Matrimonial Penal Code

Translation of An article written by Bankimchnadra Chattoapdhyay in the Bengali monthly 'Bangadarshan'. This was written jokingly in 19th century social environment....

Matrimonial Penal Code

We are women. Being innocent half of the family, we are subject to too much of torture these days. Men have become adamant; do not obey their wives these days. Women’s age-old-right to ownership of men is declining day by day – none is ready to be ruled by the orders of his wife. Now we are determined to found a Council for Jewels of the Women to be able to regulate all these wrongdoings. If you are not fully aware of the activities of the council, we will publish an advertisement with the details later. At present we announce, that we have drafted a proposal from the part of this council in order to protect our ownership. We have sent an application to Government of India regarding this issue; and along with the application, we also sent a copy of the domestic penal code that is drafted to rule the earning heads of the families.

At a time when there are laws being enacted to protect everyone’s right to possession, why there is none to protect our ownership right? Hopefully our law will come into force very soon; and that is reason I announce this in Bangadarshan. Many of the educated men cannot understand laws very well in Bengali. The main reason behind this is the poor quality of  Bengali legal translations. The laws were first drafted in English. As the translation is not good, the Bengali version also varies in some places from the original. Hence, we are sending both the Bengali and English versions to the editor. We hope that considering our request, the editor of Bangadarshan will publish this legal document along with English version forgetting his annoyance with English. Everyone will find that this law has nothing new; only the Lex nor Scripta is published in written form.

Signature:

Srimati Anritasundari Dasi (the Lady furnishing the Beauty of trickery – Chairperson of the Council for the Jewels of Women)

THE MATRIMONIAL PENAL CODE:

Chapter I

Introduction

Whereas it is expedient to provide a special Penal Code for the coercion of refractory husbands and others who dispute the supreme authority of women, it is hereby enacted as follows:

1.      This Act shall be entitled the “Matrimonial Penal Code” and shall take effect on all natives of India in the married state. 

Significance of the first chapter: The following rules are enacted to help women rule their disobedient husbands and others.

Rule 1 – this law will be named “Matrimonial Penal code” and this will be applicable to any married man in any State of India.

Chapter II

Definitions

2.      A husband is a piece of moving and movable property at the absolute disposal of a woman.

a)    A trunk or a work-box is not a husband as it is not moving, though a movable piece of property.

b)    Cattle are not husbands, for though capable of locomotion, they cannot be at the absolute disposal of any woman, as they often display a will of their own.

c)  Men in the married state, having no will of their own, are husbands.

3.   A wife is a woman having the right of property in a husband.

Explanation:

The right of property includes the right of flagellation.

4.   “The married state” is a state of penance into which men voluntarily enter for sins committed in a previous life.

Explanation of the second chapter:

Rule 2 says that the living movable property under complete jurisdiction of a woman can be called a Husband. a) Trunks and boxes cannot be called Husband while they do not walk on their own, though they are called “movable property”. b) Even cattle cannot be called Husband due to their little authority to work independently. Hence, they cannot be absolute subordinate of women though they are living beings. c) Only married men are not allowed to take any independent decision; that is why they are defined as Husbands instead of the cattle.

As per Rule 3, the lady, who enjoys full ownership of a man, is called the wife of the man. To explain, the ownership of property gives the right to hit that property too.

And as per Rule 4 the men’s expiation of a sin committed in previous birth is called marriage.

Chapter III

Of punishments

5.      The punishments to which the offenders are liable under the provisions of this code are:

FIRST, IMPRISONMENTS

-          Which may be either within the four walls of a bed-room, or within the four walls of a house?

Imprisonment is of two descriptions, namely –

1)     Rigorous, that is accompanied by hard words

2)     Simple

Secondly, Transportation, that is, to another bedroom.

Thirdly, Matrimonial servitude.

Fourthly, Forfeiture of pocket-money

6.                  “Capital punishment” under this code means that the wife shall run away to her paternal roof, or to some other friendly house, with the intension of not returning in a hurry.

