10 May,2024 09:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
Pic courtesy/Rock the Boat, HarperCollins India
Journalist Ruchira Gupta's I Kick and I Fly is a brave journey of a 14-year-old Heera who searches for a way to escape a terrifying fate that awaits her in the dark lanes of Lalten Bazaar in Forbesganj, Bihar. The area came to be better known as the Girls Bazaar, a market that trades girls in flesh trade. It is controlled by a goon-like figure, Ravi Lala, who sits in his lungi, with a gold chain around his neck, and from his perch, keeps an eye on "every family⦠every mud hut". Navigating through the alleys and corridors following Heera, Gupta writes about the issue of child sex-trafficking that persists in India and extends beyond its boundaries.
The book is fast-paced but not short on details; we see what Heera sees, we smell what she smells, and the growl of her starving stomach tells us her hunger is real. Writing from a position where one hasn't personally experienced what the protagonist experiences can always be tricky but Gupta does this sensitively. At no point does the narrative turn into one of pity.
In fact, Gupta isn't so much of an outsider. Having worked for years towards helping girls break free from the vile systems of prostitution, especially through her NGO Apne Aap, and experiencing the threats by traffickers, she is aware that the dangers continue to linger even after the rescue. For this reason, she infuses a spirit of defiance in Heera's character. We are witness to it from the beginning: whether it's the everyday episodes of beating up Manish at school for bullying her and getting expelled, or little moments like finding value in the only pair of laced shoes that the family owns, rejected by the pawn shopowner, or transformative steps like choosing to learn how to master kung fu.
One of the most likeable characters for us, who marks a turning point in the protagonist's life is Rina Di, a martial arts teacher, who is the owner of the hostel where Heera goes to stay. She rescues Heera and pushes her to pursue kung fu, which would enable her to defend herself. In Rina, Gupta creates a powerful mentor figure for Heera who instils in her the strength, above all else, to move closer towards liberation and a desire to save those around her. The book bears a fitting title, one that reaches out for hope.
