Read This Is Not That Dawn: Jhootha Sach for Free Online Page A

know, there’s no shortage of girls for our son. We’d not even returned home after cremating her body when offers had already come from five places. But I won’t rush things, this time. The poor girl had a good nature, and her parents didn’t give a bad dowry either, but the truth is that the boy’s heart wasn’t in that marriage. She was a little simple and her features and figure were rather ordinary. The boy just didn’t want to stay at home. The poor girl got the influenza, that fever of colds and coughs. We consulted all the doctors from Vacchovali and Mall Road, but who can erase what God has written? This time, whatever happens, I’ll select a girl only after a thorough inquiry, and only one witha pretty face and shapely figure. I’ll show her to the boy somehow; that’ll be the only suitable way. You know boys nowadays! I don’t care much about the dowry. I’ll accept whichever girl the boy looks at and says yes….’
    Seeing an opportunity, Sheelo’s mother said, ‘My younger brother-in-law is a schoolteacher. He’s a good soul but they’re poor. Won’t be able to give a big dowry, but believe me, the girl’s face is one in a thousand; so fair that it becomes dirty if touched by anyone’s hand. Her eyes are lovely and shapely, like slices of mango. She’s only two months older than my Sheelo, but a couple of inches taller. Just like a jewel, and she’s studying in the tenth standard. Always stands first in her class, but my sister-in-law, poor thing …’
    Only a few days later, Sukhlal Sahni’s son Somraj went away for a while on some business, and nothing could come of this proposed match for a whole year.
    In 1943, Tara passed the matriculation exam with a first division. Her brother Jaidev insisted that she should be allowed to study up to BA level. Jaidev was in the second year of his MA at Dayal Singh College. Tara also took admission there. But only two months later, Jaidev was sent to prison for being a part of a secret political movement. Tara attended college without her brother.
    Two years later, Tara appeared for the Intermediate examination. Every day she had to go to the examination hall at nine o’clock in the morning. One day Sheelo came early and said, ‘Today I’m going to accompany you.’
    There was a twinkle of mystery in Sheelo’s eyes. She was not able to suppress her smile.
    Bhagwanti looked at Tara’s clothes and commented, ‘What’s this, you’re going out wearing such wrinkled clothes? Comb your hair carefully.’ She took out Tara’s best shalwar, kameez and dupatta, and asked her to wear those.
    Tara was by nature clean and tidy. Her mother had never commented on her clothes before. Masterji liked simplicity. Tara could not understand the need to put on such clothing to go to an exam, just as she could not understand Sheelo’s secretive smile. She changed her clothes on her mother’s insistence, suspecting she would be late if she argued about it. While they were going down the stairs from her house, she asked, ‘What’s the matter? Why aren’t you telling me what is up?’
    ‘Today, on the street, he’ll see you. When he sees me with you, he’ll recognize you. I’ll warn you. You also get a look at him,’ Sheelo said. Tara didn’t like this. She had begun to think differently about her life.
    Two Sundays before, Tara’s classmate Amrita had gone to her ancestral home in Ambala Cantonment. When she came back she told them that she’d been called for her engagement. Amrita’s parents had modern and liberal opinions. Before the engagement, they had invited the boy for tea at their house and introduced Amrita to her future bridegroom. Although both were shy and nervous, they’d even had a little conversation. When the boy and girl agreed, the date of the engagement was fixed. The girls had insisted that Amrita give a party, and she had given quite a lavish one for six girls at the Standard restaurant.
    Gurtu and Sneha were the gossipy ones in