Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar

Author:Supriya Kelkar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Published: 2017-06-21T11:33:42+00:00

Masterji and Anjali’s mother loved Anjali’s idea and set about implementing it over the next few weeks. But not everyone else was so enthusiastic about the change.

The vegetable vendor stopped going to their house. Anjali’s mother had to walk a few neighborhoods down to find a grocer who didn’t know who she was, and therefore wasn’t afraid she would taint the goods because she associated with Dalits. Chachaji was so shocked by what his family members were trying to do that he barely spoke to them anymore. Instead he just grunted and huffed angrily whenever Anjali or Ma tried to speak to him. Anjali was so fed up with his childish behavior, she didn’t even bother saying bye to him when she left for school in the morning, and she certainly did not bow down to him anymore.

That afternoon, when Anjali, Irfaan, Ma, and Masterji were leaving the basti, they were confronted by Lakshmi Auntie, Suman, and a handful of angry neighbors in the street.

“Who do you think you are, changing our school without our approval?” barked Lakshmi Auntie, proving to be not nearly as sweet as Anjali once thought.

“Some schools in bigger cities opened their doors to Dalit children years ago,” Ma replied.

“They don’t need to learn. What will they do with that knowledge?” snapped Mangala’s mother, a member of the trader caste who owned a pottery store nearby. “You’d understand that if you understood how the real world works. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth.” She eyed Ma’s sparkling diamond earrings.

Anjali’s mother shook her head. “Everyone thinks I’m so privileged. You know how I first learned English?”

“A private tutor?” retorted Mangala’s mother.

“That’s right.”

Mangala’s mother scoffed.

“But the tutor wasn’t for me. He was for my brother. I wanted to learn too, but my parents said, ‘What use is English to a girl?’ and made me work in the kitchen instead. I went to the kitchen. And I worked there. But as I was cutting vegetables and kneading dough, I was listening. Because my brother was learning English in the room next door. That’s how I learned. And that’s when I decided a woman can do anything a man can do. Knowledge is important. And it should be accessible to everyone.”

“Drop this plan now, Masterji,” said Lakshmi Auntie, ignoring Ma. “Or we’ll take our tuition money elsewhere.”

Anjali watched as Suman’s lips turned upward in a haughty smile.

“Where will you go?” Anjali asked Suman. “To St. Xavier’s on the other end of town? It’s near the college. With all those professors’ children going to school with you, you may not be first in class anymore. But suit yourself.”

Suman’s arrogant grin briefly shrunk, but in a blink, she was right back to her old smirking self. “You’re a professor’s child. I don’t have any trouble beating your marks.”

“Take the risk, then,” retorted Anjali. “I hope you’re right.”

Suman gave her mother’s bangles a tiny tug with her finger. Lakshmi Auntie turned to her. The bells on Suman’s earrings jingled ever so slightly as she subtly shook her head, pleading with her mother.

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