Part 10: Bonditha’s higher class problems, clash with Sampoorna
Bondita summer holidays are going to complete and a competitive exam is conducted all over the state where they get a promotion to the next class directly.
She along with Bhatuk have done an excellent hard work and Anirudh helped them and Bonditha got a seat in 9th standard. He has appreciated her “Bravo Bonditha” But she felt scared to go to 9th standard directly her old friends will no be there. Bhatuk has lost it in 2 marks still he appreciated his boudi for her hard work.
Anirudh made her understand that having nostalgic feeling of past class, past friends is quite common, but we have to move on. She accepted it. Binoy unable to accept Bhatuk securing less marks than Bonditha sent him to Boarding school in Siluguri.
Bonditha has started to go to 9th class in Tulsipur school. Jayant master also got transferred to other school, but now she is facing other problems in new class. The class boys are elder in age, spoiled brats and feel superior to Bonditha. Some boys constantly used to gaze at her. She felt highly uncomfortable with this. Bhatuk is also not there to share this with him. Once she is about to go to Sampoorna room, but when she is about to knock her room late in the night, Trilochan saw this, stopped her and commanded her to go and sleep in her room immediately. Due to this loneliness, she is unable to focus on new subjects.
Next day, when Anirudh came from court and after his meeting finished with co lawyers in study room, she sat under the table ( Muh phulake). Anirudh understood that something is bothering her and asked her the reason. She told that she is feeling very lonely, as Bhatuk went away, Sampoorna is always busy in household works or with her husband works. She is not sharing her room with me. Earlier Tupur didi also not shared her room. I don’t know why my sisters are avoiding me. Why Somnath jamayi Babu always want his wife to stay in his room. Even Gowri kaki also used to love me, but she has also not came and slept with me. I feel so lonely. Nobody are there to share my feelings. I have no friends.”
Anirudh understood her pain and told that “ I understand you Bonditha, treat me as your friend. You can tell me any problem.” Bonditha asked him not to scold me if I say anything he smilingly assured her that he will not scold.”
Bonditha immediately asked “I have observed that all women share rooms with their husbands. So why can’t you come and stay in my room or why can’t I come and stay in your room? Actually Gowri kaki sasuma many times told that in future we should also share room, I should take care of you, and keep your things neatly, I should fulfill all your desires..” Anirudh immediately shouted on her, not to say a word . He controlled himself, requested her in low tone not to say a word more. Her thoughts and late Gowri teachings irked him, stammered for a while not knowing what to answer.
Bonditha continued asking when all husband wives are sharing room, why can’t we. Anirudh closed his eyes for a while, and asked her to come and sit in sofa, bent near to her and told “ Today in our society, girls are getting married much earlier, they are given responsibilities beyond their age, eligibility. This has to be changed. Some lawyers are striving hard to bring an abolition act against child marriages. You are also struggling hard to pursue education, you have broken the stereotypes and going to school for getting educated. Am I right?” Bonditha nodded.
He continued “So you should set an example to the entire society that this age is to study hard and not to get married and perform any customs or wife responsibilities. By staying alone in room, you will gain courage to fight with any fear. If any necessity comes, come and knock my room. I will help you. Is that fine? Now don’t think on unnecessary matters, go and get books. It is time to do homework.”She left. Anirudh thought that he should be very careful as she is growing now, I should take extra care in all aspects.
Trilochan heard their conversation, looked at his late wife Gowri photo and recollected an incident after Hiramandi track. Once Trilochan asked Gowri that we shall call pandit and arrange their suhaagraat. Gowri requested him not to do immediately. He shouted on her “What are you talking Gowri? They got married long time before, now Bonditha bahu doesn’t have bed wetting problem. Why can’t we arrange it immediately. Anirudh day by day is making his wife like him, he is teaching vilaayat fitoori (foreign culture craziness of getting educated) to bahu, all the villagers are gossiping. Because she is RC bahu, no one are creating problem, else this is a punishable fault in perspective of them. So to stop all this, we should tie them in relationship immediately.”
