Promises

Bondita hugged her mother as if to find herself again.
"Are you okay?" Sumati smiled. Bondita suddenly noticed that her mother couldn't understand her state of mind just by looking at her face anymore. With that, she suddenly remembered how easily Aniruddha understood that she was upset. Once she asked her husband how he understood things without her saying it. Her husband explained to little Bondita in a way she would understand. Now that Bondita was grown up she could perhaps never ask him that question again. Meanwhile, Sumati hurried to get her some Muri Murki while she sat down on the bed. Bondita's eyes fell on her feet. He had said, "When you are happy, your anklet sounds different, and when you are sad, it is different." Bondita stirred her anklets unmindfully. Today she knew the difference was not in the sound of her Nupur but in Aniruddha's powers of observation. Why was she thinking about him? She came home to her mother. And she would not think anymore, maybe after two or three days, Trilochan Babu would send Bihari to take Bondita home, until then, she would stay with her mother in peace.

Sumati offered her rice with mango and milk in the afternoon. "Look it's your favourite food, Mama has brought mangoes." Bondita smiled and sat down to eat, not telling her mother that eight years of Bondita's favourite was mango and milk, but seventeen-year-old Bondita now preferred Rashogolla, Payesh and Pithe. In the eyes of her mother, she was the little girl she was ten years ago. "Is everyone okay?" Her mother’s question startled her. When she finished her questioning, Mami came, asking about Sampoorna, and her newborn child. "She is lucky it was a boy. Otherwise who knows they would have returned her." Mami says to herself.

"Say, is your studies over, or is there more left?" Kakima from next door came and stood in front of them smiling. "Why are you bothered? You can't even write your name." her daughter jested. "Shut up." Her mother retorted sternly. Mami agreed, "Didi, we had become mothers of two at this age, but they are more educated landlords, and their lifestyle is different." Bondita got up, hoping to escape their superficial discussions, "Her husband seems to be overly into her, haven’t you seen him come by to take her? He will be here soon." They laughed. Bondita went to sit by the pond in the afternoon, watching the children playing hide and seek in the field at a distance.

"Then I will hide with Choto Thakurpo, and you will search." Aniruddha reluctantly shook his head at Bondita. "But twice, then I have work to do." Bondita ran away as he closed his eyes and started counting. In the other room, he could hear the whispers of Bondita and Batuk and then the sound of her anklet. She was easily found. "How did you know where I am?" Bondita asked from under the table in the study room. "That's how much I know you." She did not believe her husband and while walking she noticed the sound of her anklets. "You cheated, listening to the sound of my anklet." She took off the anklets looking at him with accusatory glances "Okay, hide now, I'll still find you."

"Wherever I hide?" Bondita spoke in a challenging voice, Aniruddha nodded.

"Hide anywhere in the world," Aniruddha said bending down and standing in front of her. "I'll find you right away."

In the fear of being questioned if someone across the pond saw her, Bondita wiped away her tears. She thought to herself, Today I am not hiding, Baristra Babu, but why don't you want to seek me?

Aniruddha did not come after two days. Bondita knew he would not come. He still hadn't forgiven her for the vial at Mashima's house. But unexpectedly a letter came in her name. Mama brought the envelope to her. Bondita knows her name on the envelope was Barrister Babu's handwriting. She hurried into the room afraid, did he abandon her? Told her that she did not have to return home. What would she say to her mother? Where would she go? She opened the letter with trembling hands and sat down to read it.

"Today a case came from Kolkata. An accused should be bailed out immediately. I know I said I will come to pick you up today, so I am writing to inform you that I will go to Devipur immediately after finishing work in Calcutta. You don't have to call Bihari.

That day, the whole room was messed up in the rain and storm. If you're not there, it's like, I can’t take care of my things anymore. I sat down to collect them, thinking that you would be angry when you came. I opened your old trunk and saw all your dolls, pencils, and coloured pastels. How many journal notebooks have you written? I found your letter in one of the books." Suddenly Bondita’s heart skipped a beat. She knew which letter Aniruddha was talking about.

"Why didn't you give me the letter when you wrote it? Why didn't you want answers to the question if you had them? Of course, how can I accuse you of being a coward? I have never asked you any questions out of fear myself. Today I am writing the answer to your question. Maybe I will not have the courage to say this out loud to you. Who am I to rescue you, Bondita? How many brave, intelligent girls like you are in the land of Bengal? I returned from abroad thinking that I would save the country. I will not be enslaved by the British. But you made me realize that I needed to be rescued too. You have shown me the direction in my disorganised life, a directionless revolutionary I had in me. Believe me, since the day I first saw you, as a helpless innocent child, I have never found you to be anything like that girl. You have shown me the path of liberation, the purpose of my life is to fulfil your dreams. What path do I have without you? All my dreams, visions of the future and revolution revolve around you. I should have understood that you are different from the others. I should have told you the truth that you knew otherwise. I was also afraid that after knowing the truth if you do not accept me as a husband, what will happen to me? Today I can't tell you my thoughts in rich words like poets; I can't write literary essays and novels for you. But if someone told me today to find another way to save your life, I would proudly say that I made the best decision of my life that day.

