To The Moon And Back

Bengal India 1945

(News playing on the Radio)

The Government Of India has conducted one more meeting regarding child marriage restriction act as it was opposed by some religious orthodoxy communities. In this controversial bill, any girl child marriage under the age of fourteen and any boy child marriage under the age of eighteen will be illegal. The family of the child will be punishable as per the new act in the whole of British India.

Little Tara was keeping the books in her school bag one by one. Mainly she kept her drawing book and few paper cut out of the moon then she kept her drawing colours very carefully. She adjusted her two braids side to side and after buckling her bag she hanged it on her shoulder and ran down hurriedly. Hearing her footsteps coming down, her mother Sarita quickly poured the milk in the glass for her daughter.

“Tara” Her mother came out of the kitchen holding the glass of milk.

Little Tara ran ahead ignoring her mother’s yelling at her to avoid drinking milk. Before her little feet step out of the house, her father Subodh quickly held her up in his arms.

“Aaaaa Papa let me go” She whined in his arms. Her father chuckled looking at her. She looked so small in his arms, but she wasn’t like she looks. She always threw tantrums whenever her mother tried to give her milk to drink. Little Tara ran everywhere in the house, hiding behind the sofa and big drums in the veranda. She would vanish immediately the moment her mother called for her name at the specific time, knowing it would be for drinking milk. It was difficult to catch little Tara and a more difficult task was to make her drink the whole glass of milk. Her father always looked after this duty.

“First drink this milk” Her father said taking the milk glass from his wife’s hand and held near little Tara’s mouth.

“Bleh” Little Tara made faces pulling out her tongue. Showing how much she hated drinking milk.

“Tara you are not a baby anymore” Her mother snapped at her. Sarita always concerned about Tara’s health, and she was determined to give her daughter a good amount of milk. Tara moved her face away from the glass. Sarita glared at her daughter. Tara quickly leaned closer to her father in his arms.

“DRINK IT” Her mother yelled.

“NO,” Little said moving her head away.

“TARA” Her mother glared at her.

“I don’t want it,” Little Tara said. Though she was just 7 years young girl, she has developed a kind of stubbornness in this age which was rare to find in any other of her age.

“TARA” her mother yelled at her. Subodh interrupted his wife and nods at her. Sarita sighed looking at her husband. Though she knew how stubborn was Tara, she had some faith in her husband for making Tara to drink the milk. Till now Subodh never failed to make his daughter to drink the milk.

“Tara if you don’t drink the milk then you will not get to see the moon,” Her father said.

“What?” Little Tara looked at him.

“Yes the moon will disappear and never come back again,” he said.

“What...really?” Little Tara felt it as real.

“Yes, last night did you see the moon in the sky?” Her father asked.

“No” Little Tara said shaking her head sideways,

“Because it knew you didn’t drink that milk last night and poured it in the grass, so he didn’t come in the sky,” Her father told her.

Tara looked shocked. She indeed threw the milk in the grass behind her house. She looked at her father and her big dove-shaped eyes shown a hint of worry.

Subodh has managed to trick his little daughter telling about the moon. The rain clouds covered the moon last night, but he didn’t tell her the real reason about it.

“If you drink this, the moon will come back again” He said knowing how much she loved the moon thinking her obsession towards the moon might make her drink the milk. And it happened as per he thought. Little Tara held the glass in her both small hands.

“Will moon really come back?” She asked.

“Absolutely” Subodh said looking at his daughter in his arms.

He slowly moved the bottom of the glass up towards her mouth. Tara took a deep breath and letting it out she mouthed the glass. Subodh smiled looking at his daughter drinking the milk while Sarita too looked relieved. After little Tara was done drinking the milk, Subodh put her down. Little Tara ran out of the house towards the veranda

“Careful” her mother yelled.

“Take care I will try to come early tonight” Subodh assured her.

“You, too, take care”

Sarita said.

Little Tara ran over the salty chips kept under the sunlight and received a loud yelling from her mother.

Subodh took out the cycle and walked near the gate. Little Tara stood in between the bars of the gate and pushed ahead with her one leg, opening it.

Little Tara waited till her father took the cycle out from the gate and picked her school bag, hanging ahead on the handle. He held little Tara up and kept her on the back seat. Little Tara waved at her mother and her father started cycling ahead.