Gowri replied “ How can we tie, when bahu has not entered womanhood. After Brijwasi betrayal, with much difficult Somnath Anirudh have forgotten everything. If we do anything against their wish, everything will be a major problem. All will come to know that Anirudh Bonditha have not become husband wife completely, recently they are spending lot of time for studying. Slowly Anirudh will get attracted to his wife. The minute Bonditha enters womanhood, we will arrange a grand ritual, they will do puja and arrange suhaag raat for them. We should take care that our children and bahus will not go out of our hand. I have raised Anirudh, if he takes any decision fiercely, shubra will not excuse me. Please understand the situation.” Trilochan reluctantly nodded and this incident is recollected by him by looking at Gowri’s photo. He is thinking how to make their relationship complete.
Initially Sampoorna didn’t have problem with Bonditha and she used to be busy in each of their daily activities. Sampoorna parents have started borrowing money from other people using rcs name. When they asked to lend their money back, mama mami used to speak harshly and threaten them with rcs name. This is observed by Bonditha and mama mami also seen her.
Bonditha immediately went and told this to Trilochan, Binoy. At the same time villagers also came and described the entire matter. Mama, mami are called immediately and they are asked to pay the money else will call police. They are scared and paid the debts by giving their ornaments. They assured that remaining amount will be paid soon. Trilochan ordered all the villagers, money lender not to give money and they won’t be responsible for their debts. They all agreed, taunted Sampoorna parents and left. Trilochan also rebuked on them and asked them to leave Tulsipur and go immediately. But they begged him by touching his feet, he warned them that next time he is not going to spare them anymore. This incident made Sampoorna get annoyed in Bonditha
She personally confronted Bonditha for exposing her parents. Bonditha replied “They are cheating people by taking money from them and using our RC family name. It is an insult to our family. You know mama, mami can do anything for money. They have taken money and jewelry from my mother.”
Sampoorna shouted on Bonditha to stop and blamed that she has forgotten her values and blaming my parents who gave shelter to you and your mother. You will also feel the same pain if your mother is insulted here in my parents place. With much difficulty, I have got an opportunity to live a life, I didn’t expect this from you that you cannot bear my happiness. Sasurji will always demean me from now.”
Bonditha tried to explain but Sampoorna left from there with tears. Somnath has seen sampoorna coming out with tears and got suspicious. Bonditha also cried for Sampoorna misunderstanding her.
Somnath asked Sampoorna “Why are you crying, what is the reason.” She tried to rub off but thought in mind “ it is important for me to have my Patibabu sympathy because Trilochan sasurji will keep on taunting me.” She faked tears and told that my parents borrowed money for the treatment of my maternal grand mother who is not well, they told villagers that they are RC family relatives and will not cheat anyone.
But Bonditha misunderstood it, came and told Trilochan sasurji, Binoy sasurji that my parents are borrowing money by using RC name and your father, uncle have insulted them. Even she got financial help of Anirudh till some time before to Sumati Peshi by giving her a job to look after mango farms. But now she is not understanding my parents problem. My parents have faced many insults when she exposed them infront of all. This can be solved within our family. What is the necessity to tell infront of outsiders. This is my fate. I always get tears. I don’t have happiness.”
He felt uncomfortable for Bonditha telling all this to elders, but still controlled his feelings. He told Sampoorna “ If your parents need any money, you directly tell that to me. I will manage. Ask them to bring your grandmother here only so that I will look after her treatment. Is that ok?” Sampoorna immediately touched his feet and praised him that you are a lord to me. He lifted her up and wiped her tears. ( First touch). He asked her not to belittle herself and feel sad. She felt happy.
On the other hand, Bonditha is having biology class. The topic is about human body functioning, etc. Master also felt uncomfortable for discussing this topic because of Bonditha. He asked the students except Bonditha to come in groups and explained the lesson. He slowly whispered the lesson, they all understood and some were giving weird looks to Bonditha.
