times are changing as the sun moves in horizon.
''vivah krne ki do shrte hen...pheli handi bhrke roshgulle khneoko chie roz dusri ye ki ma sath rhe gi,puri nhi ki srthe toh bondita doli chdegi kya?''- a unspoken voice cursed her
''meine tay krdiya hei uski vivah,barrister nhi grihita bnegi bondita...''she smirked forwading the best heed.
''app esa kuch nhi krne wali thakuma,itna chla kapt krkr kya laav,,use apni uchiyan chune dijye...mein vinati krta hun''
''itne vinti ka kya laav?anirudh..tumhe lgta hei wo manegi tumhari baat?..rishth kitne attot ho,khun se bda nhi hotha''
she was playing with her friends,''ghoda nhi,kabtoor hn,ullu hn,mehndk na..''
the sun dazzzed brightly,and all kids ran to their home.she was chopping the veggies.she was summoned to her room.gloom,as masked,happy as never been.
''bondita...dekh,tu badi hei ghr mein ldkiyon mein..''
''ji...''she nodded smiling
''mein tera vivah ke bare bath krna chathi...''
she looked at her,muffled and absorbed.not getting,a word from her she placed her palm,assuring her ..it's a risght decision.
''thakuma...apko ma ka adr krti hun mein,par vivah nhi krskti...mera lkshya barrister bnana hei,grishthi nhi..''she said calmly.
her voice was dried,''gudiya,jab chothi heitoh sab kehlthe hen,ek bar smy kat jye,toh koi uske shadi ke baremein nhi sochtha...apne ma ki akhri icha man le,mrne se phele tughe dulhan ke roop mein dekhna hei...''.she strived her best with grevious sayings.
A girl,who had dreamed to chase,the best scores,to chase the dreams of anirudh,had now only dreams of henna and husband.
''mein..r-a-z-i hun''her inner voice shrieked to stopbut she couldnt.she agreed to marry a unknown person again and again.
former,out of greed of roshgulas and innocence,today,of the pitiful thoughts.'how can you agree bondita?who gave you the right to marry?remeber you're destined to fuflifil his dreams.remember he counts on you.remember, how you broke his dreams,his care,kindness all in a saying?..remember,you have no one today.no one' her heart yelled to her,leaving no mark.
she sat painly at window side,there was a discern of gloom in her movement.her heavy,red eyes ,her messy hairs,out of hours of weeping.......
the groom were the lavish landlords of nearby village.boasting their status,they had arrived the next evening,to sort things or verify the little girl in photo.
''aeie na aie...bethie..''she welcomed them happily.
she wore the heavy bangles,the choker,drapped the glaucous bnarsee in the modern way.the anklets,the..other jwels ,all were just a part of her fake shyness and happy heart.
the lady lifted her beleached chin,but she didnt smiled nor did she shy.she sat as a slain doll,determined to be pricked more.
''waah,sachmein,tsveer se bhi sundr hei ldki...rishtha paka''
the words were a adding vex to her life.there was no means by which,the knot could be untied.
just behind the das badi,he clenched the pillar of window,in anger.'she is determined to be a barrister,not a wedding doll'his heart was cursing him.'you were his saviour,a unlucky saviour,whom the angel trusts'mocked the tennis boy.
'you let her marry,any one,let her deprived of all the best things,what did you change after a year for her?a little more misery?'said the barrister
''I won't let her marry,I wont''he said banging his arm on the table.
'what would you do?disguise as a maid or fight with the lady?or let say anirudh you will kill the boy ...whom she is..'
he placed both his hands on ears and sat one bed.he had to do something.his mind was clueless...for the first time.
the loud and boasting preparation of the marriage didn't let them sleep.on parallel of his room,he was gazing at her.
she was mumbling something,soundless.the dhol,tabla,and sitar all jammed any further speaking.
'na jane kese ho tum wahan...ek bar dekhlun..kya?,nhi thakuma na na kiya hei ane ko..'
