Tode andhere likhe jeevan naya
“Jetha Moshai, Jetha Moshai.” Somnath came running down the corridor into Trilochan Roy Chowdhury’s bedroom. The man had just cleaned his glasses and looked up at his excited nephew holding them still in his hand.
“What is it, Som?” He spoke sternly “How many times have I told you not to run down the corridor or shout like that? The children learn from you.” He shook his head. Somnath’s excitement was not to be deemed low by anything he said that day. He sat down eagerly on the chair beside the study table.
“Boudi sent a letter to your Mejo Bouma.” He breathed out. Trilochan looked up at him.
“Is everything alright?” He frowned. Somnath nodded.
“Everything is fine, Patralekha is going to school.” Trilochan shook his head.
“She could have gone to school here.” He murmured.
“Dada and she are representing the opposition in a case soon.” Trilochan’s eyes widened.
“Now this has gone beyond limits. Now they will have a grihajuddha over a case?” He sounded worried knowing how stubborn both of them were. “Why doesn’t one of them drop it?” Somnath shrugged.
“I think it will be rather interesting to see their potential.” Somnath smiled. “Especially hers. If she can beat him...” Somnath stopped at Trilochan’s stare.
“Dada, here are the documents you…” Binoy stopped at the threshold at the sight of his secondborn.
“Boudi and Dada are fighting a case opposite each other,” Somnath spoke as Binoy frowned a little.
A faint smile curved his lips. For a good number of years, he had believed that his firstborn spoke more of the perfect world of equality than he believed himself. After all, Bondita’s career was also driven by him. But today, Binoy realised how Aniruddha was deprived of the one thing most men proudly flaunted as a trait of their manliness, ego.
“Did you tell her to let us know who won?” He asked as Somnath nodded.
Bondita kept down the stack of papers and documents she had brought and greeted her co-counsellor Sukhendra Nath Dutta. He was the first lawyer the accused had visited who suggested that having a woman run the case could play on the emotions of the jury. She straightened her neckband as she turned to spot Birendra carrying the files as Aniruddha had a word with the victim’s family. Eyes met briefly for a cordial nod. Bondita was glad that even after knowing her husband was the opposition, the accused had full faith in her abilities. She eyed his tired and nervous wife in the crowd.
“The prosecution may proceed with the case.” The judge had spoken, and Bondita eyed the selected jury. Most of them were men. It was not common for women to be on jury duty much, and that could affect her case. Aniruddha straightened his gown and proceeded to speak as the court resumed the order of pin-drop silence.
“The case, Your Honour, is very simple. The victim worked as a maid in the house of the accused. She was sexually molested by her master, on the night of November 1944 when his wife and children were not home and that resulted in her pregnancy. She had kept silent about the molestation in fear of losing her job, the only source of money to feed the family and the accused had refused to take action knowing about the child. He straightaway denied the involvement. She then had no other option but to be brave enough to accuse him of such a heinous crime. We are here to seek justice and demand punishment for such authoritative figures, exploiting women because they can and also for him to acknowledge his parenthood. That’s all.”
The judge and jury seemed impressed. The wife of the accused sobbed as the accused, who looked tired and sleepless, was shaking his head on the stand. The crowd buzzed. Bondita got up as once again, the court fell quiet. The judge nodded for her to go on.
“Your Honour, an accused is not guilty until proven so, and definitely a victim if proven innocent. My client here is the real victim. The victim of a crime committed by a woman.” A buzz started in the courtroom as Aniruddha cupped his chin and looked at her intendedly.
“A woman who thought she could play the victim card and even accuse a man of something so immoral to teach him a lesson.” Bondita paused. “We as a society turn blind eye to anything happening outside a marriage. But the jury and everyone present here knows that it is more common than we think. I am not denying that my client ever showed interest in the victim. I am here to prove that the interest was consensual and more importantly, on the night of the said crime, my client had an alibi, and he is not the father of her child. Although my client had expressed interest he had however stopped himself from doing wrong to his wife and children. I will just show you through this trial, how a man can be wrongly victimised by a woman.” Bondita stopped. Once again the court was abuzz, louder than usual. The judge had to put a thump on his hammer to silence them. The next date of hearing was given.
“Sukhendra Da, have you contacted the alibi?” Bondita asked once they were out of the courtroom. “We need him on the witness box on day one and dismiss the possibility of force. Then we can go on to investigate and prove who might potentially be the father of her child.” The man nodded in agreement.
“I am on to it, Bondita. Also, I wanted to know if I should send someone to her slum to pry. The neighbours may know more than they are letting on.” Bondita nodded. “And if possible, someone to run a background on her village life too.” The man nodded and walked away.