He completed teaching to all the boys and is about to leave. Bonditha stopped him and asked to teach her also. Boys are mocking from back. Master gave a frowned look and asked her to read the topic by herself only. He taunted “Do you want me to explain all these infront of boys? What do you think of yourself? Why do you come to school for studying? If you are so ambitious, you could have sit in home and pursue education. That will be a respectful for zamindari family bahu.” Saying so, he left, this time all the boys have bursted out with laughter. Bonditha unable to take insult came back to home with tears.
Trilochan, Binoy saw this. Bonditha locked herself in room and cried to the core. They asked Sampoorna to talk to her. Sampoorna asked her to open door .
After a while, Bonditha opened and Sampoorna asked the reason. She told the reason and Trilochan, Binoy also heard it. They fumed with anger and declared that she need not continue her education any more. We are not going to accept any more insult of our bahu. She felt worried and prayed Durga maa to find a way for this problem.
In evening, when Anirudh came all sat angrily. Bonditha’s face turned into red , crying on sampoorna’s shoulder. he got worried and asked the reason. They asked the women to go inside and explained the reason. Trilochan lashed on Anirudh that he is the reason for this insult and declared that Bonditha will not continue her education any more. Anirudh rejected this idea and told that she will continue going to school at any cost and I will talk with teacher about it. They left fuming.
When Anirudh came to Bonditha’s room, Sampoorna is also there trying to console her. Anirudh assured that he will talk to her and Sampoorna left. He asked her to tell what she feel about it. She told that she cannot face the master, students anymore, cannot face the same class environment anymore. Saying so, she closed her eyes. Anirudh asked “ so you are going to leave your ambition for this insult. This insult has become bigger than ambition. Am I right?” Bonditha said “ No, I don’t want to stop studying. But I don’t want to face the, at the same time.”
Anirudh wiped her tears, made her drink water and asked her to wash face. When she came from washroom, he asked her to sit. He took Bonditha’s hands in his hands, asked her to remember her bed wetting problem. Asked her to recollect what did he teach at that time. She told that “ We should not runaway from fear, nightmares. We should confront it and defeat it. We should not let fear have victory on us.”
Anirudh asked “ so what are you trying to do now? Will you accept the fear gain victory on you or you will gain victory on your fear.” She told that “I don’t want fear to gain victory on me. But everyone are speaking harshly that it is my mistake to go to school for studying. Master asked me to sit in home and study. The fact is even he is feeling uncomfortable to teach me. What can I do?”
Anirudh assured that he will teach her, he will also speak with master. Bonditha asked “ Don’t teach me, it is a dirty topic. That is why Master is not teaching me. I feel ashamed to learn about it.” Saying so, she closed her face with pillow sitting on bed. Anirudh sat on knees, smoothly removed pillow and told :
“This is not a topic to feel ashamed. It is a human body. Don’t you want to know how our body works. Infact it is a very important topic. Nothing is clumsy.” But Bonditha refused to learn about it and she told clearly that she don’t want to learn it from him. Anirudh also got irritated but thinking how to teach this to her. She asked him to leave.
Next day she didn’t go to school. Trilochan felt happy and expressed that bahu is listening to us. She is not coming into Anirudh’s fitoori. He proudly told Anirudh that “Bonditha bahu is a smart girl. She understood the situation and gave up her stubbornness.”
Anirudh didn’t say anything and asked her to come into study room immediately. She came inside and he kept one letter there. The letter mentioned to look for tape recorder and instructions to start it. He locked the study room from outside. She played the tape recorder. Also in study room, the pictures of human body, animals are there. When the tape recorder is started “ Bonditha! Without listening the complete tape, you are not supposed to off it. It is a promise on me. I will punish myself if you don’t listen the tape completely and carefully.” She thought that why Patibabu is so adamant. Why can’t he listen to me.