Little Tara was enjoying the views of morning chores happening in the veranda's of everyone’s house. The British officer was strolling on his brown horse. Subodh stopped his cycle to the side until the British officer's horse walked past by him. Little Tara looked at the horse curiously. No one in the colonial dared to cross any British officer's path in a fear. When the officer went far away, Subodh peddled his cycle again. Little Tara looked up at the sky and saw birds following her. A bright smile was on her face. Her oily braided hair shined in the morning sun rays. She was feeling extremely excited to go to school. Whilst, cycling ahead Subodh had to face a lot of people’s comments.

“Subodh brother educating your daughter isn’t a good option, go marry her off to someone.”

‘’It has time.’’ Subodh smiled saying it while passing by the man. He knows the society mindset about educating any girl. Being an uneducated man, Subodh never wanted his daughter to be like him. The last wanted his daughter to be capable of reading and talking in English fluently, so he could find a better groom for her and not an uneducated like himself. Subodh never felt bad thinking about himself like this. He even thought to educate his wife further, but she never did in the fear of society. He did not want this to happen the same with his daughter. Subodh knew this world will grow more, and he doesn't want his daughter to get missing in the crowd. Knowing he was earning less, but still wanted to make sure to give education to his only daughter Tara. He peddled the cycle slowly knowing his daughter was enjoying the ride.

Soon they reached near the school. Little Tara jumped down from the cycle in an excitement.

“Have a good day little one” He said looking at her running inside the school without looking back at him. Subodh smiled and peddled towards his office.

Little Tara’s school was built by the British and the only school which has allowed to educate girls along with the boys. Though the school has two separate buildings for girls and boys. It was quite surprising as well as taboo for the people to even think about educating girls with the boys. But because of Tara's father was working under British government, Tara got an opportunity to learn in this school. Her father happily took her admission in this school. The school also had facilities till the board exam. Little Tara stepped into the girl’s school building and soon reached to her class. As little Tara went ahead to sit on the first, one blond little girl came ahead and kept her bag on the bench.

“This is my bench” That little blond girl said in her British tone. Little Tara didn’t fight with her. She simply nodded and went back looking for the empty bench. Finally, her eyes fell on the empty bench at the last. She sat on the last bench keeping her bag aside. Everyone has already reached in the class as it looked packed and it started becoming noisier. Her class had most of British girls and only Tara was Indian. All Girls in the batch couldn’t stop talking. Tara also had an urge to talk with them, but she resisted herself. She knew no one would like to talk to her as she is Indian. Soon their teacher Ms.Maria arrived in the class and everyone stood up to greet her.

“Good morning teacher” Tara along with everyone said it in union. Ms Maria motioned her hand to all, telling everyone to sit.

“So class, I hope you all have completed the homework I gave yesterday?” Ms Maria said in her British accent.

“Yes teacher,” Everyone said in one rhythm. Tara looked more excited. She was all ready with her drawing.

“Okay girls we will start it one by one. All you have to show the picture you have drawn and tell me what do you want to become in the future?” Ms Maria said and every girl nodded.

Then the teacher started it one by one from the first row. Every girl in the class started showing their drawing and telling the teacher about their dream of the future. The task given for the students was easy. Ms Maria was remarking them as per based on their drawing skill and how confidently they talked. Some girls do talk about their ambition to become a doctor or lawyer. While some of them were shy to talk but their dreams were bold like to become a model or actress. Few of them were under-confident but wanted to be the same as the teacher. Ms Maria smiled listening to their desires. Then came Tara’s turn.

“Yes Ms Tara Chatterjee” Ms Maria had some difficulties pronouncing her name in her British accent “Tell me about your dream too” Ms. Maria said in her British accent. Little Tara stood up holding her drawing. She took a deep breath and held her drawing paper above her head. Her height was small that she has to raise her toes up. She excitedly showed her drawing of the moon which she painted with her chalk colours.

“The moon?” Ms Maria asked her confusingly.

