Red Brides in red carriage

Original story in Hindi written by ANANT, Translated by Anita Gautam,

While Renu is the writer of love his third wife Latika is the example of live love. Latika, the heroine of the great writer of the new story of love , lived the lives of both, the wife and the beloved as well. Mare Gaye Gulfam named story and the film ‘ Tisari Kasam’ made on it is the result of the inspiration of the loving life of the great writer . The love story of Latika and Renu is not even less romantic and touching than the film. While the love between Hiraman and Hirabai is the brilliant example of human love the love of Latika and Renu is the rare story of love on earth. After her marriage with Renu Latika assured him that since then she would bear the full expenditure on his food and clothes. This decision of Latika depicts the chapter of women power which established the close relation between romanticism and revolution. Actually this unique example of romanticism is also a revolutionary step in the way of social change. In fact the Indian philosophy of Socialism is concealed in the adventurous decision of Latika the driver of the love chariot, to walk on the path of social revolution. The life of Latika has been influenced with the humanitory Indian socialism of Subhash cahandra Bose.

The marriage of Renu and Latika took place at Charu Awas of Charu Chandra Rai Chaoudhary at Korra Muhalla of Hazaribagh town in the present Jharkhand state on 5^th February , 1952. This marriage was unforgettable in many ways and propagator of new ideas and conventions. Of course this marriage breaks the social limitations of the time and introduces the new example of women freedom. Far from greed and temptation this love story of surrender is really the story of women struggle which cent- percent certifies the philosophy of Indian love. Actually the guardians of Latika opposed the marriage of Latika with patient Renu. But in spite of coming from a respectable Bengali Brahmin family and stiff opposition by her elders Latika remained firmed at her decision to marry Renu. According to her brother’s wife Sandhya Raichoudhary the marriage of Latika was almost settled with Dr. Vijay kumar Chatterji .The elders were to take the consent of Latika but she reaffirmed her decision to marry Renu and Renu only. The decision of Latika was not accepted by her elders. Her elder brother was perplexed with her decision. He opposed the marriage because Renu was a patient. As an elder brother he tried to make her understand but in vain. She remained firmed at her decision.Of course she was fighting a crusade of love with her family members and bravely won the race.

           In an interview she displayed that while making a health query on the sick bed of PMCH in 1944. Renu opened his eyes and went on looking at her instinctively. But could not speak anything and she went away. After coming round he started asking about her from other nurses .Latter on he sent slips to her that she should see him.

According to Shailendra , the fast friend of Renu, on the incessant calls of Renu, Latika came to him as a sea of love . The drops of love by Latika gave a new life to Renu. According to  Gopi Krishna the love of Renu and Latika was not physical but spiritual and a platonic one . Like Hiraman and Hirabai the love of Renu and Latika breaks the limitations of male female relations. After breaking the physical limitations of love it proceeds towards humanity. Such attitude of Latika was not only for her beloved Renu but for her entire family and the society as well. She was economically sound and self sufficient.The family members were acquainted with her decision and desire. Lastly they accepted  the proposal of Latika . Self- sufficient Latika forbade her family members to spend any money  on her  marriage. She decided to spend her own earning on marriage. On this decision of Latika, Sandhya Raichoudhary says that after becoming self-sufficient she had fulfilled the dream of her father. She really proved that the daughters were not burdens upon their parents. For not taking economic help from her parents’ house her elder brother Sushil Raichoudhary was emotionally sad. However he was proud of the decision of his sister.

Latika invited her friends and her relatives by simple letters from Patna itself. Articles for marriage were also purchased at Patna itself. With all preparations for marriage she left Patna for  Hazaribagh along with Renu . After coming over to Hazaribagh Latika was herself engaged  in the preparation of her marriage. The women self sufficiency which Latika showed in 1952 is not visible even in the 21^st century among the women of today.  Just after the Independence  Such decision of Latika gave an impression of self sufficiency to the women of today to walk on the way of struggle for women emancipation. Had the Indian girls followed the path shown by Latika the society of 21^st century would not have mistaken the girls to be burdens upon it. On  decreasing number of girls in the country the famous writer Taslima Nasreen would not have written that India  would remain the country of gents only.

