Friday, November 24, 2006
A sad story
Shahida is looking at her best, all decked up. Her sisters, Hazra, Shamina, kulsum surrounded her and are helping her in dressing. Today they are coming to see Shahida. Maqbul chacha arranged an alliance. The boy is an electrician works in Dubai. Well off family.
‘She is looking really beautiful’ thought Hazra, the second sister.
‘Come outside they have arrived’, someone shouted. All the girls ran out to get a glimpse of the boy. As they came out to the other room of their hut, Abbu entered with three persons through the main door.
‘Salam aalequm’ all the girls showed their respect to the visitors to be responded in expected manner. The visitors were offered seats on the chairs borrowed by Iqbal, the only brother. The girls went back to the door of the backroom and kept watching the proceedings. The groom has come with his father Nasir. The third person was the matchmaker Maqbul.
The party went away after completing the formalities of seeing Shahida, asking her a few irrelevant questions etc etc. Father Hasim informed his inability of giving big dowry, but agreed to try the requirements, if spelt out.
‘We will inform you soon’; the answer did not satisfy anyone.
‘They have agreed not for Shahida but for Hazra’, Maqbul chahca threw the bombshell.
‘What are you talking?’ Abbu spoke out with the indignation it deserved.
‘Look Hasim mian, the boy is good. You have already approved him as your son-in-law. What difference does it make for which daughter?’
‘But Hazra is only sixteen years old’, cried the mother.
‘At what age did you get married?’ Maqbul chacha did not hide his unhappiness.
‘The boy is good, working in Dubai, Earns good money. Hazra’s life will change.’
He offered his last weapon, ‘they even are ready to marry without any dowry.’
Silence ensued. Everyone’s eyes fell on Hazra, clad in an old faded salwar kameez.
‘OK, let’s talk, we will inform you latter’, Mother dismissed Maqbul.
‘But you have to decide by tomorrow. They want to complete Nikah by this Friday. The boy is going back next Monday’.
‘That’s too short a time’, exclaimed everyone.
‘What’s your problem? Are you going to arrange a shadi fit for Nizam? It’s good for you. You need not invite everyone giving the paucity of time as excuse. I know your financial condition.’ Maqbul spoke tersely as he went out.
‘I don’t like it’. Nazma, the mother complained.
‘But this is a golden opportunity for us. I think we should not loose the opportunity’ Hasim shouted, he was reeking with smell of gudamba.
‘You bloody drunkard! Do you ever think about your daughters? She is only sixteen years old. And what about Shahida? Did you realize how would she take it? You have never bothered about them. They are managing themselves working since their childhood. Hazra was a good student but she had to leave the school after 5th standard to support the family.’
‘You stupid woman, you are always after my drink. How dare you talk like that?’ Hasim gave a few blows on the hapless woman. ‘I am their father. I am going to convey my acceptance. We will have the Nikah by this Friday’.
He was feeling dry in his mouth and went away to quench his thirst.
Shahida left the room indignantly. Hazra did not know what to do.
‘Amma, let’s not loose this opportunity’ Iqbal quipped.
Mother looked at Hazra and sighed.
Hazra did not remember how the next few days went away. She was sixteen years old. She understood everything about marriage. Actually she was already running an affair with the nearby garage mechanic Rahim. She was not sure about love and other things, but did understand the biological needs.
Initially it was a bit shock. But once the matter struck in her mind she found pleasure in the thought. The boy, Ibrahim, is not such a good looking, but ok. She kept on remembering him even in the hectic activities of marriage.
‘Qabul hai’, Hazra heard her voice answering to the Qazi shahebs question. ‘Shadi Mubarak’, everyone gathered congratulated.
The small room was decorated for the consummation of the marriage. Hazra waited for her husband eagerly. By now she is fully ready for her husband mentally.
The first night was a great night for her, to be followed by two more nights, this time at her in-law’s place.
Ibrahim left for Dubai, but wrote letters regularly. He even called her on phone at the nearby PCO every fortnight at prefixed times.
One morning Hazra felt sick while getting up in the morning. Mother-in-law took her to the doctor, who pronounced her pregnancy. Everybody was happy. Only sore note was sounded by the doctor didi, the lady gynecologist.
‘You people do not have any sense. Is it her time to become mother?’ She shouted on her mother-in-law, who accompanied Hazra. But everyone was so happy that nobody really bothered.
The regular phone calls from Ibrahim started diminishing. He was even faltering in sending money regularly. The face of mother-in-law started darkening. She started complaining about he raising cost of living.
Hazra did not know what to do? Hazra wrote to Ibrahim requesting him to send money regularly. The expenses are increasing with the advancement of pregnancy. There was no reply.
Hazra delivered a healthy boy. The doctor didi was relieved. She was worried about child pregnancy, but everything went on well. Hazra did not know whether to feel happy or not.
The phones from Ibrahim stopped. Letters were also reduced to one in two months. He did not send money for last 3 months.
