In the village of Sauviragram, near the river Godavari, lived a woman named Ilaa, who came from a family of cotton farmers. Though they were well-off, they were not the richest. As the crucial cotton harvest season approached, traders from Paithan were expected to arrive soon to barter goods for cotton. However, Ilaa was not working in the fields; instead, she expressed her frustration by the river, feeling insulted by the theft of gold coins from her family by a man named Babaji. Haunted by this shame and the burden of expectations, Ilaa found solace in the river's waters, which had been her companion since childhood. The pressures of work and her damaged reputation weighed heavily on her, reminding her of the struggles faced by local women against unfair trading practices. Despite the seeming prosperity of the cotton trade, the realities were grim, clouded by corruption. Ilaa became a voice for the working women in her community, who shared their grievances with her, urging her to take a stand against their oppressors, Vatandaar Ragho Shet and Babaji. The story highlights themes of struggle, empowerment, and the call for justice among marginalized women in the face of adversity.

by Rajesh Sheth in English Short Stories

Writen by Rajesh Sheth

Category Short Stories