The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight lit up the scene. The sunlight poured through the window and hit Bondita's face. Bondita slowly opened her eyes and got down the bed, yawning and stretching her arms in the process. It was their second day in the village after Anirudh and Bondita left the mainson.

" Bonditaaaa " came the calling voice of Anirudh.

" Ji Patibabu kahiye " Bondita replied getting up from her seat and dusting off the maida in her hands.

" Bondita mai court ke liye nikal raha hu. Mere piche tumhe sirf padhai karni hai. Samjhi ? " Anirudh said.

" Ji Patibabu, mai ache se padhai karungi " Bondita beamed.

After giving Bondita the necessary instructions Anirudh left for court. The blazing midday sun shone relentlessly while Bondita was completely engrossed in her studies, obeying each word of her Patibabu.

"Bondita ! O Bondita ! " a sweet feminine voice broke Bondita's focus.

Bondita turned around to find few village girls standing near the window. " Aap sab yaha ? " asked Bondita as she reached the window.

" Aare humsab toh tumse baatein karne aaye the, magar tum toh vyasth lag rahi ho. Waise tum kya kar rahi thi ? " asked one of the girls.

"Mai...mai toh padhai kar rahi thi "
Bondita replied.

" Padhai ? " the girls looked at her in amusement, trying to believe what they heard.

" Tum sachme padhai karti ho ? " asked one.

" Tumhare Patibabu tumne daat te nahi padhai karne se ? " questioned another.

" Nahi, ulta wo toh mere Patibabu hai jinhone mujhe padhne likhne ke liye prerna di hai " Bondita answered proudly.

" Manna padega tum bohot bhagyasaali ho Bondita. Warna humara jeevan toh bus ghar grihasti sambhalne me guzaarta hai " a girl whimpered, while others smile vanished.

They weren't telling anything wrong, their wings were clipped even before they grew up. Every moment a thought was implanted in their mind, that they were born to do household courses, give birth to children and nuture them. Their lives were confined within the four walls. When there's a need to move out, they were instructed to hide their faces behind "ghunghat". In such circumstances when girls had no right to even speak freely, hearing the word ' study ' that too from a girl's mouth was of utter amusement for them.

" Ye galat hai " Bondita stated grabbing the attention of the girls.

" kya ? " they asked in unison.

" Ye soch jo kehti hai ki ladkiya sirf ghar grihasti sambhalne ke liye bani hai. Mere Patibabu kehte hai siksha pe sabka saman adhikar hota hai chahe wo ladka ho ya ladki. Hum ladkiya bhi wo sab kar sakti hai jo ek ladka kar sakta hai. " Bondita said.

" Nah Bondita Nah ! Ye toh sirf sapno me hi hosakta hai. Asal zindagi me nahi. " a girl of 17 years said.

" Sapna tabh hi sach hota hai jab hum usse pura karne ki kosis kare. Jab ichcha ho toh upai apne aap nikal ata hai. Agar tumlog chaho toh mai tumhe wo sab sikha sakti hu jo maine sikha hai. Bolo sikhogi ? " Bondita asked.

" Magar-" a girl hesitated.

" Kya ? Koi samasya hai toh khulke bolo " Bondita said.

" Wo Bondita meri maa kehti hai ki jo ladki padhai karti hai uske pati marr jate hai. Agar mere padhne se esha hogaya toh ? " the myth implanted in their tender mind took the form of words and came out of the girls mouth.

" Me toh 1 saal se padhai kar rahi hu, mere patibabu ko toh kuch nahi hua ? Hua hai kya ?? " Bondita replied patiently. These words managed to convince them.

" Lekin tum hume kese padhaogi ? Tumhare patibabu toh jane se pehle ghar me tala lagake jate hai " said a girl pointing towards the lock in the door.

" Unn sab ki chinta tumsab maat karo....Bondita sambhal legi " Bondita assured.

" Thik hai phir kal se humlog tumhare pass padhenge " replied the girls in unison.

" Ye huyi na baat, toh kal subha nadi kinare milege hum "

" Thik hai " saying this the girls left the place.

After the girls went away Bondita started thinking about a way to escape.

" Bol toh tune diya Bondita ab ye bhi soch ki patibabu ke jane ke baad niklrgi kese " Bondita murmured to herself while scratching her head. Suddenly her eyes fell on the roof of the hut and she jumped in joy saying "Mil gaya upai ! ".

The next day Anirudh as usual left for court after locking Bondita inside the house. After he left, Bondita assembled a chair and placed a tool on it to reach the roof. The roof was made up of tiles. Since the height of the hut was not so tall, she easily reached the roof. Bondita managed to take out some tiles and escaped through the gap formed.

Meanwhile the girls where eagerly waiting for Bondita's arrival near the river.

" Lata didi, mujhe nahi lagta Bondita aygi " a girl said while playing with a twig

" Aare aygi, usne bola haina. Zarur aygi, tu thora sant baith Bini" Lata replied.

" Magar lata di, hum yaha tabhse baithe hai, Bondita ko ana hita toh abhi tak aa jati " another girl commented.

" Lata didi, Bini, Mou wo dekho Bondita arahi hai " one of them said pointing towards the direction. The rest looked towards direction and were elated to find Bondita waking towards them.

" Maaf karna aaj aane me thori der hogayi mujhe " Bondita said as she came near the girls.

" Koi baat nahi " the girls sang in unison.

" Bondita hum yaha aa toh gaye hai magar humare pass toh na hi kitabe hai, na hi kalam toh phir hum padhenge kaise " Lata spoke.

"Hmmmmmmm " Bondita started thinking about a solution when her eyes landed on the twig in Bini's hands. " Ye toh raha kalam" Bondita beamed.

" Kaha ? " the girls started searching here and there but couldn't find anything. Bondita came near Bini and took the twig in her hands. " Ye raha humara kalam " Bondita said raising the twig.

" Aur ye zameen humara slate, iss kalam se iss zameen pe likh ke aaj tumsab apni sikhsha ki suruwat karogi " Bondita declared.

" Ao chalo suruwat jarte hai "

With the help of the twig Bondita started writing letters on the ground while the girls carefully observed her. After Bondita was done writing she said " Ye jo maine abhi zameen pe banaya inse aksar kehte hai "

" Ye hai अ " Bondita said pointing towards the first letter.

" Mere sath sathe kehna sab " Bondita said and the girl nodded in positive.

" Bolo अ "

" अ "

" Bolo आ "

" आ "

.
.
.
" Toh aaj ke liye bus itna hi. Kal mai apni slate leke aungi, tabh hum uspe likhna sikhenge. Thik hai ? " Bondita said.

" Thik hai "

_________________________________

Hello dear readers,

First of all HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY to eaxh and every citizen of my country. Let us remember those martyrs who laid down their lives to give us this beautiful freedom.

I hope you all are safe and 8n sound health. I am finally back with a new TS. My exams and assignments are finally done and I will be regular from now.

DO VOTE AND COMMENT DOWN YOUR VALUABLE FEEDBACK.