The tape continued “Bonditha! You are growing. It is important to know how a body works. Else how can you know if You are healthy or not. Listen to each and every topic carefully by keeping your textbook, pictures aside. ....”
She completely listened the class, felt amazed and useful to learn about it. Also felt guilty for her foolish behavior. Anirudh is wandering outside study room so tensed.
Trilochan is trying to discourage him that Bonditha bahu will not come into his words now, give up your stubbornness. Just then, Bonditha knocked from inside, apologized Anirudh by holding ears and told that this topic is very useful. I will not feel ashamed any more. But raised her doubt of how to face them.
Anirudh smilingly asked “is there any mistake from your side” she said no. He said then why do you feel ashamed to face them, your master and the boys who laughed at you also have mother, sister and daughter. If they laugh at you, it means that they are laughing on their house women.
She asked “ will you come and scold them, then none will point finger on me." He said "No you will talk to them, you will teach them a lesson, you should also gain courage to solve your problem"
Trilochan expressed his disgust " Wah Anirudh! Bondita bahu is a woman, she should stay in home, you are trying to make her a sherni. Why? Won't you feel peaceful unless our rc family is completely insulted in society? Till then you want to do these adventures." Bondita replied " No ksj, I will reply them in such a way that no one will raise finger on me and our family. You don't worry" saying so, she went to get ready for school,
Trilochan asked “Are you leaving our deer like bahu in deep forest where wild animals will be there?” Anirudh replied “No kaka, I will also go, but Bonditha will not be knowing my presence, this is necessary for her to face them and give them a tight slap like reply” kaka told that he will also come, but Anirudh insisted that Bonditha should not know about our presence there. Trilochan reluctantly agreed.
Bonditha went to school. All her class students are enjoying in play ground. One boy purposefully thrown basketball 🏀 on her. Others laughed at her. Trilochan and Anirudh who secretly came behind, Trilochan is about to go but Anirudh stopped him.
The boy named Dhanunjay asked "Why did you come Bonditha? Yesterday’s insult is not enough for you. These kind of insults will keep on repeating. How long can you continue? Listen to me, go back to home, do service to your husband. This is our place. Only we can survive.not you.”
Bonditha thrown the ball into basketball net without missing target and told “I am a girl. It doesn’t mean that you can insult me and I am ready to bear your insult. Yesterday I felt scared, that doesn’t mean that I will stop coming to school. I will definitely come, study and achieve success. No obstacle can stop me.”
Other boy Sarat asked “Even Master has refused to teach you, he feels that you are inferior. How can you study without master’s help?”
She replied “Sarat, I will talk to master, you need not worry about it. I will make sure that he will teach me along with you in class.”
All the boys laughed at once.Here Trilochan is fuming with anger that “I will not spare these mischievous boys. I will make them out of Tulsipur.”
Anirudh is stopping him with great difficulty. There Bonditha replied “Don’t worry friends, my Patibabu gave me courage to come to school and study. Like all other subject teachers, biology master will also teach me in class.”
Another boy asked “so are you ready to listen infrontof us.” She said “Why not Niranjan? You have an elder sister Anjali, I have seen near Durga maa temple that you and your sister always share Prasad, play in farm lands. When her foot is hurt, you have tied cloth in farm lands. Now at that time, have you felt ashamed of your sister Anjali.”
She turned to Dhanunjay and asked “Dhanunjay, I know your parents have passed away, so your Dida is taking care of you. She is working in fields to produce crops. Remember that her body also functions in the same way which you are making fun of it, think of your Dida once before you make fun of any girl”
She came to Sarat and told “ Sarat, I saw your mother has given birth to your brother recently. Like told in lesson, she has also faced many hardships to give birth To you and your brother. Before making fun of any girl, you all guys think of your house women, who are also women. If you won’t respect outside women, how will your house women get respect in society”
Dhanunjay ego is extremely hurt and shouted on her “ My Dida and house women of our friends are pure, they are not like you to come outside and compete with men to get educated. You and your husband are foolish people to think of extreme adventures. Durga ma will never forgive you.”
