A beginning...

Close to the city of Paithan, in a small village called Sauviragram, which lay along the banks of the great river Godavari, lived a woman named Ilaa. Being cotton farmers, her family was well to do, but not among the richest in their area. It was the harvest season, and cotton had to be picked from the plants. The wholesalers and traders from Paithan would be arriving in just a few weeks, carrying gold and goods for barter. They would exchange what they carried for the cotton that the farmers grew. The bales of cotton had to be ready in time! Work was at its peak!

But Ilaa was not to be found in the fields. She wasn't working. Instead, she was sitting by the banks of the great river Godavari. 'I am sick of this!' she grunted loudly.

Yet another conversation with her mother had left Ilaa dismayed, the words still echoing in her ears "Your father is a respectable man in society, you're letting him down, Madhavrao Ji himself walked upto him." Ilaa failed to understand how her resentment to marriage could bring disrepute to her father, Tukaram.

Staring at the silent waters, Ilaa for once thought about diving into Godavari and attaining "moksha-tirtha" –liberating her soul from this shackled existence forever. Something within her did not want to succumb without a fight. Ilaa's grandmother's words would reverberate in her ears every time she lost temper - "You're a brave girl, keep calm and learn to channelize your anger."

The sequence of events of late had unfolded rather quicker than Ilaa had expected after a clandestine meeting of Tukaram with Madhavrao, one of the wealthiest merchants in Sauviragram, in Jyotirlinga temple a fortnight ago. Tukaram was thanking his stars at the prospect of his only child getting married in a reputed family. Madhavrao’s brother, Hrishikesh had convinced both the families to consider marrying off Ilaa with Madhavrao's son, Arun. Hrishikesh wanted Madhavrao to gain access to Tukaram's Buddhist cotton traders who used to visit him in huge numbers after every harvest. Tukaram on the other hand, saw a golden opportunity of Ilaa getting married to wealthy and well known merchants of Paithan. He could finally heave a sigh of relief.

Ilaa had little idea, while she was trying to figure out what conspiracy was being hatched, Madhavrao had offered a package comprising of a pair of red Paithani Sarees as an act of acceptance of this marriage alliance. The package was full of fruits, with a familiar mark of an elephant seal symbolizing premium goods from Buddhist merchants who came over with ships full of imported goods and to barter their gold with the cotton bales of Sauviragram.

Ilaa was 23, she had been a scrupulous student and a talented Orator, she had always helped her father in agricultural pursuits. Her wish was to expand her father's cotton trading business. Having won accolades in recent philosophical debates in Sauviragram’s Shada (School), Ilaa was upset that her credentials and her social freedom was being neglected at the behest of her father wanting to marry her off.

Hrishikesh had arranged a meeting with Kawale Ji, a prominent priest in Naag-Ghat. During Chhartrapati Shivaji's brief halt in Paithan, on his way to Jalna in 1679, he appointed Kawale - leading priest of Paithan as the royal priest. Age was catching up fast with Kawale Ji, he seldom entertained common folks. Hrishikesh was a resourceful man; Madhavrao & Tukaram were also overwhelmed with Kawale Ji’s magnanimous generosity.

Ilaa got up from the Godavari banks; lost in her thoughts she passed by the cotton farmers in the nearby fields. Some were still plucking cotton from the plants, while the others were beating the plucked cotton into bales with quick rhythmic grunts.

"Where is your father?" asked her mother Lakshmi. Ilaa silently walked into the house, still upset over the altercation with her mother this morning.

Lakshmi replied, "What's wrong with you, ever since your grandmother expired..."

Ilaa interrupted with a meek voice - "Mother, It's not because of her, I do not want to discuss this any further"

“What is wrong with this girl?” Tukaram walked into the house with a vociferous voice.

Ilaa - "Father, just listed to me once"

Tukaram’s cacophonous reply came instantly - "I’ve had enough, we leave in the first light of dawn, the Buddhist merchants would be here in a couple of days."

Lakshmi sat next to Ilaa. Silence meant acceptance in Tukaram's family. Small clouds had gathered over Sauviragram, worrying Tukaram about his cotton bales, but it rarely rained at this time of the year.

"God, save us from the rains, and give this girl some brains" - Tukaram murmured retiring to his bed after gulping a glass of milk.

