Aaji, pleeease tell me a story.
A story? Which one this time?
The story of our village?
Alright then. Listen.
Many many years ago, our village wasn’t even here.
It lay far away, in another land.
And there, guarding it, was our Devi…
Vesai!
Our Devi was a maiden herself.
Only women were allowed to enter her temple.
And not all women. Only young maidens could seek the Devi's blessings.
From Her began a custom the village never let go of.
The day a girl came of age...
the day she had her first period, she was to be married off at once.
With Vesai’s blessings, the village lived in peace and harmony.
But then, one day...
a boy from a neighbouring village came to the forest to collect honey.
As fate would have it, a drop of honey landed on a village girl.
That was it.
Their hearts met.
Both of them forgot about old village customs.
Afraid of what the villagers would do, they fled, leaving the village behind.
And the Devi's wrath fell upon the village.
And so trouble rained down on the village.
Fields turned to ash, the river lost its fish.
The cattle dropped dead.
And fear gripped the people.
They fell before Vesai and pleaded:
"We will uphold the tradition, Mai!"
At last, the Devi calmed down.
She commanded them to leave the village.
"Keep walking," she said, "until you meet me again."
"You’ll have everything you need there."
"You'll get rain all year round."
"You'll find both happiness and satisfaction", she said.
So the people walked on.
They endured great hardship.
At last...
in a dense forest...
the Devi reappeared.
The villagers settled there.
And that became our village.
Vesai's Vadgaon.
It has been five hundred years since that day.
Not once was the tradition broken.
And not a single girl who came of age was spared from marriage.
And what if someone breaks the tradition?
Kalindi!
How could you do this?
For you, O Woman, where Vesai breathes...
No one leaves, no one leaves!
For five hundred years our forefathers have followed this custom.
Who are we to break it?
But Kalindi defied our village tradition.
Even after getting her period, she has refused to marry.
She even tried to run away.
Thankfully, Gopal Master stopped her from escaping.
She forgot that her defiance would bring our Devi's wrath upon us.
So now, she must be punished.
For breaking Vesai’s sacred tradition...
the whole village...
will cast Kalindi out.
Anyone who keeps ties with her...
will share the same fate.
Where Vesai breathes!
No one leaves, no one leaves!
Where Vesai breathes!
No one leaves, no one leaves!
Hail Vesai! Hail Vesai!
And then came a girl.
As bold as they come.
Bold? She looks scared to me!
Well...
You think you're very smart, don't you?
Give her some time.
What were you asking for, praying so long?
I told the Devi...
I want silk sarees, gold jewellery…
city bangles like the ones Vaijuakka has...
and all the food I can eat!
Miss Saraswati!
You’re so smart in school.
Why do you act so silly outside?
Oh right, as if you’re the wise one!
What did you ask for then?
Shankar! How many times have I told you? Boys aren’t allowed inside!
Don't you get it?
But why can't you let me enter? What have I done?
It's because of boys like you that Devi has made this safe space for us.
Now buzz off!
- Let's go, Sharada. - Yeah.
Tai, why didn’t you wait for me?
You could’ve hurried up for once!
You dump all your chores on me and then blame me!
So Miss Ahilya Veskar...
what did you ask Devi for?
- I want to keep studying. - What?!
Must you always interrupt?
Let us elders do the talking!
Don’t get any ideas from her!
Ahilya!
Have you lost it, girl?
- Don’t invite trouble for nothing! - Shut up!
How will you study more?
Once you get your period, you’ll be married off.
And if you don’t…
you’ll end up like that old priestess in the temple!
Then I'll take you with me!
Class 10 toppers: Honour roll
Oye!
What're you staring at?
What’s the point of a board if it’s going to stay empty?
It won’t stay empty for long.
Next year, our names will be up there.
Yours right above mine!
Yeah right! Dream on!
Miss Topper!
I’d pick this board over silk sarees and gold any day.
Oye!
Well, well, well, well!
You girls again?
How long do you plan to keep coming?
Until we get our period!
That's perfect!
So not for too long.
Right?
When it's your time, I'll ring the chime!
- Ahilya! - In a few days!
Saraswati! What're you doing here?
Off to your classroom!
We’re teachers.
Our job is to encourage our students.
Absolutely!
Couldn't agree more.
But Class 9 is when every girl gets her period!
And once that happens, they’re married off!
Our boys do get to Class Ten, sure.
But not a single boy from this village has ever passed Class 10.
So tell me, who exactly are we encouraging, and why?
We could speak to their parents.
We can convince--
Listen to me!
Our government doesn't care about women.
Like you, for instance.
They’ve sent you to this strange little village.
This is Vesai's Vadgaon.
And where Vesai breathes...
no one leaves.
You want to teach kids?
By all means!
Be my guest!
But don’t bother teaching the village what’s right and wrong.
You're an outsider.
Behave like one.
Look...
the thing is that...
here, we are the government.
We are the police.
And we are also...
the law.
Am I clear?
