"O, Bou, looks like you have invited the daughter-in-law of the Zamindar house too!” Uma Thakuma said in a slightly displeased tone. Sampurna looked up at her mother-in-law, worried. Her age was not more than twenty-two, but she had been married for a long time, though nobody kept track of years in villages. After such a long, unfruitful marriage, there was a reason for happiness in the family; today was her Sadhpuron. How could she not have invited the little sister who was her nearest relative in the village to her baby shower? Even when Bondita was the daughter-in-law of the Zamindar's house, did it erase their blood relationship and grow into merely their class division?
Her mother-in-law lowered her voice when she said, “Even if you invite her, she will not come. They are our God, have you ever heard that God comes down to earth to the house of the poor, my child?”
However, Uma Thakuma’s tone was different when she saw Bondita, the daughter-in-law of the Zamindars.
"Umm... I mean, she is the daughter of Bouma's aunt, so… " Her mother-in-law said hesitantly.
"She is the Zamidar's daughter-in-law, so people dare not say a word or two about her, but she has been married for such a long time, too, hasn’t she?" Uma Thakuma whispered, eyeing the chaos that had suddenly started with the arrival of the “Devi” at the humble hut, through the corner of her eye. No one paid attention to Sampurna anymore.
"Everything we believe in is not without reason, Bou. It's been a while, and she is still unable to have a child of her own. Would it be good if the eyes of such a girl fell on the future of your house?" Her words scared the mother-in-law. It was not wrong at all. However, the circumstances might have been, the marriages took place on the same day; it's been years. But she had to hurry to play host to the guests and did not find time to express her fears.
The one who stood in the middle of all this, dressed in a yellow and red sari embroidered on the expensive Tassore, around whom all these discussions brewed, Bondita, was not more than sixteen years old. Although Uma Thakuma mocked her, in these few years, Choto Malkin, as Bondita was known to be, had become a true saviour to the villagers of Tulsipur. She became the only woman in the Zamindar's house at the mere age of eight, a mother figure to her in-laws and friends with her two motherless brothers-in-law. Hearing the problems and troubles of the people of the village, she often told Zamindar Trilochan Roy Chowdhury her thoughts on helping them without hesitation. Although he was her father-in-law, uncle to her husband, the ill-tempered landlord, who affectionately called her "Maa", listened to her complaints as quietly as a son would. The whole village knew that. Hence, this Zamindar Ginni, who stood by their side in happiness and sorrow, was indeed like a mother, if not a Debi. That one time, when the Duttas' daughter's marriage was about to be cancelled because they wanted more dowry, she unceremoniously rescued them from humiliation, never expecting them to repay her debts as she handed her bangles over to the bride’s mother. She said that the Zamindar Babu should not know of it.
"Since she comes from a poor family like ours, she understands our pain." These same women had wiped their tears and lamented back then.
Had Tulsipur seen more trouble than when Bondita was starting her education? Sampurna’s father-in-law, an accountant at the Zamindar's house, came and told everyone about those incidents, adding his bits of spice to it. What quarrels rattled between father and son! Even the crows that perched on the roofs of the Roy Chowdhury House could not stand it. Could they blame the Zamindars? Had anyone ever heard of such audacity? First, he married a poor girl, unfit to be his wife, to help save the child’s life. That made sense since he had abandoned his caste and creed abroad, perhaps with his education there. But the daughter-in-law of the house is going to school and learning English, and that is also the daughter-in-law of the Zamindar house of Tulsipur?
Did Aniruddha Babu go mad after returning from abroad? Can’t blame him, the humid weather here is indeed discomforting for the mind. Such jokes and sarcastic remarks were made among the members of the amused Panchayat in between their afternoon sessions with the hookah beneath the village Banyan tree.
What a sight they had witnessed! It was also something that no one had ever imagined. Bondita wore a sari, shoes and socks and went to school in the Zamindar's foreign car. Her husband took her there himself, right in front of the entire village, witnessing such audacity. Again, at the insistence of Aniruddha Babu and the persuasion of Bondita, a girls' school was opened in Tulsipur within a few years. That's where Sampurna’s brother-in-law also worked.
"If so much of like-mindedness and romance lies between the husband and wife," an amused younger daughter-in-law of the neighbour asked, "Why are they not having a child?" The women agreed with her words. "Say, is education an excuse to cover the poor girl's flaws?"
"I heard that he stays in Calcutta for most of the week; who knows what honey he is brewing there?" Uma Thakuma lowered her voice and said. “Perhaps someone?” All their eyes were on Bondita; she had brought a gift for Didi. Sampurna was about to accept it, but her mother-in-law grabbed it quickly, letting Bondita have a seat on the mat.
"Uff, Bouma, you don't know anything!" The neighbour’s mother-in-law retorted innocently, "He is a Barrister! Maybe he goes to work."
"Don’t be silly, Ginni." Uma Thakuma rebuked again, “ If he works in Calcutta, why didn't he take his wife there? Many people go to live in Calcutta these days.”
“Ah! Then how could they spoil the heads of little girls in the village? About how they would become great intellectuals and save the country." Everyone laughed. Bondita was staring at the floor and listening to what Sampurna was saying; Jamai Babu had sent a letter to Mama, and they would come to see their daughter soon. If her father-in-law agrees, he will take her home. How long had Bondita not gone home? Would her mother come too? Widows were forbidden to come for auspicious occasions. But she had not seen her mother for a long time. But should she ask about her? Bondita knew that Jamai Babu worked for Barrister Babu. They would consider any of her questions as orders. Maybe Jamai Babu would write and tell Mama about it. Ma would come on Mami's ticket. Sampurna Didi needed Mami now more than ever. She suddenly looked up at the sound of laughter. On seeing her, the women began to act like they had seen her there for the first time.
"Oh, Zamindar Ginni, how are you?" Bondita smiled a little and nodded her head. She knew they didn't want to know about her well-being. She knew the faces and characters of all of them. Sitting at a distance, she could tell who they were talking about. If necessary, she could give them a piece of her mind; she had done so in the past. But not today. Today, she was here only as a sister of Sampurna Didi. What was the use of telling them anything? Barrister Babu often said that not responding to some people's words, too, is a sign of wisdom. Do you understand, Bondita? Bondita was suddenly amused by her thought. Had he been here, he would have created a ruckus with them. So her intelligence was greater than his? Bondita smiled to herself.
"Kire, why are you smiling like that?" Bondita suddenly looked up at Sampurna's words. There was always a hint of intelligence in her eyes. Sampurna had heard her mother-in-law or husband address Bondita formally, but she could not bring herself to be formal to the sister she had seen since childhood. Bondita or Jamaibabu did not believe in class divisions like the Zamindars or villagers. So her informality to her sister was excused.
"I should go." Sampurna suddenly held her back by her hand at Bondita's declaration. She could not force Bondita to stay. This was her in-laws' place, and Bondita is not only her sister, but also their Malkin. She had no power to deny it.
“What! Won’t you eat? Won't you stay for the Sadh puron?" Sampurna enquired. Bondita smiled faintly, "As long as I'm here, you won't have a ceremony. I should get going."
"Listen, Bondita, actually they are..."
"It’s fine, Didi, I will come again some other day. Baristra Babu said he is going to take me to Calcutta one day; I will bring some things for you from there. When Mama comes, tell him to come home, okay?” Sampurna's eyes welled up; only Bondita noticed that. She removed her hand from her sister’s gently.
"I must leave now, Didi. Everyone will be waiting for me. It's getting late. No one eats if I don't serve them lunch,” she said. She rose from her seat and walked away, leaving the intrigued villagers behind.
