A MIXED BAG from the writings of Pratap Saraiya PartI Short Stories Partll Feature Articles Part lI Humour Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint , and heard great Argument About it and About, but evermore came out By the same Door as in I went.The Mughal Miniatures Pratap Saraiva [ INSPECTOR Gaitonde stepped into the it on the twelfth floor of ‘Everest’, that fuxurious building atop Malabar Hill in Bombay. His keen nose discerned the rich aroma of a cigar and other more subtle smells—Chanel Number 5, Max Factor, Brut and sweat. In his mind’s eye, he saw a portly middle-aged couple expensively decked out for an evening's jollification. And as he came out ‘on the porch, there was just such a pair getting into a large, black Mercedes. The Inspector made his way to the deserted bbusstop heartened by this evidence that his powers of detection were still functioning. For the Mughal Case as some fanciful clerk had named the file—had shaken his self confidence. In fact, the Superintendent had, that morning, Imprint, April 1983 commented acidly on the lack of progress and ‘observed that Gaitonde should “goin for a little gentle exercise, like walking or detecting”. It so happened that Gaitonde's wife had made a similar suggestion that very morning, for he had a weight problem, The Superintendent's taunt had provoked him to action, and he had ‘made this unscheduled cal, ate in the evening, oa Sheth Bechardas of 12-B, Everest Apart- ments. Now, Gaitonde had to make up his mind. ‘Was this kind and geatle recluse engaged in acti- vities which were so succintly described in the ‘Statutes? If so, he would be elighle for generous State awards, such as long-term imprisonment. Tomorrow he would have to report to his superiors on his meeting with Bechardas, and ”PRATAP SARAIYA this would probably lead to unpleasant steps-a situation that often bothered him. For Gaitonde was a sensitive man. He had seen the traumatic effects of raids and searches on decent Iaw-abid: ing families. And, like the cricket umpire, he tried to give a suspect the benefit of the doubt before resorting to extreme measures. During the long and lonely bus-ride, the Inspector reviewed the case in his mind. BOUT 2 month earlier, a senior Lodian diplomat on tour had enjoyed the ‘hospitality of the Emir of S__. A sumptuous feast had been followed by a display of the Sheikh’s art treasures, for the diplomat was known to be a connoisseur, One object, a new acquisition from India, had caught the eye, and the diplomat had examined it with great care. Superficially, the work resembled a mini- ature painting; it depicted the emperor Aurang- zeb on horseback in the full regalia of battle. But unlike 3 Mughal miniature, this was actually ‘a mosaic of rubies, emeralds, sapphites and dia- monds set in a plaque of bumished gold. It was, said the Sheikh, 2 unique piece and he had paid 2 fabulous price. Very soon he expected to receive another such marvel-a scene of the Court of Akbar Pasha. ‘The Sheikh’s miniature might have limited artistic merit; that was a matter of taste. But the impact was certainly colourful and dazzling. The diplomat made a quick calculation: the gold and the jewels were easily worth a lac of rupees in India; as a ‘work of art’ it had probab- ly fetched tenfold the amount, and that too in * hhard currency! An imaginative and highly lucra- tive line in the smuggling business, concluded the diplomat. ‘The Indian Consulate made discreet en- quiries. Their finding was that one Rameshwar, an employee of a five-star hotel im Dubai, had handled the deal with the Sheikh. Rameshwar hhad been issued 2 passport in Bombay. These particulars and the diplomat’s report eventually found their way to the desk of Inspector Gaitonde. Before joining the Force, Gaitonde had aspir- ed to be a painter and put in along stint at the School of Art, so these ‘art cases” were often assigned to him, Right from the start, he had felt that the modus operandi in the Mughal Case ‘was not that of a large smuggling outfit; rather, it looked like the work of a ‘loner’, probably cultured person. And Rameshwar’s passport file had suggested a line of enquiry that led straight to Sheth Bechardas. Rameshwar had come to Bombay in 1976 to take up a job with Bechardas, whose firm exported textiles. He was required to obtain ‘and thereafter he had made frequent tours abroad. Helped by the testimonials from his employer, he had secured the post of a cashier at the Hotel Continental; no doubt, an excellent position for making the right contacts. In January, 1981, Rameshwar left the firm of Bechardas, and India. The policespotlight had therefore been turn- ed on Bechardas and the results were encourag- ing. It was found that he was a distant relative ‘of Rameshwar, and an avid collector of Indian ‘antiques. When others went to the hills, Bechar- das scoured the bazars