When it's your time...
I'll ring the chime!
Bai!
Tatya!
I’ve been saying this forever!
We should have a gym here.
We've only piled up junk!
Am I right?
Yes!
A gym?
For you?
Here?
Where will you play cards then?
That’s how it is these days, Aaba.
Boys refuse to work out.
And menstruating girls refuse to get married.
Right, Mahadu?
How long will you keep your daughter at home?
Tatya.
Looks like Mahadu wants Devi to curse the village!
No wonder he's doing nothing.
OK! OK! OK!
Guna's absolutely right!
He's spot on!
But what did he say?
He said that...
we should punish such people.
[heated voices overlapping]
Quiet, all of you!
No one's asked for your advice!
Mahadu’s got three daughters.
He's run himself dry marrying off the first two.
And Tatya...
if he’s got no dowry money, how’ll he afford it?
Anyone here who's different?
So Mr Modern Farmer!
Are we going to keep the girls unmarried?
Did I say that?
[overlapping voices]
What about our tradition?
It's the village tradition, isn't it?
It's the village tradition, right?
Then why make him bear the burden alone?
Here.
We're all in this together.
And so we all need to do our part to protect this tradition.
Hail Vesai!
Who's going to step forward?
And do their part?
Hail Vesai!
Hail Vesai! Hail Vesai!
Tatya.
Looks like your next generation will keep our tradition alive.
Already fond of your future son-in-law, I see!
Well, he's very impressive.
I think you're in a hurry!
Let's get done with the wedding!
This year for sure.
Ahilya will be in Class 9.
She'll soon get her period.
That's perfect.
We'll make it grand!
Of course, we will.
Why did you have to do that?
The whole village will come begging.
Tatya.
You can't scare people into following traditions.
To have their support, we’ll need to support them first.
Our girl's really lucky.
That was one fine son-in-law.
He may be.
But you should worry about your daughter.
What did she do?
Don't get me started.
All she does is eat, play, and dream.
You're thinking about her wedding and...
all she can think about is studying and playing.
Just let her be.
If she can’t play now, when will she?
There you go again.
Weren't you just praising your future son-in-law?
And now you've changed sides.
Any talk of a wedding and you melt.
Makes me feel like the villain here.
Well?
Mark my words, one day she’s going to make you cry.
Why would you say that?
Stop exaggerating.
Enough talk. Let's sleep.
Got to start the day early tomorrow.
I need to get that motor on the well running.
Another one of your bright ideas?
The whole village uses a diesel engine!
Why give them a reason to talk?
Let them talk.
Listening to the village never got anyone far.
If we listen to the agriculture officer instead...
it might just help.
Hmm. You've got high hopes!
Saraswati!
Saraswati! Let's go!
I'll miss school because of you.
Hurry up, Saraswati!
So!
Where's Saraswati?
Ahilya!
So you don't know?
Know what?
Saraswati got her period!
Last night.
Hello! Wake up and tell her!
And please tell your mum.
You're all invited tomorrow.
We're going to perform her rituals.
My daughter's a big girl now.
You better start treating her like one!
Ahilya!
- Ahilya! - Hmm?
What should I give you when it's your turn?
Will you give me whatever I want?
Of course! Whatever you want!
I know you'll take care of the sarees and the food.
But I want something nice to wear.
Really?
But not jewellery.
What then?
I want a stethoscope.
A what?
Stethoscope!
Huh?!
That's also worn around the neck.
And in the ears.
When you wear it, you can hear the heart beat.
And you can tell...
if someone's ill or not.
I mean not everyone can tell.
You need to be a doctor.
And I want to be a doctor.
Ouch! That hurt!
You deserved it! For blabbering nonsense!
You'll get married soon.
I thought I could ask for anything!
- Yeah but this is too much! - Ow!
You better forget about your studies.
If your Aaba finds out, he'll kill you!
Are you crazy?
- No, you're crazy! - What are you--
Aaba!
What did you say?
Just listen to her!
I said I want to study more.
So she said Aaba would kill me!
You're her mother for God's sake.
I would kill her?
- That's not what I-- - Enough!
Stop it!
This girl is going to make you cry!
- Ahilya. - Hmm?
Study hard and learn all you can.
But once you get your period, school will have to stop.
That has always been our tradition.
For 500 years, our family has never broken the tradition.
We need to keep it alive.
If we break it now, the village will shame me.
You don't want that, do you?
Do you?
I'll handle it.
Lakshmibai!
Mai!
You gave Saraswati everything she asked for.
I know you'll give me what I want too.
You will, won't you?
Aaba says that...
once I come of age, school has to stop.
So if I get my period, no more education.
You get it, right?
No more school if I get my period.
So just make sure I don't get my period!
I really want to keep studying.
Just help me with that, Mai.
Watch over me. I'll see you soon!
Excellent!
That's very well written.
Keep studying hard and your dreams will come true.
Women have gone places in this world.
You will too.
Are you OK?
Is everything alright?