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Rs 15 A journal of the Press Institute of India May 15, 2011 - Volume 3 Issue 5 A journey to a whole new I N S I D E world, for brother’s sake A girl in her early teens leaves her village near the Sundarbans to seek a livelihood in She walks out of an the City of Joy, to earn money to educate her unhappy marriage, older brother. After being exploited initially, and turns ................................ 2 she finds a loving family in the writer’s home. A success with community radio, as the voice of the But for how long will her joy last, before she poor ........................................ 3 is forced to return and marry? A weekly rural market creates a special ................ 4 ANINDITA BANDYOPADHYAY, Kolkata Photo: Anindita Bandyopadhyay Priyanka happy doing chores at the writer’s house; (inset) a different Priyanka when she arrived. wonderful hue has spread all dolls. With friends Rozina, Kakoli, law), a wide smile framing her face. duties? She had to wake up every day over the twilight sky, there is Fatima, Shikha and her two younger “Dada,” she called out, “let’s go at 4.30 in the morning, cleans utensils, A a soothing sound of the conch sisters she would have a whale of a back home. Everything is fine; Baba rooms, serve tea and breakfast, and being blown from the mud huts, a time every day playing hide-and-seek has agreed to let you study further.” rush to the nearby market to purchase lady of twenty four strolls along the or chor-police. “What!” Kapil couldn’t believe what grocery. By the time she finished her Women call the shots ridge to her home, a smile on her In 2009, Priyanka was promoted he had heard. He jumped for joy. chores, it would be close to midnight. in Ajmer ................................... 4 face. Tomorrow is Poila Boisakh, the to the seventh standard. Her elder Holding her brother’s hand, thirteen- She was hardly fourteen, and we talk Bengali New Year Day, and she has brother Kapil passed the secondary year-old Priyanka said, “Yes, brother. about abolishing child labour! bought new dresses for her parents examination with a first division the No further worry. You will study. We Priyanka didn’t complaint though. and siblings. She is the only girl in her same year. All seemed well in the managed. Come with me.” She only wanted a better place to stay, village who has obtained a graduate village, but Buddhi was unhappy. His On their way back to the village, to get one good meal a day, and a little degree and, naturally, she is the pride face pale, lips parched, nails broken Kapil explained to Priyanka how he more time to sleep. In January 2010, of the poor Kayal family. and skin tanned, he declared one would earn money for the family we brought Priyanka to our place and The scene is almost picture perfect, day: “Kapil, don’t think of studying after graduating and getting a job with us she remains. We got to know you’d say. However, that was only a further, I have no money for your in Kolkata. Priyanka listened to her about her through an acquaintance dream. When she was four-and-a-half school expenses or books. Join your brother, her eyes sparkling and her of ours. We try to give her some years, Priyanka (the girl we are talking family business. Help me in the field smile never leaving her face. For her, comfort and space. She likes reading about) used to accompany her parents and we will produce more than we it was the joy of sacrifice, forgetting the newspaper and story books, and Landing a job on the to the field. A girl of seven, cooking did this year and save more money her childhood dreams and willing to watching television. When I get green, and ............................ 6 in the morning for her four siblings for the marriage of your sisters.” land on hard ground. Buddhi never some time during weekends or on and parents, then walking down to the Kapil became dumbstruck for a knew his little daughter had so much holidays, I take her to a nearby NGO primary school three kilometres away while. He then mustered courage to affection for the family. Priyanka – Cheshire Home – where we play from her home, having mudi (puffed say, “But Baba, I’ve got a first division. realised what could happen if Kapil together with orphaned children and rice) for tiffin and later returning in I want to become a graduate. I want was forced to quit studies. She spend some time with the differently- the afternoon to help her father and to study. Please do something.” “I’m consulted her mashi (mother’s sister) abled. Priyanka is content these days. two younger sisters in the paddy helpless, son,” said Buddhi, “I don’t to find a way out. Mamata, hermashi, She is trying to live life again, with field. have liquid cash right now. Try to advised her to seek work in Kolkata belief in herself and a quest for her Buddhiswar Kayal is a farmer understand. You have three younger and earn, and help Kapil pursue own identity. belonging to a low caste in Sonatikari sisters, think about them. If I spend higher education. Within days, they A few months ago, Buddhi and Sita Village of South 24-Parganas in West all the money on your expenses, how contacted a few acquaintances in the had come home, to discuss Priyanka’s Bengal. The village is about 150 km will we get grooms to marry them? grand old city and got Priyanka a job marriage. Even before we could react, from Kolkata, quite remote, close to Why you are being so selfish?” Kapil in a girls’ hostel. Of course, there were Priyanka refused to return. She is now the Sundarban Reserve Forest area. slammed the fragile cane door and ran nagging voices and the shedding of fifteen. We can fight for her against Creativity helps him bring Priyanka’s mother Sita got married out of the house. There was silence tears by all those who knew her well early marriage, but for how long? the arts alive ........................ 6 to Buddhi (as Buddhiswar is better inside. Sita began lamenting for her in Sonatikari. But Priyanka, holding How many girls there must be, like known) at the age of sixteen and bore children. mesho’s hand, walked out into a new Priyanka. She was at least fortunate A focus on educating the the first child when she was seventeen. Kapil found refuge in his maternal dawn, her head held high, her mind to have found a loving home, even girl child ................................. 7 The two elder daughters are now uncle’s place near Jainagar, a small flush with a new dream – to build a though it may be for a short while. married and the eldest returned home township abound 45 km away future for her brother. What finally happens to girls like her? How villagers turned to get freedom from her drunk, peevish from his village. Two days after Priyanka worked in the North Hard questions, to which there are no barren land into an oasis of husband. Priyanka is the fourth child the incident, he was idling in the Calcutta Girls’ Hostel for eight real answers, isn’t it? < green ..................................... 7 in the family. Like other girl children courtyard when Priyanka entered months for wages of five hundred her age, she too loved to play with with mesho (mother’s brother-in- rupees a month. And what were her 2 May 15, 2011 FOCUS She walks out of an unhappy marriage, and turns caregiver They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. However, here is an example of an exceptional woman, ill-treated by her husband and forced to lead a life of her own without her children, but who recovered her poise and accepted life with equanimity SUSAN PHILIP, Chennai he looks into the future and sees It took her ten years, but ultimately, has changed unrecognizably”. sitting here, talking to you years of waiting on a patient – Vijaya decided that she couldn’t ANEW is a non-profit charitable about my life... something Smay be an aged man or woman, tolerate her married life anymore. She organisation which trains and helps I couldn’t have even dreamt perhaps a child. Hers is a world of wanted to get out of it. Her husband women from underprivileged families of doing. Many people can’t bedpans and syringes, packed lunches was quite willing to let her go, but the get employment in non-traditional understand how I could have and nights of broken sleep. It’s not catch was, he wouldn’t let her take avenues, as car and autorickshaw done what I did. They say, a world that most will view with her children with her. By that time, drivers, computer operators and home ‘you’ve left your husband, pleasure. But for Vijaya, the prospect her father and brother had both passed nurses. “I was interested in nursing you’ve left your children. looks bright and appealing. Vijaya is away. Her sister was married, with even when I was in school,” says Are you a stone?’ I know in her mid-thirties. She’s a trained two children herself, and was looking Vijaya. “So I opted for it”. During the my pain. I try to keep myself home nurse. Her career as a caregiver after their mother. Vijaya had some four-month course she was taught the busy, but the memories will is the only source of happiness in her tough choices to make.

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