The Game Changer

This anecdote is true as the word anecdote means. The story that is going to unfold now is based on real incidents and experiences, but dates back to bygone era. It is a pleasure to narrate these incidents that have all elements of innocence, valour and true spirit of Freedom and achievement.          .      

Sriya and Smriti are so excited.  Why not? They will be embarking on a pleasure trip to their maternal grandma's village. Being city bred they obviously are thrilled that they would be spending some precious moments in the village that boasted of many freedom fighters and their struggle for freedom. Imagining that they would get to see few of those great people who are alive and kicking was enough to make them go mad with excitement.              

Sriya, look we will make a visit to all those places where those people lived okay said Smriti. She was referring to the freedom fighters nonetheless. . Smriti hesitantly said will it be possible this time? Remember we tried it during our previous visit. But, we could hardly get any information or references in this regard said Smriti. No problem said Sriya this time I have made a good plan and will gather required information from the villagers then things will be easy. Wow this is right said Smriti.  I will gather as much information as possible and write a good essay about them. They deserve to be known for all the sacrifices they have made for the sake of the country albeit in a small way . So what if they are not highly educated or rich , So what if they belong to the backward communities, So what if they are tribals? They are great in their own way thought both of them We will reach out to as many as possible. It will be worthy they thought.            

They boarded the train along with their parents on the specific date and were thoroughly enjoying their trip. They were happy that they would be meeting their grandmother who would be eagerly waiting for their arrival. They were happy that they would get to eat all the goodies that their grandmother would prepare with a lot of effort and love. After a journey that lasted for about 10 hours they reached their destination. It was a small Railway Station with only about four railway tracks. The people waiting for train too was very less obviously. But, . Sriya and Smriti were not at all bothered. You see they had other plans.

On reaching their grand mother's house they hugged her with all warmth. Their grandma too was thrilled to see her daughter, son-in-law and her lovely grand daughters. She served theml delicious home made break-fast which they relished and thoroughly enjoyed. All of them exchanged their experiences and were relaxing. Then came the maid chakli ( she was a tribal woman). Her clothes were so colourful and bright. She had a rustic charm about herself. Her anklets were typical of her legacy and living. Smriti and Shriya felt so excited looking at her . She appeared so cool and different . One noticeable thing was her smile that looked so natural and real. Nothing fake thought both the sisters. While she was busy brooming the backyard of the house both sisters walked towards her and slowly started chatting with chakli who was bubbly and active. She was also happy to talk to these young girls. But, her accent was a problem with Smriti and Shriya.

They tried to understand what she was talking and were able to understand a little bit of her talk. Chakli finished her house work at their place and went home. After she left Sruti and Smriti were discussing about chakli's dress, accent and her persona on the whole. It was fun for them and their grandmother said that she was a tribal and her grandmother was a brave lady who was an active participant in the freedom movement. On hearing this both the sisters at once became so excited that they wanted to go to chakli's house and know about it in totality.

Smriti wanted to write about it as an essay anyways. But, their grandmother asked them to wait for the next morning when chakli would come to work. So they could ask her and note it down in detail. As they were tired because of the journey they too felt it was alright.             

 On the next day when chakli finished her work she sat down along with Smriti and Sruti to narrate about her grandmother who was a revolutionary leader during the freedom struggle. Smriti started noting down as chakli started her narration. Chakli said her grandmother was born into a backward tribal community. Her family were farm labourers who had difficulty in making the ends meet. Everyday survival was a big challenge. On top of it the family consisted of 5 children and their parents. They even had to support the elderly grandparents too ila was married of at a very early age. Child marriage was common at those times. She shifted to a nearby town along with her husband, she was barely thirteen years then. Sruti and Smriti yelled "what, she was married at such an young age? Why was the society so oppressive against women? they wondered . But, they wanted to hear the story further. Chakli continued her narration again.

She said "Once in the new town and a new innings she observed how her husband who was a land labourer used to toil from dawn to night only for a few pennies. It was not at all enough for the two of them to survive Everyday was a struggle and this was not at all a new thing for chakli's grandmother (Ila). She had seen the same oppression and deprivation for many many years. Now, she could not take it any more. .     Ila noticed how these tribals lead a very difficult life. They were deprived of even basic necessities. Women had an even more difficult life. They were tormented mentally and physically by the powerful landlords. If anyone dared to question their authority they faced the consequences that were so frightening to others as well.

But, Ila was not at all ready to bear all this. She wanted to lead a life of dignity. It did not mean to defy any authority but to get what was their birth right for that matter anyone's birth right. She started activating similar minded youth and specially young women who shared the same ideas to some extent but had no idea how to go about it. ila started working on farm land as a labourer. She understood where people were going wrong and how they were falling prey to the atrocities of the powerful land lords. She noticed how women belonging to the upper caste treated women of the lower class and caste. . Her blood boiled. She not only wanted to free all tribals from the clutches of the landlords but also get back some respect for the women of her tribe from the so called powerful women. It was a dream that was taking shape.

She even encouraged her husband to go for farming in the land borrowed by themselves from a well meaning person in that village.  He was a Nationalist who wanted to help the oppressed. He owned huge plots of agricultural land. She along with her husband and like minded youth started cultivating the land which was a big eye sore to the land lords. They saw this as an agitation and used all means to control Ila and her community. When Ila did not relent nor surrender the Upper caste landlords and their community tried every possible way to make her surrender. But, Ila stood firm and determined. With her humble background and means she was able to counter all those attempts and proceeded further with her plans. She formed an organisation of like minded people who were oppressed and tormented.

But, her effort was seen as a rebellion which did not go well with the tormentors. Her house was burnt, crops were destroyed, her young daughter was physically assaulted and many such misdoings that she bravely encountered. She took up pistols and fought very bravely against the hench men of the landlords. She continued growing crops in the same land that was burnt. Het constructive struggle and agitation got her the support of a political party that had idealistic principles. With the support of that party Ila was able to achieve some of her goals like getting back her land, getting back the land document that was held by the powerful landlords who had taken it away from her. She even made the party leaders to distribute the crops that were stored in godowns and were denied to the downtrodden.

All this she could with sheer grit and courage . She paved way to many such oppressed people to raise their voice and get their rights fulfilled. She was an epitome of bravery. "This is what I know about my grandmother"said chakli to the stunned Smriti and Shriya. They were mesmerized in the way chakli narrated the whole matter. . Ofcourse her accent was different but they could understand the matter and Smriti was happy that her essay would be very interesting. They decided that they would read about many such unknown, unsung heroes or heroines who fought for others sake and achieved whatever they wanted irrespective of their means and materials.