“Mrs Roy Chowdhury.” Bondita turned with a slight smile at Aniruddha’s words. “That was well done.” She walked up to him and extended her hand for a shake. “Thank you.” He frowned at the lack of compliment and added “I hope you have an alibi, you know diverting evidence in court can land you in trouble.”
“You will get the full list of witnesses tomorrow.” Bondita’s confidence made Aniruddha nod. He was for a moment, unsure of his victim’s words. He summoned the victim to his chambers.
“You need to be truthful to me.” Aniruddha explained to his client in a low voice, “The opposition has enough evidence to present your story to the Jury as untrue.” he lied. The woman in front of him was nineteen years old, visibly pregnant and living in the slums on the outskirts of the city. She was a maid in the house of the accused. A clear opportunity there. “You can trust me, I am not here to judge you. I am just here to do my job.” He reassured her as the woman sobbed.
“I am not lying. I even asked him for money and…” Anriuddha stepped back,
“Wait, you asked him for money?” Aniruddha’s brows shot up “Why?”
“Because…. Because… of the child… I need help….” The woman stammered and sobbed some more.
When Aniruddha knocked on the door of the apartment, he heard Patralekha’s voice “I am coming to open the door, Baba is here!” A smile curved his lips. Bondita’s voice followed.
“How many times have I told you not to assume who is there and open the door?”
Patralekha had already unlocked the latch, standing on a stool near the door. She smiled at his sight and jumped onto his arms.
“I was right, it is Baba!”
“Yes, you were, as always.” Aniruddha kissed her cheek and put her down. The smell of Mach Bhaja immediately hit his nostril.
“You want coffee?” Bondita asked from the kitchen. Aniruddha dropped his bag and eyed Lekha’s copies lying around the floor.
“No, I will take a bath first.” He spoke as Bondita took a glance at him. He looked stressed.
“Anything wrong?” He shook his head. “Nothing you should know of.”
“Did you know your victim tried to extort money from the accused?” Bondita spoke as she looked up at the fresh cup of tea Aniruddha held in front of her.
“Oh?” He sat down across from her, as she nodded, “It’s been five months and three hearings, we need to request a fast track and get over this one.” She murmured. “This is a clear indication of guilt. He didn’t pay a penny. She went to the police.”
“You do know it is unprofessional to discuss the case off the court with me, right?” Aniruddha asked, a little amused. Bondita looked across the file, at him with a slight frown.
“Oh, right.” She stuck out her tongue making him shake his head slightly. “Will we be taking Lekha to Saraswati Puja at home? Please say yes.”
“Yes, but…” Aniruddha’s words made her look up “If her mother promises to be composed and not sing patriotic songs at Britishers. The situation now is worse, everyone is being accused of non-bailable offences.” Bondita nodded.
“I just want Lekha to be home, we didn't even give her haathe khori before she learnt to write. Maybe we can this time around.” Bondita spoke as Aniruddha nodded.
“Is it true that you are fighting against him?” Sampoorna was the first to ask the question as they sat down to draw alpona for Saraswati Puja in the Thakur dalan. Bondita smiled.
“My Shashuri ma didn’t seem pleased. I heard her speak to Zamindar Babu on the phone.” Sampoorna whispered. Bondita nodded. She understood. But once they were in Tulsipur, she preferred to be the daughter-in-law of Roy Chowdhury rather than Barrister Bondita Roy Chowdhury for just a few days. Lekha gave her Hate Khori sitting on Somnath's lap as she wrote her name with the slate and chalk. Bondita liked being home, especially for Patralekha. She observed as Lekha enjoyed the rituals and traditions, and savoured the bhog much like her.
“I want another one like me,” Aniruddha spoke at the end of the day, surprising her. “I can’t take two Bonditas without a backup.” Bondita had giggled although her cheeks grew warm.
“Not before you lose to me.” She challenged him.
“Oh, I am in no hurry now.” Aniruddha smiled. “But I will win.”
“Sampoorna didi was asking about the case.”
“Did anyone say something to you?” Aniruddha asked worriedly as Bondita smiled faintly.
“Kakababu assumes we are constantly fighting over it. He asked Patralekha if we would fight at home.” Bondita smiled amused “She told me.”
“Do we?” Aniruddha pulled her by the wrist closer, as she looked a little wide-eyed. “Fight?”
“We do, like normal people do, Barrister Babu.” She nodded as Aniruddha pulled her into an embrace.
“I was thinking, we have a holiday tomorrow and here in Tulsipur Lekha stays in a separate room… Maybe we can…” Aniruddha spoke as Bondita hid her face in his chest.
