Babu's dog
In "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," Babu's dog symbolizes subservience and control. Babu wants to have a dog so that he can exert over it, perhaps due to a lack of power he feels in his own life.
The City
For Bose in "Indigo," the city represents commotion and chaos, which he doesn't identify with and wants to escape from. For this reason, he often took short trips "far away from the hectic life of Calcutta from time to time."
The light in the house
In "Indigo" when Bose is stranded at the side of the road, he begins to lose hope. However, as his surroundings darken he becomes aware of a "rectangle of orange light." He quickly realizes that this light belongs to a nearby house and that he has some hope of getting back on track with his journey. As such, the light in the house ultimately represents hope.
Calcutta
Calcutta is a motif found in many of Ray's stories, which is not surprising considering he was born there. He describes the scenery and culture of Calcutta using imagery and detailed description, bringing the city to life in his stories.
Colonialism
Colonialism and its repercussions are key motifs of Ray's stories. Ray often writes about the colonization of India, the relationship between England and India in modern times, and the impact it has had on Indian culture.
