The Rise of Today's Durga

Tumpa didn’t go to college anymore. If you ask why, that is a long story. Her mother works as a housemaid in our house. Her parents didn’t want her to study further. Her mother said, “What will she do by studying? At last she has to marry and look after her family.”

That day I asked her, “Why does not Tumpa go to college anymore, Masi?” Although I was not satisfied with her answer, but I understood what she was trying to say without going deeper into the discussion. I didn’t talk about it further, but I should’ve. I tried to convince her to send her daughter to college. She said, “Tumpa’s father does not want her to read anymore. What can I say over his decision?”.

I asked, “What does Tumpa want? Does she want to read or not?” Then what she said, I was bewildered by that, and that is, “Why will we care about what she wants? What we parents do, is always good for the child.” I stood quiet, unable to reply to her words.

Later that day I was talking about it with my mother. I was telling her that we should do something about it, we could help them. But her reaction astonished me even more. She said, “Why do you need to interfere in their matter? Let them be, let them do what they want.”

It’s the most disappointing moment when your own parents don’t understand you. Even if the whole world turns its back against you and your parents are with you, you can achieve anything.

Then I decided to listen to my mother and not to think about Tumpa anymore. After few days we went for shopping because Puja was near, and it is more than a festival for Bengalis. I did not forget to buy something for Tumpa, and I wanted to hand it over to her myself. So, I went to the slum area where they live. When I gave it to her, she was so happy, I could see it in her eyes. I couldn’t help but ask her, “Tumpa, why don’t you go to college? Don’t you want to study and earn on your own?” She became silent for a minute and then started crying. I told her to stop crying and tell me what happened. Her mother told me about it, but I came to know that she did not tell me the whole thing. Tumpa said while weeping, “Six months ago I was returning home from college. It was late than usual as I had extra classes to attend. Few boys tried to dishonor me.”

--- “What have they done?”

--- “They snatched my dupatta and then…”, She could not complete the sentence and cried out loud.

She said more, “Didi, I want to study, I want to go to college, but I’m scared.”

I felt her words. I was feeling a deep pain for her and thought about it a lot but was helpless as hell. Because her parents stuck to their decision and she couldn’t go against their decision.

“Women are not safe out there”, I am tired of hearing it. I was feeling an urge to do something for the good of women around my locality, for their safety so that they could save themselves from those kinds of lecherous behaviors.

I learned self defense for three years. So I could use it for the sake of these helpless, scared women. I decided to teach them and make them a little self reliant, physically. So first, I approached Tumpa and she agreed happily. Then I brought more girls from that slum area. They all were so enthusiastic and learning quickly.

A girl who is Tumpa’s friend was learning the art of self-defense very quickly. A few days back, I saw her at the corner of the market area, standing and crying. I went to her hurriedly and asked what happened.

She said, “A boy has stolen my purse.”

I asked, “Why didn’t you do anything? You are the best student of my self defense class.”

I heard from her the same that Tumpa told me a month ago, “I was scared. He was a boy, where do I stand before him?”

That was the moment I learned that this was not only about lack of physical strength, this was more than that. I said to myself, “They feel powerless in their mind, heart and soul. Any kind of Karate or Jiu-Jitsu can’t fix this. But how can I make them feel powerful from inside?” I was feeling more helpless than ever.

It was the day of Mahalaya, celebrated as the day of arrival of Maa Durga. We, the Bengalis can feel the essence of Durga Puja from this day. The excitement that runs through our mind, is inexpressible. On this day my grandmother tells us the story of how Maa Durga annihilated Mahishashur.

This year I invited the girls from the slum to come and join us to listen to the enchanting story of Maa Durga. My grandmother told us why She is called the Goddess of Power and why all the male Gods bowed down to her out of utmost respect and high regard. We hear the same story every year, still mesmerized by it the same way. It never fades away.

Later, I was talking and chitchatting with the girls. I asked them, “Maa Durga is a lady and she is more powerful than any man to have ever existed and eradicated the evil on her own, if she can, then why can’t you?”

I could feel that they were moved by the story of my grandmother. I just stirred it up a little more. I could see the impulse in their eyes. Tumpa said, “We are hearing the story of Mahalaya since childhood, but never thought this way. You helped us think for ourselves, as equal in power, even more powerful than men. We, all the women, have a Maa Durga inside us.”

Now Tumpa goes to college everyday.

She tells me that she wants to be a teacher and teach girls as well as boys to be human beings first, before they become men and women, teach them that they have got equal power to achieve their goals in life.

Written by Aditi Sarkar