Book Review of 'Chokher Bali'

Book- Chokher Bali

Author- Rabindranath Tagore

Translated by Radha Chakravarty

Pages- 384

‘Chokher Bali’ as the title suggests means ‘grain of sand in the eye’. Being a Bengali novel, the title is quite captivating. In the story while Binodini and Asha became friend,  Binodini asked Asha what name she wanted to keep for their friendship. Asha named Ganga water, Bakul blossoms and several other auspicious items. But Binodini considered them as outdated and less affectionate. That was when she suggested ‘Chokher Bali’, a constant irritant as to name their friendship. Though it felt abusive to hear, Asha accepted this abusive term of endearment for the sake of their friendship

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The story starts with Binodini’s mother appealing Mahendra’s mother to consider a match between their children. Both of their mother were once childhood playmates in the same village. After plenty of pleads by Mahendra’s mother when Mahendra’s refused the subject of marriage his mother became gloomy. To please his mother he decided to see the girl once and then refused himself from seeing saying what’s the use when he is going to marry her only to please his mother.  With a carefree mind, Mahendra’s mother fixed the date of their marriage and as the days approached, Mahendra became more and more anxious and just a few days before the marriage he declared that he can’t go through with it (he refused to marry).

Written more than a century ago I wonder how amazing a writer Tagore was. Going through his work for the first time I grew more and more drawn towards this book.

Bihari was Mahendra’s close friend. And as there was no alternative, Mahendra’s mother asked him to fulfill this duty of marrying the girl. But, joining his hands in supplication, Bihari told that’s the one thing he can’t do. Bihari considered Rajalakshmi (Mahendra’s mother) his mother and addressed her as Ma.

Finally, Binodini got married to a fellow villager from her birthplace (which was suggested by Mahendra’s mother). But not long after, the girl became widow.  

Three years later, Mahendra’s mother told him that, it’s her, people blame for not letting Mahendra to get married for the fear of losing him to the bride.  Mahendra laughed off the topic but he continued saying to his mother after a pause that a wife takes over a man’s whole life upon arrival and then the mother who has lavished so much care and affection on her son is forced to step aside.  He didn’t wanted to marry for the fear that his wife will supersede his mother.

Mahendra’s Kaki and his mother often had fights on small-small issues and the fact that Mahendra’s kaki had no one by her side she weeps her sorrows alone. Mahendra inwardly gets hurt when his mother taunts her and makes her feel ashamed.

Mahendra’s Kaki had an orphaned niece, whom she hoped to wed to Mahim (Mahendra) just with a thought that she would be able to keep her own sister’s daughter close to herself and see her happy. Looking at his Kaki’s face who was sitting by the open window of her room, her head resting against the iron grill, Mahendra’s heart was filled with pity. After the meal, he went to his Kaki to ask her if she would allow him to see her niece once. Annapurna (Mahendra’s Kaki) was amazed and asked Mahendra if he is inclined towards marriage but he said he has persuaded Bihari for the marriage.

Later, the two friends went to see the girl. Ashalata (Asha)was barely twelve or thirteen years old.

Mahendra who went with Bihari to see the match for his friend, liked the girl and persuaded Bihari to let him marry the girl. Bihari though, departed without raising any objections himself liked the girl and found no reason not to marry.

Later the unfulfilled desire in Kakima’s heart was fulfilled when Mahendra got married to Asha and she came as a bride of Mahedra in the house. Although Mahendra’s mother raised an objection saying that if he married the girl he will have no prospect of enjoying a relationship with the in-laws (since Asha was an orphan). But Mahendra resolved it by saying the he won’t regret the lack of social interaction with his in-laws but he really desires to marry the girl.

After marriage, Asha was found not to be well versed in domestic skills and thus her mother in law drained her energy in learning the daily chores of the house. Mahendra saw his wife everyday drained out after the heavy works of the day. Sometime he used to quarrel with his mother for letting his wife do such works. Mahendra took out time and made his wife learn how to read and write. Mahendra failed in his medical exam that year.

After the long span of verbal abusing by Mahendra to his mother, his mother decided to go to her birthplace for sometime where  Bihari accompanied her throughout her journey and stay. She arrived Barasat her birthplace where Binodini, the widowed girl came to mitigate and serve Mahendra’s mother (her Pishima). When it was sometime of her stay there, Mahendra’s mother decided to go back to Kolkata. Binodini who found her solace in serving her Pishima had an outburst of emotion since she had no one to serve and live with. Later while they were returning to Kolkata (Mahendra’s mother and Bihari) they took Binodini with them to live along with them.

Binodini was a well versed lady in all kind of domestic skills. Mastery came naturally and easily to her and she had no qualms about setting the domestic staff to work, rebuking them or ordering them about. She likes doing things herself without any help or assistance freely. At first Asha was jealous of the way Binodini used to manage all the work alone but later they became good friends.

As days went by, Mahendra began to get attracted towards Binodini while Binodini started having a huge respect towards Bihari. And Asha without any notice about the changes in the attitude of Mahindra kept on going with the daily chores of work.

Later Mahendra’s Kakima leaves for Kashi leaving the worldly attachment.

Binodini creates a gap in the pure relationship between Mahendra and Asha through the letters she had written to Mahendra during Asha’s absence (when Asha went to Kashi to meet her Mashima for some days)

The story contains many untold revelations which you can discover yourself after reading the book.

The advice given to Asha by her Mashima when she was leaving for Kashi was one of the realistic advice I would like to share, which is - If you wish to be happy don’t cling to all your memories. The pain dwelling on the wrongs done to us by other people far exceeds the little bit of pleasure we derive from condemning others for their guilt.

If you can’t forget you will keep alive the memories of other people too. Even if you can’t accomplish this of your free own will, take it as an order.

The story depicts the pureness of a bond and along with it the acceptance of the orders laid by the elders. Marriage is a bond which not only is sacred by the vows taken during the seven pheras of the fire but also a bond of trust and respect throughout the journey of the married life.

P.S.- This book is written more than a century ago and thus the virtue and the way the book is written is different from the modern day.

Overall rating- 4/5