"Where had you been?" "Is this train going to Kolkata?" " Yes, sit." "Hey, brother." " There is no guarantee about the train." "It goes whenever it wants." "Split up." " Yes." " I am going this way and you go that way." "Yes, hurry" "Where's she?" "No sight of her" "There." " Over here, quick" "Get off the train." " I'm not coming" "Won't you?" "Come on" "Why are you forcing her?" "Why are you taking her perforce?" "Leave me go!" "Let me go." "Why are you taking me by force." "let me go!" "Stop." "Wanton woman!" "She's tainted." "My doors are shut for her, forever" "Throw her out." " Yes, throw her out" "Didn't get her lover?" "Who was with her?" "There was no one else." " Must've been around" "Young and whiskered!" " We forgot to pick up that one" "But no one told us" "I say, convene the council" "Let the council decide how such a woman is to be punished" "Take her out of my sight" "Take her away from me." "Yes, only the council." " Yes, let the council be convened" "Bodhan Mahto is right here." " Why not convene it tomorrow?" "No, not tomorrow." "Today." " Yes, today itself" "Bisram Chaudhari won't even let his daughter-in-law enter his household" "We must decide this woman's fate at the soonest" "The council will meet after sundown." "Till then, she stays here" "In the open." "Yes Chaudhari?" "Is that acceptable?" "Where's my wife's jewelry?" "The money, the gold coins, where?" "Tell me!" "Bitch!" "Where are they?" "Cur!" "Lecher!" "Don't you dare touch me ever again, I'll eat you alive" "Shut up" "Look at the attitude!" "How shameless, undignified" "The bloody trucker has decamped with the money and the gold" "And he raped her" "Silly greenhorns!" "Didn't even think of taking the trucker" "The sight of young flesh drives them nuts" "Girls nowadays won't wait!" "As soon as they're born.." "..they want lovers!" "Age of sin" "How long have you been seeing the driver?" "Where did you hide him in the daytimes?" "The trucker... he hasn't come?" " Sprained his wrist" "Needs a massage." "Cook up a balm of turmeric paste in warm oil" "Hello." " Hello Bimli, how are you?" "Fine, how are you?" "Miserable." "Give that to me." " Let me do it" "Careful" "Why are you moaning." "It hurts?" " Let it hurt" "When you are massaging, even pain is a pleasure" "Come on, lunch is ready." " Fix my arm first" "You'll be fine, just take a bath in warm water" "Why not buy a balm from town?" "Relieves pain in no time" "Really?" "More effective than your massage?" "If my arm doesn't improve, will you feed me?" "Enough." "Get up, lunch is getting cold" "You cook lovely chicken, Bimli." "For a vegetarian... how do you cook up such lovely chicken?" "It can't be only spice." "I'm sure you add something else" "Yes?" "What's the spice?" "Tell me, what you mix." "I'd like to know" "You have a way with words" "For you." " What's that?" "Open it up when you're home." " Don't bring anything for me" "My Mai gets annoyed." " How will she get to know?" "This is for wearing inside" "Get lost" "Telling Mummy everything, is asking for trouble" "Now eat and get lost." "I got to serve the other boarders" "Tell me, when are you coming with me to Jharia-Dhanbad?" "This time, I'm not going without you" "Heard that?" "Tell me, when are you coming with me to Jharia-Dhanbad?" "What are you doing?" " I fancied doing this forever" "Have had your fancy?" "Don't ever do it again" "Are truckers ever given a wish?" "Why the shoe there?" "Is it crowded up front?" "That's no shoe." "It's meant to ward off a rival's jealousy" "And to keep Uncle from heckling you" "Don't get Uncle?" "Policemen" "So there's a shoe at your door?" " No, but why?" "So that none eyes your wife?" "How about giving me a wife?" "To go about warding off the evil eye" "How am I to find for you?" "You tell Mai everything, no?" "Ask your Mai" ""From red lips, oozing.."" ""..syrup, like sweet juices flowing.."" ""..from a ripe mango."" "Come on." "When are you coming with me to Jharia-Dhanbad?" "This time, I'm not going without you" "The council is convened" "Speak up Bisram Chaudhari, what is the matter?" "Elders." "The girl appearing before the council.." "..is my daughter-in-law." "My misfortune." "My son, her husband is away." "I was in no hurry to bring her home" "But what I heard of Bimli made me sick." "I thought if she will leaves her parents' home.." "..everything would be fine." "So..." "I brought her home." "Then began the differences, the blame game.." "..and my neighbors said, I am the wrongdoer." "You must've heard.." "In deference to your wishes, I built a separate hut for myself" "That's where I went wrong." "Out of sight, out of control" "This wasn't the first time that she ran away with that truck driver" "She robbed me of my wife's jewellery but I don't care" "God willing.." "I'll buy gold again." "But she has disgraced me" "And she has given our village a bad name." "I pray...may never the name of the village be tainted." "Punish her, sternly" "If I am in the wrong, not to spare me either" "Yes my mistake, that I kept to religious and rituals" "I couldn't keep an eye on my daughter-in-law" "But I'm alive because of my faith, this I shall tell you." "Else my charred corpse would've been lying right here" "Bimli, get up" "Are you dead?" "Dead no sooner than she hits the bed." "Want me to send you to your funeral?" "Up" "Bimli, you aren't going to work?" "Everyone in the village was against us when we sent Bimli to the kiln" "Said, the kiln is a den of thieves." "And today?" "Half the women in the village work the kilns" "Little did we know that our son would end up slaving for his wife" "Have it." "Here take it." "Come, come, come." "Make sure you buy lamp oil." "All right" "And tobacco for your father." " Okay" "Come." "So what if our son has abandoned us?" "Our Bimli is like a son to us" "Eight years she has been working." "Started working the kiln when she was ten." "And ten years since she got married" "Still seems like yesterday." "Our lovely little doll, Bimli" "What did we have?" "Not even a bed without legs" "And cracked pots and pans." "And slowly..." "Bimli put together a household." "And today...?" "Beds and mattresses for each of us." "Even