7.                  The following punishments are also provided for minor offences:

FIRST, Contemptuous silence on the part of the wife.

SECONDLY, Frown

THIRDLY, Tears and lamentation

Fourthly, scolding and abuse

Third chapter discusses punishments:

Rule 5 lists the punishments applicable to the offenders. First option is imprisonment inside the bedroom or intern. The Husband can be sentenced to imprisonment along with rude words or without a word. Second option is to send the Husband to some other bedroom and third option is to condemn the Husband to a life of servitude under his wife. Fourth option of monetary punishment indicates that the Husband may be barred from receiving his pocket-money.

Rule 6 explains “Life sentence” in the sense that the wife will have right to go to paternal home of brothers place and may not return soon.

7th rule says that the wife may punish minor offences of a Husband with silence, frown, shedding tears or loud scolding.

Chapter IV

GENERAL EXECETION

Nothing is an offence which is done by a wife.

8.      Nothing is an offence which is done by a Husband in obedience to the commands of a wife.

9.      No person in the married state shall be entitled to plead any other circumstances as grounds of exemption from the provisions of the Matrimonial Penal Code.

Fourth chapter discusses general exemptions:

8th rule says that wives cannot be held responsible for any offence and 9^th rule says that even Husbands cannot be held responsible for an offence if his wife provokes him to commit that. Moreover, the 10^th rule says Husbands are not permitted to seek exemption from punishment in any case outside the area of 8^th and 9^th rule.

Chapter V

OF AbATEMENT

10. A person abates the doing of a matrimonial offence who: 

First, instigates, persuades, induces or encourages a Husband to commit that offence. Secondly, joins him in the commission of that offence, or keeps him company during its commission.

EXPLANATION:

A man not in the married state or even a woman may be abettor.

ILLUSTRATIONS

a) A the Husband of B, and C, an unmarried man, drink together. Drinking is a matrimonial offence; C had abetted A.

b) A the mother of B, the Husband of C, persuades B  to spend money in other ways than those which C approves. As spending money in such ways is a matrimonial offence, A has abetted B.

12. When a man in the married state abets another man in the marred state in a matrimonial offence, the abettor is liable to the same punishment as the principal. Provided that he can be so punished only by a competent court.

EXPLANATION:

A competent court means the wife having the right of property in the offending Husband.

13. Abettors who are female of male offenders not in the married state are liable to be punished only with scolding, abuse, frowns, tears and lamentations.

Fifth chapter is on the law regarding abatement

11th rule says that a person can be called abettor if a) encourages or forces the Husband commit a matrimonial offence b) gets involved in the same offence or accompanies him at the time of offence. Unmarried man or even a woman can be called an abettor. Examples are:

Ram, the Husband of Kamini, and Jadu, an unmarried man go for a drink together. Drinking alcohol is matrimonial offence. So Jadu is an abettor.

Haramani is the mother of Ram and Ram is the Husband of Kamini. Ram spent his money as advised by Haramani ignoring the way advised by Kamini. Spending own money not being recommended by the wife is matrimonial offence. And Haramani is an abettor here.

Rule 12 says that when a married man supports another married man in matrimonial offences, then the supportive one would receive same punishment along with the doer. But the sentence cannot be delivered by anyone else but a suitable court. Suitable court is the wife who owns that abettor.

As per Rule 13, the unmarried male or female supporting a matrimonial offence can be punished by scolding, crying, shredding tears etc.

Chapter VI

OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE STATE

14. The “State” shall in this Code means the married state only.

15. Whoever wages war against his wife or attempts to wage such war or abets the waging of such war shall be punished capitally, that is, by separation or by transportation to another bedroom and shall forfeit all his pocket money.

16. Whoever induces friends or gains over children to side with him or otherwise prepares to wage war with the intention of waging war against the wife shall be punished by transportation to another bedroom and shall also be liable to be punished with scolding and with tears and lamentations.

