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Chapter Four
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The world was convulsed after the first world war. Europe was in flames, and in India, the British Raj, was having its own problems. The story revolves round the twenties of the Twentieth Century. In America, it was the roaring twenties. England was mourning its dead soldiers. The viceroy in New Delhi ruled supreme over the subcontinent, called India.
In the North East, the Englishmen, had their tea estates, and Bengal was constantly on the boil. Among its thinkers were men like Tagore. In the north, Kanpur was called Cawnpore. The Indian Royal Army was having its cantonment. On the hills of Siliguri all was quiet and calm. The English, needed their morning tea, and the humble tiller was giving it to them. Hari Prasad Bhardwaj, was one of them. He had set his homestead, up in the hills of Sikkim, his devoted wife Saraswati, kept the house, while her husband was in the tea estates, earning for their daily bread. Gopal had just been born and was two years old. The sky was clouded, and it was June. She was expecting her second child, and later this year, she would give birth to her second child. He was born on 18th of December and the year was 1920. Hari, had taken leave, and come home. Vikram, they called him, and the little child, was the reward of his father's hard work. Vikram grew as years rolled on.
Hardly two years elapsed, Saraswati was again with child. The year was 1922, and the Indian intelligentia, were gearing their minds, to seek independence from Britain. Hume had founded the Congress, and stalwarts like Motilal Nehru, and his companions were discussing how to pressurize Great Britain, from relinquishing their beloved country. Saraswati and Hari, were oblivious of what was going on in the North West. While Hari, was in the tea gardens, Saraswati, was busy looking after Gopal and now Vikram. On 23rd April, 1922, Saraswati, brought a beautiful girl into this world. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and Hari was sanctioned leave to come home, and they celebrated the coming of new life into their home, and in the naming ceremony, they called this child Shanti. Sikkim skies were blue, and peace reigned supreme, in the hearts of the people.
The summer passed, the rains came and went, and life went on. Years rolled on, and the children grew, and so too Hari and Saraswati. On one of his trips to Siliguri, Hari got acquainted with someone, who would bind his family to theirs. His name was Barun Battacharya. He had a house in Siliguri, and traded in agricultural produce. Hari, became a good friend of Barun, and visited his house when he found time from his work. Barun's wife Rukhmini Devi, would attend on the two men, and make refreshments and snacks for them, as they chatted about all their problems and how to solve them. The year was 1936 and one day, when Hari was with Barun, in their courtyard, sitting on the 'charpoi' a wooden bedstand, as found in the villages, a beautiful girl of 16, with a long plait, shaking on her back, skipped and came in and said to them, 'namaste', and went into the house. Hari was suddenly taken aback, and started thinking of his daughter Shanti, and his mind wandered back to Sikkim. Barun jolted him back to the present, and said,
"Hey Hari, what are you thinking? She is my only daughter, Radha. She has just returned from school."
Hari had to listen to the proud father, recounting all the qualities of his daughter, and Hari too told Barun of his life in Sikkim, and this family there. He told them, that his eldest son Gopal had grown, and he had sent him to England. His other son Vikram and his daughter Shanti too were far advanced in their studies. Hari's mind could not get rid of the thought of Radha, as she had made a deep impression on him.
After some time, Radha came out, and was telling her father, that she wants to go out and meet the children in the orphanage, and see how she can help them. Soon, she went down the hill and disappeard from their view. Hari asked Barun, more about his daughter, and he told him, that he would like to seal their friendship, by offering him his son Gopal as his son in law. Barun knew, that Hari was doing well, and his son would come from England, and his daughter too was well educated, and she would do fine with a husband like this one.
In the night, Barun spoke to his wife Rukhmini, about what Hari had told him. She too was in agreement, that Radha had grown to a marriageable age, and this proposal of Hari would be a good one. They had now to convince Radha.
It took some time, for the young girl to understand what it would entail, to leave her happy life, binding herself to a man. She had seen her mother and father. She had seen the neighbors, and their families. Marriage was not a bad idea, but if one does not prepare for it, one will find the problems which she saw in the orphanage. Parents who can not look after their children, and when they leave them stranded, the society takes up the slack. Radha took up this matter seriously and thought about it. She finally said to her father "Father, I know you mean well. Do you think I should get married immediately?"
The father replied, "No my girl. Gopal is in England, doing his studies. When he comes down, we could have the wedding." The year was 1935.
