Chapter 9 Bholi

Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. She was just ten months old when she suffered from a brain injury due to which she always remained backward child and came to be known as bholi’s the simpleton. At the time of birth she was fair and pretty but at the age of two, she suffered from a disease, small pox. Her entire body was fully disfigured. These were the reasons her father was worried about her as she had neither good looks or nor intelligence. He didn't know how he would find a suitable groom for her.

Being the revenue official government of the village, bholi’s father was asked to set an example by sending his daughters to the school. Bholi was sent to school because there was a little chance of getting married of her with her ugly face and lack of sense.

When she could not speak her own name then other girls started laughing at her and she felt really embarrassed. She was treated the same way at her own home. But she found her teacher was different from the people at her home as the teacher was polite and this touched her heart.

Bholi’s parents accepted bishamber’s marriage proposal because he was a well settled man. He had his own house and has a big shop. They feared that if they don’t accept the proposal, she would not get married for the rest of her life. They thought that this was their only chance as bishamber was from another village and didn't asks about her pock-marks and lack of sense.

When bishamber saw sulekha’s face he was shocked to see her face. He didn't want to marry her but he put a condition that he will marry her only if bholi’s father would pay him five thousand rupees. This was the reason, marriage didn't take place because the groom demanded dowry.

Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. She compared herself to their old cow whose name was Laxmi. Lakshmi, who had been turned out of the house and sold. When she got a clean dress, bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry hair, only then she felt that she was going to a better place than her own home.

Bholi’s teacher played an important role in changing the course of her life. While everyone at the school laughed at her and made fun of her, she was polite and friendly that touched her heart. Her teacher always encouraged her and was affectionate towards her, and asks bholi to put her fears of not able to speak aside.

Bholi’s father agreed to this marriage proposal because according to him she was lucky to get well to do bridegroom who owned a big shop, had his own house and had several thousand rupees in the bank. Moreover, he did not ask for any dowry to get married. He was totally unaware of bholi’s pock-marks and her lack of sense. She accepted the marriage proposal because of her father’s pride. Later, she rejected the marriage proposal because the bride groom demanded five thousand rupees as dowry. Bholi’s father was pleading, humiliated and could give only two thousand rupees to bishamber as he demanded for dowry.

The word bholi means a simple person who is innocent from the heart. Throughout the story she had been a simpleton who hardly expressed her opinion or feelings. The word sulekha means the beautiful sense of letters. In the story, this word has a well built meaning of being a educated and mature individual. After getting educated, bholi had really changed to sulekha and her afternoon during marriage was her declaration to the world that she is not anymore a bholi but sulekha.

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