Rani Ki Kahani

Ten year back Sarika was left in a predicament when her husband walked away in oblivion leaving her and his three children, Sameer 10, Niha 8 and Rani 5 in an empty space (names changed). Sameer did go to school but couldn’t continue after 9. He is still unemployed. Sarika makes some money by rolling bidies. Niha and Rani had to do some odd house jobs to make some money.

Fortunately Rani was allowed to go to school but had to toil also after and before school. Niha never went to school and got married only last year.

Not being keen to continue education, Rani stopped going school after doing her 5^th standard. Unfortunately her employer, (lady of the house) also discouraged schooling. The lady’s gripe was that Rani herself was inattentive and insincere in studies. How could she be attentive even as she was hard pressed between her job and education that too under a fastidious lady!

With a gap of two years Rani again got interested in education. Luckily the lady had been away to her relations for a few months. In her absence, her spouse, Aadambezar, who was quite concerned for Rani’s education, took courage and got Rani admitted in the school.

All hell broke when the lady returned. She wanted Rani to give up education. The couple had a good fight over that. But, some how, Aadambezar prevailed.

It has been a year since Rani joined school. She didn’t do well in her exams but she got promoted and she is happy – happy because a failure meant the end of her schooling and now she is eager to continue her studies and hopes to do better in the ensuing year.

Rani is a fun loving child but she often cry her eyes out on her helplessness. She now understands the importance of education and wishes to continue her education as long as possible. But the sword of Damocles always keeps hanging over her head, because her mother and brother are very much concerned for her marriage lest they face the wrath of their neighbors and close relatives who are always prepared to pound on any untoward incidence that may come about.

Rani’s case is not an isolated one. There are hundreds and thousands of such Ranies who are forced to compromise against such odds. What then could be the solution of this passionate problem?

Rani calls her Bajia. Bajia is the daughter of the land lady. Two years back, Bajia got married. At present she is mother of two baby-boys. Bajia has some affinity with Rani. Whenever she visits she asks Rani about her English language and demand her to speak English but Rani can’t. Bajia, often, in her mails, ask about Rani’s progress in her studies especially in English language. Perhaps she doesn’t realize that Rani’s school is a Hindi medium school. Leave Rani alone who is hard pressed between her job and school, even the best student in her school can hardly write correct English sentence.

Appi is Bajia’s elder sister. Married with two children aged 8 and 4. Rani is awed to see them speak English effortlessly. A few months back the family has been to Singapore and Bangkok to enjoy a holiday. Appi is not as concerned for Rani and justifies almost every movet of her mother in this matter. But she certainly is a major part of Rani’s world. After all Rani and her kin has lots of expectation from her and Bajia and the land lady, which, I believe, is nothing but an inconsequential snicker of existence.

Rani’s school is a girls’-only-school with a capacity of 700+ students. Situated in the middle of Nai Bazar, it’s crudely planned two story building with unkempt floors and walls. It has 12 stuffy, windowless classrooms in which children are crammed to accommodate as much as possible. The small courtyard is occupied by an old, thick, tall neem tree under whose shade a make shift class is always in progress. The courtyard also serves as play ground for some petty games.

The school is in the middle of Nai Bazar - a town with 15000 populations. Its narrow bumpy streets are littered with refuse and the sludge, swept up from the open drain, often left on its sides The streets become overcrowded when vegetable venders’ squat on either side of it. It is hard to pass through it without brushing shoulders with each other. The situation becomes even more chaotic when a four wheeler, mostly automobiles, seeks a passage through. Neither the common citizen nor the well-off business community seems to posses any civic sense. Even the many town chairmen in the preceding two decades couldn’t bring about any noticeable change. Whenever Bajia visit this place she only sighs wishing for the day when everything will change for better.