I have never regretted it. And any day, in any situation, in this birth and all future births, I will choose you as my partner without hesitation. Our life is not easy, your dream is much bigger than our world, you have to become a barrister, rescue girls, and show them the dream of living freely in independent India. I want to be a little part of it, stay by your side in that big dream, walking through life with you. I want you to win all difficult trials in life while holding my hand. This is what I need from our relationship. I know everyone has many speculations about us, but Bondita, they don't make our family, they don't live our life. How do they know our definition of happiness? So tell me, ignoring everyone's words just like before, can't you hold my hand and be happy in life?"

Suddenly, the letter fell from Bondita’s hands at the sound of the car's engine. Her vision was blurry as if she wanted to burst the dam of tears that had accumulated for a long time. Bondita sat down on the floor. At the door, the younger cousin informed her that Jamai Babu had come to take her home. He did not have time so she must get ready quickly. Bondita’s voice trembled as she answered her sister. She took out the red saree from the bundle. How could she look at him, what would Bondita say? She picked up the letter and kept it neatly in the fold of the clothes. With the Ghomta on her head, she stood behind her sister in the courtyard. Mama was pestering Aniruddha to eat mangoes, and he was refusing the offer politely. His eyes fell on Bondita. He suddenly remembered the red saree from their Ashtamangala. Bondita avoided his glances coyly as if she were a new bride.

"We'll take your leave." Aniruddha got up after taking Sumati’s blessings. "Please come to Tulshipur now, or else I won't come to Jamai Shasti next time." He said and got into the car. Bondita hugged her mother. She was teary and overwhelmed. As if she was going home for the first time after marriage. She approached the car and took the seat beside Aniruddha.

No words were exchanged, as if the need for spoken words vanished between them, this silence was a witness to their intimacy. That day was a promise of new life, dreams, and commitment for Aniruddha and Bondita. The car continued towards Tulsipur.

The End

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Protisruti

প্রতিশ্রুতি বন্দিতা মা কে জড়িয়ে ধরে যেন প্রাণ ফিরে পায়। “ভাল আছিস?” জিগেস করে সুমতি। বন্দিতা হঠাৎ খেয়াল করে আগের মতো তার মুখ দেখেই তার মা আর তার মনের অবস্থা বুঝতে পারেন না। তার সাথে হঠাৎ মনে পরে কত অনায়াসে অনিরুদ্ধ বোঝে যে তার মন খারাপ। একবার জিজ্ঞেস করেছিল সে স্বামীকে, কি করে তিনি বোঝেন তার মন খারাপ। ছোট বন্দিতাকে তার মতন করে বুঝিয়েছিলেন তার স্বামী। আজ বন্দিতা বড় হয়েছে কিন্তু সেই প্রশ্ন সে আর করতে পারেনা। বন্দিতাকে খাটিয়ার উপর বসিয়ে এর মধ্যেই সুমতি যায় তার জন্য মুড়ি মুড়কি আনতে। বন্দিতার চোখ পরে পায়ের নূপুরের উপর। তিনি বলেছিলেন “তুমি খুশি হলে তোমার নূপুরের আওয়াজ অন্যরকম হয়, আর তোমার মন খারাপ হলে অন্যরকম।” বন্দিতা নূপুরটা বাজিয়ে দেখেছিল সেদিন। আজকে সে জানে পার্থক্য তার নূপুরের শব্দে নয়, অনিরুদ্ধের পর্যবেক্ষণ শক্তিতে। আবার কেন তার কথা ভাবছে সে? বাড়ি এসেছে মায়ের কাছে। আর ভাববে না সে, হয়তো দু তিন দিন পর ত্রিলোচনবাবু পাঠাবেন বিহারী কে বন্দিতাকে বাড়ি নিয়ে যেতে, ততদিন মায়ের কাছে একটু শান্তিতে থাকুক না সে। দুপুরে আম দুধ দিয়ে ভাত দেয় তাকে সুমতি। “তোর প্রিয় খাবার দেখ, মাম...

