She - Ekla Cholo Re Book Review

'She' is one of those books which will create a thought in our hearts. Which will make us to question the society.

This is the battle for an identity and fetching the meaning of existence. Overall 'She' is a good read.

This book doesn't elongate the topic or the story, it is an undying passion for a person's life, her love, and aspirations.

What we can see in this book is love, tradition of Kolkata and their respect. A fight with one's own questions.

What can we learn from 'She - Ekla Cholo Re'  :

Not one, but many things we can learn from this book. In spite of being a short read, this book teaches us to love and respect the person, who is not a 'he' or 'she'.

'She' is originated from the writing of Rabindranath Tagore's song anthology Baul, published in Bhandar magazine in 1905 "Ekla Cholo Re"

This book has 3 main characters, one is Kusum and the other is Prof. Rajendra. Third one will be introduced further.
After giving a lift to Kusum by Raj, who is passing by the road in his car. Kusum agrees to get in his car and then the story sets on track.

The conversation between Kusum and Raj is the central theme of the story. The story is all about Kusum.

In to the story :-

As the story is set in a Bengali tradition, we can see the Bengali culture here, the way they respect and love. Their dressing sense and food items.

After picking up Kusum, Raj takes her to his home where his mom invites them both, mistaking that Raj married Kusum. Later, she gets to know who she is.

After this, they both back into the car and Kusum seem to be very calm and quiet.
When Raj asks her about this, Kusum replies that she misses her mother.

Then Raj thinks that her mother had passed away, later he came to know it's not that. 
Then he asks her what's the reason for not visiting her mother. 
Kusum feels comfortable to share her past with Raj, and opens up herself to him.

"- Some said that since the child is soft, she must be a girl while others felt that I am a boy. As I grew up, I realized that it's so difficult to interact with a person without knowing the gender. May be we are programmed like that! A program that runs to mention the social aspects of one's biological sex and behaviours associated with it. In the name of 'culture,' I was taught the do's and dont's of gender traits."

Knowing Raj is a complete stranger, Kusum trusted him. And then shared her sad past, where she don't fit into the conventional male female category.

The domination of gender is seen in her father's actions. She shared that all with Raj.

"Often, my father rebuked me by saying, 'God made his mistake by making you a boy.' He would punish me for any activity that had femininity attached to it or doing any 'girly stuff'. While I was punished, I was not supposed to cry and was forced to shut all my emotions. This often got replaced with feelings of anger towards him and impending grudges against him."

Kusum is deep down and distressed with her father's behaviour. She said that they were forced to accompany to his several conferences and were presented as his token of victory and a mark of his fake and empty pride.

A big turn in Kusum's life :

After Dr. Banerjee's son, Debu, who is the neighbour of Kusum came into her life. She began to develop feelings for him.

Debu also loved Kusum, but did they got married? Or are they got separated?

His entry into her life took her to take a big turn. Since they loved each other, wished to get married, but Dr. Banerjee opposed this since it's inception.

Kusum decided to undergo sex change operation, this idea is from Debu. Because she is dying to be with Debu, even her father forced to ask female friends to out on special parties, Kusum still wanted Debu badly.

Debu became a successful doctor, his father is proud of him and he won't bring his own family under the shade of such shameful act by accepting their love.

"Jodi Sobai thake muhk phirae,
Sobai kore bhoye,
Tobe poran khule, O tui, mukh phute tor moner kotha,
Ekla bolo re ... Ekla Cholo Re"

  ( If no one talks to you, O my unlucky friend,
If no one speaks to you,
If everyone looks the other way and everyone is
afraid, Then bare your soul and let out what is in your
mind, (be not afraid)
Speak alone my friend ... (be not afraid) walk alone
my friend.)

"Debu hugged me one last time as I continued to hum these lines while tears rolled down my eyes. He said 'sorry' as he stepped out of my house..."

This is the dark in Kusum's life, abandoned and then set to face the thorns of society. She transformed into the real 'She' and moving on.

After hearing this all and her attitude, Raj fell for her and proposes her. Then Kusum rejects it directly, because she says that she ain't ready to take another pain.

Why you should read 'She'

The current world is with lot of social issues, we never know from where we have to hear a bad news. There's no guarantee for anyone or anything.

In this world, when a person like Kusum takes a step to live a life, society view is completely different on such person.

They have right to live, so who has authority to stop it? Once they search for their identity, they'll move on. And no person must try to stop any of such revolutionary steps. We can see that confidence and spirit of never giving up.

What happened next???

Kusum talked about the 'real acceptance' Raj assured her of that, but still she said a no.
At the end of the story there is a twist, it is the spine of the entire story. What is it? Let's see that by reading 'She - Ekla Cholo Re.'

Go..grab a copy of 'SHE - Eklo Cholo Re' on Amazon.in