Escaping from the city
In "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," Ashamanja decides to escape from the city for a while, after requests to see his laughing dog. He takes a taxi to Port Canning, and describes how he spent a day "in quiet bamboo groves and mango orchards and felt greatly refreshed."The imagery used in this description suggests peace and serenity, emphasizing Ashamanja's mood.
The Journey
Bose uses imagery in "Indigo" to describe the drive from Calcutta to Dumka, commenting on the beautiful landscapes and scenery:
"But from there on, as the car emerged into open country, the effect was magical. Where in the city did one get to see such a clear blue sky free from chimney smoke, and breathe air so pure and so redolent of the smell of earth?"
This passage ultimately emphasizes Bose's discomfort with city life and his connection to his childhood. It also suggests that there is something "magical" about his surroundings, foreshadowing the supernatural events later in the story.
A Storm is brewing, from "Indigo"
On the journey, Bose has a terrible feeling that a storm is approaching:
"The cool breeze which was blowing even an hour ago, and was making the bamboo trees sway, had stopped. Now everything was still. As I got back into the car I noticed a blue-black patch in the west above the treetops. Clouds. Was a storm brewing up?"
Ray's use of imagery here prefigures the storm that is about to occur. It creates a sense of foreboding, hinting that something bad is about to happen.