“Yes teacher and my dream is to reach to the moon,” Tara said with all determination and excitement in her big eyes. She could hear her little heart thumping loudly. She even has told her parents that she wants to go up in the sky once and touch the moon. Her parents would always take her dream as a joke or as a little girl’s obsession. But for little Tara, it was something very special. She has always dreamt about the moon and reaching there. Little Tara was very confident about her dream. As, she talked in the class Ms. Maria looked at her in amusement.

“You want to go to the moon?” Ms Maria asked her.

Little Tara nodded cutely. Ms Maria started laughing at little Tara. In her life, she never heard something crazy like this. It was beyond her imagination. Who has ever reached the moon? No one. Looking at the teacher laughing, all the British girls started laughing at Tara. This made little Tara upset. Her face suddenly fell and she moved the picture down.

“Shhh class...” Ms Maria said referring all to be silent. “So Ms Tara tell me how will you reach to the moon?” Ms Maria asked curiously.

Little Tara looked perplexed. She never thought about it. In her dream, she has always watched herself flying towards the moon just like the Lord Hanumana flew towards the Sun. Little Tara’s eyes widened as she got the answer.

“By flying,” She said.

Ms Maria shook her head laughing at little Tara.

“How will you fly Ms Tara? You don't have wings.” Ms Maria said chuckling a bit. She was highly amused on little Tara’s imaginations.

“Why not? If little lord Hanumana did it then why can't I?” Little Tara asked. Ms Maria became speechless for a while. She didn’t have an answer for little Tara’s question.

“Ahh Indian girl you are crazy. Sit down. Next girl’’

Ms Maria said giving the lowest remarks to little Tara for talking something unrealistic which she found extremely crazy.

Little Tara sat looking down at her drawing of the moon.

In the recess, all the British girls in her class made fun of her. All called her crazy Indian girl. Little Tara ran out of the class and came to the huge ground. After sitting on the empty bench under the mango tree, suddenly little Tara burst into a cry. Tears rolled down from her dove-shaped eyes on her cheeks. She was feeling sad as everyone laughed at her dream. What is wrong in her dream? She couldn’t understand. She thought Ms. Maria will appreciate her but instead all laughed at her. The British girls in her class have found a new reason to tease her now. They never treated her right, and she couldn’t understand the reason behind it. Little Tara felt upset thinking about the incident over and over again. No one believed in her dream. Her parents too laughed at her naïve words and now the teacher also laughed at her. She felt her confidence going down. Her shoulder was slumped down in sadness. She felt lonely as no one in her class befriended with her.

Suddenly she heard a low whistle. Little Tara looked around as she heard another whistle. Her eyes roamed around searching who was whistling. Another whistle she heard from too close. She felt it was coming from the tree. She looked up and saw her only best friend Akash was sitting on the branch.

“Your Majesty,” He said smiling at her. Little Tara jumped while sitting when he hung his body upside down.

When she was looking up at him, he saw her tears, smudging the kohl under her eyes. His eyebrows furrowed.

“Tara Tara I'm falling from the tree Tara’’ He said acting, so she will get scared. Little Tara again looked down in sadness. Aakash looked at her. He felt some changes in her but wasn’t understanding much about it. Tara wasn’t behaving like she usually does. She would have screamed until now and scold him for sneaking in the garden of the girl's school or warned him to come down from the tree, giving the threat to tell about his antics at home. But now she looked just quiet and sad. After, not getting the expected reaction from her, he jumped down. She flinched a little but avoided looking at him. She was too much consumed in her sorrow and felt like crying over the incident has happened to her.

“This is for you” Little Akash offered a mango he just plucked from the tree.

Little Tara shook her head at him. Akash shrugged his shoulders and took a bite of the mango.

“Who is that girl?” He asked Tara pointing at the blonde-haired girl playing on the ground. Little Tara looked at her and immediately recognized as she was from the same class as her. The same girl who makes fun of her every time.

“She is Rose” Little Tara said sighing out.

“Is she in your class?” Little Akash asked her eating the mango.

Little Tara just nodded at him.

“Will she play with me?” He asked Tara which made her more furious. He is her friend, but he wanted to play with the girl who made fun of her in front of the whole class. This thought made her angry.

“GO ASK HER, WHY ARE YOU TROUBLING ME?” Little Tara snapped at him

Little Akash flinched on her sudden outburst. He looked at her mouth open. This Tara was different. He had never seen her like this before.

