The four days, that were meant to be long and agonizing, had just passed in a blink of an eye!
Barrister Anirudh would telephone his wife from Calcutta, and they would talk for an hour at night... And, the remaining hours of the day, Bondita would prepare herself to teach her new-made friends.

Those village women probably had nothing in common with her, except that they belonged to the fairer gender, the gender that had been subjected to a lot of torment, and now it was time for them to speak up for themselves... and, Bondita was giving them voice!

"Rani didi... Where is Parvati today? She would need good food, specially at this time!" Bondita kept the plate of laddoo on the floor as she sat down infront the women on the freshly mopped garage floor.

"Same old, same old Bahurani, Parvati is treating her old ailing husband, and is probably getting beaten up by her evil in-laws."
Rani took a laddoo from the plate and let out a sigh.

"Isn't she about to deliver her first baby, why would anyone ill treat her?"
Bondita furrowed her brows.

"Zamindarni Bahu," Malati, a women in her mid twenties replied.
"Parvati's old man had some lands, now if he dies, his folks could easily sati the poor girl and capture the lands... But, fate acted up. Parvati got pregnant unexpectedly!"

"So?" Bondita asked innocently.

"So, now if Parvati given birth to a son, then the panchayat would decree the lands on the baby's name... Hence, her in-laws are furious, and are constantly plotting ways to kill her!"

"Evil people Bahurani!" Rani remarked.

"And, what if she gives birth to a girl child?" Bondita asked thoughtfully.

"Then the usual... The mother would be burnt to sati and the baby would be floated in the Ganga." Malati sighed deeply as she explained the heart-wrenching consequences to her new idol.

"How can they just kill a newborn?"
Bondita shuddered at the words.

"If they can sati someone with relations so easily, then what is a newborn to them! Nothing... No attachments no emotions!"

Bondita swallowed a tear as she vaguely recalled a flash of the buring pyre that she had witnessed in her childhood... And, then Anirudh's strong-willed face...
She was indeed a lucky one!

The women were still coming in as there was still time for the class to start. Few women would come a little early just to sit and talk to Bondita about themselves or life in general... Talking to Bondita and seeking her guidance was like a therapy to them.

"Batuk... What's the noise outside?"
Bondita suddenly called out as a loud humdrum rose from outside the street.

"Boudi, the British officers." Batuk replied from the door. " They are looking for a Krantikari!"

An immediate murmur rose inside the garage room at the mention of the word Krantikari... No one wished to be under the British wrath.

"What? Why is this word so forbidden? What are you scared of?" Bondita asked firmly as she got up and walked towards the board.

"Krantikari are the change-makers! There is nothing wrong in the word... I am a change maker too... I'm too, trying to change the way our society looks at women... So, I'm a Krantikari as well!"
Bondita announced firmly as her eyes roamed across the floor gauging the reactions.
"And, today, I'll tell you a story about a woman, like you and me... A women who fought against the British to save her land! Today I'll tell you about a queen... Rani Lakshmi Bai... Of Jhansi."

All the eyes were on hers as Bondita started to narrate the story of the warrior queen beautifully to her students. There were always some new faces that she would see everyday, some shy and some with eager bright eyes.
Bondita smiled as she saw the look of awe and pride in their expression.

They asked her questions, shedding inhibitions and Bondita answered them patiently.
However, it was a new girl sitting at a corner that particularly drew Bondita's attention. The girl was sitting quietly, with her saree drawn completely to cover her head. She was probably a little taller than the others, a little brawny, and, the way she took five laddoos together from the plate had made Bondita smile in tender affection.
These young women, they just come to her to break free from their mundane domestic life... they come to her to hear and to be heard. And, Bondita was always eager to hear them!

The next two hours rolled smoothly as the women learnt about history and hygiene and finally it was time to wrap the day.

"Rani... Please see if Parvati needs anything...I'm sending Batuk to her place with medicine and food."
Bondita patted Rani's shoulder as she bowed down before leaving the hall.

"Won't you go home?"
Bondita finally approached the new tall girl and asked her politely.

The girl didn't reply, but nodded her head in negation.

"Why won't you go home? You can tell me you know."
Bondita bent down to touch her shoulder.

"And, it's our small world here... You can lift your saree and look freely...
No one would judge you here!"
Bondita smiled again.
"Not that anyone is here... It's just me sister... You can remove the covering."

The girl didn't reply. She slowly stood up and walked towards the door, but only to latch it tight.
Bondita noticed her in full length. She was atleast four inches tall than her.
She looked at her in surprise as the girl approached her slowly, suddenly filling her core with a unknown apprehension.

"Who... Who are you?" Bondita asked as she stepped back hitting herself against the wall.

"Don't come any closer... " Bondita muttered. "Tell me who you are?"
Bondita was about to scream as the girl quickly inched towards her and pressed her mouth firmly with her hand... Or, his hand.
Bondita noticed the masculine hand that had pressed her mouth muffling her screams.

"Please don't shout... I beg you!"
A soft male voice hushed into her ears as Bondita slowly relaxed her agitated demeanor.

The man removed the saree from his head, revealing an amazing pair of deep green eyes, reeking of aristocratic intellect.
His face was flushed in excitement, with rosy tinge painting his white face in its hue.
'The man was exceptionally 'beautiful' for his gender', Bondita thought.

"I'm Batakrishna's senior from Calcutta." The man slowly replied.
"I heard what you spoke about Krantikaris... Was that a lecture for the mass, or you believe in it?"

"I never preach what I don't believe or practice!" Bondita replied firmly as she pushed the man away from her gently.
"Who are you? And, why are you in my house?"

The man took a deep breath.
"My name is Satya. The British police outside is looking for me." He looked earnestly at her.
"Can I trust you?"

"Depends... On why they are looking for you." Bondita replied gravely.

He walked
a few steps away from her as he latched a half opened window in the garage.

"Bondita Debi. I have heard about you from Batakrishna... If whatever he said is true, I seek refuge in your household for just today."
The man folded his hands in a plea as he kneeled down infront of Bondita.

"My name is Satya Sen. You might have read my name in the English newspapers. They call me Shrewd Satyakirth!"

Bondita gasped at the name and swallowed hard.

"Sacrosanct Satyakirth! The warrior prince of Raipur." She murmured recollecting words from the recently read, banned, Bengali bulletin.

Satya smiled softly as his tired eyes looked at Bondita expectantly.

"I haven't eaten for days... Those laddoos were delicious!" He smiled.
"Can I have some more?"