17. Whoever shall render allegiance to any woman other than his wife, shall be guilty of incontinence.

EXPLANATION:

1. To show the slightest kindness to a young woman, who is not the wife, is to render such young woman allegiance.

ILLUSTRATION:

A is the Husband of B, and C is a young woman. A likes C’s baby, because he is a nice child and gives him buns to eat. A has rendered allegiance to C.

EXPLANATION:

2. Wives shall be entitled to imagine offences under this section, and no Husband shall be entitles to be acquitted on the ground that he has not committed the offence.

The simple accusation shall always be held to be conclusive proof of the offence.

EXPLANATION:

3. The right of imagining offences under this section shall be held to belong in general to old wives, and to women with old and ugly husbands, and a young wife shall not be entitled to assume the right unless she can prove that she has a particular cross temper or was brought up a spoilt child or is herself supreme ugly.

18. Whoever is guilty of incontinence shall be liable to all the punishments mentioned in the code and to other punishments not mentioned in the code.

Sixth chapter is discusses the offence with revolt against wife.

The translator was not able to translate the 14^th rule. But the Rule 15 tells that  person  who fights against wife or tries to fight against wife or instigates someone else to fight against wife, is liable to death sentence (the wife would desert him or he would be sent to a different bedroom or his pocket money would be confiscated).

Similarly according to 16^th, if a man quarrels with wife or even tries so, through a mediating friend or own children or some other way, would be sent to separate bedroom and shall be punished with scolding and tears.

Rule 17 says that having affection for a woman other than wife is debauchery. To explain, firstly, showing kindness or support to any other woman but own wife is debauchery. For example – Ram is the Husband of Kamini. Bama is another young lady having a baby. Ram shows affection to the lovely baby and gives him sweets. That means Ram is obsessed with Bama. Secondly, wives will have the right to consider their Husbands offender even without any evidence. Husbands cannot be saved by their proclamation like – “I did not do that.” The offence is proved by the wife’s accusation, “He has done it!” Thirdly, the right to consider own Husbands to be offenders without evidence is specially given to the old wives or wives of old and ugly Husbands. If a young woman wants to exercise this right, then she has to prove herself to be a spoilt child, ill-tempered or ugly looking.

And 18^th dictates that the libertines will be punished not only by all sections mentioned here, but also by other improvised means.

Chapter VII

OF OFFENCES RELATING TO THE ARMY AND NAVY

19. The army and navy shall in this Code mean the sons and the daughters and daughters in law.

20. Whoever abets the committing of mutiny by a son or a daughter or a daughter in law shall be liable to be punished by scolding and tears and lamentations.

Seventh chapter defines ‘army’ and ‘navy’ within the scope of matrimonial law.

Rule 20 explains that the Husband, who plans a revolt taking help from his sons, daughters or daughters in law, should be punished by tears.

Chapter VIII

OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY

21. An assembly of two or more Husbands is designated an unlawful assembly if the common object of such Husbands is:

FIRST, to drink as defined below or to gamble or to commit any other matrimonial offence.

SECONDLY, to overawe by show of authority their wives from the exercise of the lawful authority of such wives.

THIRDLY, to resist the execution of a wife’s order.

22. Whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly shall be punished by imprisonment with hard words and shall also be liable to contemptuous silence or to scolding

OF DRINKING WINE AND SPIRITS

23. Any liquid kept in a bottle and taken in a glass vessel is wine and spirits.

24. Whoever has in his possession wine or spirits as above defined is said to drink.

EXPLANATION

He is said to drink even though he never touches the liquid himself.

25. Whoever is guilty of drinking shall be punished with imprisonment of either description within the four walls of a bedroom during the evening hours and shall also be liable to scolding.

OF RIOTING

26. Whoever shall speak in an ungentle voice to his wife shall be guilty of domestic rioting.

27. Whoever is guilty of domestic rioting shall be punished by contemptuous silence or by scolding or by tears and lamentations.

Eighth chapter is about disturbing the peace at home

As per Rule 21, two or more married men, if assemble with any of the following intentions, can be considered as participants of unlawful assembly: firstly, drinking alcohol or any other matrimonial offence. Secondly, threatening wives by shouting at them with an intention to dissuade them from taking legal action. Thirdly, having an intention of being an obstacle on the way of executing the wife’s order.

