Woman with a secret desire
Close to the city of Paithan, in a small village called Sauviragram, which lay along the banks of the great river Godavari, lived a woman named Ilaa. Being cotton farmers, her family was well to do, but not among the richest in their area. It was the harvest season and cotton had to be picked from the plants. The wholesalers and traders from Paithan would be arriving in just a few weeks carrying gold and goods for barter. They would exchange what they carried for the cotton that the farmers grew. The bales of cotton had to be ready in time! Work was at its peak! But Ilaa was not to be found in the fields. She wasn't working. Instead, she was sitting by the banks of the great river Godavari. “I am sick of this!” she grunted loudly. The sun glowed on her face which had turned crimson with anger. With fists clenched tightly, she sat looking straight at the sun. Her body was burning inside. Even the calm waters of Godavari were not enough to ease her pain. Her father had been...