Ilaa lay still staring at the open sky. She missed her grandmother's endless stories about lives of Aryan women being so different than it's today, the delineation of rig-Vedic society had a long lasting impression, she would say - "Ilaa - the status of Hindu women in our land has been fluctuating since Vedic times. The women of the past enjoyed freedom in pursuing their interests in Vedas and arts, they were treated as Ardhanginis by their husbands, they were deemed to be equal when it came to prestige and respect that was accorded to her in comparison to the male counterpart. The husband used to consult his wife on all social and financial matters. A family in which women suffer is bound to be ruined. You must treat your mother as the most venerable person in the world."

The next morning Tukaram & Ilaa left for Naag-Ghat. Madhavrao's family will meet him at the venue.

Madhavrao, Tukaram, Hrishikesh, Arun & Ilaa reached Naag Ghat next morning. The temple besides, Naag Ghat was full of Kawale Ji's disciples, some of them were busy watering the plants in the temple premises, the others were preparing lunch in huge containers stationed in the corner. It was summer but a cool breeze was blowing across the temple.

Hrishikesh seemed to be well aware about the surroundings; he went straight ahead in a small quarter, right next to the main temple while the others waited outside. Few moments later Hrishikesh came out and waved his hand asking the others to walk in. Upon entering, Ilaa saw a lean looking Brahmin with vermilion applied on his forehead, sitting on a raised platform amongst his disciples, in the middle of the quarter. The disciples started leaving one after the other, touching Kawale Ji's feet as they left.

When all disciples had left, Kawale Ji whispered something to Hrishikesh. Hrishikesh asked the others to sit on the carpet below. Kawale Ji greeted all of them with a nod; his smile was reciprocated by all.

Kawale Ji spoke - "The girl and the boy should come forward, I would like to read their palms"

Arun and Ilaa slanted forward. Arun already had his palm outstretched to Kawale Ji. Even before Kawale Ji could comment anything, Ilaa said in a feeble voice – “Panditji, I'm not ready for this marriage."

Arun saw at Ilaa for the first time since they had arrived. Hrishikesh looked at Madhavrao and shrugged his shoulders in amazement.

Madhavrao was awestruck - "Tukaram Ji, What is all this? We've sought Pandit Ji's precious time to seek a marriage date."

Tukaram's voice almost cracking - "Madhavrao Ji, please do not mind her words, she's ignorant about the practicalities…"

Hrishikesh tried calming down everyone with his dogmatic voice - "Kawale Ji's time is precious, we must not waste..."

Kawale Ji intervened, he had a sense of calmness in his voice, he turned towards Ilaa "What is it my child? Haven’t you been consulted in this matter?"

Ilaa, for the first time looked at Kawale Ji and nodded in denial – “I don’t want to”

Tukaram - "Ilaa, how dare you. Do you even realize the consequences of what you're saying", He turned towards Kawale Ji - "Pandit Ji - Ilaa is a little upset these days, more so after her grandmother's death few months ago. I'm sure she'll do just fine after marriage"

Kawale Ji spoke slowly - "Ilaa my child - What is it that you want? Like every father, Tukaram Ji is trying to do the best he can, you must abide"

Ilaa gathered courage to speak up - "Pandit Ji - I want to be independent, I want to go places and trade our goods, I want to expand my father's business. The Buddhist trader, who buys cotton bales from my father every year and also visits Europe every season, says there has been a debate in Roman parliament about banning all types of luxurious imports. I foresee a downfall in Paithan's economy; I want to contribute my learnings for well-being of Sauviragram. If I marry, I'm afraid all this may not be possible." Ilaa said it all in one shot.

Madhavrao and Hrishikesh stood up in unison as Madhavrao’s pitch rose “Tukaram Ji, What’s all this? Are you backing off from your word which you gave me few days ago?”

Ilaa looking at her father straight in the eye "Father, I want to help you; I believe I have potential to bring about this change and help you and Sauviragram’s farmers"

Tukaram’s face went red and his eyes wide open while he looked at Ilaa “Ilaa, This is my final decision, this discussion is over, you’re letting me down.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Very well then, few hiccups are usual in such matters, kids need guidance from their guardians, it’s all sorted out now. Let’s seek the marriage dates from Kawale Ji, people tell me next month is an auspicious one” - Hrishikesh’s voice almost suppressing everyone else’s; all his negotiation skills were being put to test.