The self-sufficient Latika accepted the challenges of the time in her life gladly. Of course she took the responsibility of the preparation for her marriage in a very adverse situation. There was the atmosphere of happiness and sadness in the house. While due to the preparation being made for the marriage there was the atmosphere of happiness in their house the condition of sick Renu was making the atmosphere of happiness a sad one. Still like an able commander Latika was discharging her duties and completing her responsibilities with great success efficiently. In such atmosphere of marriage Latika was mostly centralized to Renu only. Very often Renu was vomiting blood which was cleaned and served by Latika herself. Latika served  him medicine in time. At the same time she performed all activities of marriage punctually. Renu was any how arranged to be seated with Latika with the help of a wall for the performance of all activities of the marriage. Sharvshri Pathak and Surpati Jha were helping Renu in the performance of the activities of marriage. These two friends of Renu went from Patna to Hazaribagh along with Renu and Latika to witness their marriage. At the time of garlanding Renu stood up with the help of these two friends and garlanded Latika.

According to Bengla system when the bride goes to groom’s house the system of Bahu-Bhat is observed there. In this marriage  the system of Bahu-Bhat was observed in the house of Latika herself in which the friends of Renu played a dominant role. According to this system sweet rice along with the tale of fish and a few other vegetables are decorated among cloths in a dish. While this dish was being given to the hands of Renu Latika took the dish in her own hands. All were surprised at this incident. In fact the decorated dish was to be given by Renu to the hands of Latika with the words that AAJ THEKE TOMAR BHAT KAPODER BHAR NILAM. But in view of the economic and physical condition of Renu. Latika took the dish in her hands and handed over to Renu with the words of oath which was to be taken by Renu according to the social and religious system of Bengal. Of course Latika broke the rigid traditions which had mightened the roots of greed, temptation and selfishness in the life of love. This step of Latika establishes and strengthens the golden thread of relations much far from selfishness.

        In ‘Teesari kasam’ Renu has established the strength of love, simplicity and innocence.  On the other hand Latika has introduced the example of struggle for equality and social change due to her kindness, affection and sacrifice in life. The love  grown up in the heart of Latika defines justice, equality and liberty . The love and marriage of Latika survives the definition of Indian socialism which was closely watched and witnessed by Shailendra, the poet and friend of Renu who has depicted their love story in his poems. Usually the lover and the beloved or the husband-wife regards mutual service and co-operation as the base of their loving lives. An ideal husband looks after his wife even in the time of her adversity. This is the practical rule of family and social life. But Latika is such a heroine of this earth who makes service to her husband the sole object of her life.

             Some time before the death Renu put the idea to Latika, the heroine of live love that the life of ‘Tesari Kasam’ was alive even that day. He further opined that a blind could not understand the film. He needed eyes to understand it. He also advised to see the film, realize love and life as such. Then only he could know about the true picture of love.  Although there is much difference between the love of Renu’s literature and the love of his real life there are a few elements of similarity also.              According to the Film Critic Vinod Anupam in TEESARI KASAM film hero rural Hiraman is innocently blowing in the current of love with Heerabai, but  the latter is a little more conscious and understands the then social system of the place along with the innocent love of Hiraman. The heroine does not want to break the social system and put her lover to any social problem. That’s why she decides to retreat from the world of her lover to her own world. It is displayed with the words of Vinod Anupam that the heroine of the film TEESARI KASAM played a dominant role in the Picture.

       In the love affairs of Renu and Latika, Latika breaks the social limitations because she does not want that Renu should bear any trouble. In TEESARI KASAM where Hirabai takes all decisions in the lives of Latika and Renu Latika takes all decisions on her marriage. Renu under ill health innocently begs for her love and Latika accepts the proposal willingly. The surrender of Latika is the inspiration of Renu and the results of that inspiration are outcome of MAILA ANCHAL, the great film TEESARI KASAM and a few other articles in which Renu was seen as a singer. Among those songs an important one, Lali lali dolia me lali re dulhanian is still living and vital.

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