Rule 22 determines that all participants of the unlawful assembly will be imprisoned drawing strong rebukes and criticism.

According to Rule 23, any liquid in a bottle that looks yellow in a glass vessel should be called alcohol.

Rule 24 defines that any man keeping such a kind of bottle at home, is drunkard, even if he is not the owner of that bottle.

Rule 25 makes it mandatory for a drunkard to stay within four walls of the bedroom after dusk and be scolded.

Rule 26 identifies a person who speaks harsh to his wife as rioter. And according to Rule 27, rioters will be punished by scolding and tears.

Bengali Literary Studies – Future is Built on Past

As it usually happens, articles of contemporary authors give me a scope to ‘think’ – my favourite pastime! This time it was an article on enhancing interest in regional languages in India, written by a contemporary non-resident Bengali author.

Photo credit - commons.wikimedia.org

The author addresses the issues in general applicable to all regional languages in India, but being a Bengali speaking reader, I find the story is worse in case of Bengali – as a language practiced in West Bengal.

True – technology boom in last ten years made localization turn into a lucrative business even in West Bengal, thanks to mobile service providers, FMCG and electronic goods makers; but on the other hand, there is a visible decay in literary language practice. How many of regular readers read Bengali these days?  I remember my parents reading Bengali newspapers 30 years back. These days, not even my mother, once a proud student of Bengali literature, wants to read Bengali newspaper. Her simple explanation is that the quality of news and language shows that we are not target readers. Who are the target readers then? One can realize only by comparing vernacular newspapers of 1970s and post 2000. Those are published for readers of less literate class, containing very little information from the world outside West Bengal. National or international news is given importance only when an incident has considerable impact on West Bengal. One can hardly expect detailed report on global politics, science and technology, economic or industrial issues in these.

Once upon a time, middle class Bengali homes used to wait for Magazines published on the eve of Durgapuja – in which literary creation of all contemporary authors used to be published first – books used to be published after a couple of months. What are names of Bengali contemporary authors in 21st century? Did anyone author a significant Bengali fictional novel in last five years? I don’t know – none of my Bengali friends knows. I still remember Travelogue like Nirad Mazumdar’s ‘Punashcha Pari’ or art history like “Palyuger Chitrakala” by Sarasi Kumar Saraswati read in a weekly Bengali Magazine. Where is that literary magazine now? It is still being published – but worthless to collect – even though this sounds rude.

I tasted European literature first in Bengali. I somehow managed to preserve a couple of Pragati Prakashan translations of Russian literature too till date. Starting from Iliad – Odyssey’s children’s version to Grimm’s fables, everything used to be available in Bengali, which actually created interest about others cultures among children even though there was no conscious effort to fulfill a ‘target’ of creating ‘global citizens’. I discovered German war literature – also Hemingway and Maupassant and Chekhov when I was in fifth or sixth standard – in Bengali! Originals were not easily available in towns and villages thirty-five years back– but translations by Mohanlal Gangopadhyay or Nani Bhowmik were too good to introduce the world outside India to potential readers staying far from Calcutta. Had I not read those, perhaps I wouldn’t be interested to learn European languages later. I found translations of Marquez etc. even when I was in college. But stories started changing drastically by mid nineties.

Or was the change really so ‘drastic’? I studied in vernacular medium - credit goes to my liberal socialist (autocrat?) father. Except a handful of liberal socialists, none of Bengali middle class was ready to send their children to vernacular medium school even forty years back unless forced to - due to lack of ‘Elite’ schools in locality or monetary issues. As a result, scope to learn literary Bengali was already reducing for children from educated Bengali families. Though liberal socialists went on dominating Bengali cultural life till nineteen eighties, their number started reducing by nineteen seventies itself. Well, Globalisation brought a radical change in this dominance pattern.

