The next day, Calcutta was in the college library, where it was quiet, and everyone was deeply immersed in their academic work. Calcutta was also silently reading a few books from the shelves, but she was also thinking about what had happened the day before. Despite being 19 years old, she felt she was too young to get married, and she and Farshad, who was 28 years old, had different interests and didn't feel that they had much in common. She was still unsure about a lot of things, but she knew that getting married wasn't what was right for her at the moment.
Calcutta sat at her desk in the quiet library, deep in thought. As she studied, she couldn't help but ponder the unfairness of her arranged marriage. "This marriage, it's just so unfair," she thought to herself. "I'm only getting married to Farshad because my parents have arranged it. They won't even let me marry anyone that I choose."
As she studied and contemplated the situation, her mind went to the roles she would play as a woman in the married life their family had planned for her. "As a woman, I have to listen and obey my husband."
Milan was walking through the hallway at college when she noticed her friend in the library. She decided to strike up a friendly conversation and tapped Calcutta on the shoulder, her smile wide and bright. "Hi there! Nivedita," she said cheerfully. "How have you been doing?" She was genuinely curious about how Calcutta was doing, hoping to get some interesting conversation going as well as just checking in to make sure all was well with her classmate.
Calcutta was startled by the tap on her shoulder but instantly recognized her friend's voice. She turned to face Milan and managed a small smile, despite her obvious sadness. "Oh... Hi," she said, her voice trailing off towards the end. "I'm fine. My parents have arranged a marriage for me, so I guess I'm really not doing fine at all," she said quietly, her tone now full of sadness and disappointment. Her parents' decision had clearly taken a toll on her, and her mind was full of thoughts of what this meant for her future.
When Milan heard what Calcutta had to say, she was taken aback. She expected that the conversation would be friendly and playful, not so serious and personal. She didn't understand why Calcutta's parents would arrange a marriage for her. Marriage seemed like such a far-off and distant prospect for the two of them since they were both only young adults in college. To be forced into such a serious commitment so soon in life with someone who was practically a stranger was unthinkable to her. "Marriage? What nonsense!" Milan said, a bit bewildered by what she had just heard.
Calcutta turned towards Milan to reply, but she was clearly trying to remain composed. "Yes... My parents finally found a match for me.." she said, her voice trailing off towards the end. "I'm supposed to marry an attorney who works with the British..." Her voice was soft, and she sounded sad and disappointed, and she kept her eyes turned away from Milan. It was clear that the whole situation was weighing on her heavily and that everything seemed like a mess to her right now. Milan couldn't believe that the joke yesterday about Calcutta getting married wasn't just a joke after all, it became a reality. She hadn't expected her friend's parents to arrange such a marriage, and she felt a little shocked by the news. But she also realized that Calcutta must be going through a tough time with this situation, and she needed a friend right now, so she tried to be as supportive and understanding as possible.
Milan felt a pang of sympathy and she tried to find a way to make things easier. "Ohh.. I'm sorry to hear that, Nivedita," she said, her voice soft and understanding. After a moment to collect herself, she added, "By the way, how old is this man and what does he do?" She wanted to know more about the situation, and she wanted to find out if the match picked out by Calcutta's parents was someone, she could be happy with.
Calcutta turned back towards Milan to continue sharing the news with her. She was still feeling down, and it was clear that she was still processing the whole situation. "It's okay... If you want the truth... The man who I'm supposed to marry is 28 years old. My parents say he's a very wealthy and prestigious attorney who works for the British government." She paused for a moment, and then continued, "And it gets worse. My parents are telling me to be grateful for this match because I'll be a lucky woman to marry a wealthy, famous man like him. It's all absurd... And I don't like him.
Milan was shocked by what she was hearing and needed a moment to process it before she said anything. After a second to collect herself, she turned towards Calcutta with a slightly bewildered expression. "He works.. for.. oh my god," she said, covering her mouth with her hand as she considered the news she had just been given. She was clearly surprised and taken aback by the information that Calcutta's parents were making a match with a man who worked for the British government. Milan was aware of just how sensitive the current political situation in British India was, and she couldn't believe how the parents could make such a decision.
Calcutta nodded in agreement with her friend's words. She knew the history between the British government and the Indian people, and she couldn't believe that her parents were so willing to make a match with a man who worked there. She considered the reasoning her parents were giving, and she was starting to get more and more frustrated with the situation.
"Yes, he works for the British. You know, the government that has racially discriminated against us Indians for years." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her anger seemed to be overpowering at this point. "But my parents..." she paused, trying to find the words to express how unhappy she was. "They're happy about the match because of how wealthy and famous he is." She was annoyed at her parents' reasoning and their apparent lack of care for her feelings.
Milan looked at Calcutta and was concerned for her well-being. She could see that her friend was feeling overwhelmed and upset, and she wanted to do her best to help. "Will you be alright?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "Or do you need any help?" She was ready to offer whatever assistance she could because she cared about her friend. Milan wanted to make sure that Calcutta was emotionally and physically well, and she was willing to help if needed. Calcutta looked back at her friend who was dealing with a lot of internal conflict right now. She wasn't sure if she would be alright or not, but she felt like there was nothing she could do to change the situation. She thought that her duty as a daughter was to listen to her parents, even when they were making decisions for her life.
Calcutta looked down at the desk and let out a deep sigh. "I'm just... So unhappy about this whole situation." She didn't seem to have any words to express how she felt, but she was going through a lot. Milan turned to say something to Calcutta, but before she could get a word out, a British librarian gave them both a glance and motioned for them to be quiet and not make any noise in the library. This was a strict place of study and the librarian wanted to ensure that everyone was maintaining a quiet and focused attitude while working. It was important that the library remained a place of learning and study, and not loud chatting or noise.
Calcutta looked up when she noticed the librarian's gestures and realized the significance of her being British in the current political situation. The librarian was just another reminder of the power and control the British regime had over the Indian people, and it only further angered Calcutta.
She looked at her friend with a sad expression, feeling hopeless and defeated. "There's... no point to speak about it," she said with a heavy heart. "As there isn't anything I can do. No one cares about my opinion, as long as I obey my parents." It was an incredibly frustrating and difficult situation for her.
Calcutta put away the books she had been studying and walked off, heading in the direction of her classroom for the next lesson. Milan watched her leave with a concerned expression on her face, wishing she could do more to help. She knew that Calcutta was going through a difficult situation, and she was clearly in need of someone to talk to and lean on. But Milan didn't know what she could do to help, as it seemed like the only thing Calcutta could do now was obey her parents and live with their decision. She just wanted her friend to be happy and have a future of her own making, but she felt powerless in the current circumstances.
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☾【𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏】☀
Historical Fiction.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.The novel is set during the British rule of India in the 1900s and follows the story of Calcutta as she fights for freedom, and equality, stands up against the British and fights for her country and people despite the great odds again...