His eyes fell on the drawing she kept on her lap.

“Is that your drawing?’’ He asked again. Little Tara looked annoyed.

“Yes it is mine,” She said.

“Can I see it?” He tried to peep in her drawing paper.

“No” Little Tara held her drawing closer to the chest.

“But why?” His brows furrowed.

“Because you will also laugh on it” She sighed.

“No, I will not. I want to see it please show me” Little Akash said more like pleading. Little Tara looked at him and sighing out loud she flipped the paper over showing her drawing of the moon.

Little Akash gasped looking at the drawing. His eyes sparkled and his mouth covered with mango became an O shaped.

“You draw this?’’ He asked.

Little Tara nodded.

“Ms Maria told us to draw about the dream of what we want to do in the future” Little Tara said.

“You want to be a moon?” Little Aakash asked her looking completely confused.

“No idiot. I want to reach to the moon”

She said and suddenly realized she has shared her dream with him. Now he will also laugh at her. She looked at him but there wasn’t any sign on laughing on his face.

He was behaving normally.

He looked at her when an idea came to his mind “So will you bring that rabbit from the moon for me?” He asked her.

Little Tara smiled immediately and nodded at him. She felt relieved that he didn’t laugh at her.

“Can I keep this drawing?’’ He asked her.

“No, it's my moon” She said snatching her drawing from his hands.

“I like your moon can I keep it?” He asked her again.

She shook her head at him and said, “NO”

Little Akash sighed.

Then she had an urge to ask him too. “Akash, What do you want to become in the future?”

Little Akash looked completely clueless. He shrugged his shoulder saying, “I don’t know”

He pulls out the big seed from the mango and threw it. Little Tara saw it and suddenly she felt a craving to eat a mango.

“Akash can you give a mango to me?” She asked.

“I asked you before but you said no now I am not going to climb again on the tree,” He said.

“If you don’t give me a mango then I will tell your mother that you steal fruits from the trees” She warned him.

“Please don’t tell my mother anything” He looked scared a little. Little Tara knew his mother was very strict and how she has beaten him after getting caught for stealing fruits from other’s trees.

Little Akash looked a little worried as she will complain about him to his mother. He looked up at the tree. In one jump he caught the branch and then climbed further. Little Tara waited down looking up at him. He found one mango but it was a little far from his reach. He crawled ahead on the branch and tried to grab it. He stretched his hand more further to grab it when he heard someone yelling at him.

Little Tara looked at the gardener marching at them angrily.

“Akash hurry up,” she said.

In a hast he moved further and his hold slipped causing him to fall down from the tree. He squealed when he fell down and saw the gardener coming near to them shouting.

“Run Tara,” He said getting up. Little Tara nodded at him and immediately ran away from there. Little Akash got up in some pain and ran limping ahead. The gardener tried to catch him but little Akash was quick to escape from the broken part of the compound where he initially came from. But until now the gardener has already known who was the little boy.

<><><><>

After the school was over,

Little Akash returned to the home and saw the gardener talking to his mother. Suddenly he became aware of the gardener might be telling about his today’s activity and complaining to his mother. Being an Indian that gardener, and he knew most of the households in the area. He had worked in their garden in the past. Little Akash looked worried as he saw his mother looking furious. His mother Anjali Sengupta was very strict towards him. She has two children, one daughter and a son Akash. Her daughter has been just born and in the sense, Akash has become the elder brother, but he was still doing notorious acts making his mother Anjali blast in a fit of anger.

“There he is,” the gardener said and Little Aakash saw his mother glaring at him. He turned his dirty school shoes to run away from them but hit on his aunt.

"Bubla" His mother scolded by calling his nickname.

“Aunt help me” Little Akash said hiding behind his uncle.

“What is happening? Why are you behind my son?” His aunt Pronita Sengupta asked furiously looking at Akash’s mother marching at him angrily.

“Ask him what he has done again! This boy has made my life a living hell” His mother angrily said. Gardener nodded his head in agreement.

“I didn’t do anything” Little Akash effortlessly lied to save himself from his mother’s wrath.

“Lying is not going to help you kid, tell the truth to everyone’’

Gardener said.