How to change the scenario? The author suggests “inward translation” that is, translating more global literature into Bengali than translating Bengali to English would be able to bring a change. We cannot deny that improving the quality of vernacular newspapers or making contemporary world literature available in Bengali may convince senior citizens to read in Bengali. But what about younger generation from educated families who rarely read anything in Bengali since childhood? Or the neo-middle class which takes up reading as a way to earn certificates that in turn helps in earning a particular standard of living? Is there any way to attract future generations to read in Bengali?

Educated Bengali started moving out of Bengal one fifty year’s back, as British colonialists established themselves well in this country. Bengalis were among the first Indians to get along with European education system and hence, became trusted employees for British to work in different parts of the country with them. Anyway, there were still enough Bengalis staying in own region while eastern zone of the country provided enough jobs being an industrially developed part of the country. Independence brought partition of Bengal which forced a good number of Bengali speaking people move to other parts of the country – West Bengal alone could not provide space for approximately two millions of migrants. People who had to move out, could not avoid forced detachment from Bengali reading-writing practices.  But the aversion to Bengali reading and writing actually developed during post seventies socialist regime. Socialist governance lead to downfall in industry sectors in West Bengal in the one hand, and on the other, blanket ban on English as a subject in vernacular medium school in mid-eighties pushed children of job-oriented Bengali speaking middle–class out of these schools – who wants to educate own children in a way that that they would never be able to communicate with outer world – eventually loss the scope of being recruited for any professional service? Hence, Bengali came down to the status of second language in late eighties. Obviously, children of these days, do not need to read global literature in Bengali - they read it in English, their first language.

In post globalization scenario, moving out of the state even for a civil engineer’s job became unavoidable to every Bengali. Why to learn Bengali with importance then? Isn’t it enough to speak a little Bengali and attend Durgapuja celebrations to prove Bengali identity?

Neo-middle class is usually not interested in literary studies or cultural studies anywhere in the world, but also to traditionally-educated Bengali families, Bengali as a language lost its significance. Migration became a must for all – neither children of our Bengali authors nor the children of neo-middle class are able to stay in the state due to professional reason. When we do communicate in another language fourteen hours a day, one hour of forced reading in vernacular does not help much in growing literary skill.  On a personal note, even though I was taught in vernacular medium, after staying outside West Bengal for nine years, I, a middle aged of Bengali-literature enthusiast, am more comfortable communicating in English rather than Bengali.

The inclusion of contemporary literature in school curriculum is an excellent idea, but most of the Bengali reader class does not read in vernacular medium any longer. Vernacular medium schools in rural areas these days are meant for providing basic education to children of backward class who mostly come to school for a free meal, not to study literature.  

Bengali literary studies in West Bengal have limited future. And I do not see any scope of change in the scenario unless Government and academic bodies have a plan to radically change it. Well, the language and literature written in Bengali will always retain its glorious place in researcher’s dissertation and thesis papers, of course!

Tagore on Bengali Roopkatha - Fairy Tales of Bengal

Bengali version of fairy tales, i.e. Roopkatha is hardly translatable into English, not only due to immense cultural difference between East and West, but also because of the language the tales are told in. The charm and subtle nature of one folk-language cannot be captured in another language. There lies limitation of languages; we are rarely able to enter into the world of the country folks from geography unknown to us.

There is where my childhood dream of translating Dakshinaranjan Mitra-Majumdar’s Thakurmar jhuli (Grandma’s satchel) - collection of fairy tales of Bengal suffered a big jolt after I actually started working as a translator. But I found the preface of this book written by Tagore in 1908 so appropriate to be considered as a message to translators, that I could not resist translating that part.

Queens waiting for the Parrot-faced ship

Tagore on Bengali Roopkatha:

Is there anything else more indigenous than Thakurmar jhuli? Unfortunate is, even this fascinating satchel is being imported as product of Manchester factories these days. The foreign “Fairy tales” have turned out to be the only option for our kids. Our own Grandma Company seems to have gone bankrupt. You may even find Martin’s ethics or Burke’s notebook of French revolution in their satchel, but where are the Prince and the Nobleman’s son? Where did the Byangomaa-Byangomi and the jewel of the seven kings from the land past seven seas and thirteen rivers disappear?

