of trust in physicians. Patients often question treatments they don’t fully understand, yet doctors are still seen as talented individuals. This blend of talent and societal acceptance fosters a sense of pride among doctors, which can lead to flaws and deviations in the medical system. Frantz Fanon explored these dynamics in his book, The Dying Colonialism. He used colonial Algeria as an example to show how colonial medicine contributed to the dominance of doctors in modern healthcare, the ambivalence patients feel about visiting doctors’ chambers, and the deep-seated distrust between the two parties⁴˒⁵.

Hospitals are where modern medical theories come to life. European colonisers introduced modern hospital systems to their colonies, including the Indian subcontinent. British rulers established hospitals in colonial Bengal as tools of imperial hegemony. These hospitals were staffed by colonial doctors who relentlessly worked hard to promote Western medicine and show a humanitarian face of colonial rule. The works of Frantz Fanon illustrated the discriminatory attitude of colonial doctors towards the natives compared to the Europeans. They often saw native patients as a way to make extra money. Because of this history, many people still believe that the relationship between doctors and patients in modern hospitals is mostly driven by money.

Is Shashi Doctor an exception to this? Perhaps not. We see that he also becomes a symbol of capitalism's hold over the human body by setting up a hospital in Gaodiya. Despite Shashi's humane values, his creativity ultimately ends up being focused on gaining control over patients and making money out of them. While the author remains ambiguous about Shashi’s future, we are not sure whether he will adopt the role of a ‘colonising doctor’ or become ‘the doctor who heals the wounds of humanity’ in his village hospital.

Shah Mohammad Fahim is a physician and scientist who works for the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. Fahim can be reached at [email protected].

References:
1. Manik Bandopadhyay. Putul Nacher Itikatha (English: The Puppets’ Tale). India; 1936. 
2. Shahduz Zaman. Broken limbs, broken lives: Ethnography of a hospital ward in Bangladesh. Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis; 2005.
3. Dick Teresi. The Undead: Organ Harvesting, the Ice-water Test, Beating-heart Cadavers: how Medicine is Blurring the Line Between Life and Death. Pantheon; 2012.
4. Frantz Fanon. A Dying Colonialism. New York: Grove Press; 1965. 
5. Shah Mohammad Fahim. Kolpo Daktar. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Adarsha; 2022.

Disclaimer from the author: 
The original article was written in 2011 in Bengali while I was a medical student. That piece was published in my 2022 Bengali language book, “Kolpo Daktar”. The current article is an English translation of the original Bengali piece, with modifications to reflect my current views and understanding as a physician and clinical researcher.

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