the clothes we wear" "We can even afford our tea and tobacco" "We'll always afford that." "Take my word" "But her father-in-law has written, he wants to take her away" "I've been putting him off, but one day, she must leave." "Then?" "Why worry?" "God is caring" "Are you listless?" "The girl in red isn't to be seen?" " Who cares?" "Mind your business" "Look, there she comes" "Now you find time to arrive?" "It's ten by the watch" "Never watched the watch?" " I get paid piecemeal" "What's breaking your heart?" "Find yourself a sister to teach about the watch" "I'm leaving early." "I got to go to the marketplace" "Bimli teases you, doesn't she?" "Wicked, isn't she?" "She brings the light into a day in the kiln" "So much affection is no good." "Daughters belong to strangers" "I know, but..." " Come and see me" "I want to start another kiln." " Sure" "And send Bimli to me." "I got some business with her" "The overseer is crazy about Bimli." "Doesn't even mind being mocked at" "He's no woman's man." "The first wife eloped with someone else" "For the last 3 years, he has been after the women here" "Bimli isn't silly." "Will she ever marry this old dot?" "But he is after Bimli and no one else" "But Bimli has her eyes on Babu, the truck driver" "Hey Bimli" "Give it to me." "What's the matter?" "The driver hasn't been here for some time...?" "He misses the driver?" " Won't he miss his sister's husband?" "Listen, the boss wants to see you." "The truck driver is coming" "Yes Bimli, the trucker will be here by tomorrow afternoon" "He's coming after a long time." "Will you cook something nice?" "He is coming after many days." "Won't you do it?" "Wait..." "Accountant, buy enough for a meal for three." "I'm eating too" "Been long since I ate Bimli's dishes." "What will you cook?" "Chicken." "He loves it." "Can I go now?" "Bimli was a baby when she took up cooking for the kiln." "How many years?" "She whiles away the whole day cooking and flirting" "Saves the effort of lugging bricks." "And she gets paid 5 Rupees extra" "Who wouldn't do that?" " But she cooks well too" "Else, what trucker would risk picking up coal... without paying the miners?" " Good cook or bad... take Bimli off the cooking detail and see whether the trucker stays on" "Don't I know that?" "The trucker and the overseer" "If they're sticking around for years, it's all because of her" "And the tractor-driver!" "Calls Bimli "the kiln's headlight"" "Watch it." "Are you blind?" "Off so early, Mrs. Driver?" " Your tongue is wagging" "I am Mrs. Driver?" " You don't think of your kinsmen" "It's a stranger's truck that you fall for?" "Why are you jealous?" "You know, the boss has promoted me from cleaner to tractor-driver" "You know, the tractor is many times more powerful than the truck" "Say, how about getting rammed to find out?" "Don't boast Billar" "For the king of beggars, make do with little" "Whether you like me or not, girl, I've fallen for you" "I am crazy about you." "I will make do with little." "All dolled up again?" "I've told you..." "I can't stand overdressed girls." " Then blind yourself" "If she's overdressed it's because of the trucker" "Don't talk too much." " Not to get angry, brother" "Bimli is the kiln's headlight!" "Dazzles everyone" "Grandson of a gun" "Excuse me Khan sahib, I'm late already" "Today is first full moon after the winter solstice" "I must take the ritual bath." "Then, the prayers and the feast" "And everyone wants to go to the fair." " All right, but remember... you must escort single girls home." " Rest assured, Khan sahib" "My responsibility." " Well said" "Kuisa..." " Yes?" "Are you carrying the earring?" "Now don't get annoyed." "Go on, go to the fair" "Come on." "You mustn't have mentioned earrings." "Drives the overseer mad" "Accountant, you were mischief-maker." " Really?" "Ask the accountant." "He was the satan." "Tell them." "Come, come." "It all began like a joke." "The overseer came here full of beans" "The boss fanned his fires." "No dearth of women here" "Why one, you can find ten wives." "And Kuisa kept an earring... and he'd showed it to all the girls, saying it's for the woman he marries" "So we thought, let's see how deep the waters run" "So we fixed a girl and they married at the fair on the sly" "And Kuisa goes home with his wife, a happy man" "Happy, because he had found a wife" "There was a river to ford." "And Kuisa's wife followed him" "When he stepped into the river, he must've been dreaming" "And as he treaded the water carefully." "And in the meantime what happened is.." "Ever since, Kuisa has been touchy about earrings." ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""Let me dress up and go to the fair today."" ""Will meet my beloved there."" ""Let me dress up and go to the fair today."" ""Will meet my beloved there."" ""If our eyes meet.. maybe.."" ""If our eyes meet.." "maybe.. on the path of life.."" ""On the path of life.."" ""Perfumed like sandalwood."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""Someone is staring."" ""Someone is smiling."" ""Someone is staring."" ""Someone is smiling."" ""Someone shakes her anklets."" ""And someone shakes her bracelets."" ""Shakes her bracelets."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""The pot of water is overflowing in this weather."" ""The fragrance of flowers is spread all over."" ""The pot of water is overflowing in this weather."" ""The fragrance of flowers is spread all over."" ""My heart is restless."" ""My heart is restless, like a bee."" ""Like a bee."" ""It is buzzing now."