Quick-witted Malu

The Hindu

08-08-2025

Poona, September 1942
'Fire! Fire!' shouted Malu. The 12-year-old had been alone at home and engrossed in thinking about what Baba had told her about the freedom struggle when she was suddenly jerked back to reality by the acrid smell of smoke.
Baba was teaching in college right now, so Malu had to handle the situation by herself. She rushed to the courtyard and saw flames leaping from the tiny shed where firewood was stored. But when she opened the water drum, it was empty. Realising she couldn't put out the fire, she called the neighbours. Along with them came two policemen who stood there giving instructions to everyone and doing nothing themselves. Everyone was busy dousing the fire.
Suddenly Malu froze in horror. Baba's table with its books, sheets of paper in neat piles, inkpot and the KEY! The one that Baba always carried but had not today! The one that should never fall into the wrong hands … like that of the police.
For Baba was a freedom fighter, a trusted aide of Gandhiji or Bapu who was now imprisoned in the Aga Khan Palace in Poona. In August, he had called for the British to Quit India at the Gowalia Tank Maidan and asked people to 'Do or die' in the attempt to get swaraj. Malu's role model, Aruna Asaf Ali, had hoisted the flag of the Congress party and escaped before the police could arrest her.
Baba was part of a group organising secret meetings and rallies and helping people who had gone 'underground' (which meant that they were in hiding). They printed pamphlets, held rallies, broadcast news, relayed speeches and patriotic messages over the radio. All this was prohibited and anyone caught doing this was imprisoned.
Malu had seen the policemen give the table a cursory glance before they joined the others. Suppose they'd seen the key? Suppose they searched the house? Her heart racing, she put the key in her pocket and placed the cupboard key of the inner room on the table. Now, where should she hide the key? No one was paying attention to her, as they were busy bringing water to halt the spreading flames.
Malu ran over to the mango tree, climbed it and jumped on to the terrace. Hidden by the parapet, she removed the stitches at the hem of her long skirt, put the key in the fold and closed the rip with safety pins. She could feel the key against her ankle.
She climbed down and went to the yard and found that the fire was almost out
Swiftly, she ran to the mango tree. She climbed it, and jumped onto the terrace. She hurriedly ripped open the hem of her long skirt, put the key inside, and closed it with a safety pin. She could feel the key against her ankle. It was safe! She climbed down to find the fire was almost out.
She remembered the tragic story of Chauri Chaura that Baba has told her about: how the police had opened fire on peaceful protesters in the village near Gorakhpur in the United Provinces. In retaliation, the people set fire to a police chowki killing 22 policemen. Deeply grieved, Gandhiji had called off the Civil Disobedience movement saying that the people were not ready to fight by peaceful means.
Just then, the policemen came up to her and asked, 'Where does your father work?'
'Fergusson College,' replied Malu.
'Oh, these colleges are hotbeds of freedom fighters who incite people to defy the government. Let's search the house,' said one policeman.
They rifled through the papers on the table and one man picked up the key and looked around. 'Maybe he's hidden something important,' they said and unlocked the cupboard, flinging out clothes and even checking the pockets of Baba's khadi kurtas and pyjamas.
By now, Baba had heard about the fire and come back. First, he went to look at the shed and thanked everyone who had helped. When he came into the house, he looked at his disorderly table in anger and disbelief. 'Havaldar, who gave you permission to do this? Where is the search warrant?' Baba was not tall or imposing, neither did he shout. But his sharp tone was authoritative.
The policemen blustered and started stammering. No one had ever accosted them like this. They were used to employing bullying tactics to frighten people and get what they wanted.
'Leave before I tell your Commissioner,' Baba ordered them. There was a hullabaloo but soon everyone had left and the house was quiet. Baba turned to Malu and asked urgently, 'Where is my key? You know how important it is.'
Malu opened the pin on her hem, took out the key and gave it to Baba. He hugged her and said, 'What a quick-witted girl you are! I would have been arrested for possessing that key. Two 'wanted' people, Ravi and Nana, are hiding there.'
Malu nodded. She had seen Ai make extra chapati-bhaji for Baba's lunch dabba. The key was that of disused godown that hid a secret room and a radio transmitter. It was a safe place for freedom fighters hiding from the police.
'Thank You, Malu!' said Baba again. 'You have averted a tragedy by hiding that key. Now Ravi, Nana and I are safe.'