The Ghat of the only World by Amitav Ghosh is a story about Agha Shahid Khan who was a friend of the writer. It's a story with an autobiographic touch. Shahid died of Cancer. Amitav wrote his biography.

1. The Ghat of the Only World
A Story by: Amitav Ghosh
A PowerPoint presentation by: Mrinal Ghosh
PGT (English) Under Deptt. Of Secondary Education, Government of Tripura (India)

2. About the Author:
• Amitav Ghosh [born 11 July 1956 in Kolkata] is an
Indian writer and the winner of the 54th Jnanpith
award, best known for his work in English fiction.

3. Outline Story:
• Agha Shahid Ali talked to the narrator
about his approaching death on 25 April
2001
• He has been under treatment of Cancer for
about 14 months.

4. Outline Story:
• The narrator consoled him that he would
be fine soon.
• Shahid wanted the narrator to write
something about him. The narrator
promised to do so.
• The narrator had already read Shahid’s ‘The
Country without a post office’

5. Outline Story:
• His illness didn’t impede the progress of
their friendship.
• Both of them loved Rogan josh, Roshanara
Begum and Kishore Kumar.
• They also liked old Bombay
films and were indifferent to
Cricket.

6. Outline Story:
• Although critically ill, Shahid was full of life.
• He sent the Hospital escort away when he
tried to help him.
• Shahid was very social and fond of parties
and food.

7. Outline Story:
• There was always an endless mela of talk,
laughter food and of course, poetry at his
house.
• Shahid was famous for his skill in the
kitchen.
• He could tell from its smell if Rogan josh
was ready or not.

8. Outline Story:
• He had a passion for the Kashmiri food.
• Shahid was sharp in repartee.

9. Outline Story:
• Shahid was a brilliant teacher. He taught in
many colleges and universities in the USA.
• Shahid hated violence and the counter-
violence in Kashmir. Kashmir was the
central theme of his poetry.

10. Outline Story:
• He was secular and believed in the
separation of politics and religion.
• He expressed his wish to ‘go back to
Kashmir to die’ but was laid to
Northampton.
• He died peacefully on 8th December, 2001.

11. Outline Story: Shahid and his family
• Shahid lived in America, with his brother
Iqbal and two sisters Hena and Sameetah.
• His parents lived in Srinagar. He spent the
summer months with them every year.

12. Outline Story: His stay in America
• Shahid had been staying in Manhattan, New
York, USA.
• Here, he had a sudden blackout in February,
2000.
• He had undergone several tests that
revealed that he had a dangerous brain
tumour.

13. Outline Story: His stay in America
• He decided to move to Brooklyn to be close
to his youngest sister Sameetah who was a
teacher at the Pratt Institute – a few blocks
away from the street where the writer lived.
• He lived on the seventh floor of a newly
renovated building. His apartment was airy
and spacious.

14. Outline Story:
• There would be always some half dozen or
more people gathered inside – poets,
students, writers, relatives and in the
kitchen, someone would always be cooking
or making tea.
• Till the very end of his life, it was the centre
of an endless mela of talk, laughter, food
and poetry.

15. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• The writer knew Shahid long before he met
him. An expatriate from Kashmir who
studied in Delhi University.
• A common friend put him in touch with
Shahid. They had several conversations on
the phone in 1998 & 1999 and even met a
couple of times but they were no more
acquaintances until Shahid moved to
Brooklyn.

16. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• Shahid and the writer were now in the
same neighbourhood. Since they had
common friends and common tastes, they
became good friends.

17. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• Shahid spoke to the writer the first time
about his approaching death on 25th April
2001. He comforted and consoled him
saying that he would be fine. He had to be
strong.
• Amitav realized that Shahid wanted him to
remember not by the memory but through
the written words.

18. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• Finally the writer promised to do the best
he could. He picked up his pen and started
to note down everything he remembered
of his conversation to keep his promise.

19. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• Shahid was admitted to hospital on 21 May,
2001.

20. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid
• He became very weak and could hardly
stand. The writer met Shahid last on 27
October and Shahid died on 8 December
2001. The writer feels the void without
Shahid.

21. Outline Story: Amitav and Shahid

22. The End