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" ""Such a lovely day."" ""My mind is so happy."" "Come on be quickly." "Come." "Balloons." "You want one, Bimli?" " Forget it" "Give me one." "The wheel!" "Come on." " I'm not sitting on the wheel" "You don't sit on the wheel, Kuisa, not you." "You'll fall." " Shut up" "Look!" "How it spins." " Round and round the pulley." "Lovely!" "How much for?" " You're looking like a bear" "Bimli, take it." "I'm paying for it." " No, no" "How about sweets?" " Bimli, want to eat sweets?" "Champa, what about you?" "Go on, weigh out some" "Yes, give that." "Here Bimli, eat." "It's steaming" "More... for you Champa" "Eat, it's all for you" "Steaming hot, no?" "Nice, no?" " Try the hard, crisp ones" "The food is warm." "Eat." " Yes" "Bimli, some more?" "Eat" "Sweets?" " Over there" "There." " More, more." "Go on, have some more." " Enough... stop." "Am I to eat so much?" "I'm going to get tattooed" "Butterfly, bird or rose?" " Tattoo my husband's name" "What's your husband's name?" " If I'm Sita, who's my husband?" "Sita-Ram?" "You were married when you were a baby." "Do you remember anything?" "I don't remember getting married.." ".. But once at a fair with my mother..." "I saw him." "I remember that" "Sister!" "How are you?" " Fine, how are you?" "Fine." "Bimli look." "He's the one you married" "Want to go away with him?" " No" "Bye" "Tattooed in for life" "So what?" "Come." "It was fun." " Go on, I'll go home" "What if something happens to you?" " As if the goons are waiting?" "Goons will crop up wherever you go." "Any dearth of goons after you?" "And won't I break the goon's legs?" "Hey Billar!" "Feeling horny?" "Lay off!" " Let's walk like this for a while" "Lay off" "The driver smells nice and I smell foul?" "Billar, mind your tongue." "Neither you nor the driver is my husband" "Now don't get testy." "A nice boy like you doesn't behave like this" "Eyes speak what tongues don't" "Hello Uncle" "Now you return?" "If you dare step out of the house, I'll break your legs" "At the fair!" "Till so late at night?" " Just getting her arm tattooed" "Are you worked up because she's late?" "How will you ever send her away?" "Sending her away is my headache." "How are you concerned?" "Go in" "I just said it for your own good." "How am I concerned?" "Goodbye" "Ma, you sleep with me tonight." " Silly" "Staying out so late is no good." "I hear some driver is after you?" "Don't you accept any gifts" "There, passes out as soon as she's in bed" "Hello Bimli's Father." " Hello... yes brother?" "I work at the kiln, I'm a driver." "Same place where Bimli works" "Yes, I've heard." "Come, sit" "How's business?" " Going on" "I got this for you." "Tobacco." "Bundle of beedies, and this" "Was all this needed?" " Keep it" "Our Bimli cooks for you." "She cooks properly?" "At cooking, Bimli is an expert." "But what use?" "Who gets to eat?" "What a wedding you gave her." "10 years and yet no sign of her father-in-law" "True, but what can I do?" " Just as well that Bimli is busy" "Works hard, makes good money too." " All thanks to you" "Oh no..." " Thanks be, we have two square meals" "Once the daughter is grown up, she should be sent away" "True, Mr. Driver." "I'm worried too." " Then why not find a nice family?" "Why not give Bimli away?" "Poor thing, how long will she wait... for a careless husband?" " If that's fate, what can we do?" "What else?" "Give her away." " Yes, Kuisa the overseer came... asking for Bimli's hand." "But the man is quite aged" "How can I give Bimli away to him?" "Can you suggest a suitable boy?" "There are so many, I was about to suggest..." "Let me call Bimli's mother." "Listen Suguna..." "What's the hurry?" "Next time when I come, say next week... maybe sooner if I can make it." "Then I'll talk about the boy" "I'll get nice tobacco from the town." "And the booze, English" "Bye" "Give everybody my regards." " Yes, yes" "I'll pay you, I told you so." "Am I running away?" "I'm running such a big kiln." "Can I get away without paying you?" "Khan sahib, I've been hearing that lecture for the past 6 months" "You owe me 3 trips." "How long can someone give you credit?" "The miner refused to give the coal." "I said it's my responsibility" "I expected you'd pay up." " Giving coal on credit is no favour" "Everyone gives." " What...?" "This is business." " Then get it from someone else" "Settle my account." "I don't want to be harassed" "Oh yes, I'll pay you off." "Don't pick my brains." "Dues and dues!" "I can settle your dues provided people who owe me, settle" "Look, I don't know all this." "I'll see you before leaving" "You settle my account." "Period" "Hello!" " Hello, am I late?" "I was wondering whether you went home after the bath in the river" "Isn't this trip a bit too soon?" " Maybe someone draws me" "Eat your food" "Keep this." " What's this?" "Dress." "Saree, blouse, petticoat." " Why do you bring these things?" "What for?" " Left for you to make out" "I can make out, that's why I'm saying" "Ours is just a friendship." "Not about give and take" "For me, I'd rather accept what I can repay easily." "Keep it... for your wife" "At times you behave like a nag." "But get this from me... this is my memento." "Do you realise what it means to refuse a memento?" "You take me for a fool?" "I know what you're getting at" "Anyway.." "..you had an argument with Khan sahib before unloading the coal?" "In time to pay up, Khan always turns pale." "Wants to extract the maximum" "How long can someone take bad debts?" "He organises nice meals for you" "Chicken, fish..." " The kiln runs on chicken and fish?" "Or coal?" "The truth is I come all the way to see you." "And I end up bringing in... ..coal worth 10,000-15,000." "And Khan has figured it out" "So he's taking me for a ride." " For my sake?" "Why?" "Who am I to you?" "We'll see each other only so long as we're in this kiln." "Afterwards you go your way and I go mine" "So much affection is no good." "Eat that" "Don't say it so heartlessly" "I'll see your father soon." " Why?" "Got to ask for something." " What?" "You" "I've seen girls and girls, in Bengal, Bihar, U.P... but you're one-of-a-kind." " Why, what's about me?" "You're so close and yet so far." "Anyway, keep it" "No, Mr. Driver, keep it to yourself" "Fine" "What's up, Bimli?" "You look troubled?" "Only a few smiles and words and men start imagining" "What happened?" " How trying it's for me... to preserve what is his, little does my husband-in-Kolkata know" "So many men are eyeing me, no one cares to see how difficult it is" "That wedding happened ten years ago when you were only so little" "And there's been no sign of him all these years." "The driver loves you" "I've seen him" "Hello Bimli's father." "Is Bimli's mother in?" "Hello Ramkali, how are you?" " I'm fine" "She's