Little Akash held his aunt’s hand hiding behind her. His aunt Pronita always took his side and tried covering his mistakes. Being his father’s younger sister, Pronita always treated little Akash as her own son. She was married off to a wealthy enough man in the childhood. When everyone thought the man she was marrying to is a gentleman but reality was different.

“What is wrong with taking those mangoes?” Little Akash said lowly. In his words, his mother gasped. The gardener looked shocked.

“Do you even know to whom those trees belong to?” Gardener asked.

“To the British government,” The moment gardener said, his mother and his aunt both gasped in a shock. His mother held his hand dragging him from behind his aunt and started beating him on his back. Little Akash yelled in pain trying to get away from his mother. His aunt tried to get in between to save him.

“Mother I swear upon Devi ma I didn’t steal it” He said.

“Lying on the name of Devi ma!” His mother beaten him more.

“Stop don’t beat him. He is just a kid” His aunt said trying to save little Akash. Once he was held by his hand, she quickly told him to go inside, and he ran straight inside the house saving himself from his mother.

“What is this sister, you are beating your own son it doesn’t look good” Pronita said in a pity.

“Look at his devilish acts, listen gardener, keep eye on him from now onwards and if you found him doing this again then I'm giving you free will to scold him,” Anjali said. Gardener nodded and left from there.

“In his age he will do this only” Pronita said.

“But those trees belonged to the British how can we take fruits from it?” Anjali said frustratingly.

“But this land belongs to us!” Pronita said.

Anjali gave her a look and said “But they are ruling on us we can't go against them”

Pronita sighed “I know”

“Why are you here again?” Anjali asked her.

“My husband is again asking for dowry” Pronita said and Anjali looked at her in pity.

<><><>

After the sunset,

Tara was in her room pulling out her things from the bag when she saw her drawing of the moon was missing. She poured her bag on the ground to find the paper but didn’t get it. She came down running from the staircase.

Subodh was talking with his wife Sarita. She looked emotional.

“Have courage Sarita, I know Prakash he will not say no” Subodh said to her.

“Papa my drawing...” Little Tara ran to him.

“Hey little one do you want to come with me at Akash’s house?” Subodh asked his daughter bending down to her level.

“Yes, papa” Little Tara jumped in joy.

“Come” Subodh took her in his arms and left the home.

Little Tara along with her father reached at Akash’s house. After looking at Subodh on the doors, Akash’s father Prakash immediately welcomed him inside. Subodh entered the house and behind him little Tara followed him. Prakash hugged his best friend Subodh and looked joyous after seeing him after so many days.

“How come you are here friend? Long time no see? ”

Prakash asked him.

“I remembered you so came here to meet” Subodh said and Prakash laughed at him. Both went inside the house. Little Tara followed her father searching for Akash. She always visited his house along with her father and that’s how they both became friends too. Little Tara sat beside her father on the sofa for the first time. She has never seen a big sofa before. The maid came out from the kitchen and placed a tray of food in front of them.

Little Akash was looking at them sneaking behind from the door as everyone sat in the hall area. Tara was looking around. His house was indeed bigger than hers. When they don’t even have much space to fit a sofa like this in their house. Sengupta family was richer than the Chatterjee family. Though being a good old friend Prakash never let Subodh feel like a loner just because he was poor. The world outside never leave a chance to stain their friendship on the basis of their lives but Subodh and Prakash never left each just because of the difference in their lifestyle.

“So tell me what is happening in life?’’ Prakash asked Subodh.

“All is good until the God’s choice”

Subodh said and Prakash’s face turned worried.

Little Tara caught little Akash gesturing his hand and calling her to come inside his room hiding behind the door. She got up and walked towards him.

“Come inside,” He said. Little Tara went inside his room.

“I want to show you something,” He said with a hint of sparkle in his eyes.

“Even I have something for you,” Tara said.

“Me first,” He said.

“Okay” She nodded.

Little Akash led her towards the wooden pram kept in the room. Both of them peaked inside the pram.

Little Tara gasped loudly after looking at the little baby inside the pram.

“A baby!” Little Tara exclaimed.

“Shhh, she is sleeping” Little Akash whispered and kept his finger on mouth telling Tara not to talk.

