British India:
That
night the household was a flutter with arrangements to furnish the
room where the young daughter will lose her virginity. Some one gave
the idea of a mirrored room with many lamps, many ran to fetch
mirrors and lanterns from various houses, in turn making the entire
community participate invisibly in the sexual act to be committed.
Many middle aged men sighed in anticipation of the night putting
themselves in the bridegroom's shoes.
Revathi
was afraid and wistful and relatives joked around trying to lighten
her mood as they mistook it for the fear and shyness of a virgin girl
of seventeen years. When the hustle bustle of marriage preparations
started months ago, she tried to feel the excitement as people told
her that she was fortunate to get such a match, it is not everyday
that a girl marries a Tehsildar who travels around in a horse with a
big entourage at his beck and call. No one mentioned twice the fact
that he was a 40 year old widower.
She
was gently shoved into the room full of mirrors and lamps at the
appropriate hour. The man who is her husband now because of the
ceremony was waiting impatiently. He drank the milk she brought and
pushed her onto the bed to examine her more closely.
While
the lamps did a devilish dance of light and shade making him look
handsome at one point and menacing the other. Before any further
action, a scream tore from the base of her stomach which pierced the
night. She was stunned by the intensity of her scream. Her thoughts
jarred the next moment as a huge hand slapped her hard.
As if
in a trance she jumped, sprinted across the room and bolted out of
the house in a flash. She ran till she came out of the village and
walked till day break to reach the village next. She hid in a wagon
which was un tethered from the bulls which were resting. She fell asleep though
she willed herself not to.
(she
was fetched from the village by her elders, her bridegroom was coaxed
into consummating the marriage after the emissaries from her parent's
side worked relentlessly for two more years. she gave birth to 4
children and became a widow early on. By then all the joyfulness in her was drained leaving her bitter and coarse)
Independent India:
Leela wondered whether female orgasm was a myth. She wanted to experience it once at least but her boyfriend believed in quick gun Murugan approach without much of foreplay. He fell asleep afterwards promptly as well. She finished on her own much later after his soft snores became steady. They had been lovers since a year. Clandestine meetings were exciting initially, now she was not so sure. She did not understand the hype created around sex as well. What next was the question she asked herself from time to time. Though Madhu was 'eligible' in every sense of the world, she was afraid to tell herself that he was not right for her. Unaware of her inner world, he thought that she enjoys sex as she never says no and her whimpering which is due to pain while making love sounded to him like appreciation of his manliness.
Over cups of coffee or over pegs of whiskey with his friends, he discussed 'how the court should recognise marital rape is real and perpetrators should be punished'. (since parents got a whiff of their affair, they were married combining both their cultures, everyone involved feeling 'progressive' for doing so. Whimpering continued..)