inside." "Go in" "Welcome Ramkali, sit." "Where have you been?" "I'm here to see you." " Me...?" "Yes." "How's Bimli?" " She's fine" "Fine?" "I hear it's been 3 years since her husband has been home." "Isn't he away in Kolkata?" "And he has even stopped... sending money home to his father?" " Yes, but I'm praying for the best" "What use is a man who won't care for his father and his wife?" "He might have even married a Bengali girl in Kolkata" "Even if he takes Bimli to Kolkata, what will he feed her?" "He's a day-labourer, worthless job." "And with Bimli gone... who will look after you?" " God above is watching" "He will give us succour." " Are you silly?" "We ought to look out for ourselves." "Just do as I say" "Bimli is no a young girl." "Forget that wedding, it was child's play" "Get her married to one of the village boys." "Someone... who's willing to live with you." " But..." "Not to worry." "Give her away to my little brother, Billar" "He's a tractor driver, he earns." "What a lovely match it'd be" "He'll build a house for himself right here, in this village" "They'll be here, right in front of your eyes." "And if need be..." "Billar will even foot the damages for the divorce" "And keep this." "Bimli's father has a liking for the good things in life" "Here you are, a pack of tobacco." "All of half a kilo." "And two pipes" "And here... a bottle of booze." "Give me a reply tomorrow." "Bye" "What Ramkali says is worth considering." "But Bimli is married" "What if the council disapproves?" " Billar is willing to pay damages" "Why didn't we think of it before?" "But Bimli is yet to agree." " Why do we have to ask Bimli?" "Doesn't even remember her husband from that baby-wedding" "You've married me off already." "Why give me away to someone else?" "Been 8 years since the boy turned up." "We don't even know where he is" "He's alive, isn't he?" "Write to him." "Won't he come if he is needed?" "Billar is a boy we know." "He belongs to our village, earns well too" "Is my husband a cripple?" " May not be." "But I hear... he doesn't have a proper job, doesn't send money home either" "Might be earning only enough to feed himself" "What will he feed you?" "How will he make you happy?" "Why today?" "Why didn't you think of it before?" "I was just a baby" "Did you have to tie me to someone?" " What's wrong about thinking now?" "You might, if he was flawed." "Making less money doesn't make someone bad" "And whom did you give me away to?" "The man or the money?" "All a man need do is work hard and he can make a living" "Tomorrow if some landlord comes by.." "..will you ask me to go to his house?" "So the token is from Billar's sister?" ".. What do you take your daughter for?" "A whore for a tenner's worth of tobacco?" "How did you think of it?" "I'm someone's wife." "How can you give me away to someone else?" "What do you think I am?" "Cattle?" " Shut up." "Don't scream." "Whore" "Welcome, is everything all right?" "You haven't visited for quite a while" "Was busy." "Where's my daughter-in-law?" "At work." "She'll be home by sundown" "Time you sent her to us." " Is Sitaram back from Kolkata?" "No, he's still there." "But I get to hear things about Bimli" "I won't tolerate my son's wife getting a bad name" "I was always against her working amongst men" "No, must be false rumour." "Please sit." "Our Bimli isn't like that" "Who knows?" "I hear my daughter-in-law goes dancing on tractors, to fairs... in the company of men who buy sweets for her.." "..and she returns at midnight" "Is my daughter-in-law common vessel to be used for cooking by anyone?" "I don't want our name tainted." " Let Sitaram returns." "I'll send her" "Try to understand, being evasive isn't honourable" "Paddy can't be stored once cooked into rice." "It will start rotting" "Once the girl is grown up, you send her to her in-laws" "Keep your dignity intact." "Irrespective of when Sitaram returns..." "I'm taking her away." "I'll come next week." "Same time" "Where is your wife?" " She should be here." "Stay on" "Never mind." "Get ready for the send-off." "See you" "No, you must eat before you leave." " No, I left work behind" "Just remember, next week, same day, same time" "From the kiln owner" "From the driver." "He also gave 51 Rupees" "11 Rupees from Mr. Pandey" ""The eyes are crying and there is no peace for the heart."" ""Have to leave my house."" ""I can't live without them."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""The eyes are crying and there is no peace for the heart."" ""Have to leave my house."" ""Why did you let me go?"" ""Why did you open the cage and let this bird free?"" ""Why did you let me go?"" ""Why did you open the cage and let this bird free?"" ""You let me go whenever you wished."" ""You let me go whenever you wished."" ""No one thought about me."" ""No one thought about me."" ""The eyes are crying and there is no peace for the heart."" ""Have to leave my house."" ""I can't live without them."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""I have spent my beautiful childhood here."" ""I have very old relations with this place."" ""I have spent my beautiful childhood here."" ""I have very old relations with this place."" ""How can I forget my old loving friends?"" ""How can I forget my old loving friends?"" ""Take my palanquin back." "Please return."" ""Take my palanquin back." "Please return."" ""The eyes are crying and there is no peace for the heart."" ""Have to leave my house."" ""I can't live without them."