Lubaina Bandukwala - The Chowpatty Cooking Club: (Series: Songs of Freedom)

12 October 19422.30 p.m.

Hoity-toity Meena Miss dropped each perfectly formed word from her lips over the heads of Class V-B: The eyes are the window to your soul.

Then I tried to peer into her soul via her eyesand got three raps on the knuckle with a ruler for my pains. Black. Im sure her soul was a black as a lump of coal.

That evening, Bela Aunty got arrested.

The police came to get her at 5 p.m., complete with a British officer. Within minutes all the neighbours had gathered around. More people came and started chanting, Vande Mataram! Karenge ya Marenge! as she climbed into the jeep, calm and dignified.

And as it sped away, she turned and looked back at usZenobia, Mehul and me. And in that second, I understood what Miss Hoity-Toity had been sayingif Bela Auntys eyes were a window, her soul was blazing with fire, leaping brilliant flames of fire.

Mamma, if I write a letter to the editor, will they free Bela Aunty?

Mota Pappa, my grandfather who presided over my big rambling family, had one solution to all problems. He wrote letters. Mostly to the Times of India. If they see it in the paper, they will do something about it, he would say.

Only a letter to the king would work, I think, Sakina, Mamma said, with a sad smile.

So I went to Mota Pappas desk and pulled out a sheet of the precious onion-skin paper, which he used to write to his Hong Kong and England offices. And I wrote my first real formal letter:

Bombay
12 October 1942

The King of England
Buckingham Palace
London, England

Dear Mr King George,

Your police in Bombay did a dreadful thing today. They took away our friend and neighbour Bela Desai. Why? She's not a thief! She is a very nice person. Please ask your police to release her immediately. Can you please write back and let me know if you have done the needful?

Thank you,
Yours sincerely,
Sakina Chinwala

The next morning, on our way to school, I gave it to Mehul, who promised me he would post it to the king in the evening.

I did not have to wait long for a reply. One afternoon, when Mehul and my best friend Zenobia had come over to play, the letter came in a simple envelope with an Indian stamp on it. Even Zenobia, who is always placid and calm about everything, was visibly excited.

I opened it and pulled out a sheet of paper. It said:

Buckingham Palace
London, England
18 October 1942

Dear Sakina,

Arise! Awake!! Fight the fight against the British in India. They must Quit India!

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
King George
Sixth of the Name

My heart swelled with pride. The king of England was asking me to fight his own people in India! I looked at my two friends (why was Mehul smirking?).

Are you ready? Ready to do or die for India? I asked, sweeping my arms dramatically and frightening Zenobia as well as a flock of pigeons perched on the windowsill.

Little did I know that Zenobia, Mehul and Ioh, we were already neck deep in it all.