Anirudh- The Story Of A Misread Barrister

Chapter-32: Bravo Bondita!

{Women learning dance was considered bad or unfavourable by some families, as dance is perceived negatively. That too, when a fatherless girl, who is under the care of another man, is seen active and happy, society draws multiple meanings out of it.}

I found a dance teacher for Bondita with the help of Subbu within two days. She belonged to a family that imparted classical music and dance to people for generations, probably from the king's time. It seems as long as there were kings, her family lead an effluent life, although her present condition was too pathetic. She was a middle aged woman who readily agreed to teach dance to Bondita.

Everything went well for the first four to five days after Bondita's classes started, until there was a stir in our neighbourhood. The dance teacher usually came at evening around four or half past four, and at that time all the ladies in the neighbourhood would gather around our house peeping inside. At first I didn't give much attention to the commotion, although I disliked the unwanted attention that Bondita was getting. What if their unnecessary attention made Bondita leave her passion? Yet, I was unable to do anything about it.

One day as usual when Bondita was in her class, I was sitting in the front verandah, going through a case file. The ladies in the neighbourhood too did not break their routine to grace our ambience with their unwanted presence. I exhaled in disgust and continued with my work until I heard a woman speaking, "It is disgraceful for a girl from a "good" family to dance in front of a huge crowd." Then there was another lady who spoke in acceptance, "I don't understand what these people are up to. We must actually question Barrister babu for supporting all these. She is a child who doesn't know what is right and wrong for her, besides her poor widowed mother doesn't have a tongue to voice out her opinions."

I was definitely losing my cool listening to these, but I erupted like a volcano when I heard a woman speaking utter nonsense like, "What is there to ask him when everything is very clear. Barrister babu wants to get himself entertained and that's why....."

"ENOUGH..", I screamed cutting her words. "Do you even understand what are you saying, madam?", I continued, "All this while I kept quiet only because you are a woman and since I don't know how to disrespect a woman, unlike you. You are talking absolute rubbish about a child. Being her guardian, I have to raise my voice against you, as I can't let anyone offend her."

The lady became numb and the others around her too seemed frightened listening to my loud voice. I did feel bad but I didn't want to give a damn, especially when they were speaking filth about my Bondita. Meanwhile, Bondita along with her teacher and mother came out of the house to see what the commotion was all about. Yet, I didn't stop there and went on to show them what disgrace actually meant.

"What did you say aunty?", I asked pointing to the lady who spoke about disgrace. "By learning dance Bondita doesn't become disgraceful as she doesn't go about different houses to poke her nose into others' personal affairs. She is smaller in age but knows very well about how to protect her self-respect better than many elders here. She also knows how to protect others' respect and that's why you are allowed to witness her dance classes daily even though your presence is making her uncomfortable."

"Still, Anirudh babu, dance is a trait of those cheap women who attract men at brothels and the destiny of those slaves to God. Normal woman like us shouldn't....", snapped another woman.

"Firstly, no woman or man should be considered cheap. Next, we should not attribute dance or any art form to a particular class or clan. Fine arts are universal; they unite people erasing all the differences and inequalities. It is the thoughts that make people cheap. Coming to dance...", I was saying when my speech was interrupted by the dance teacher.