Fallen

 It was very quiet in the school today. The principal had gone to the taluka. I was working in the office. At the same time, fellow teachers came running into the office. As the fourth-grade teacher was on leave,that class was assigned to him.

'Madam, Sangeeta is trying suicide. Look at the rope'. The fellow teacher was literally shaking. He had a coconut rope in his hand. 'I just asked her to sit in the classroom. She was walking outside on the verandah.' The teacher was still scared. Because the same thing happened in the school, teachers are responsible for that's thing's... I quickly ran to the classroom with the teacher. Sangeeta was standing and crying near the pillar. I took a rope from the teacher and tied it to the rafters of the roof. And I took Sangita by the hand.

'Do suicide now. Look, I have tied the rope. I said, giving her the rope in her hand. But now Sangeeta started crying loudly. I calmed her down. I turned my hand with love from her back. and sent her to class.

'Sir, don't worry. She is a little girl. She will not do anything'. Sir also explained, and I went to my class. Lalitha, Sangeetha's sister, was in my class. I asked her about Sangita, 'Why does she act like this??"

"Madam, She is the same. She doesn't like to say a single word. We don't say anything to her," Lalita was saying. But I decided to talk to Sangeeta once. After a while, it came to light that Sangeeta had run home. And that teacher followed her. Now I was sure that this girl would run the teacher after her for the whole day, and that's what happened. Sir returned to school after school was over.

'Ma'am, she was running across the village with the rope, and I was behind her. What a kid she is! If she had done something, I would have been stuck." Sir was saying this while wiping the sweat with a handkerchief. But I felt very sorry for you, sir. 

A few years after this incident, we were going to school. A car approached, and someone called out "ma'am" from the car. I looked and saw that Sangeeta was sitting in the car. I was very surprised. Ask, sir, to stop the car.

"Ma'am, do you recognize me? I am Sangeeta.” She looked very happy and excited. 

"Whose car is this?" I asked curiously. "Ma'am, my husband is the driver of this car," Sangeeta said. But I thought, "When you got married, your husband was working on the farm, wasn't he?" "Madam Me left him, and then I was living with a rich person in Pune. But now I am married to this one." Sangeeta was talking very easily, and I was shocked. She left. I just stared there, dumbfounded.

"That's what happens in their society. Don't you think so? Come on, we're late for school." I came to my senses with his voice. "Don't think unnecessarily. In their society, every man and woman have many marriages."

"But how young she is. Only twenty or twenty-two years old." I said it worriedly. "Boys and girls mature quickly among them," but I remained silent as Sir got angry. Two or three years passed in between. Sangeeta's parents left this village. Once, while going to school, a young woman wearing a flamboyant saree was waddling through a lane. I didn't see her face, but it was very strange to see her. I talked about this to a fellow teacher while studying at school. I was seeing this for the first time in rural areas. At exactly that time, that young lady came to the school. I could not look at her because of her flamboyant saree. She questioned the principal office. I pointed to the office and began to take part. In paripath After a short time, Sir dared to call. I went to the office.

'Did you recognize her?' Sir asked. I refused with my head. "Sangita,"  sir said, and I quickly looked at her in surprise. Even though the clothes and living conditions have changed, the face has the same innocent expression.

"Madam, don't you know me?' The same innocent tone.

"What is Sangita? What saree did you wear?"

"I like, madam, this saree; it shines beautifully." She said, "Madam, how much has our village changed?

"Dear village, not, you changed." I said it in my mind. 'Where is your car?' I suddenly asked.

"Now I am in Nashik, madam, and I left him. I want to do a sewing class, so I need a school certificate. I came to get him.” She was saying, and I was just listening. It was difficult for my middle-class mind to accept this essence. Sangeeta is gone. Sir was looking at my stunned face.

"See, this is a part of their daily lives. There is nothing too bad or wrong for them. Traditions change according to caste, religion, and country. . What is immoral to you may be moral to them. Don't overheat your head." Sir's words calmed me down a bit. However, it certainly seemed like it was time to change my definition of fallen. Both of Sangeet's sisters lost their lives due to their father's cruelty. But Sangita was living her life freely according to her will. Now I don't know whether to appreciate it or express sadness that, due to her fickleness, she has become like a cut kite wandering in the air.(2009/10)