There was a hamlet after the name of Gouripur in the proximity of the city of Calcutta. There lived in it one gentleman known as Ramjai Bandupadhaya. He had two daughters and a son. Sarala was the older of the two daughters. She was married to Kaminikanta of Pratappur village nearby. But till then Sarala had been at home, learning to sew, read and write with her sister. Father Ramjai Babu was an orthodox Hindu on one hand and an ideal man of the locality on the other. So he was esteemed in the society.
Kaminikanta though a son of a Hindu, later he accepted Christianity. So much he was given to understand by his father not to embrace such a barbarous religion, yet there was no return of Kaminikanta's mind. He would rather abandon his parents and forsake his society. Kaminikanta said to his father "I have particularly observed Hindu religion and compre- hended well that no salvation for us is there. I began to learn about Chris- tianity and escaped from all my vileness". In this his father said "What then! Will you neglect the words of your father and mother? Will you discard them? Is this your Christian religion teaches? Kaminikanta answered and said "Nay father, Christianity teaches otherwise. You are my father and it is proper to obey you. But think of one thing, you are my worldly father who begot me. There is a Heavenly Father, a Creator much estimable than you, how can I obey your words neglecting His"? Kaminikanta then described the greatness of Christianity and finally said clearlv that he would not give up Christian religion whatever his father would say. Seeing that it was difficult to take Kaminikanta back to Hindu religion, his father wrote to Kaminikanto's father-in-law Ramjai Chattupadhaya. Meeting Kaminikanta even Ramjai Babu gave him many bits of advice to accept Hindu religion once again but it bore no fruit. Kaminikanta was firm and resolute. At last his father, mother and all had given up hope for him. But even for a moment Sarala could not forget him. Because he was her husband. Her anxiety rather deepened as the days passed by.
Hemangi was a neighbouring friend of Sarala, besides that she was the wife of Narendra who was the friend of Kaminikanta. So, naturally a deep friendship grew among Sarala, Narendra and Hemangi. One day Sarala ex- pressed her mental anguish to her intimate friend Hemangi when the latter came to her. Hemangi had well comprehended the mental state of Sarala