The tradition of folk festivals, plays, storytelling and elucidation of myths is dying like a drying river. Even the Bengal villages, where these streams of folk flavours used to flow in various branches, are converted into dry desert. The adult minds are being twisted to self-centred deformed ones; but why are our children being punished like sinners deprived from savouring joyfulness? Why is their bedtime so silent? Their reading desks lit by kerosene lamp are crammed with buzzing sound of reading scary foreign spellings. How are we fancying keeping our kids alive by feeding them only chickpeas while completely depriving them from their mother’s milk!

Tales are written in the books nowadays. Where did the tales told by our affectionate mothers vanish? Where are the tales from hearts of the ladies of our land? 

The heart of the Bengal mother was the source of our fairy tales – the Roopkatha, which have been continuously flowing through the minds of our children throughout the history marked by many uprisings and changes in the ruling clans here. These tales are born from the deepest eternal affection, which has raised everyone from the wealthiest king to the poorest peasant in this country, enchanted all of them showing the bright moon in the sky, comforted all by singing lullabies.  

That is reason listening to these stories do not only make Bengali children delighted, it makes them absorb themselves in the eternal flow of Bengal’s deepest affection.

I was hesitating to open the “Thakurmar jhuli” written by Dakshinaranjanbabu. I had a doubt if the steel-sharpness of modern Bengali language did sever that tune of affection. It is difficult to sing in that tune while composing in today’s bookish language. I did not dare taking up this task. I have tried to make an educated storyteller write these stories. Even though written by a woman, under the influence of the foreign pen, those fairy tales lost their fairy-spirit in spite of the tale’s remaining intact – thus making the eternal tale very modernistic.

But Dakshinababu’s effort is commendable! He picked up our grandma’s words and planted them in written form; still their leaves remained as fresh and green as ever. He maintained the simplicity of the old language and unique style of our fairy tales with a fine and natural articulation.

I would propose that, a school for modern grandmothers of Bengal should be opened immediately, so that they can adopt the book written by Dakshinababu, which would in turn help them retaining their past glory in the world of our children’s dreams.    

Annada Devi – the Lady of Courage

Too many footnotes!!! Unfortunately I could not find any other option to explain certain elements particular to the regional culture, though I feel uncomfortable with footnotes while reading stories myself.

This is a story of an era more than hundred years back.

Rangpur was a village near Chanak. Baikunthanath Chattopadhyay was a renowned Zamindar here. One of the his close relative's wedding ceremony was being held in a village far from his place and his entire family decided to attend the grand celebration. They had no reason to worry. The huge mansion of the Zamindar was protected by high brick built walls and moreover, there were enough number of security guards to take care of the house. Only some distant women relatives and his distant cousin’s wife, Annada devi, stayed back at home. Annada devi was about forty at that time.

This was the first new moon night of the rainy season*.  The intense darkness in the middle of the night made the world almost invisible. Entire village was sleeping. The only noise one could here was of dogs barking and jackals howling time to time. The sky was cloudy and a heavy rain was expected soon. The narrow canal with its many curves and twists in one side of the village was flowing towards the small stream at a distance as always. Both its banks were covered by bamboo forests, mango grooves and other trees and plants. Only slightly unusual thing in the picturesque canvas was the sight of three canoes, with ten to twelve people on each of those, speeding through the canal towards the village. All of them were carrying weapons – sticks, swords, spears and shields. Everyone’s face was painted strangely in red and black. The silent sailors anchored their canoes behind Baikunthanath’s palace – at the darkest stretch under the mango groves and bamboo forest. Gadadhar das, the Bagdi, was leading the gang. Not only he was an unusually strong person, but all his team-members were strong and daring.  The notoriety of Gadadhar's gang created terror among landlords and business people in the region – while none could anticipate whose home was going to be attacked and when.

Gadadhar and his team entered the mansion crossing the high wall. Another group attacked the guards at the same time, snatched their arms and tied them up – and made their way free of resistance. After entering the courtyard, they lighted their torches and started breaking the doors and windows. Their violent uproar terrified the villagers staying nearby while they started looting.