Previous Chapter
Next Chapter
The world was convulsed after the first world war. Europe was in flames, and in India, the British Raj, was having its own problems. The story revolves round the twenties of the Twentieth Century. In America, it was the roaring twenties. England was mourning its dead soldiers. The viceroy in New Delhi ruled supreme over the subcontinent, called India.
In the North East, the Englishmen, had their tea estates, and Bengal was constantly on the boil. Among its thinkers were men like Tagore. In the north, Kanpur was called Cawnpore. The Indian Royal Army was having its cantonment. On the hills of Siliguri all was quiet and calm. The English, needed their morning tea, and the humble tiller was giving it to them. Hari Prasad Bhardwaj, was one of them. He had set his homestead, up in the hills of Sikkim, his devoted wife Saraswati, kept the house, while her husband was in the tea estates, earning for their daily bread. Gopal had just been born and was two years old. The sky was clouded, and it was June. She was expecting her second child, and later this year, she would give birth to her second child. He was born on 18th of December and the year was 1920. Hari, had taken leave, and come home. Vikram, they called him, and the little child, was the reward of his father's hard work. Vikram grew as years rolled on.
Hardly two years elapsed, Saraswati was again with child. The year was 1922, and the Indian intelligentia, were gearing their minds, to seek independence from Britain. Hume had founded the Congress, and stalwarts like Motilal Nehru, and his companions were discussing how to pressurize Great Britain, from relinquishing their beloved country. Saraswati and Hari, were oblivious of what was going on in the North West. While Hari, was in the tea gardens, Saraswati, was busy looking after Gopal and now Vikram. On 23rd April, 1922, Saraswati, brought a beautiful girl into this world. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and Hari was sanctioned leave to come home, and they celebrated the coming of new life into their home, and in the naming ceremony, they called this child Shanti. Sikkim skies were blue, and peace reigned supreme, in the hearts of the people.
The summer passed, the rains came and went, and life went on. Years rolled on, and the children grew, and so too Hari and Saraswati. On one of his trips to Siliguri, Hari got acquainted with someone, who would bind his family to theirs. His name was Barun Battacharya. He had a house in Siliguri, and traded in agricultural produce. Hari, became a good friend of Barun, and visited his house when he found time from his work. Barun's wife Rukhmini Devi, would attend on the two men, and make refreshments and snacks for them, as they chatted about all their problems and how to solve them. The year was 1936 and one day, when Hari was with Barun, in their courtyard, sitting on the 'charpoi' a wooden bedstand, as found in the villages, a beautiful girl of 16, with a long plait, shaking on her back, skipped and came in and said to them, 'namaste', and went into the house. Hari was suddenly taken aback, and started thinking of his daughter Shanti, and his mind wandered back to Sikkim. Barun jolted him back to the present, and said,
"Hey Hari, what are you thinking? She is my only daughter, Radha. She has just returned from school."
Hari had to listen to the proud father, recounting all the qualities of his daughter, and Hari too told Barun of his life in Sikkim, and this family there. He told them, that his eldest son Gopal had grown, and he had sent him to England. His other son Vikram and his daughter Shanti too were far advanced in their studies. Hari's mind could not get rid of the thought of Radha, as she had made a deep impression on him.
After some time, Radha came out, and was telling her father, that she wants to go out and meet the children in the orphanage, and see how she can help them. Soon, she went down the hill and disappeard from their view. Hari asked Barun, more about his daughter, and he told him, that he would like to seal their friendship, by offering him his son Gopal as his son in law. Barun knew, that Hari was doing well, and his son would come from England, and his daughter too was well educated, and she would do fine with a husband like this one.
In the night, Barun spoke to his wife Rukhmini, about what Hari had told him. She too was in agreement, that Radha had grown to a marriageable age, and this proposal of Hari would be a good one. They had now to convince Radha.
It took some time, for the young girl to understand what it would entail, to leave her happy life, binding herself to a man. She had seen her mother and father. She had seen the neighbors, and their families. Marriage was not a bad idea, but if one does not prepare for it, one will find the problems which she saw in the orphanage. Parents who can not look after their children, and when they leave them stranded, the society takes up the slack. Radha took up this matter seriously and thought about it. She finally said to her father "Father, I know you mean well. Do you think I should get married immediately?"
The father replied, "No my girl. Gopal is in England, doing his studies. When he comes down, we could have the wedding." The year was 1935.
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