1st book in the series "Ray Barir Bouma"
"She is over twelve years of age Young Master! Her body reeks of sin and only by marrying Brahmin will she be forgiven!" The Pandit(priest) spat.
"Fine then! A Brahmin is needed right?" Madhav steps in front...
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It's been two years since the day my family was pronounced ekghora(Isolated). No one has helped us or even talked to us after that day. Not even people we considered close family.
They would pass by our house but pretend that no house existed. But yesterday while dad and brother were out to bath, Thakur Moshai came by our house.
"Ei meye, shon ekhane"
he said with a disgusted face. (Hey girl listen here)
Panicking, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't supposed to talk to them. That is what they said, that is what my brother said ekghora means, but then why was he talking to me now?
( I don't want to talk to you for long. Just listen to what I have to say.)
"Ha thakur moshai bolen"
I said, bowing my head.
(Yes, Thakur Moshai.)
"Boyosh koto holo tor?" ( How old are you this year)
"Baro, thakur moshai" (Twelve)
"Ta nischoi biye-thawa r kotha bhabish ni?" He asked while passing a look to a man beside him. (And of course you have not thought about marriage yet)
"Na na thakur Moshai orom kotha bhabte o nei. Amar moton ekghora howa meye ki kore biye r kotha mone Ane?" I fumbled, fidgeting with my saree. (No sir! How can a girl like me even think about marriage?)
"Ha ta to botte." He says in an understanding tone. (That's what I am saying)
"Shon, ekta upaye ache jeta te tor barir r ekghore hoye thakte hobe na" (Listen carefully, there is a way your family by which your family's isolation will be lifted)
Looking up expectantly I asked, " Ki upaye thakur moshai?" (And what is that solution, Thakur Moshai)
"Bamon jonmano onek bhaggir kotha, ar bamon bari te biye kora r o punnir kaj. Onek bhaggo kore keu nichu jat theke bamon bari te biye korar punni paye."
(Taking birth in a Brahmin family is the fruit of accumulated good deeds you have committed in your past life. And marrying into a Brahmin family requires great fortune. God's grace is needed for a woman to marry a man from a higher cast.)
"Hoyeto ager jonme kono punni korechili jetar jonno Roghunath toke bachanor jonno ei upaye bar kore dilo." Jointing his hand he touches it to his head. Doing pranam in the name of Raghunath.
(Maybe you have done great deeds in your last life because of which Raghunath has given me this solution to save you)
"Ta eishob amay keno bolchen apni?" I asked genuinely confused. (But why are you talking about that to me?)
"Eije eta holo Bhikhu, amar onek bochor er shirsho. Shobe poitirish par korlo. Biye korar mon hoyeche, ei eto bochor brahmachari hoye dhyan sadhonar por. Toke or mon e dhoreche." (Here, this is Bhikhu, an old discipline of mine. He just turned 35 and wishes to get married. After being brahmachari for so many years he has finally decided to settle down and you have apparently caught his eyes.)
"Bhebe dekh, tor moton opoya meye ke bamon barir ekta chele biye korte chaiche. Er je ki punni. Tor molin osthito er shathe biye korle abar punor shocho hoye jabe. R toder barir theke ekghora howar adesh o uthe jabe." He said, while his disciple gave me a weird look.
(Think about it, a Brahmin boy has shown interest in marrying you. This is such a fortune for you. Your dirty existence will be purified after this marriage and your family's ekghora will also be lifted.)
"Eishob amake bole ki hobe go thakur moshai. Amar baba dada to amar eishob daito r kotha bojhe." I said trying to escape this conversation. (My dad and brother takes care of stuff like this. Please talk to them instead of me.)
"Tui o to ekhn shei chotto bacca to nei. Jo theshto boyosh hoyeche. R koto din bap dada r Ghar e bojha hoye thakbi? Bhalo lage dekhte nijer dada baba ke orom khathte? Nijer o kichu daito bodh ante hobe naki?" He scolded me. (You are not longer that small child. You are old enough now. And for how long do you plan to be a burden to your brother and father? Do you find it entertaining to see them work so hard just to keep you protected? Now is the time for you to take responsibility.)
"Shon ami kal abar ashbo, tor uttor nite. Bhebe-chinte amay uttor dish." He said in the same stern voice and left with his disciple who passed me a look which send a shiver through my spine. (Listen, I'll visit you again tomorrow. Think about my proposal, and give me an answer then.)
Will me marrying a Brahmin really lift the shame from my family's name and turn everything to how it was before? But father told me that he will never get me married.
But what Thakur Moshai said today is also true. It is me because of whom my dad has to suffer in his old age. My brother too has a family of his own, today or tomorrow, he will also welcome a child into this world, what will happen then? I can't let a child experience this life of isolation.
No! I am old enough to decide for myself what is good and what is bad. Tomorrow when Thakur Moshai will come I'll give him my answer and correct my mistake. I will make everything right.
We don't have to suffer any longer brother, father, Bouthan...
I will take responsibility...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, if you did I hope you could leave a vote and comment on my story!
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