Bholi

Her real name was Sulekha, but everyone called her Bholi, the simpleton. A fall from her cot at ten months may have damaged her brain. Small-pox at two left deep pock-marks on her body. She stammered when she finally spoke at five, and other children mocked her, so she talked very little.

Sulekha was the fourth daughter of Numberdar Ramlal. At ten months she fell off her cot on her head, perhaps damaging part of her brain, and remained a backward child known as Bholi, the simpleton. She was fair and pretty at birth, but small-pox at two permanently disfigured her with black pock-marks; only her eyes were saved. She could not speak till five, and when she did, she stammered. Children mimicked her, so she kept quiet. Ramlal had seven children; all except Bholi were healthy. While sons studied in the city and daughters Radha and Mangla were or would soon be married, Ramlal worried - Bholi had neither good looks nor intelligence and was neglected at home.

When Bholi was seven, a girls' primary school opened in the village. The Tehsildar ordered Ramlal, as a revenue official, to send his daughters. His wife refused at first, but finally said to send only Bholi - since she was unlikely to marry anyway.

When Bholi was seven, Mangla was married and a primary school for girls opened in the village. The Tehsildar performed the opening and told Ramlal that as the government's representative he must set an example and send his daughters to school. Ramlal's wife cried that no one would marry educated girls, but Ramlal dared not disobey the Tehsildar. At last she said to send Bholi alone - with her ugly face and lack of sense she had little chance of marriage anyway; let the teachers worry about her.

Bholi was terrified when Ramlal took her to school - she remembered how their old cow Lakshmi was sold. For the first time she got a clean dress, a bath, and oiled hair. At school she sat fearfully in a corner, fascinated by pictures on the wall, until the teacher smiled at her.

Bholi shouted "No-no-no" in terror when her father pulled her toward school, remembering how the old cow Lakshmi had been turned out and sold. Ramlal shouted at her and told his wife to dress Bholi decently. New clothes were never made for Bholi; she wore her sisters' old dresses unmended. Today she luckily got Champa's shrunk clean dress, a bath, and oil in her dry matted hair - only then did she believe she was going somewhere better than home. Ramlal handed her to the headmistress and left. Bholi looked fearfully at girls reading and writing on slates. The class teacher asked her name; she stammered "Bh-Bho-Bho-" and burst into tears, sure the girls were laughing.

The teacher's soft voice touched Bholi's heart - no one had ever spoken to her like that. She encouraged Bholi to say her full name, told her to put fear out of her heart, and gave her a picture book. Bholi felt as if temple bells were ringing and school trees had blossomed into red flowers.

When the bell rang, other girls scurried out but Bholi kept sobbing in her corner. The teacher's voice was soft and soothing; in all her life Bholi had never been called like that. Gently asked to stand and tell her name, Bholi sweated with effort but, for this kind woman, tried again and at last said "Bholi." The teacher patted her and said to put fear out of her heart and she would speak like everyone else. She gave Bholi a book full of coloured pictures and promised that in time Bholi would be more learned than anyone in the village, speak without stammering, and be listened to with respect. Bholi's heart throbbed with new hope and a new life.

Years passed; the village became a town and the school a high school. Ramlal accepted a marriage proposal from Bishamber Nath, a well-to-do grocer who limped and was nearly forty-five. Bholi's parents thought her lucky - he did not know about her pock-marks - but Bholi heard them call her a "witless dumb cow."

Years passed. The village grew into a small town with a high school, cinema, and ginning mill; the mail train stopped at the station. One night Ramlal asked his wife about accepting Bishamber's proposal. They noted the grocer's shop, house, and thousands in the bank, and that he asked no dowry - though he was old, limped, and had grown-up children from his first wife. They felt lucky he came from another village and did not know Bholi's pock-marks or lack of sense. When Ramlal wondered what Bholi would say, his wife called her a witless dumb cow. Bholi, awake on her cot, heard everything.

Bishamber arrived with a brass band and rode a decorated horse. When the veil was lifted and he saw Bholi's pock-marks, he demanded five thousand rupees. Ramlal begged, placed his turban at Bishamber's feet, and finally counted out the money from his safe.

Bishamber Nath came with a big wedding party and a brass band playing a film tune. Ramlal was overjoyed by the pomp; Bholi's elder sisters envied her. At the sacred moment the priest called for the bride in red silk. When a woman slipped back the veil, Bishamber glanced at Bholi's face and paused with the garland in his hands. He demanded five thousand rupees because of her pock-marks. Ramlal placed his turban - his honour - at the bridegroom's feet and pleaded for two thousand, but Bishamber threatened to leave. With tears streaming, Ramlal opened the safe and placed the bundle at Bishamber's feet. A triumphant smile appeared on the greedy face - he had gambled and won.

Bholi flung the garland into the fire and spoke clearly without stammering: she would not marry this mean, greedy coward. She told her aunt that the "dumb cow" could now speak. Bishamber left; Ramlal feared no one would marry her, but Sulekha calmly said she would serve her parents and teach at the same school.

When the veil was lifted again, Bholi looked straight at Bishamber with cold contempt, not downcast eyes. As he raised the garland, her hand struck like lightning and flung it into the fire. She threw off the veil and said clearly, "Pitaji! Take back your money. I am not going to marry this man." Guests whispered that she was shameless; Ramlal shouted about family izzat. Bholi replied that for izzat she had been willing to marry the lame old man, but she would not accept such a mean, greedy coward as husband. She turned on her aunt: they had thought her a dumb-driven cow, but now the stammering fool was speaking. Bishamber left with his party. When Ramlal asked what would become of her, Sulekha said calmly she would serve her parents in their old age and teach in the same school. The teacher, watching from a corner, smiled with deep satisfaction like an artist before a completed masterpiece.