Indomitable

A new Malayalam book "Njaan enna Murivu" has three Bangla words written on its cover -- "Ahoto Ami" (The injured me) and "Chhaya".

The author's name appears as Chhaya. But she is not a Keralan writer from the South Indian state; she is actually a Bangladeshi woman.

According to media reports, she escaped a sex racket that kept her confined and tried to force her into prostitution in the Keralan district of Khozhikode. Now she is fighting a legal battle at an Indian court to get back to the country.

"The 80-page book is a collection of her poems and pencil drawings that give expression to her struggle, and her love and desperation for her three children back home," said Indu Varma who helped her with the translation of the book, which was originally written in Bangla by Chhaya. He is an Indian citizen residing in Bangladesh now.

Chhaya (not her real name), 34, was discovered by Anoop Gangadharan, who runs a Kerala-based NGO called Arms of Joy, two months ago at an Indian government-run shelter home Mahila Mandiram.

"She fell into the trap of a sex racket in Kolkata or Mumbai and was brought to the Keralan district on May," he told The Daily Star over the phone.

Chhaya was locked up in an apartment and sexually abused before she managed to escape. Then she contacted her neighbours who informed the police of the incident on May 28 this year, Anoop said.

Later, a case was filed and Chhaya was placed at the shelter home. Indian police have so far arrested six men in this connection.

"I had gone there to distribute foot wears among the women staying at the home," said Anoop, with whom Chhaya shared her story in Hindi and showed him pictures that she had drawn.

"She is an excellent artist. When I appreciated her work, she ran to her room and brought a diary in which she's written many poems and stories in Bangla language," he said.

Anoop felt he could support Chhaya and did something for her by publishing the poems and stories. He contacted Indu in Bangladesh, got the poems and a short story translated in English, which were then translated again by him and Anupama Mili in Malayalam.

They printed 2,000 copies of the book, each priced at Rs 100. Proceeds from the sales will be used for providing Chhaya with financial help and for meeting the needs of survivors of sexual violence in another state-run shelter home Nirbhaya where Chhaya is currently staying.

Besides the book, Arms of Joy has organised a seven-day exhibition featuring her painting at the art Gallery of Lalithakala Academy in the district from Nov 14th. The money raised from selling the paintings will be handed over to her.

"Artists who've come to the exhibition were amazed at her 18 acrylic paintings which she drew in just about 10 days. She does not have any institutional training. She studied only up to the class 7 and was married off at the age of 12," Anoop said.

He, however, could not give any detail of how Chhaya was trafficked in India as her case is still under trial at an Indian court. He said the court, after recording her testimony, ordered her return to Bangladesh.

"She is very patriotic about Bangladesh. In one of her poems, she wrote that she could understand the true value of her country only after she came here," Anoop said.

However, Chhaya or the Indian shelter home authorities could not be approached for comments.

Her book is also available on amazon.in.