of Rajasthan for treasures. His apartment in Bombay was stated to be something of a muscum, guarded by clab- Grate locks and a ferocious hound. Summarising these reports, Gaitonde had written that ‘the pieces were falling neatly into place’—he rather fancied these literary flourishes. But there was another face to the coin. Bechardas and his firm were held in high regard in all circles, including the banks and the Income-Tax department. And Geitonde himself hhad been impressed when they had first met a week earlier. The Inspector had called at the office on some pretext conceming Rameshwat's passport, and asked all sorts of questions; Bechardas had responded in a dignified and res- ponsible manner that befitted his reputation. Thus the case had rested till the Sheikh received the second miniature. This news from Delhi had aroused the Superintendent's ire in the morning. And just an hour earlier, the Inspector, who liked his cliches, had bearded the lion in his den! ‘At 12-B, Everest, an ancient retainer had answered the bell and taken his card. Soon, the dog was chained, the door unchained, and he ‘was ushered into 4 spacious hall to await the master. Gaitonde had made a quick inspection of the place; it was not at all like a museum. Ind- deed, though there were paintings, bronzes, figurines and so forth in plenty, they were so tastefully displayed that one didn't really notice them. He spotted some miniature paint- ings’ and was examining them intently when Bechardas joined him. Imprint, April 1983THE MUGHAL MINIATURES The Sheth, frail and silver-haired, was dress- ed as usual in spotless silk churidars. He nodded to the Inspector with gentle enquiry. Gaitonde explained, rather lamely, that he happened to be in the locality and thought he would find out if there was any further news about Rameshwar. “Alas,” said the host, “f did not think it necessary to make enquiries. But | must look after you, Inspector—you worksuch long hours! Perhaps some tea, of fruit juice, or Chivas Regal? Gaitonde, like James Bond, was quite partial to that vintage liquor. Sadly he settled for a cup of coffee. After a few innocent questions, be was about to leave, but Bechardas insisted on showing him the art collection. “I believe you are quite an expert, are you not?” he asked. ‘The miniatures fascinated Gaitonde. One of them could have been the very model for the Sheileh's prize, so closely did it match the sketch ‘and description provided by the diplomat. And next to it was the Emperor Akbar! ‘The Inspector got off the bus still tossing the coin in his mind... .. | JHE conference the next moming was |_Picet Delhi. was pressing for action. Bechardas" home and office must be searched; the Inspector was instructed to make the arrangements. But on thie appointed day, Bechardas phoned at noon: he had received some surprising news about Rameshwar. Would the Inspector please call at his residence at 4 pm? After some persuasion, the Superintendent agreed to postpone the ‘raids’, which, by a co- incidence, had been fixed for the same hour. Instead, he decided to accompany Gaitonde to the meeting, Bechardas was his usual courteous self and he saw to it that his guests were well provided ‘with tea, fruits and sweetmeats. Then he turned to Gaitonde: “When you came here the other day, I realis- ed that you were quite serious about Rame- shwar, so Tasked my people tomake enquiries. Today I had a call from Dubai. The news is not good.” Bechardas refreshed himself with a sip of buttermilk, for he never touched anything stronger. Then he resumed: “The poor fellow is {in serious trouble. Ido not have any details, bat it seems that he has disappeared!” ‘The policemen kept quiet; no doubt there was more to come. After a long pause, their Imprint, April 1983 host spoke again. “T have not been frank with you sbout Rameshwar. He had an unhappy childhood for he lost his parents early in life. They were old family friends. The boy came to Bombay and 1 locked after him. Heis clever and hard-working; Thad high hopes. But he fell into bad ways. We Jost a large sum—that | could afford. But he abused my trust and he had to go!” There was a steely glint in the eyes of Bechardas which took Gaitonde quite by sur- prise. “However,” continued Bechardas, “he deserved another chance. After all, Inspector, we all make mistakes, do we not?” The Inspe tor nodded, for he had made quite a few in his time. “So you see, I Aad to be discreet. Sadly,” concluded Bechardas, “it has not helped him— or youl” ‘On 2 sudden impulse. Bechardas got up to remove the Aurangzeb miniature from the wall. “Come, let me make amends,” he said, handing it to Gaitonde, “I have seen you admire this you have good taste. It does look like an original, but it is an old print that has been with my family for a long time.” Smiling, he tumed to the Superintendent: “Please let the Inspector