Kawale Ji was the only one smiling amid all this chaos. Hrishikesh kept staring at the faces in the room with a peculiar smile. Ilaa’s world came down crashing. It’s not that she had expected anything better from this discussion but she had sensed a glimmer of hope after voicing over her concerns, she didn’t have an iota of remorse on what she said. She thought she had mastered the art of debating, her knees weakened, her head pointing downwards. “Is this the end of all my hopes?” she thought. 

Tukaram was relieved; the worse was over he thought. Madhavrao forced a smile as he looked at Tukaram.

Arun, who had been a silent observer amid all this, imbibing all discussions, made a capricious comment - "I refuse to marry Ilaa". 

All eyes turned on Arun as his laconic reply struck as lightening, even as Arun's eyes were transfixed on Ilaa.

Hrishikesh trying to manage the situation, like he had negotiated so many times in his business dealings in the local markets of Sauviragram – “Arun, your concurrence was sought before proceeding, backing-off is not an option here. Your father and Tukaram have also agreed on…”

“Uncle, Please stop, this is not a business deal” - Arun intervened without even looking at Hrishikesh. This left Hrishikesh red faced. Madhavrao was taken aback with Arun’s comment.

Ilaa had a star like glitter in her eyes; she knew this conversation was over. Tukaram couldn’t accept this with equal alacrity.

Kawale Ji smiled and looked at Tukaram, his voice firm as ever - "Ilaa is a bright girl, the entire room was filled with energy when she arrived, she'll do well whatever she pursues. You must treat her with kindness and consideration; you must take her into confidence before deciding anything. It’s must for a girl child to gain knowledge and utilize her learnings if we expect the society to respect women in our land in the coming centuries" 

Ilaa couldn't believe what she heard.

“A family in which women suffer is bound to be ruined”, Kawale Ji continued. Her respect for Kawale Ji had grown ten folds by this time. "Go back and seek consensus within your families, there is a dissonance amongst you, no one will benefit from this alliance, it will only exacerbate things" Kawale Ji declared looking at Madhavrao and Tukaram.

Madhavrao looked at Hrishikesh - "I've never been insulted like this in my lifetime." Tukaram knew Madhavrao's comment was not meant for Hrishikesh, it was for him. Belligerent Madhavrao stormed out of the small quarter, Hrishikesh followed his brother. Arun glanced at Ilaa with a smile, touched Kawale Ji’s feet and left.

Kawale Ji looked at Arun as he was leaving – “He’s a good lad with a stable head on his shoulders. Ilaa is a special child Tukaram Ji; one day she’ll be your pillar of strength”

Tukaram’s shoulders dropped, he had succumbed to the situation; he had given up on Ilaa. Paying their regards to Kawale Ji, they prepared to leave Naag-Ghat. None of them spoke on the return journey. Hrishikesh and Madhavrao didn’t wait any further; they had left immediately with Arun.

In the next one month, Tukaram’s family buried themselves in work; they bartered their cotton bales with gold by the time harvest season ended. The decline in the number of traders and merchants was a cause of concern not only for Tukaram but for the entire Sauviragram.

One month later, Ilaa went on to address a gathering of 300 merchants in Palthi Naagri, a small town near Paithan. She wore the Paithani gold & silver colored sari with Jacquard border, vermilion applied across her forehead. Ilaa was nervous but she was not scared, she had participated in numerous debates, but a gathering this huge was something she had never handled before, she needed confidence more than her arduous preparations, she began - "We're all aware about the quality of textiles Paithan produces, there is no parallel of Paithani in the contemporary world. We have trade and commerce links with marts across Europe but of late there has been a downfall in our exports. We must find alternate markets and create alternate channels for marketing our goods, keeping all our eggs in one basket may not help. We must tie up in a profit sharing model with merchants who visit us in every harvest. We have the economic & cultural wherewithal to take our exports to the next level..."

Ilaa went on and on, she was gasping for breath by the time she ended. She was nervous, "You're a brave girl, keep calm..." she kept repeating it to herself. The crowd had witnessed one of the finest speeches delivered, Arun sat in the first row of the crowd, he was clapping non-stop, with an esoteric smile on his face.

Tukaram came forward and kissed Ilaa's forehead, non-stop tears flowing down his eyes. Ilaa's eyes welled up as she hugged her mother, words wouldn't come out even when she was trying hard to say something, she had never seen her father express himself ever in her lifetime. Ilaa knew this was just the beginning.