My book "Cracking of Dawn"

The stories of my book "Cracking of Dawn" have evolved from my experiences during the course of my job. Police work gives a fair chance to encounter the grayer side of life, quite closely. This continuous proximity to bitter aspects of life either makes you cynical and insensitive (police syndrome) or if empathized provides you immense opportunity to help. There is no dearth of policemen who put their good foot forward to assist the needy.
These stories are amalgamation of what I have witnessed and visualized. They have originated from true incidents but dramatized in the form of story. Most of them revolve round the women characters. There prevails a marked difference in the condition of our womenfolk in rural and urban areas. To a great extent the women in villages do not comprehend what is delivered to them and take the humiliation and exploitation as age-old traditions. We still live in era where male dominance is irrefutable.
Presence of Sarpach Patis are exposing the democratic hypocrisy and mocking at the big achievements boasted of by the policy makers. Existence of customary selling of girls in one or the other form challenges our developmental claims. The dichotomy of worshiping women as the symbol of strength – "Shakti" and parallel branding them as weaker section ‘Abla’ of the society is ironical. Number of stories in this book is woman centric because I have found them at receiving end, bearing the brunt of society’s vices.
I don’t know how other writers feel about their writing, but let me candidly confess that I lived the characters that are in my stories. As mentioned earlier, they have been inspired by incidents that I came across during disbursal of my duty, so virtually I have met most of the characters in flesh and blood. Their pain and anguish have brushed my skin and soul.
The husband of ‘Smoke’ had been the main suspect, but deep in his eyes I could see the vacuum created by his wife’s absence. Any layman could easily comprehend that he couldn’t be the culprit. In the ‘token of love’ the maid had from day one been looking forward to meet her grandmother again and express her gratitude, for her sacrifices, by presenting her some expensive gift bought from her earnings, which was never to happen.
Traditions are past down to generations without giving a thought for the cause of its origin. Howsoever unfit and unfair they may be, to shed it requires lot of guts and opposition is inevitable. Marketing of girls under the garb of marriage or for flesh trading have existed since time immemorial. The women are more or less victim of such age old traditions, which must have come to existence in the time of scarcity and threat. ‘Threesome’, Rukmini of ‘Dying Aspirations’ and Kalli in ‘Cracking of dawn’ had been the victim of such customs, which was a result of existing gender biasness in the community.
Despite of our bragging about technological advances and marching into digital epoch, the discretion to take decision in the society lies with men. Jirabai, ‘Priceless Prize’ and, Shikha, victim of ‘Natra’, had no say in her own affairs and was puppet at home and outside. She had to pay the cost of being a woman.
Furthermore, I have tried to pay a tribute to a mother who had made all sacrifices in her lifetime, ‘shattered faith’ and ‘Belated regrets’, to earn love, affection and attention from her children but becomes the victim of the vicious circle of indifference to elders for the sake of next generation. ‘Shattered faith’ is prologue of ‘Belated regrets’ as the bereaved lady is turned into the old mother in the latter story.
Thanks to my job, this has proved to be an eye opener, showing the varied colors of society. My nature of job has given an opportunity to peep into the private incidents of individuals and come closer to reality of life. The complaints and its enquiries has provided me an insight into the prevalent traditions, customs and beliefs of various communities and their distortion to suit the male chauvinism. It is indubitable that in our society gender biasness is deep rooted and the fairer sex is unfairly treated and better half faces the worst condition. To add flavour to my stories Ms. Gargi Biswas and Ms. Bijal Shah provided me with their remarkable paintings which explains the feelings of the stories candidly.
There have been many visible and invisible support systems which have helped me give shape to this book. I have been boosted up by my friends and family members who untiringly kept appreciating even my small efforts and tried incessantly to ensure that my spirits never dampened. My both sons, Anhad and Aarav, always extend me unconditional support, and they looked with awe and respect to my smallest of creations, which prompted me to do what I like. So have my brothers longed for me to write what I feel. I express my gratitude to all of them.
I salute the resilience of our womenfolk and it is because of their tolerance and support that we men are able to lead a comfortable life. This book is dedicated to them all, including my mother and wife who have been crucial in sensitizing me.