Answers

Aniruddha could not work all day. It started raining heavily outside, the curtains of the room swayed in the gusty wind, and things around the room toppled over. Koeli came to pick them up, to see if he wanted to eat anything but Aniruddha wanted to be left alone. Countless questions and fears raced through his mind. Bondita never went home like she did that day. Rather, once a year, even before Jamai Sasti, she checked the household chores a hundred times. If Batuk had a test, if someone was sick, she was reluctant to go. She just packed a bundle so quickly and left for her mother’s place. Had she distanced herself from Aniruddha? Was it his fault? Anirudha started thinking. Could she not take him as a husband because he pushed her away and hurt her? Aniruddha repented for his actions. If indeed Bondita denied their relationship knowing the truth behind it, could she be blamed? But was that why she was pretending to be asleep even though she was awake that night? What did she think ab...

Choices

The winter rains and gusty wind were unpleasant weather for Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. The Suryapalian capital was far more tropical weather of the plain lands than that of Neelambargarh, situated on a plateau rather close to the Heemdevi. It rained more in Neelambargarh, and the winters were cold. The wine did very little to comfort him as he kept the lamps of his chamber lit in an attempt to feel warmer. On the contrary, he observed how Priyambada complained that the winter isn't cold enough. It had been a quarter of the moon cycle since Maharani Priyambada met Kumari Advika of Mait. Although Ishaan Dev was eager to know what the ladies did talk about, he wasn’t sure whether to ask Priyambada. So he waited for her to tell him something, anything! But Priyambada seemed to act like the meeting never happened. She didn’t even disclose anything to Smriti as per Kumar Viraj. Ishaan Dev was perplexed. What was talked of in the meeting? Worse, did Advika mention him? She must have. The last t...

Going Home

Bondita's Mama came to Tulsipur to meet his daughter. He was a poor man and wore a short dhoti and a Batik shirt. It was wrong to come empty-handed to the daughter's house, so two pots of sweets accompanied him. Reluctantly, he had to go to Roy Chowdhury's house. They were the Zamindar of Tulsipur, the master of the father-in-law of Sampoorna, they needed to be respected. Apart from that, the fate of the sister and niece who he was reluctant to shelter and spent day and night rebuking them about had turned, the same sister now handed over some money to him by the end of the month, because of the kindness of Aniruddha Babu. He did not have the luxury of pushing Lakshmi away. Hence it was necessary to come to the landlord's house to meet his niece. In their house servants also dressed better than him; Look at the fate of the girl . Where he had arranged for her to stay in a corner of an old man's house, now Bondita was living a queen’s life. Zamindar Trilochan Roy Ch...

Uttor

উত্তর সারাদিন কাজে মন বসেনা অনিরুদ্ধর। বাইরে অঝোরে বৃষ্টি হতে থাকে, ঝোড়োও হওয়ায় ঘরের পর্দা দোলে , জিনিসপত্র এলোমেলো হয়ে যায়। কয়েলি আসে ছোট মালিকের জিনিস গুছিয়ে দিতে, তিনি কিছু খাবেন কিনা শুধোতে কিন্তু তাকে চলে যেতে বলে ঘরে খিল দেয় অনিরুদ্ধ। একা থাকতে চায়। তার মনে আনাগোনা করে অসংখ প্রশ্ন এবং আশংকা। যে ভাবে বন্দিতা স্বেচ্ছায় মায়ের কাছে গেল আজ, সেরকম সে কোনদিন যায়না । বরং বছরে একবার জামাই ষষ্টিতে যাওয়ার আগেও একশো বার বাড়ির কাজকম্ম দেখে শুনে যায়। বটুকের পরীক্ষা, কারুর শরীর খারাপ হলে তো কথাই নেই। সেই বন্দিতা আজ হঠাৎ বাড়ি যাবে বলে কি তাড়াতাড়ি পোটলা গুছিয়েছে। এতই কি দূরে চলে গেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের থেকে? তা কি তার নিজের দোষে? ভাবতে থাকে অনিরুদ্ধ। সে দূরে সরিয়ে দিয়েছে বলে অভিমান না কি তাকে স্বামী রূপে গ্রহণ করতে পারেনা বন্দিতা? অনিরুদ্ধ পশ্চাতাপ করে। সত্যি যদি বন্দিতা সব জেনে তাদের সম্পর্ক অস্বীকার করে, তাকে কি দোষ দেওয়া চলে? তবে কি তাই সেদিন রাত্রে জেগে থাকা সত্যেও ঘুমের অভিনয় করছিল সে? কি ভেবেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের ব্যাপারে? কেন চারিদিক বাছবিচার না করে এমন করল অনিরুদ্ধ? নিজের প্রতিজ্ঞ...

