The Unventured Passions

The Battle of Rights

Beside one of the writing desks in the empty exam hall, upon the wood that was meant to be a chair, a seat of education in a far away land, were the old nail holes that brought so much character... hollowness mostly. In her moments of emotional dumbfoundedness, when Bondita realised it would take time for her brain to find the words to adequately express what she felt, she let her fingers trace those ragged holes rendered so beautiful by the deep varnish hue.
Moments passed, and after what it felt a decade when the bell for the second examination reverberated through the concrete walls around, Bondita slowly stood up and turned to the door.
No account could match a description of how she reached the next exam hall, how she walked passed the crowd of students who looked at her with nasty smirk on their lips and pity in their hearts. And, finally when she managed to enter the hall, an overpowering exhaustion started to take over her mind.
Bondita was ashen, lips almost white, and face pale. Her limbs moved as if some inexperienced person was controlling them remotely, and her eyes were wide, looking right at the anxious gazes staring back at her
She was looking, but not really.

"Here comes the woman of the hour."
A boy remarked, as Bondita walked passed him climbing the gallary stairs to reach to her designated seat, the further from all.

"I wonder what she would write on woman rights today." Another fellow classmate remarked back, a woman, and Bondita swallowed hard at the words.

"If woman rights are all about feeling empowered to do whatever you want, guess what, I won't wish for such empowerment."
The flying comment made Bondita close her eyes, pressing them firmer, and then came another remark.

"Being empowered is all about breaking homes these days... All pseudo idealists!"

Beenapani was seating a row before, silent, her head lowered, not taking part in any discussions, and stealing a glance at her, Bondita finally stood up.

"I don't know what's the connotation of empowerment to you, but being empowered definitely means standing up to oneself, being able to freely talk about what's right and what's wrong, and right now, whatever you all are talking, it's wrong!"

"Oh really Miss? Is it?" A boy turned towards her and chuckled disdainfully.

"First, it's Mrs. And yes, it's wrong. I know there has been some misconceptions and rumours going around about me and my deeds and background, but let me tell you once and for all... These are baseless."

"And those poetries Anirudh Sir dedicated to you in class, right infront of everyone... Are those baseless too?"
Came a sharp attack from a girl, and Bondita let out a sharp sigh and looked straight into her eyes.

"No... They aren't. Those poetries were recited by him, and not me. Yet the irony is you are pointing your fingers at me and not him."

"He is barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury for goodness sake! I saw his pictures in the newspapers this morning." A boy almost yelled out the words, as others joined him in agreement.

"Wow.... And here you are, ready to write a paper on woman rights! Look at the irony!" Bondita clapped her hands slowly, her lips curled into a hopeless smile.

"You don't get to speak about rights you fallen woman!" Another girl attacked her back harshly, and Bondita frowned her forehead and smiled.

"Why? Because I am seen with a man on campus? That's why? That's why I am deemed as a fallen woman?" She chuckled as with the subtle glance she saw Beena sitting with her face buried in her hands.
"Won't you ask who the man was to me? Won't you wish to know what my relationship is with him?"

"Do we need to?"

The sarcasm in the question made Bondita look up.
"Yes, you need to. You can't judge a woman's character only because she's seen publicly with a man.. a man who could be a husband, a brother, an uncle, a nephew... Or, simply a friend!"
She huffed the words and closed her eyes at calm her palpitating agitated heart.