I Murdered Mine is a collection of five short stories written by Subhadra Kumari
Chauhan. She was an Indian poet, short story writer, and freedom fighter during
the British rule in India. She died shortly after India gained independence in
1947. These five stories have been selected from her two short story
collections: Seedhe Saadhe Chitra and Bikhre Moti. Her other published short
story collection is Unmadini. She is best known for her poem Jhansi Ki Rani
(The Queen of Jhansi).
These
five stories give us a glimpse of the range of topics Subhadra wrote about.
From women’s resilience and struggle to human devotion and guilt, some of these
stories were far ahead of their time in their strong portrayal of the true colors
of society and its psyche.
In
Kailashi Nani, the narrator is a girl who recalls Kailashi Nani—a woman from
her maternal uncle’s village who earned her living by grazing the villagers’
cattle. The narrator and her family lived in the city, and she met Kailashi
Nani only during visits to her uncle’s home in the village. She enjoyed village
life, but even more, she cherished Kailashi Nani’s company, affection, and
care. Though she appears to be a simple, affectionate village woman who loves
children, Kailashi Nani does something that baffles the narrator and her
family, transforming her into a figure of selfless loyalty. She ultimately
proves her love and devotion by saving the narrator and her sister from a
treacherous marriage scheme. The story serves as a reminder of a recent past
when child marriage was practiced, and of how certain people leave a lasting,
unforgettable impact on our lives.
Sacrifice
(from Bikhre Moti)
Babu
Radheshyam loses his wife, who dies after giving birth to a child. Initially,
he is determined not to remarry, but he changes his mind after meeting
Kuntala—an educated young woman whose family is too poor to arrange her
marriage. Kuntala’s new life, largely consumed by household responsibilities,
begins to affect her health. Domestic life stifles her youth, brilliance, and
talent. But, how worse can this get? The ending is crushing.
Perspective
(from Bikhre Moti)
This
is the story of Nirmala, a true humanist. She is kind, compassionate, and
altruistic. Many learned humanists cannot go beyond the idea of thinking good;
they are unable to act well when it is required. Nirmala’s husband, a learned
professor, does not appear to be the opposite, given his social stature and
sense of nobility. However, cynicism can take root even in the greatest minds.
A good human being, in fact, can also be an extreme misogynist, sexist, and a
fervent follower of patriarchy.
The
clash between these two natures and two ideologies becomes evident and defining
when a child widow becomes pregnant, and Nirmala wishes to shelter her for a
few days.
In
the absence of evidence and action, even human characters can hide behind their
true beliefs. We come across this in The Perspective when people's beliefs
are put to test.
Roopa
(from Seedhe Saadhe Chitra)
The
narrator of Roopa is a woman prison inmate. One day, a woman named Roopa is
brought into the prison, sentenced for killing her own child. The narrator gets
to know how Roopa is sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her own child,
a child with speech-impairment, and whether it was even a murder or something
else. The title of the story collection is taken from this story.
Paapi Pet (from Bikhre Moti)
When
government forces launch a crackdown on peaceful protesters with brute force,
have you ever wondered what happens to the police who return after beating
unarmed people, severely injuring some who could even lose their lives? And
what about those who ordered the charge, or the legal system that can throw
people in jail? What is greater than conscience—hunger? Do the means of
survival outweigh a human's ability to decide, to distinguish right from wrong?
In Paapi Pet, we get close to the lives of a policeman, a jailor named
Barkatula, an inspector, and a magistrate in the aftermath of a recent lathi
charge on unarmed, peaceful protesters.
We are very grateful to Sakshi Agarwal for translating these forgotten stories, staying very close to the original text and preserving their vigor. After all, old stories are, in part, a reflection of our history and collective memory.
Original Text: Hindi
Translator: Sakshi Agarwal
Publisher: Chowringhee Press
Source: Review Copy from the Publisher
Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's works in Hindi could be accessed here: https://hindi-kavita.com/HindiSubhadraKumariChauhan.php