Bondita had brought home Roshogolla and savoured it with Lekha as the door knocked. There was Aniruddha and behind him was Mahashweta asking if Patralekha could come and play. Patralekha loved the idea and waited for a nod from Bondita before dashing off downstairs with her.
“Don’t run down the stairs.” Aniruddha sounded worried as he walked inside and eyed the roshogolla.
“Here, to my victory.” Before he could react, Bondita had put the roshogolla in his mouth and laughed at his face. “ Oh, sweet victory.” Aniruddha smiled, as she looked happy.
“I am glad to be proven wrong.” He shrugged.
“Oh, angur fol tak!” Bondita smiled, “Grapes are sour.”
“No, today I learnt that not all women are good just because their life is tough, they often choose an easy way out. I also learnt that I am not always the best judge of people.” He folded his hands in a namaskar as Bondita smiled amused “Thank you for teaching me that Sikhsika Madam.”
“Oh, I am glad you learnt your lesson.” Bondita giggled.
“Baba Moshai.” Ashapurna stepped into the hallway, with Poritosh in her arms, as she smiled at Binoy and Trilochan. Somnath followed her inside with a newspaper in his hand and he placed it down on the coffee table.
“Didibhai won the case against Dadabhai.” Ashapurna almost gushed. “We should call them.” Binoy picked up the paper. Turned out that the accused was saved by a phone call he had made to a cousin during the time frame when the victim accused him of the molestation. His strong alibi, given by the operator who transferred his call to Delhi, and by his cousin, along with the fact that the victim tried to extort money made it evident that it was a premeditated crime. Binoy read through the disturbing details as the newspaper left no stone unturned to talk of how women could misuse the law.
“Aniruddha will be disappointed with such articles.” Binoy looked disturbed at a worried Trilochan.
“We are here with very important news. It has been reported that as of the 18th of August 1945, a plane crash has been recorded in Taipei, Taiwan and it is now assumed that INA leader Subhas Chandra Bose was on the aeroplane. He is declared dead by the Japanese Government.” Bondita rushed to the radio and increased the volume as Aniruddha stared at it in disbelief. Patralekha was busy colouring a hut she drew, sitting on the floor of the room and looking up with a clueless frown at her parents’ grim faces.
Bondita sat down on the couch as the news continued “After the INA had successfully entered the Indian subcontinent after setting up base at Singapore and allying with the Japanese troops. The Hiroshima-Nagasaki tragedy changed the fate of the army. They are now leaderless and ready to surrender.”
“No no no.” Aniruddha shook his head “This can’t be. They had just started …”
“I had so much hope, that this was it.” Bondita nodded. “I can’t believe he is…”
“Gandhiji, Sarat Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru have refused to comment on the tragedy leading to rumours among the hopeful Indian mass that their leader is still alive.”
“He can be alive, can’t he?” Bondita asked hopefully “I mean he could have never been on the plane or escaped with injury.” She looked up at Aniruddha’s lack of response.
“That is unlikely.” Aniruddha shook his head.
“In other news, the Muslim League’s demand for a separate country based on the religious majority is increasing every day. Jinnah had unfruitful meetings with Gandhi on the same and it has been reported that the British have no intention to leave India even after such heavy damage in the war.”
Bondita looked up at the radio. “Is there any good news at all?” She frowned.
Bondita walks up to the radio and switches it off. Silence filled the room.
Patralekha was the first to speak.
“Baba, will we go to watch a football match like you promised?” She frowned at Aniruddha’s lack of response as she added “What is wrong?” Bondita picked her up and took her to the bedroom.
“Lekha I know you are too small but you need to understand the importance of what is happening around you.” Bondita sat her down on the bed as Lekha frowned a little.
“Where is home?” She asked as Patralekha shrugged “Tulsipur.”
“Alright, then imagine that someone tells you, your home is not yours anymore, it is theirs. How will you feel?”
“Ummm… sad… angry?” She asked unsurely. Bondita nodded.
“Our country had been under the British for nearly two hundred years now, and all the agitation that scared you on the roads is for claiming our homes back from them.” Patralekha frowned.
“What about the fire and not stepping out in the dark?” She asked.
“That was because of war. This is different.” Bondita nodded “I just want you to know a lot of people are doing a lot of things so that your home can be yours.” Patralekha nodded. “When you grow older and understand more, I will tell you stories, alright?” Bondita reassured her. Patralekha love stories. Every night she would close her eyes and imagine the story her mother read out or told her. She was eager.
“But not now, when the time is right.” Bondita smiled as she kissed Patralekha’s forehead.
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