Bipu and the Curious Case of Camphor

 

Bipu and the Curious Case of Camphor

Pallapuram Prabakaran

 

In a small village lived a cheerful seven-year-old boy named Bipu. Every morning—even on Sundays—he woke up early, filled with excitement for the day ahead. He had a little routine he loved dearly. After brushing his teeth and taking a refreshing bath, he would stand outside the house to pray to the rising sun.

Facing east, he lifted his hands toward the sky. Closing his bright, beautiful eyes, he felt the warmth of the morning light. To him, the Sun was powerful, magical, and full of blessings. With a heart full of devotion, he chanted his favourite Surya mantra:

“Vakrathunda Mahakaya, Sooriyakodi Samapprava,

Nirviknam Gurume Deva, Sarva Kaaresu Sarvathaam.”

“And this steam is the third state—gas.”
and back again:
Gas → Liquid → Solid.

This was his way of connecting with the mighty Sun God—who, he believed, brought light, strength, and joy to the world.

One particular Sunday, just as he finished his prayers, Bipu noticed something strange in the sky. The sun tried to shine brightly, but dark clouds were playing hide-and-seek with its rays. It looked as if the darkness had borrowed a little light from the sun, yet couldn’t brighten the sky fully.

Curious, Bipu went inside. His father was in the pooja room, and Bipu quietly joined him. The fragrant smoke of sambirani and agarbathi filled the house, creating a peaceful and divine atmosphere. As his father lit a piece of camphor, the tiny flame danced brightly.

Bipu watched it closely. When the camphor burned completely and vanished, a question popped into his mind.

“Dad, why do sambirani and agarbathi produce smoke when they burn, but camphor disappears without a trace?”

His father smiled gently—he loved these curious questions.

He walked to the kitchen, took twelve ice cubes from the refrigerator, and placed them in a pan.

“What is this?” he asked playfully.

“Ice cubes!” Bipu replied eagerly.

“Correct! This is the first state of matter—solid.”

As they watched, the ice slowly melted into water.

“Now look. It’s water—the second state of matter—liquid.”

Then he placed the pan on the stove. Soon the water began to boil, and steam rose into the air.

“Appa, the water is boiling! It reached 100°C!” Bipu exclaimed.

His father nodded proudly.

Understanding flashed in Bipu’s eyes.

“So… camphor jumps from solid to gas without becoming liquid?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes!” his father said. “That process is called sublimation. The flow of states usually goes:

Solid → Liquid → Gas

But some substances, like camphor, skip the liquid stage.”

Bipu felt delighted. The mystery was solved!

“Thank you, Dad. Now I understand!”

As their conversation ended, Bipu looked outside. The sun had finally broken through the clouds, lighting up everything with golden warmth. Bipu felt grateful—grateful for his father’s wisdom and grateful for the powerful sun that guided him each day.

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