Dharitri was a little late to school that day.
Morning household work and a delayed bus made her reach ten minutes late.
As the class teacher of Class X, Section B, at A.B. High School, Nischintkoli, she quickly took attendance. She was also their English teacher.
Sunita was absent again. It had been four days now.
What could be the reason? the thought pricked her, but she brushed it aside and opened the English textbook.
That day’s lesson was on gender inequality in society.
She explained why the author spoke about the unfair treatment of women.
She explained each point clearly.
But the last line of the chapter troubled her—
Can a woman and a man ever be equal in the eyes of society or even parents?
She asked herself silently, What am I teaching?
Turning to the class, she asked Romit,
“Tell me, can a girl ever match a boy?”
Romit answered, “No, Ma’am. My sister always gets more attention from my parents, and I feel neglected.”
Dharitri smiled softly.
“No, Romit. You are mistaken. Your parents love you. As you grow older, you will understand why they are more concerned about your sister.”
Romit replied, “Okay, Ma’am. But right now, I only feel they love her more than me.”
Dharitri looked into his eyes and said gently,
“A girl’s life is much harder than a boy’s. She has to prove herself again and again. She has to cross rivers, walk through fire, live with courage, and sometimes even die in silence.”
Just then, Nandini stood up.
“Ma’am, is your life also difficult?” she asked innocently.
Dharitri smiled faintly.
“My life is still waiting for freedom,” she whispered.
The bell rang. The class ended.
But freedom… freedom was still sitting far away from her—like a distant guest.
She could already see it: her husband Jatin, lost in the endless files of his office…
Her mother-in-law waiting for her in the kitchen…
And her father-in-law waiting for his morning and evening cup of ginger tea.
🌿 About the Author 🌿
Hello friends, I am Sushil Kumar Gochhayat (@msushil6) — Senior Manager (Chemical) at NALCO and also a poet at heart. ✍️
Today I’m sharing my new poem, where science and art walk hand in hand.
Your thoughts and comments mean a lot — tell me how you liked it
