London, Aug. 12 :    London, Aug. 12:  Nirad Chaudhuri?s beloved books, paintings and the rest of his estate are to be ?given as a gift to the people of Bengal?, his youngest son, Prithvi Narayan Chaudhuri, has decided. In his last will, signed, sealed and lodged this January with Henmans, his solicitors in Oxford, Chaudhuri left his entire estate to 60-year-old Prithvi. Today, from 20 Lathbury Road, which had been his father?s home for 30 years, Prithvi explained his decision: ?My father was a Bengali; he was always first a Bengali, and then an Indian.? Prithvi, who has already announced he is taking back part of his father?s ashes to India for immersion at Devaprayag, also emphasised his own ties with Calcutta. ?I could live anywhere in the world but I always return to Calcutta. That is my home.? Ideally, Prithvi would like some kind of a museum-cum-memorial-cum-library to be set up in Calcutta so that anyone interested in Chaudhuri?s works can pay a visit or engage in further research. Currently, the author?s belongings are laid out at Lathbury Road. In the front room are his red academic gown, his hats, his walking sticks, his many books (some rare first editions), paintings and music collection. In the kitchen are the wine glasses which the old man would lovingly polish before lecturing English guests on why they should be held always by the stem, never the bowl. Upstairs are his suits anddhotis . Chaudhuri never owned the property which was rented to him by University College, Oxford, but friends would like a blue plaque to be erected outside to commemorate its illustrious former resident. Moved by Prithvi?s gesture, deputy Indian high commissioner Hardeep Singh Puri is taking responsibility for facilitating the transfer of the author?s belongings to Calcutta. As acting high commissioner in Lalit Mansingh?s absence, he attended the funeral last Thursday and read out President K.R. Narayanan?s tribute to Chaudhuri. The President?s message had said: ?In the passing away of Nirad Chaudhuri the world has lost an intellect of the rarest sparkle. His knowledge of the life and mores of undivided Bengal, of Bengali and Sanskrit literature, of our ancient epics and classics was matched by his fluency in the languages and literatures of the West.? Puri said: ?The fact that the President sent a message shows there is no question of any rancour.? According to Puri, it was entirely appropriate that the author was, in an emotional and spiritual sense, going home. ?Unfortunately, some people have judged him by reading not even half an inch of his books, but merely the dedication in The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian. The fact is that he was a Bengali at heart. That he chose to leave this world in a dhoti shows he was a real Bengali.? Puri said he was re-reading the handwritten transcript of Chaudhuri?s 1997 address at the Nehru Centre when he was awarded an honorary degree by Visva Bharati. ?Even at 99, he was absolutely brilliant.? He supported Prithvi?s decision to send his father?s books and belongings to Calcutta. ?This will complete the circle and remove any misunderstanding that might have occurred in the past.?