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""Mother, don't send me away."" ""The eyes are crying and there is no peace for the heart."" ""Have to leave my house."" "Now this is your home." "Make yourself happy" "Don't worry about anything." "If you need anything, tell me" "You needn't be too shy of me." "All we have here are the two of us" "We got to take care of each other, yes?" "You won't talk to me?" " No..." "I mean yes, why not?" "I've got a headache and my whole body is aching." "Heat some oil for me" "Use this." "It'll give you relief fast." "I don't know what it is." "Why don't you massage it?" "Sit here" "So comfortable." "You massage well" "On my chest too" "I am going out, I'll be back in a while." "You need something?" "New lantern, you can turn the light up and down, at will" "No need for the oilcan anymore" "Listen, I bought chicken and fish" "Let's have a nice dinner." " I don't eat flesh" "Eat it, find out what fun it is." "Why pine for it all your life?" "Get my bag." "Someday I'll make you eat." "Then you'll ask for more, everyday" "Get me a glass" "Lay this out on a dish" "Who'll bring water?" "Sit... sit here" "Water." "Take" "Come here" "Sit beside me" "I told you, you needn't be shy of me, Come on, sit" "Look Bimli, here you are and I am the master of this house" "You will do as I say" "Come and sit with me." " Father, don't ask this of me" "I'm like your daughter and you're my husband's father, my father too" "I beg of you, send me home." "I'll come gladly when he returns" "You are a bride in this family and this is where you stay" "Water" "Come." "Come Mansuriya's mother." "Any news?" " The bride won't speak" "She's a mute." "But her eyes speak, she only stares" "And the look on her face, as if she's being taken for slaughter" "And Bisram is putting on such airs!" "Expensive dresses and that strut" "Sent his sister away two days before.." "..the daughter-in-law arrived." "Why?" "Don't we know Bisram?" "Remember what he did to Saraswati?" "Rogue" "Is his son returning or not?" " Who knows?" "Fought with his father" "But it's his bride who came home." "Why isn't he here?" "Bisram's intentions... are rotten." " This is simmering fire" "How long can we keep watching?" " You aren't seeing this... for the first time." "Now Bisram is a vicious guy" "We can't accuse him right away." "But what are the men doing?" "Write to your son, call him over." "Rumours are rife in the village" "What rumours?" "With or without her husband, woman's only concern is her maintenance" "I can afford four women like her" "Passers-by don't see you sleeping out." "Too many jackals in the area nowadays?" "Didn't you hear they are making off with the goats.." "..sometimes even a child?" "Of recent they snatched a six-year old child away." "You want me to sleep out." "Do you?" "But with a woman sleeping inside..." "Been sleeping inside for 20 years!" " Now it's different." "All night... in the same room as your son's wife?" "If your son isn't coming... you should build another hut for yourself." "Even when we come here... we got to sit outside." " The gossips are talking" "Even I've been thinking of it." "Very soon, I'm bringing my son back" "I'm planning for another hut too." "Now the sugarcane crop is ready" "Very soon now..." "And I don't like being castigated in public." "You men should think too" "I have my dignity too." "I'm an elder in the council." "You should think... before saying such unbecoming things." "We aren't saying." "But how do we... keep folks from talking?" "The whole village is talking about..." "Bisram's nefarious deeds and how your son will break your bones" "The whole world wants to screw that someone else." "Get that?" "Must I tear open my bosom in order to earn your trust?" "Saying goes, think before talking.." "..like you strain water before drinking" "Every man has a dignity." "Excuse me, I got a buffalo to look after" "There he goes." "What happened?" " Glass shards!" "Strewn all over" "Cursed fellow!" "Drinks too much" "New bride in the village, I would've come to see you before" "If only you had a mother-in-law, but she's no more" "Is everything all right?" " Yes Aunt, everything's fine" "You're all alone." "So it's my duty to come asking about you" "Your husband Sitaram respected me." "Any news of him?" "No, but he'll be back soon." " Any letters?" "No, but his father says he'll come." " Very well." "But if you wish..." "I can send a letter on your behalf." "I know the letter-writer very well" "Great!" "I'll send a letter to my father too" "My father's address and the Kolkata address" "Will you send the letter right away?" "Of course, why not?" "What do you want written?" "Tell my father to take me back as soon as he can... until such time that my husband returns" "And write to Kolkata saying I'm here.." "..and he should come as soon as he can" "Why?" "Is Bisram harassing you?" "Why don't you answer?" " Nothing like that" "But I don't like staying here while my husband is away" "I ought to be with my husband, no?" "True." "I've been perplexed, you know" "Now that you're here, why isn't your husband here?" "Well all right, I'll have the letters sent right away" "They'll be delivered in 4-5 days." "Give me money for two postcards" "Here it is." " See you." "Sacred virgin!" "You are fussy only at home." "Didn't you romance that driver?" "His hooch smelt nice?" "Mine stinks?" "Bitch sniggers!" "Those dresses, that jewellery, your cripple father paid for them?" "Sold his daughter, and now you...?" "Tell me the truth... the truth" "Wasn't your father palming you off to Kuisa, the overseer, for 2000?" "You swear he didn't?" "Am I blind?" "Am I deaf?" "Am I ignorant?" "Goes to fairs, eats sweets!" "Goes travelling to Jharia, Dhanbad" "And while you go picnicking Bisram pawns his lands?" "Even talking to me is sin?" "How ladylike!" "That's the excuse, no?" "Bitch" "You'll attack me?" "Got the guts?" "Don't you dare touch me" "What?" "Are you threatening me?" "Come on, stab me." "Let's see if you got guts" "Come on, why don't you stab me?" "Hey overseer!" "Stop!" " No Khan sahib, don't stop me" "I'm not working anymore." "I'm going on a pilgrimage" "If I feel like it, I may come back in a year or two." "But don't wait for me" "Listen..." "But why?" "I'm giving you a raise." "You've been around for 4 years" "Have you ever had any problems?" "This year, I'll make sure... you're married, come what may." " Enough, Khan sahib" "Please don't stop me now." "I must overcome illusions" "Who knows what life holds?" "Farewell" "The driver left." "Now he leaves." "How do I run the kiln?" "Bimli my child..." "Bimli my child... this is your father-in-law." "Open up, my child" "Will you make me a glass of tea?" "Your father loved your tea, I hear" "Bring it here." "I'll wait outside." " No, come inside" "I'm ashamed... much ashamed" "But if you won't forgive