''are anirudh khana kha le...bihari..''he said in his firm tone
''bhuk nhi hei kaka...''he cold shouldered him
''jante hen beta,dukhi hei naraz hei tu,par hone ko kon tal skta hei..sayad bondita ke jivan mein dulhan bnana..''
''NHI KAKA BILKOL NHI..''he roared him back
''tu ku itna gussa krta hei..waise bhi abb toh pati hei uska..tughe zarorat nhi chinta krneki..''he said.somewhere,his heart wished,if she was the bahu again,if she married his nephew,and cared the mansion again.something far more far less than a dream.
''aur sun ye nyota aya hei..sirf vivah ke din jane ki..usse phele nhi..hm toh nhi..''
before he could speak,he snatched the card,as a toddler found his lost toy,''hmm zarror jeyenge...''
''pagal hogya hei tu?''
''hn kaka khushi se pagl hogya hun,yehi mauka hei,agar chup rha toh uski awaz bhi thm jeyegi''
THE FLASH BACK ENDS
today was the marriage day.the sun was sparking ever bridghter.the beautiful flowers,the furnished gifts all were a compliment to the pride of landlords.
the girls were dancing,to and fro ,the ladies were rushing with snadal paste,and tumeric and other stuff.
she was meant to be charmed as beautifully as it could be.
''bondita..utthh ,vivah hei tera ajj''
a worst news at the begning,she belived.her life will change dramatically.no longer,she would meet him,books or aspirations.
only the glossy jwelleries .only the henna.only something she didnt accepted.
the boro jatri were at the gate.the mansion was hopping up and down with each time near to marriage.
After the groom is seated at the chadnatolla (wedding altar and canopy) – the sanctum sanctorum where only the groom, bride and the priest takes their place, the groom is offered new clothes by the person who is to do the sampradaan – thakuma did the sampradaan and offers the responsibility of the bride to the groom.
it was the time,to descend downstairs.anirudh,kaka ,batuk ,bihari all were invited to glance their defeat b kalindi das.
''thakuma,kya akhri bar,sirf ek akhri bar apni sakhi se bat krskta hun..''he pleaded with folding hands and tears
seeing,him helpless,her happines knew no bounds.
''thik hei thik hei,bhik managne ki zarrorat nhi''
kaka was about to shout,but he stopped him.
''ja mil lei,tapor nhi tu nhi tupur tu le ja anirudh ko upr,sirf 2 miute,muhrat hei fir''
it was a menance,it was a jolly chance.but the importance was to convince her.
he went upstairs,asking tupur to remain outside.and not to hear a private talk.
she was sitting at the wardobe.quietly.he approached her still.
''b-o-n-d-i-t-a''he said in a soft tone
''sakha?babu?''she turned her back.
seeing her in bridal dress,his heart cried.
the atmosphere was quiet,jolly and a bliss.after a periods of twenty three days,he was seeing her.his heart wanted to caress her hairs,play with her,but he calmed himself
''kyu aye hen app yahn..''she started the conversation
there was a stern anger in her tone.
''tumse milne''the dumbest thing you say,when you anger a girl
''mughe nhi milna jyeeye''she waved her hand back.
no matter,who you are,but never take slightly an Indian girl.a proverb absolutely correct.
''bondita,dekho meri trf..dekho''he lifted her chin sternly.she moved it on other side.
pouting her cheeks,''mu fula hei mtlb ye nhi ki appko maff krdiya..''
''acha baba kho toh kya krun maaf krogi..''
''vivah ka muhrat hei mughe jane djiye sakha babu..''she said blankly.
she woud never disappoint her thakuma.
''vivah?pagal hogyi ho tum bondita''he raised his voice,''tumhri umr pdhne ki hei,shaddi ki nhi.smjhi?''
she didnt speak.
''jabab do?...iss din ke lie tumhe barrister bnane ke spane dekh rhe the hum?firse adrsh patni bnne ka bhoot chd gya?....bondita,pathr ki trh mt betho..''
still quiet.still.his anger broke.he was here to cheer her,make her run.but she was still,looked admant to him.
he angrily grabbed her,and pulled all the ornaments out of her,the nose ring,the earrings,the ankltes.all
she once looked at him.
there was a knock outside.