Annada devi, the strong built lady, was sleeping in the inner part of the palace. The wild noise awoke her as well. But she was a lady of courage. She ordered the other ladies in the home to move to rooftop and throw bricks towards the dacoits from there.*

Womenfolk and maid servants assembled on the rooftop and started showering bricks at the looters downstairs; the torches lit by dacoits actually helped them to precisely hit their targets. The sudden attack puzzled one group of dacoits looting one side of the home. On the other hand, Annada devi made a different plan sitting inside.

She untied her long hair that fell down to her knees, painted her face and body dark with burnt ash* and placed a big dot with vermilion powder* on the forehead. She also tightened the saree* at the knee length, held the Khanda* in one hand and stood motionless with her tongue out, posing the Goddess Kali at one corner of her room.

The group of looters lead by Gadadhar continued looting the rooms one after another till they reached the room where Annada was standing. All on a sudden, the fearsome sight of the great Goddess Kali was terrifying enough for them to stop at once. Gadadhar could not move anymore; did throw his sword on the floor and started reciting a chant for Kali
- “Hail the Goddess Kali\ Let’s everyone chant for her\Hail mother kali…” his voice was being chocked as he kept on repeating the chant. His body was engulfed by an eerie feeling. He felt the Goddess was angry with him for the crime he had committed; all the lady companions* of Kali was rushing to him with their wide open mouths. He stood trembling with fear, called his companions and told them to stop, “Mother Kali is angry with us today, we should not loot here; we should leave everything we have looted here. It was only Dakinis and Joginis throwing stones at us. Let’s bow down before the mother; let’s pray to for our protection.”

The entire gang sat on their knees and bowed their heads down addressing the Goddess. They brought everything what was looted before her before rushing back to their canoes.

Annada’s body became heavy as she stood motionless for a long time in the same posture. She fell senseless due to exhaustion after the dacoits left.

Baikunthanath came back next morning as he received the news of the event from villagers. He was surprised to find every piece of valuable left intact by the dacoits. He realised that nothing but the power of the goddess could make that kind of miracle happen  - it was the goddess's power that had possessed the body of his younger cousin’s wife to express herself. He thanked her with all his devotion.

This was an incident in the Bengali year 1294*. We find the report in newspapers published at that time. The lady became an instance of courage and presence of mind of fearless Bengali women. Even the British Govt rewarded her.

(original in Bengali by Jogendranath Gupta, the forgotten author)

*first new moon night was considered to be auspicious to burgle houses by dacoits in old Bengal

*throwing bricks and stones to hit attackers from rooftop was regular way of self protection for women staying in brick built houses in Bengal. They tried to protect their property from dacoits and themselves from foreign invaders and communal rioters using the same method. Owners of large houses used to build an arsenal with stones and bricks on the rooftop!

*wood and charcoal were cooking fuel in rural Bengal which used to produce good amount of ash, mostly thrown inside a small pit outside kitchen. This ash, mixed with oil made a dark paint which was sometimes used for the purpose of mud wall painting as well.

* vermillion powder – a red  powder. Traditionally considered to be sacred, this was used by Bengali married women on their forehead and also by the priests performing KaliPuja. Kali, being the most prominent folk Goddess in Bengal has a special association with vermillion powder.

*saree- a 10 yard cloth, colored or white was the dress of Bengali women.

*Khanda\Kora\Kharga - type of sword used to practice animal a sacrifices. This also has a sacred association with Bengal  Goddesses, especially Kali. Some families in Old Bengal used to hang it on the wall as a sacred symbol to ward off dangers.

*kali – was the most prominent Goddess of Bengal. Bengali mainstream population worshiped her seeking protection from the evil. But the dacoits and robbers, irrespective of their religion and caste, considered her to be Goddess of their clan. There are of course, different forms of Kali worshiped by different castes and clans, but above all, Kali was the Goddess obeyed by all Shakti-worshipers there.