Prologue

“Thakur moshai erom korben na! Amader ek ghor korben na!”

( Please don't do this priest! Don't isolate us!)

My father says falling on his knees begging the priest.

Thakur moshai was the mukhyo thakur(head priest) where I lived. Though I never interacted with him much I never had the slightest idea he would do something like this.

Silent tears trickled down my eyes as my father begged him to not isolate us from the outer world because his only daughter has brought disgrace on the neighbourhood by being kidnapped by dacoits.

“Thakur moshai amar baba kichu  koreni. Shob dosh amar, amay shathi din, ja prayeshchitti korar ami korbo kintu erom korben na.” I say as I too fall on my knees and touch his feets to beg but he removes them even before I could.

(Priest my father didn't do anything. I did. I am the one at fault. Whatever repentance I have to do, I will but please don't isolate us.)

“Na tor moton mukhpurir sporsho amar chayi na.” Thakur said in a disgusted tone though his face was emotionless.

(No, I don't want the touch of a bastard like you.)

“Hotochari eta ki korte jachilish? Tor sporsho molin ekhn, jake dhori take char bar Chan kore Roghubir er kache khoma nite hobe.” someone made a snarky comment or rather first of the many comments which came out way.

The priest did not come alone to make the announcement of our isolation, he came with a crowd, a large assembly!

Within the crowd stood a lot of people. Most of whom I know from childhood like my friends with whom I was on the day I was kidnapped. All of us together were on our way back from the ghat(river bank) after bathing. It could have been anyone who was kidnapped. It could have been Rinku, who is now giving me a pathetic look. It could have been Shiuli, who is I guess showing a little sympathy by shedding some tears for my misfortune or even Khuku, who like Rinku is passing me a pathetic disgusting look.

Why is this happening to me? What is my fault in all of this? I never wanted to be kidnapped by the dacoits! I never wanted to be a sacrifice for their tantric practices either. I value my life more than anything, I wanted to live. I want to live! Is this my fault then?

Was my want to live the fault? Should I have given up on my attempt to escape and just accepted my fate? Is Maa Kali angry with me? Afterall I was a sacrifice for her, a tool to please her. Is that why along with me my family has to suffer?

I look up again at the familiar faces in the crowd. Oh God why is it not then but me? What have I ever done but be a good child? I have always-

My thoughts were cut short when amidst all this commotion something threw a mashal at my hut.

“Naa—!” I scream while my brother runs to get the pitcher. Throwing water to vanquish the fire.

“Erom meye hole barir ar ki hoye! Agni diye tor barir shudhu korlam, tor shudhi korte jodi cash tahole Agni porikkha dite hobe tarpor e tor r tor barir lok er sathe keu kotha bolbe.”

(What did you expect from your house girl? I purified your house with fire and now if you want to be accepted again into society, we will arrange for the Agniporikha ,fire baptism)

The one who threw the mashal shouts almost as a warning to the others present. They were setting an example that an impure woman wouldn't be accepted into society.

He was also a disciple of the priest, someone who was once rejected by my father as a prospective husband. This was his way of getting back at him for the humiliation he faced.

“Thakur moshai amar ek matro meye oke erom korte bolben na! O amar chokh er Moni, amar mon er tukro amar shorgiyo potnir antim ebong shob cheye kacher angsho! Oke ami ki kore agnipariksha korate pari? Or shobe dosh bochor boyosh” My father said his hands joined and touched the group while he bows.

(Priest she is my only daughter. How can you say something like that? She is the apple of my eye, a piece of my heart and the last as well as the most precious thing my wife has left me. How can I make her do Agnipariksha at the tender age of ten?)

“Lonkar theke ashar por Maa Sita jodi Agnipariksha dite pare tahole ei meye r o dite hobe!” the priest spat.

( If after being rescued from Lanka, Maa Sita had to give Agnipariksha, she would too!)

“ha ekdom thik bolechen thakur moshai!”, someone shouted.

“Na thakur moshai ami ei kosto amar bon ke korte debo na.” Borda who was silent all this time said.

“Ete or ki dosh eita e to ami bujhte parchi na. O ki dakat gulo ke bolechilo amake dhore niye ja? Naki thakur apnake eshe boleche je o oshusho hoye gache dakat er hath e pore?”

(I don't understand what is her fault. Did she ask the dacoits to kidnap her or is it the gods who came to you that said my sister is impure because she was kidnapped?)

My brother said picking me up.

“Agnipariksha ki go dada? Ki korte hoy ota te? Ota korle jodi enara amader chere deye ami kore nebo sheta dada.” i said in a low voice but loud enough for the priest to hear.

(What is Agnipariksha elder brother? Who do I have to do in there? If they leave us after I do that then I will perform Agnipariksha.)

“Bhalo, tahole Meyer ei tuku akkel ache je kon somoy ki korte hoye! Tahole ajke-”

(Good! Atleast the child knows what is she did wrong. The today-)

“Na! Amar meye kono Agnipariksha debe na”

(No! My daughter will not perform any Agnipariksha!)

“Thik Ache tahole, ebar theke tomra ekghora hole.”

(Okay then,from today your are considered untouchables and isolated from society)

“Keu eibari te ashbe na, keu ei barir jol tuku o sporsho korbe na, r ei meye ke o kue biye korbe na.”

(No one will come to this house, no one will drink the water from this house and no one will marry your daughter.)

“Chole hey shobai! Nijeder bari jao! R eibarir shathe jodi keu kono rokom shomporkow rekhecho ba kono rokom shahajo korecho take o ekghora kore dewa hobe!” The priest declared before leaving.

(Let's get going everyone! Go home all of you! And remember if anyone is seen talking or helping this family in any way will also be made into an untouchable.)

Slowly the crowd subsided, leaving us to fend for ourselves with no one to rely on.

Father was still on his knees unable to get up as tears kept falling from his eyes.

“Hey Bhogoban! Erom keno korlen amar shathe? Amar meye r shathe? Or ki dosh, ei to jibon shuru hoyche. Oke biye bo ke korbe r amra chole jawar por oke dekhbe o ke!”

My father exclaimed looking up at the sky while shooting both his hands up.

Brother placed a hand on his shoulder and said “Uthun Baba, Ghore cholun khb rod ekhane, khuki ei gorom shojjo korte parbe na.”

He was calm as ice, with no sign of sadness or at least that's what he has been trying to show to our father.

Father turned to look at up and nodded, “Ha baba”

(Yes dear)

He said still crying.

“Kichu bhabish na maa tor kichu hobe na tor baba dekhe nebe shobaike!” he said, patting my head and moving into the hut.

(Don't worry my dear nothing will happen to you, your dad will protect you from everyone)

Thanks for reading lovelies! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, if you did I hope you could leave a vote and comment on my story!

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