''aoor kitni der?''tupur said rudely.
''thodi der,aaa rha hun''he said hesitating.
''bhot der hogyi hei...''she said,''chle jie....mera viavh tei hei,dekha nhi ..apne''
''mein nhi hone dunga ye vivah...kabhi nhi smjhi..''
''sakha babu,kya kr skte hen app?..mughe marenge app hn krne kilie yan apna paglapan ghr aye logo ke samne dikhayneege?''she said sobbing.
''bondita mera mtlab wo nhi tha...''he said in vain.
he placed his hand on her shoulder,and she jerked it.
''fir kesa mtlab hei?...ku koi nhi smjhrha,ku..wahn thaukuma chathi hein vivah ho,yahn app chathe hen barrister bnaana.....''
''kya chathi ho tum...''he said looking directly ito her eyes.
''khushi''she said looking back to him
''bondita...aoo yahnn''he signalled her for a embrace.it was needed for a crying soul,to feel safe and sound.
he tugged her hairs ,sliding them beneath the ear,and patted her back.while the little girl couldnt force her tears back.after a while she said,''sakha babu,mein nhi chathi yeh vivah''
''islie toh mein aya hun..''he said smiling.
''par thkuma ka dil nhi todna mughe,bachpn mein apni shadi nhi krpyi ,aur ajj mein bhi...''
''tum chinta mt kro smy har ghaav vrdega,jab wo tume barrister ke kpdo mein dekhnegi,tb unhe graav hoga,abhiman hoga tumpei,aur narzagi bhi mit jeygi''
''shotthi?''she asked in innocenece.
''hmm''he said kissing her forhead.
''hmhe yahn se niklna hoga..''he said finally
''kese?''they both were unplanned,unskilled.
a idea stuck her.she took her sarees,tighting them at the door of window,it ran like the long hair of rapenzuel ,to the grass.
all were busy enjoying the rituals.no one would stand at the back of house.they had to escape.
anirudh was the 1st to clmb down,adavanced by her ,then.
''hassh...abb?''she asked him
''london''he said
''vilyat?bondita ke sakha babu?''
a death sentence to hear someone's voice that time.
it was tapor,her sweet ,chirpy sister standing tall to them.
''didi?''she asked to them
''dekho tapor..mein ye vivah''
''jldi jao didi..''she replied back.
she loved bondita,dearly,more than she loved her sagi behan,tupur.she aspired to be alike her someday,in cages of her house.
they both ran tip toed,and reached the gate.
''badhu ko jldi bulae''the priest said in fury.
''ji ji..mein ayi...''
''thakuma andr se koi awaz nhi aa rhi''
the door was break,but only ornments of the bride were to be seen.no not the bride.
''bhaag gyi uss anirudh ke saath''commented one of the ladies
''ghr ki beti ,itni nirlajj chi chi chi,thu''
she couldnt bear the pain of taunts.
far from ,the hush and rush of marriage home.they fled to london.the place waiting ,to witness the first Indian barrister.
standing at the london station,anirudh relived his breath.he looked straight at the setting sun and said,''ma,mein jld ltunga,ek nyi barrister ke saath''
holding her palms,to the strongest,standing tall,to all the obstacles to come,he said to little bondita,''chale barrister babu..''
she smiled proudly.this day waited since she married him.
''Itna layak bnaunga ki ankho se ankhe milakr apna adhikar mangegei ye,hn mangegi apna adhikar''-the voice was still fresh.
far from,the deadly tradition and customs,she would now have a life,he wanted for her.the clouds were moving,and the times were changing.the smell of air has changed it's colur.
the future of calcutta ,her homeland is awaiting for BONDITA,BARRISTER BONDITA,to return with her revolutionary ideas ,and the change that would ripe thousands of girls of her time,and ahead.
*********************************************
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
- TAGORE
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