It was the evening of May 8, 2023, and I returned home from the office after a long tiring day. Then I heard the news that popular author Samaresh Majumdar passed away. After that, I observed social media overflowing with opinions about him. Some people expressed their respect, gratitude, and condolences toward him while some denounced him for stereotyping the Naxalite movement or producing popular “mediocre” novels.
I am neither intellectually capable of evaluating an author like him nor interested in it. But people discussing him made me reminisce about Deepaboli -- he main protagonist of his famous novel “Satkahon.” I had the opportunity to meet her twelve years ago on a serene afternoon. I was done with my SSC exam then.
Thus, my parents permitted me to read “out books” (they gave the fictional books that name). Like always, I was an average student struggling with her studies. Frankly speaking, I didn't have any aspiration for utilizing my education. To me, education was just a ladder to a happy, peaceful, and romantic marriage. It seems hilarious now but then, like many women in our country, I thought that the purpose of a woman's life would only be fulfilled after proving herself as an ideal daughter, wife, and mother.
Despite being a fictional character, Deepaboli was quite successful in breaking such stereotypical notions within me. At that time, I couldn't read these types of “large fictional books” but the little girl of Dooars Tea Garden forced me to continue reading. After her untimely marriage to a sick man, I thought it would narrate how she would overcome all the challenges to support her spouse and marriage like an ideal homemaker. That's how many Bangla literatures represent their female protagonists but Deepa refused to obey this societal norm.
She fled from her in-laws and took refuge in her father's home. Still, society didn't give up but imposed forced widowhood for the death of his spouse with whom she didn't even spend more than a night. She had to unwillingly abide by these customs. Though she occasionally broke some of the religious customs related to widowhood in the Tea Garden, Deepa dared to ignore all these customs after getting the opportunity to study outside the garden.
It is true that the people in her life mostly created complexities for her but she had her foster father who supported her through thick and thin. But unfortunately, a communication gap was created between her and her father when she learned that her father maintained her educational expenses from the fund her in-laws reserved for her. That information badly hampers her self-respect and that's why, she created a distance from her home. And her “home” got fully shattered after the death of her foster father.
She was offered a job at the tea garden to substitute for her father's responsibilities. As she didn't want this confined, and detached life of the tea garden, she declined the offer. Again, she was misjudged by her family members. Falling out of grace did hurt her but she didn't stop dreaming. She struggled hard and secured a job in Poshchim Banga Civil Service. She had been transferred to a remote village. Despite her earnest tries, she couldn't manage to survive there. She had to resign from the job for retaining her integrity. This failure couldn't break her strength. She managed to secure Indian civil service. At the individual level, her life seemed to be quite unfair.
Being a beautiful, gorgeous woman, Deepa had many male admirers. But she couldn't find anyone to value her self-esteem truly. She married a decent, well-established man named Alok but ended up getting separated for the same reason. She always tried to build a home but the home didn't refuge her. At last, she ended up taking care of her old grandmother with whom she shared a strange bond. Alok tried to return to her life but she refused.
Like many other readers, I used to feel sad for her and thought that she should deserve happiness. But at present, I am quite aware of the fact that many women (specifically belonging to middle class), who had their own goals in their lives, seldom have the opportunity, and finding a home doesn't necessarily entail bringing happiness. Most importantly, I have realized that finding one's own self is more important than finding happiness. To me, reading Satkahon was exploring Deepa's journey of finding her own self. With her successful journey, she also transformed a girl, who was determined to be an ideal daughter, mother, and wife into someone, who still struggles for finding the true meaning of her life. Possibly I'm going to be failed in this journey but the journey matters the most!
I can recall that back in 2018, Samaresh Majumdar came to Dhaka, and a young woman asked him how to become a strong woman like Deepaboli. Samaresh replied to her question with a smile that by asking the question, she has already become like her. Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to meet Samaresh Majumdar. If I had the chance, I would ask him, “How can he portray a woman so thoughtfully?” As a constant learner of Anthropology , I am well aware of the fact that people's thoughts are guided by their social positions, background, and gender identity. Then how could he overcome all these obstacles and create such a wonderful, strong character?
I know that I would never have the opportunity. Still, I whispered to Deepa, (my girlhood friend) if she could convey the message to her father!
Aditi Sharif is an Anthropologist, currently working as a Research Assistant at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Dhaka.