Bonditha replied “When necessity came, Durga maa herself took kali roop and destroyed demons. If necessity comes, I can also take kali roop. But I will not stop my education. (Pointing finger to Dhanunjay) Don’t you dare to speak a word against my husband. Like lord Shivji gave half of his body to maa Parvati he also gave me equal importance in all things. He gave me wings to fly. I have gained courage with his help only”
Saying so, she left. Trilochan asked “Is it necessary for RC bahu to face these gunda men.” Anirudh replied “When RC bahu can show the courage, all the women in society can also show the same courage to stand up against atrocities they are facing” he thought that these boys seemed to be bit dangerous, I need to teach Bonditha self defense techniques from today onwards.
He called peon without knowledge of Trilochan, gave money and asked to take care of Bonditha, if any problem comes call to me. Saying so, he gave his study room phone number, court phone number.peon nodded.
Bonditha met biology master in library room and told that she learnt about the topics of human body functioning and all. Master asked “Why are you so stubborn. I don’t want to hurt you. You are like my daughter Payal. If you are willing to study hard, sit in home and study, how can I teach you all these infront of boys. They are also in growing age. Try to understand and stop coming to school.”
Bonditha asked “Does payal have brothers masterji?”
He replied “2 brothers - one is elder and other is younger, why did you ask?”
She replied softly “ Masterji, I am happy that you told me that I am like your daughter. If necessity comes, will you not teach your daughter. Will your sons not learn what all stages will their sister go through in life.How can she know about her body. Every human has similar bones, flesh, blood, muscles. The difference in body parts between man and woman is because woman will have to feed babies, give life. If mother will not feed milk, can a baby survive. Please don’t feel little of motherhood. This kind of thinking has to be changed. Please masterji, if you show courage to teach me and make boys quiet, many of them will keep quiet.”
She folded hands, touched his feet. He lifted and blessed her and promised that" I will not feel ashamed to teach. It is my mistake. First of all,I should see motherhood in every woman than acknowledging and. Criticizing her being a woman. You taught me the way of thinking Bonditha, I am proud of you."
On that day onwards, biology master is teaching in presence of Bonditha, insisting on point to boys that we should see mother and sister in woman. In future many women will come and study in school. Some boys felt ashamed for laughing. But Dhanunjay, niranjan and Sarat have developed jealousy towards Bonditha.
School decided to arrange sports function, they have called Mahatma Gandhi as chief guest . These 3 boys tried their level best to discourage her, but with Anirudh’s help and motivation she wore pant shirt and won prizes in running race, basketball, essay competitions. Dhanunjay is best player in basketball but first time he is defeated by Bonditha. Meanwhile, Anirudh also taught her self defense and asked her to carry Pepper powder with her.
Sampoorna parents while working In fields, using cheap quality seeds to save money and want to snatch the left amount. Once Bonditha on the way to school saw mami purchasing cheap quality seeds. She stopped her, and this is also seen by Trilochan. He is highly disgusted by Sampoorna parents.
At the same time, they also came to know mama tried to snatch money from Binoy office. Trilochan finally decided to send them back to Devipur village.
Somnath also understood the situation told that he will send money on monthly basis, not to come to Tulsipur anymore and use their name. But with soft voice only, he explained Sampoorna that her parents are crossing limits. Even she will also feel ashamed of them. So it is necessary for them to leave tulsipur.
But Sampoorna with tears rebuked “Yes, only because of my parents RC family will have bad name. Else everyone are good. Bonditha has become a laughing stock in entire tulsipur, daily she is facing new insults in school, everyone are talking about her adamant nature for going to school. But still RC family will not have any stain because of this. Only because of me and my parents RC family will have stain.” She’s left with tears. Somnath also offended by her words, because recently they are coming close and he started liking her, thinking to pacify her in any way.
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