“If you wake her up then she will cry again..she cries every time I don’t know why” Little Aakash scratched his head in confusion.

“Who is this baby?” Little Tara asked him.

“Meet my little sister Aashi” Little Aakash said looking at his baby sister sleeping peacefully.

Keeping her both hands on her cheeks and mouth opened in amazement, little Tara was looking at the baby in an aww. She has never seen a baby before.

She stared at the baby curiously.

“Where did you even bring her from?”

Little Tara asked him still staring at the baby.

“She is...” Little Tara bend down more to take a proper look of his baby sister.

“So small” she completed after looking at baby’s small features.

“I don’t know, mother brought her to home one day and told me I am a big brother now!’’ Little Akash’s eyes sparkled the same as before when he mentioned himself as a big brother.

Little Tara looked at Akash with her mouth. She can't believe Akash has become a brother now. Suddenly she felt begrudged towards him. She also wanted to be a big sister of someone. She looked at the baby with pure innocence.

“Can I touch her?” Little Tara asked little Akash.

“Not now, Mother said baby has been bathed with some medicine, so we can’t touch her now”

Little Akash said bending down on his knees and keeping his chin over the edge of the pram. He was adorably staring at her baby sister then his moved on Tara.

“You said you have something for me?” Little Akash asked her.

“Oh” Little Tara gasped again. She held his hand “ Let's go to the garden behind your house” she whispered.

“But” Akash was about to say something to her, but she dragged her anyway. He had to run behind her to match her speed.

<><><><>

Subodh was drinking tea with Prakash. After looking at Prakash he couldn’t help but ask him.

“Subodh what happened? Is everything okay?” He asked.

He looked at Prakash and smiled.

“Do you need anything? Tell me I will help you. You know that I have never said no to you for anything. Money, work, home just tell me I will do something for you”

“I don’t need any of these for me, Prakash. I don’t have any tension except about my daughter” Subodh said.

“Why are you taking tension? She is just seven years old. Does she demand anything from you? Tell me I will get it for her” Prakash said. Hearing his words, Subodh looked at him in a hope. His eyes glinted with tears.

“Can I ask you for something?” Subodh asked him in a shaky voice.

''Just say it Subodh” Prakash kept his hand over Subodh's shoulder assuring him.

“Can you make my Tara your daughter-in-law?” Subodh asked him in his shaky voice. Prakash looked shocked.

“Subodh?”

“I visited doctor today, and he told me I have left a few days to live. I don’t want anything in my life everything is given by god. A doting wife and my daughter Tara. But what will happen to my daughter after I will die? I don’t want her to face difficulties in the future in my absence”

Subodh chocked in a cry while talking to his best friend Prakash. Subodh’s words sent Prakash in deep thoughts.

“What are you doing Tara?” Akash asked her.

Tara brought him in the garden and looked around.

“I have brought you this”

Little Tara showed a seed of mango to him.

“What is this? A mango seed?” Little Akash asked her.

“Yes, and it's yours. Remember you ate mango today and threw this on the ground?’’ Little Tara said. Meanwhile, Akash’s aunt Pronita passed by them giving a look to Aakash.

He let out a sigh when she was gone. Little Tara suddenly remembered about her painting.

“Oh I remember my drawing, I can't find it in my home Akash. It is missing after we ran away from there'' She said. Little Akash’s hand immediately touched on his half pant’s pockets where he has kept her drawing paper. He looked at her and then shook his head.

“I don’t know about your painting Tara, your mango seed” He pointed at the seed she was holding in her hands diverting her attention.

“Oh I forgot, now we will sow this seed and when it will grow bigger you will get to eat so many mangoes then you will not have to steal it from other trees,” Little Tara said bending down and started digging the ground making her hands all dirty. Looking at her little Akash too started digging the soil just to make his hands dirty. He enjoyed playing in the soil always and this was just his type of thing. After looking at his hands full of dust, he smiled victoriously. After digging in the ground, little Tara kept the seed in it and covered the spot with soil again. Both got up dusting their hands. Little Tara looked at the water pot. She held it and poured it some on the place she sowed the seed. Little Akash looked already excited.

“When it will grow up?” He asked her smiling widely.

“When we will grow up.” She said grinning at him showing her broken teeth at the front and his smile fell.