Manju Devi..... The Story Of Namak Satyagrah

My eyes opened. They were alert… It was sharply 12… MANJU DEVI !!!!! Malini called… I got up.. tied my hair and dashed off prematurely to the next tent to see Malini…. She was weeping and was screeching and bawling so loud that they ringed so loudly in my ears. Like a bell. Malini… Be Quiet Girl…… Malini what happened… Why are you crying????? I questioned curiously. Malini was a very optimistic, joyful, and ebullient girl. Manju!!! I am scared…..My husband went with Nethaji…..He went to protest… I don’t know what to do. I fear for his life. Malini… Calm down. Cheer up. He will be safe there …. Why fear???? When India is there!!!! Look you are safe and sound here. Cheer up Where is Rohit??? ROHIT BETA!!! Malini called. Rohit came and said: Mom what happened??? Why is your voice clumsy and dry. Do you want water…. No Beta. Please be near me… Rohit said in a brave but calm voice: Ma. I will be safe. I assure you. Mahatma is arriving at our tent to do Namak Satyagrah… I need to accompany the other boys. Bye!!! Saying this he dashed off to the next tent. After calming down Malini…. We fled to the eating area…. And finished our breakfast. I was so tired, sad for our country, worried about my brother and sister in law who were there in the next tent., But I was sure of one thing: I was going to Fight… Protest. On the principle of non-violence…. It’s ok if they snatch my life… I was going to protect my country… I silently opened the tent and gazed at the Himalayas… It was grinning at me proudly painted with pure white… It was in meditation like a saint…The breeze was overwhelming. It was tempting to go there…. On a spur of the moment, there was an emphatic and boisterous announcement…. Everybody was shouting: NAMAK SATYAGRAH IS GOING TO START So I had to skip watching the refinement of my country. I dashed prematurely to the tent and had a look at myself in the mirror. There I was, Manju Devi, A 20 old beautiful, and intelligent girl in a white saree… Everybody was preparing for the protest but I only was standing in the same spot…I did not know what was happening to me. I was feeling weird…. I… I was ready… I was ready to sacrifice my life……. I don’t know how to express my feelings so, I looked at myself and said in a brave, magical, and lion-like voice: MANJU DEVI! DON’T BE PERPLEXED. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BOW YOUR HEAD TO THOSE RUTHLESS, WORTHLESS, NASTY CREATURES GO PROTEST, FIGHT WITHOUT A KNIFE, WITH A BRAVE LIFE, INDIA IS YOURS GO… GO I untied my hair…. And went with Malini. We all went in rows behind Mahatma shouting: Humans we live!!!! the salt you must give! Then Mahatma went forward…. And grabbed a pinch of salt from the manufacturing area where we were protesting … He showed it to all of us. I had a view of it……… I had a mixture of emotions… Happiness, Satisfaction, Joy but abruptly it stopped. The sound of clear ringing gunfire ringed in my ears…ROHIT. I screeched…. but it was too late…. The shot smacked Rohit. Rohit, The courageous boy fell down. Tears fell down like a waterfall endlessly down to my cheek… Without thinking I said furiously: YOU RUTHLESS, NASTY MERCILESS FELLOWS, THE ONE WHO MAKES LADIES SUFFER FOR THEIR SON, HUSBAND BROTHER AND FATHER YOU WILL REACH HELL YOU BUSTARDS The British army were there in no time… They came to rape the women… Gandhiji Protested again and again HUMANS WE LIVE SALT YOU MUST GIVE…. Malini ran down to her boy’s puny but challenging body… She wailed, Wept, Screeched, and said: BETA BETA……. The British army rushed to the women with hunger, Hunger of lust...Their dirty eyes showered greedily upon us. But mahatma was there to protect us……. Some soldiers targeted me…. Even I heard a soldier say: Oh! how adorable this girl is…. I said: You bustard you will reach hell…you nasty fellow…I fought with words without a knife for my India’s life, And finally, we won, The British army fled away. But I was scared for Malini. For my India.

 

For my relatives and family. I suddenly rushed to Rohit’s body and wailed. But Malini came behind me. I turned. She was crying softly. We hugged each other. But she said: Why fear??? While India is here…