Amala | Teen Ink

Amala

August 27, 2011
By TanviKusum DIAMOND, Gurgaon, Other
TanviKusum DIAMOND, Gurgaon, Other
89 articles 4 photos 197 comments

Favorite Quote:
All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.
Orison Swett Marden

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." - Anais Nin

we speak in hushed voices so as to not wake our memories


Amidst the safe confines of the picturesque village of Balurai once live a straight nosed,tall and tough headed girl, Amala, who had recently celebrated 13 years of life. She could end a hot debate with a few words or just a glance. With her rebellious attitude, she was an unknown territory to the village folk. She brought freshness wherever she went,though naive, she had a strange air of sapience around her. She was either extremely beautiful or very ugly, it depended on your perception but she was not,what you would call,mundane and humdrum. On a very hot day, she sat by the river to wash the utensils when a young man of about twenty appeared wearing worn out clothes. His cheeks were flushed red and he was panting as he asked for water. his demeanor suggested he was from a well-to-do family. He was pretty good looking.
 She turned around and went away. She had neither time,nor the inclination, to serve everyone and anyone with his demands. Her father was the headmaster of the school but she had never learnt to read. He was known to be draconian,his austere style was known to all but he still failed to tame his daughter,who was intent on flying like a free bird in the sky called life. The next day the boy showed himself on the river banks again. By now Amala was well aware of who he was,Ramnath, the zamidar's only son who had gone to study in the city. She, being her,greeted him in her own arrogant fashion. Used to getting respect from the people, he was both taken aback and amused. He inquired if his identity was not known to her to which she replied she replied bluntly that she did not care who he was until he minded his own business and scurried off. She firmly believed that she was no lesser a human,than any man who walked on this earth. Her contemporary thoughts were daunting but this young man was no less stubborn. Having lived in the city,he had experienced all kinds of things but nothing like her. After continuing their river peregrination for almost a month he insisted his father to send a marriage proposal to the headmaster for Amala's hand. The headmaster readily agreed and without Amala's consent or knowledge the wedding preparations were taken care of. As Amala was told of her engagement on the day of her wedding,the defiant young woman shrieked and yelled but with no use. She was married off from her house. Ramnath was of a calm and caring nature but it was no help to console Amala. She was trapped in a farce relationship by treachery and she was in mo mood to give in. As the third day of married life dawned upon her,she ran away,a fifteen year old wrapped in a oversized sari,she ran,away from her childhood playgrounds,her home,her memories everything, to a new future,to hope,to light leaving behind a glum and defeated Ramnath and a sorry headmaster.

The author's comments:
This is a piece about an Indian village in 1950s.

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