Bondita : Anirudh's Sunshine

27. The muddled clarities

28th December, 1921.

Dear Diary Babu,

How are you? I am doing well. Life is good. It's been so long since we had a conversation, I mean that I came to you, not that I didn't want to, but I wanted to learn a few things before talking to you. Also, the days have been too engrossing.

Do you remember Diary Babu, I had told you about Tupur's vivah? Well, that was a real mashup. Thakuma had planned to get even Tapur married, that too to Tupur's Mama Sasurji. She is just nine years old, imagine what she would have gone through struggling alone in protest. I was drugged by Thakuma and was made to sit quietly near the altar. When I looked at Tapur who was unconscious, she appeared like me on my vivah, it felt so wrong that she was forced into a marriage with an elderly man. No wonder Pati Babu keeps saying child marriage is a malpractice, not every child's life gets sorted out by it. I was lucky, maybe. It was different in my case because my Pati Babu is different from the rest of the world. Thankfully, Chandrachur Jamai Babu didn't let that happen. He is a man of principles, he stood against his family to save Tapur. And of course Pati Babu, he somehow force convinced Thakuma that it was not right for Tapur, she unwillingly let Tupur be married to Jamai Babu though she was adamant initially that either both or none will be married.

Pati Babu helped Jamai Babu to find a job in Deenpur as a clerk and Tupur is happy in her sasural. I wish she gets all the happiness she deserves and I know Jamai Babu would be by her side always, she won't have any problems there.

Showmik Kaka was leaving Das Bari with his family, but Thakuma brokedown. She didn't allow them to part ways with her. Tapur is preparing for schooling, she is staying with us in the Roy Chowdhury mansion. Somnath dada is teaching her, I will help him until she is ready to face the school interview. Strange, Thakuma couldn't deny Showmik Kaka when he insisted on the same after dada agreed to teach her. Kaka Sasurji wasn't in favour, yet he agreed, for a change Sampoorna didi convinced him. Anyways, she would go to school, that is all that matters.

When I started helping Tapur, I felt why education for girls should be considered a privilege only rich people could have? I remember the girls in the village who were there for me when I used to remain locked indoors. Those girls could study too if they were allowed to. In that same hut where I and Pati Babu stayed, I started a home school for girls, only to teach them reading, writing and the basic mathematics. It was indeed very difficult to convince their families, not even Greenwood's order could do that, but who can deny Zamindar Trilochan Roy Chowdhury? Yes, Kaka Sasurji declared some concession in the interest rates for those who would send their daughters or daughter in-laws to study. There are seven girls for now, Asha Lata, Shobarna, Rebati, Vasudha, Paromita, Kanchan and Raisha. All the girls are married, Kanchan and Raisha are younger than me. The parents of unmarried girls think that it would be difficult to find grooms for literate girls. So they are not sending their daughters. I do still try to convince them, but what can be done about these mindsets? Probably, Tapur can change this, let's hope for the best. Tapur and sometimes even Batuk accompany me. It's fun with them, Diary Babu. I get to know the little and big problems girls of my age face, the ways they deal with them, I share my views too. Small or big households, girls in our society have a large number of difficulties to deal with. Apart from studying, sometimes we visit the river side and play together in seclusion. It also helps me to remain engaged, I get really tired and sleep hits my eyes the moment I hit the bed at night.

Diary Babu, I read about 'Age of consent', something Pati Babu had mentioned while protesting against Tapur's marriage, after we returned from Krishna Nagar. Pati Babu had collected the extracts from the newspapers and magazines for the petition hearing. The file was kept in the drawer of his working table in the study. When I saw the header on the file, I couldn't stop myself but went through it. I know it was not right, still. He missed the hearing and hence the petition was dismissed. He is trying diligently to get the petition filed again.