me, I won't even find a place in hell" "I think the marijuana was laced with some kind of aphrodisiac" "For a whole week I've had such sinful thoughts... and now I've degraded myself." "The priest at the temple took mercy" "I've stayed with him for the last few days" "The Apothecary is a rascal!" "For 3 years, I paid for his marijuana" "And this is how he pays me back!" "Ingrate!" "Did everything possible... to ensure that I get a bad name." "Were you not so chaste..." "I don't know where I would've gone hiding, God knows" "When my son returns, what is to become of me?" "You are chaste, truly chaste." "You saved your honour and my dignity" "What was he getting even for?" "Hush, forget everything." "It was a bad dream, now it's over" "Still, I'm a sinner, I am a sinner." " No, you mustn't speak like that" "I'll go to the temple every day." "It's so peaceful" "Today I won't eat lunch." "I'm fasting for a ritual at the temple" "You have your meals and stuff." "I'll eat only tonight." "Make sure you sprinkle sacred water to sanctify the home" "I'll get consecrated water." "I'll also bring home the oblations" "You can have it too." "I've sent a letter to Kolkata" "Sitaram will be here soon" "I'll observe a fast too." "Had I known, I wouldn't have had my morning tea" "Here Bisram, consecrated water." "Have you taken the offerings?" "Yes." " Is there anything else you want?" "No, thanks" "Aunt!" "Welcome" "You cleaned the home up?" "Yes, I did a thorough job" "My husband is coming from Kolkata." "Wonderful!" "I mailed your father too" "He too will be here soon." "Here, keep your addresses" "How is Bisram?" " My father-in-law is a wonderful man" "Actually, he was unwell." "Someone gave him a wrong drug" "But nowadays, he visits the temple regularly, performs rituals" "Why the temple?" " I told him to do the ritual at home" "But... anyway, when my husband returns.." "..I'll do some rites at home" "You must come." " Sure" "Got it?" " Here's your opium" "And here is the rest of the money." "Here." " Hold this" "This too" "Here." "Go and enjoy yourself." "Well Saraswati, fresh fish?" " Yes" "Pack five Rupees' worth" "You look elated, what gives?" " I was fasting for a ritual" "I am just back from the rituals." "I don't see you nowadays?" " I'm more involved with religion now" "Wonderful!" "So clean and pure." "You are truly chaste." "Don't refuse." "Here's the sacred water." "Wash your hands and feet.." "..before you sprinkle it all over." "Then take the oblations" " Yes." "The other is consecrated water." "You can drink all of it" "I had my share at the temple." "And that's offering I made" "I've observed the fast too." " All day?" "Well drink the consecrated water before the milk in it curdles" "Fill a pipe for me." "Haven't smoked a pipe all day." "I'll sit outside" "Who...?" "Salutations." "Bisram, you...?" "So early?" "You just went home last evening" "You're back at dawn?" " I was here all night" "I couldn't bear to leave The Lord's temple" "I was so restless." "I gave the oblations to my daughter-in-law" "But I couldn't sleep." "Then in a daze I had a horrible vision" "The Goddess of Plenty stood in my house, all adorned in gold" "Suddenly a dark horrible she-witch appears and the Goddess disappears" "And what's left is pitch dark." "I was startled awake... and I felt a forbidding shadow wafting past my house... and vanishing into the dark." "Ever since I've been despairing" "What might the dream signify?" "I think the marijuana has gone to your head" "That's why you are restless." "Don't worry, I'll think about it when I meditate?" "Go home." " No, let me stay on" "I'll leave after the morning prayers." " Not before ten in the morning" "It will be 9/10." "It's so peaceful here." " As you wish" "I'm going to the jungle." "Hey Jageshwar!" "Uncle Hari..." "I'm undone" "The bitch!" "She has robbed me!" "Escaped with everything" "Who...?" " Who ran away?" " Go and tell Bodhan Mahto." "Go and tell Bodhan Mahto." "What's left to happen?" "The bitch has disgraced me" "Go and call Bodhan Mahto." "Never expected the daughter-in-law to play such a game!" "Dug out all the jewellery!" "The shovel is still lying there" "Jewellery apart, 50 silver coins and a gold coin too" "Cleaned the place up!" "Come in, I'll show you" "Let's see." " Come..." "look at this." "Here." "The whole house is ruined." "Hey, brother, look here," " She has taken everything." "Yes." " What happened." "I hurt my leg." "Look out for the bones and walk." " What a horrible woman" "Look, beedi-ends" "Looks like a whole night of debauchery" "Look, empty booze bottle!" "And the walls, splashed wet" "Fish bones strewn all over, and look, beedi butts" "While the poor father-in-law is performing a ritual in the temple... this was going on here." "Never was such sin perpetrated" "Poor Bisram, he brought home a whore" "Oh God!" "When she lived with her father, there was a tale about her every day" "Such tales!" "If I started talking, it'd read like an epic" "I kept mum because of my dignity." "But what's left to be hidden now?" "There was a truck driver." "She went picnicking with him" "And there was a boy who took her to the fair" "And an overseer." "Gave her jewellery" "I thought if I took her away it'd all be over." "Never in my dreams... did I imagine they'd come here." "God knows who it was" "Had she eloped from her father's, this village and I... we wouldn't be disgraced." " Someone disgraces us and get away?" "Bisram's disgrace is our disgrace." " Are we to remain spectators?" "Never!" " Where might she be?" "Where can she go?" "She must be around." " Not if she has eloped" "She'd use a bus or a train to escape." "If she took last night's train... we've lost her." "If she's trying to take the train at ten... she'll surely be caught, no escape!" "Come on boys, to the station" "Come on, quick!" " Goodness, such trespass" "I'm going for the train." " You take the bus" "Hurry." " Pedal hard" "What happened?" " Goodness!" "Look at this" "The bed is soaked in kerosene" "Look, the bed is soaked!" "And here are the matches" "God!" "You saved me!" "Had I not spent the night at the temple, I was dead" "First time ever such a dangerous