Adornment

The rainy night had given way to a rather pleasant summer morning in Suryapali. The temperature was no longer soaring and a gentle breeze blew through the plains of Suryapali. The sun peeped out through the floating clouds occasionally. Priyambada walked into her chambers after a luncheon to find trays laid with drapes and jewellery, waiting for her. “The Maharani sent this for some celebration in the evening,” Vrinda spoke, bowing at her mistress who nodded silently. Priyambada eyed the trays and exhaled. She wasn’t sure if anyone talked to Ishaan Dev about the rituals. She dismissed Vrinda and decided to read the scripture. As Priyambada sat down on the edge of the bed, scripture in hand, her thoughts travelled to the happenings of the night and she inhaled as her throat felt dry. Why did he stop? Did he feel that he had offended her? Priyambada wondered. She walked up to the attire laid down for the evening and picked up the drape wrapped into a bodice and wrap-around skirt. They w...

Ghore Fera

ঘরে ফেরা বন্দিতার মামা মেয়ের সাথে দেখা করতে আসেন তুলশিপুর। গরিবের ঘরের ছা পোষা চেহারা তার, পরনে খাটো ধুতি ও ছিটের জামা। মেয়ের শশুরবাড়িতে খালি হাতে আসা অন্যায় তাই দুটি মিষ্টির হাড়ি সাথে। অনিচ্ছা সত্তেও রায় চৌধুরী বাড়িতে যেতে হয় তাকে। তারা তুলশিপুরের জমিদার, সম্পূর্ণার শ্বশুরের মনিব, তাদের সম্মান করে চলা মঙ্গল। তা ছাড়া যে বোন ও বোনঝিকে আশ্রয় দেওয়া নিয়ে দিনরাত কথা শোনাতে বাঁধতো না তার, সেই বোন এখন মাস গেলে তার হাতে টাকা তুলে দেয়, অনিরুদ্ধ বাবুর দয়ায়। হাতে আসা লক্ষ্মী পায়ে ঠেলার বিলাসিতা করার মত মুরোদ নয় তার। অগত্যা বোনঝির সাথে দেখা করতে জমিদার বাড়ি আসা। এদের বাড়ির চাকররাও তার থেকে ভাল পোশাক পরে; ভাগ্য দেখো মেয়েটার। কোথায় কোন বুড়োর বাড়ির এক কোণে পরে থাকার ব্যবস্থা করেছিল সে, এখন বন্দিতা রাজরানী। জমিদার ত্রিলোচন রায় চৌধুরীর যাকে পছন্দ নয় তাকে তিনি সেটা বুঝিয়ে দিতে দ্বিধা বোধ করেন না। বন্দিতার মামা তার তেমন এক অপছন্দের পাত্র । বৌমার মুখে তিনি যা শুনেছেন তারপর বৌমার তাদের প্রতি টান দেখে আশ্চর্য হন ত্রিলোচন বাবু। কিন্তু কুটুম্ব তারা। হাতে কর...

Trust

Ishaan Dev woke up at the sound of the hourly bells and trumpets and found himself alone in bed. It took him some time to realise that he had perhaps overslept as he looked confused, half asleep first at the hourglass and then at the sun rays coming into the chambers through the swaying curtains. He sat up to suddenly remember the happenings of the night, as his eyes travelled to the blood stain on the sheet and he sat in contemplation for a good few minutes. He finally had his moment with Priyambada and it was nothing like he had imagined it to be. A part of him that yearned to touch her and taste her was satisfied enough to realise that his longing for her was not only physical. When bodies entwined in the union, and he had pushed himself in, as he had with a hundred other women before her, something in him felt a different sense of completeness and fulfilment that he realised was missing from his life. He had seen Priyambada react to the sensations that were completely new to her, m...

Gratefulness

Aniruddha did not return home that night, he informed on the telephone that he was stuck in urgent work so he would return home the next day after spending the night at the client's house. Bondita spent a sleepless night. What would she tell Barrister Babu? And why would he believe it? She was lost in her thoughts twisting and turning in bed all night. She was hurt. Was her husband so reluctant towards their relationship that he did not wish to return home because of her? Once he was busy with some work and was pacing in the study room. Bondita was a child. Her Jetha Shoshur Moshai had taught her to serve her husband. She used to see Bihari take a cup of tea to the study room every day. Despite Bihari's resistance, she picked up the cup of tea that day. "Don't do this, Ginnima ," Bihari was terrified. “Barrister Babu does not like to talk or be disturbed during his work. If he gets angry, I will lose my job.” Bondita ignored his words and entered the study room w...

RAABTA

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