Baba's significance within Clear Light of Day

In the book Clear Light of Day by Aniita Desai, Baba is the youngest child of the Das family. He was born when the mother seemed to be aged, because of this he was born with disabilities and mental developmant problems. While growing up, Baba took a long time to learn to walk and he never quite learned to speak. It was their aunt,Mira, who took an intrest in him as a child because his mother thought of him as a distraction from her "bridge" games. Aunt Mira thought him how to dress himself and become somewhat independant. she gave him some pebbles as toys when he was young as toys and Baba still had them, and still played with them even when he was a grown man.
Although Baba is very quite in the book, his presence is always felt. His playing with the pebbles, by scattering them and gathering them up again, was a constant sound within the book. It was stated on page 62 that "Everyone in the household knew the sound they (the pebbles) as he scattered them across the tiles. . .  It was the sound of the house, as much as the contented muttering of the pigeons on the veranda. it gave time a continuity and regularity that the ticking of a clock in the hall might convey in other homes". Here we are able to see that Baba's presence is indeed felt as it is part of the make-up of the Das family's home.
We are again able to see Baba's quite role when Bim is waiting up for Tara to return from one of the outings with the Misra sisters. Bim is waiting on the veranda and Baba is there with her, playing with his pebbles. Baba serves as a type of companionship or friend for Bim in this scene.
Baba is also significant in that he has taken over his fathers role at the office upon his death. The role was originally intended for Raja, but he adamantly refused to walk in his fathers footsteps. Raja then suggest that Baba deal with the paper-work. Upon hearing this, Bim ridicules Raja for even suggestiing such a thing knowing Baba's state. The clerks who worked under the father however stated that Baba would not really need to come to the office because the father rarely did anything but sign papers. all the work was left up to the clerks. Baba is significant here because, in a sense, he has taken over his fathers role as provider for the family, although he is not really aware of this fact.
Baba's presence is also impertant as a source of comfort for Bim. This is seen when Baba plays music on his record player at a very loud volume. she seems to prefer the noise to the quite of the house. It serves as a distraction from all her worries.
We are able to see Baba's significance in the book because he serves as a source of distraction for bim and a comforting presence. He is a very big part of their lives because his presence and little noises are a part of the make up of the house. Baba is also needed because he has stepped in, albeit, unknowingly, into his fathers role at the office and, in my view, family provider.