woman came to our village" "And look at all the ugly gossip about Bisram... about him eyeing his daughter-in-law." " Why didn't anyone react?" "In their times, these gossip-mongers were inviting the whole village" "Now they act righteous." " Poor Bisram" "He was forced to make this hut for himself thanks to the taunts" "Were it not for the gossip-mongers.." "..Bisram wouldn't have been forced out" "The girl wouldn't get a chance to make merry.." "..and we wouldn't be disgraced" "Lord, preserve me" "I think the gossip-mongers had a hand in her escape." "I think... a search will unearth the money, jewellery and even the runaway bride" "You're looking for her in the wrong place" "Brother, the thing is this year the fish.." "Is this train going to Kolkata?" " Yes, sit" "So I was telling you that these politicians.." "Split up." " Yes, hurry" "There" "Over here, quick" "There she is." " Get off the train" "Why are you forcing her?" "Why are you taking her perforce?" "Leave me!" "I'm not going." "I am not going!" "Let me go!" "Come!" " Let me go." "I am not coming." "Uncle Bisram..." "Bimli has been caught." "In the train, she was getting away" "She dare not set foot into my house, the bitch" "Stop" "Wanton woman!" "She's tainted." "My doors are shut for her, forever" "Throw her out." " Yes, throw her out" "Didn't get her lover?" "Who was with her?" "There was no one else." " Must've been around" "Young and whiskered!" " Yes, a man in whiskers... he even asked why we're taking her forcibly" "That's him!" "The driver, the lover!" "Why didn't you get him?" "We would've paraded the two of them all over the village" "We forgot to pick up that one." " But no one told us" "I say, convene the council." "Let the council decide how such a woman... is to be punished." "Take her out of my sight" "Yes, let the council be convened." "Bodhan Mahto is right here" "Why not convene it tomorrow?" " No, not tomorrow." "Today" "Bisram Chaudhari won't even let his.." "..daughter-in-law enter his household" "We must decide this woman's fate at the soonest" "The council will meet after sundown." "Till then, she stays here" "In the open." "Yes Chaudhari?" "Is that acceptable?" "Yes" "Where's my wife's jewellery?" "The money, the gold coins, where?" "Tell me!" "Bitch!" "Where are they?" " How dare you?" "Cur!" "Lecher!" "Don't you dare touch me ever again, I'll eat you alive" "What are you doing?" " Shut up." "Look at the attitude!" "How shameless, undignified" "The bloody trucker has decamped with the money and the gold" "And he raped her" "Silly greenhorns!" "Didn't even think of taking the trucker" "The sight of young flesh drives them nuts" "Girls nowadays won't wait!" "As soon as they're born... they want lovers!" "Age of sin" "How long have you been seeing the driver?" "Where did you hide him in the daytimes?" "Convening the council is the right decision" "We don't want our children to end up wayward" "The council is convened" "Speak up Chaudhari, what is the matter?" "The girl appearing before the council is.." "..my daughter-in-law." "My misfortune" "My son, her husband is away." "I was in no hurry to bring her home" "But what I heard of Bimli made me sick." "I thought... if she will leaves her parents' home, everything would be fine." "So..." "I brought her home." "Then began the differences... and my neighbours said, I am the wrongdoer." "You must've heard" "In deference to your wishes, I built a separate hut for myself" "That's where I went wrong." "Out of sight, out of control" "This wasn't the first time that she ran away with that truck driver" "She robbed me of my wife's jewellery but I don't care." "God willing..." "I'll buy gold again." "But she has disgraced me" "And she has given our village a bad name." "I pray... may never the name of the village be tainted." "Punish her, sternly" "If I am in the wrong, not to spare me either" "Yes my mistake, that I kept to religious and rituals" "I couldn't keep an eye on my daughter-in-law" "But I'm alive because of my faith, this I shall tell you." "Else.." "..my charred corpse would've been lying right here" "Present Bisram's daughter-in-law before the council" "Remember, you are standing before the council, before God" "No one is an enemy, no one is friend." "You must speak only the truth" "And you shall swear by God." "Do you accept?" "With whom did you elope?" " With no one." "I left alone" "Why?" "I wanted to travel to Kolkata." "To my husband" "Why were you carrying your jewellery and your money?" "And where is the jewellery?" " I took no jewellery, no money" "All that is a lie." " Really, a lie?" "Last night, there was someone with you inside that house" "And he ate fish and he drank, are those lies?" "No." "That's true." "Oh God." "You went to Bisram's bed carrying a bottle of kerosene and matches" "Is that a lie?" " No, true" "You wanted to burn Bisram alive to erase any trace of your debauchery" "Is that a lie too?" " Yes lies!" "Absolutely false" "The man who drank and ate fish.." "..the man who ravaged me last night... he was the beast!" "My father-in-law!" "I wanted to burn him alive" "But he escaped." "But I won't let him get away, I'm going to eat him alive" "What are you doing?" "Leave me." "I have a request." "The temple priest is here, you can ask him" "Until six last the evening, I sat hearing the discourses" "Then I went home, I ate dinner, I went out for a stroll... and then around 10:30, I went back to the temple, to sleep" "The priest got up around 5:30, he found me asleep in the temple" "When did I ravage her?" "When did I cook fish?" "She locks herself in at bedtimes." "How did I open the door?" "Yes." " And if all this was happening, why didn't she scream?" "Well priest?" " Bisram is right" "He stayed at the temple overnight." "I saw him." "If he left the temple... it must've been for only a few hours." "You lock yourself in at bedtimes" "Bisram stays outside." "Then how did he get in?" "Last night he came with oblations." "I was observing a fast" "I drank only the consecrated water, a few glasses." "I felt dizzy" "I don't know when I fell asleep." "I don't even remember whether..." "I locked the door from inside." " Strange!" "Even