Crossing the Prohibited Degree
They are in relationship. The Facebook profiles of Swapan and Shila tell us about the infatuation they have for each other. This is a surreptious heart-to-heart relation that goes beyond the social mores and code. They are cousins. Shila is the daughter of Swapan’s maternal uncle. Hindu family law does not allow marriage between such kins. A student of Bengali Honors at Dhaka University Shila has a special liking for the epistolary poems of Michael Madhusudan Dutta in his ‘Veerangana Kavya’ wherein prohibited love is dealt with. That love does not conform to the prescription of the society is shown in the poems. The psychology of Shila can be understood from a reading of the poems about the unrequited passion of the heroines. Obviously, Swapan is not unresponsive and has the same intense passion for Shila. Both know they have to cross the barrier of prohibited degree. It is difficult.
They have been friends since childhood. They would play together, quarrel and stop talking again to be eloquent. They got separated when Swapan was admitted in the Collegiate School, Dhaka in class V. Then on, they would meet when Swapan visited his uncle’s house during the summer vacation for a week or so to taste the mangoes of the orchard attached to the residential complex in the village Bhirinda, three hours from Dhaka by train and three miles from the station. The uncle and aunt have great affection for him, and they were particularly happy at the way Swapan and Shila enjoyed the get-together. Of course, the farewell at the end of the visit would be quite sad.
Till their association away from homes in the university campus none of them thought there existed something between them beyond being brother and sister. Swapan is a resident of Jagannath Hall and Shila lives in Shasunnahar Hall across the road that lies between TSC and the British Council. Every afternoon they go out for a stroll and often dash into the Suharawardy Udyan like many other students. One evening whilst eating nuts sitting face to face under a Krishnachuda, they felt something different. They could not talk easy. Silence was eloquent, and the inability to meet the eyes of each other added meaning to the silence. They could not sit there long.Shila offered to leave saying she felt dizzy. Anxious, Swapan suggested he would take her to the University Medical Centre yonder but Shila said she would go back to the hall and have rest. Thus the day ended for them to ponder, and for brain storming over their new passion and the consequences thereof if they decided in favor of honoring what they felt.
Back to the halls they were not as usual. A new passion gripped them. They knew what was in their mind but dared not tell it. The social control through mores and code, they knew, overrides emotions and passions. That night a melancholy visited them as they were aware they had a passion which did not have the social sanction. Their parents would not accept it. If they were to remain true to their passion they would run the risk of being ostracized. Society, riddled with inhibitions would look upon them as anarchists and immoral. Would they be able to stand the social ostracism and possible separation from parents? The thought continued to haunt them throughout the night and into the next day till they met in the cozy corner of the green lawn of the British Council on Fuller Road. Early morning Shila sent him an SMS which read:’ meet me at the british council at 11 a.m. ‘Swapan understood she had taken a decision. It must be a question, as was wont of her. What could be the question? Would she ask ‘Shall we live together for life?’ This could be the question, decided Swapan, as Shila was straight forward. Even when a child, remembers Swapan, she was fond of being candid and desperate. If that was the question what he would say. Will he say, ‘I don’t know?’ Will that be in keeping with his thought and feeling? Does he not the identical passion? Should he deceive himself?
They were on the lawn on time, face to face, melancholic. Silence prevailed for minutes. , ‘What do you think? asked Shila. Swapan looked up, as if, he were knocked out of a reverie, and said, hesitant, ‘What do you mean?’ She said, ‘I mean what you mean. Don’t try to smart under supposed social pressure. Be true to yourself.’ Swapan gave in and answered the question he thought was in the mind of Shila: ‘We shall live together for ever if you are also willing.’ Smile revisited them. None knows they tied knot the next day at Dhakeswari Kali Bari. It will remain a secret till they are on their careers.
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