when... you were being subjected to the crime, you didn't come around?" "I was in a swoon, I couldn't open my eyes" "I had no strength left, as if I was intoxicated" "Is that believable?" " Not at all" "Is this believable?" "While it's being done to a woman... she doesn't even awaken?" "I never heard a statement as novel as that" "Aren't you the one who sells fish fries, Saraswati?" "What else?" "For years he has been buying from me." "Yesterday too" "Then why don't you say it?" " Shut up, why are you concerned?" "Why shouldn't I be concerned?" "Get up, tell them Saraswati" "What use?" "Who will take my word?" "Then they'll ask me how long I've been cooking for Bisram" "And they'll ban me from my trade." " And your affair with Bisram outs" "Why don't you talk of your affairs?" "Bimli is telling the truth" "Bisram bought the fish from Saraswati." "The booze, the beedies" "It's all his doing." "Bisram is a known offender" "Who doesn't know of his affair with Saraswati?" "He's a scoundrel" "Whose woman is that?" "Sit, sit" "How can a woman talk without being asked?" "Can you do whatever you like?" "Who is her husband?" " Are you trying to be the village elder?" "Sit, sit down." " I won't!" "I'm going to speak" "Leave me." " Sit!" "No, she speaks the truth" "She is this woman who led my daughter-in-law astray" "She was the one who incited the villagers against me" "I was forced to build a separate hut for myself" "Ask my daughter-in-law whether the tale of the driver is a lie" "Kuisa the overseer gave her jewellery, is that a lie?" "Going to the fairs with the tractor-driver." "Is that a lie?" "All lies." "The driver visited the kiln on business." "I cooked for him" "There was nothing more to it." "Billar drove the tractor" "Yes, I went to the fair on his tractor." "But not alone" "The other women from the kiln went too." "And Kuisa isn't married" "He wanted to marry, just about anyone." "Whether or not... he struck a deal with my father, I don't know." "I wasn't consulted" "And all my jewellery is hard-earned!" "Tell this lowly cur... he was the one who raped his son's wife." "No one else" "Ma, when do they distribute sweets?" " Once the meeting is over." "Sit" "Bisram's daughter-in-law may be taken away" "We have arrived at the decision that whatever be the case..." "Bimli had already earned a bad name for herself." "That's proven" "Her statement about going to bed without locking the door... and her inability to awaken despite all that happened to her... isn't worth believing, not at all" "Even if it is granted that she slept through it... why didn't she complain the next morning, why did she run?" "About the fish, where did Bisram get the fish?" "All day... he was at the temple, like the priest just said" "The jewellery was dug out, wasn't it?" "If it wasn't found on Bimli... clearly there was an accomplice who decamped with the jewellery" "Clearly.." "..the allegations levelled by daughter-in-law on father-in-law... are completely baseless." "The truth is... the woman called in her lover under cover of the night... they drank together, they ate fish... copulated, dug out the jewellery, and on their way out... she wanted to burn her father-in-law alive... so as not to spare anyone who might come after her" "No, those are all lies" "Now sit quietly" "Now we consider her punishment." " The sacred texts prescribe... severe punishment." "Small errors were punished by amputation" "Punishing by inserting ground red chillies is also suggested" "She might also atone by submitting to a celibate" "If the council wishes to give her a chance to correct herself... she may be consigned to clean the temple premises for 6 months" "The priest shows his true colours" "This won't do." "It must be something like solitary confinement" "Yes..." " Something like that." "Yes it should be that." "Listen, listen." "Stop joking." "The crime is very grave." "You mustn't crack jokes about this" "One who has disgraced the village, brought us to dishonour... such a woman cannot be allowed to go untainted" "This might end up in a police case, but we'll contribute to fight it" "But the tainted woman will be branded.." "..as an example for society" "Now the question is where she is to be branded" "This woman has deceived her husband" "That which woman must protect even at the cost of her life... she has squandered over booze, given to a stranger" "This is unpardonable" "No amputations, no solitary confinement" "On that part of her body which she can neither show nor speak of... she must be branded." "The punishment for deceiving her husband is... being branded where the mark of matrimony is preserved... and be tainted for life" "The council avers that now, before this council... she is to be branded with iron red hot... and Bisram's punishment is to carry out the sentence... for failing to take care of his daughter-in-law" "This is injustice!" "Bisram ought to be branded." "Also Bodhan" "Why did Bodhan's brother's widow jump into a well?" "Why in ten years haven't people asked that?" "And why Saraswati never married?" "And what she has to do with Bisram?" "If the women speak out, all these elderly gentlemen will stand naked" "And there are hundreds of instances of Bisram's misdemeanours" "And this Bisram will brand Bimli and that Bodhan is the judge?" "Is this justice?" "I ask you, isn't the council unjust?" "No, I don't accept this judgement." "The council is blind, deaf" "This council represents no God" "I spit upon this council" "Let me see who brands me" "What's going on?" "Have the men become eunuchs?" "A woman insults the council and everyone sits mum?" "Is this a village of eunuchs?" "Get that bitch" "Get her!" "Get her!" "She commits adultery.." "..disgraces the village, now she insults the council?" "Let me go!" "Hold her!" "Don't let her escape." "Bisram, brand the sinner" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Look, sin being done again" "A woman is being shamed in public" "You talk again?" "What is she?" "Some queen?" "Shut up" "No, no!" "Leave me" "No!" "No!" "No, no, no!" "Knowing a woman's character is impossible" "It is not easy to know a woman's character and it is man's destiny." "Yes."