She was staying with her mother for the last month of her pregnancy. But after the delivery also nobody from her in-laws house showed any interest to take her back.
Her father was very angry, so the other siblings. The burden of the married daughter and her newborn child was too much for them. All the other girls were working and they did not feel happy when they saw their hard earned money is spent on Hazra. Only mother was supporting her not knowing what to do.
One day the most expected news came. Ibrahim is coming back. Hazra was overjoyed.
Now all her problems will be solved. The mother-in-law came running to take her back.
On the day of arrival everyone went to Begumpet Railway station to receive Ibrahim, the day before he has arrived at Mumbai. Father Hasim and brother Iqbal also came and went to receive the son-in-law.
After a long time Hazra again dressed herself. She decked up her baby boy also.
She was shocked seeing the person entered along with her father-in-law and her father. Ibrahim could not be recognised. He was sick. Hazra did not know what to say and what to do. Everyone was crowding around. Ibrahim. But he did not talk to anyone but went inside.
All the festivities of the house went away.
Next day Ibrahim informed.
He is suffering from AIDS.
Ibrahim is admitted in a hospital. In-laws have thrown away Hazra. She went back to her mother’s place, but none wanted her there. The tests conducted on Hazra and the baby showed both of them HIV positive.
Hasim and Iqbal, father and son started insisting mother to throw her away. The stigma is going to kill them. Who is going to marry the other girls? They were also worried that the disease will spread to others. They stopped interacting with Hazra and her son. Luckily it’s summer and Hazra could at least sleep at the courtyard. She was not allowed to step inside the house.
Mother felt helpless.
‘I want justice.’ Shrieked the mother.
Mother has become hysterical. For once in her life she rebelled. She called the religious and neighborhood elders for solving her problem.
‘This man has brought death to my daughter. Not death, a death much more painful than death,’ she shouted pointing out at her son-in-law, who was sitting at a corner.
‘This man has committed murder. He is responsible for double murder, one young girl and one infant. I want punishment. I want justice’ cried the mother.
The elders did not understand what punishment to be meted out. They did realize the grievousness of the crime, but they were helpless.
This story is based on a real life incident. Along with the elders I also was pondering:
Is this not a crime against woman? Is this not a serious crime to send an unsuspected young girl to a death much painful than murder? Is this crime less heinous than rape and murder?
I could not find any answer. Now I am asking you, what do you think?
‘She is looking really beautiful’ thought Hazra, the second sister.
‘Come outside they have arrived’, someone shouted. All the girls ran out to get a glimpse of the boy. As they came out to the other room of their hut, Abbu entered with three persons through the main door.
‘Salam aalequm’ all the girls showed their respect to the visitors to be responded in expected manner. The visitors were offered seats on the chairs borrowed by Iqbal, the only brother. The girls went back to the door of the backroom and kept watching the proceedings. The groom has come with his father Nasir. The third person was the matchmaker Maqbul.
The party went away after completing the formalities of seeing Shahida, asking her a few irrelevant questions etc etc. Father Hasim informed his inability of giving big dowry, but agreed to try the requirements, if spelt out.
‘We will inform you soon’; the answer did not satisfy anyone.
‘They have agreed not for Shahida but for Hazra’, Maqbul chahca threw the bombshell.
‘What are you talking?’ Abbu spoke out with the indignation it deserved.
‘Look Hasim mian, the boy is good. You have already approved him as your son-in-law. What difference does it make for which daughter?’
‘But Hazra is only sixteen years old’, cried the mother.
‘At what age did you get married?’ Maqbul chacha did not hide his unhappiness.
‘The boy is good, working in Dubai, Earns good money. Hazra’s life will change.’
He offered his last weapon, ‘they even are ready to marry without any dowry.’
Silence ensued. Everyone’s eyes fell on Hazra, clad in an old faded salwar kameez.
‘OK, let’s talk, we will inform you latter’, Mother dismissed Maqbul.
‘But you have to decide by tomorrow. They want to complete Nikah by this Friday. The boy is going back next Monday’.
‘That’s too short a time’, exclaimed everyone.
‘What’s your problem? Are you going to arrange a shadi fit for Nizam? It’s good for you. You need not invite everyone giving the paucity of time as excuse. I know your financial condition.’ Maqbul spoke tersely as he went out.
‘I don’t like it’. Nazma, the mother complained.
‘But this is a golden opportunity for us. I think we should not loose the opportunity’ Hasim shouted, he was reeking with smell of gudamba.
‘You bloody drunkard! Do you ever think about your daughters? She is only sixteen years old. And what about Shahida? Did you realize how would she take it? You have never bothered about them. They are managing themselves working since their childhood. Hazra was a good student but she had to leave the school after 5th standard to support the family.’
‘You stupid woman, you are always after my drink. How dare you talk like that?’ Hasim gave a few blows on the hapless woman. ‘I am their father. I am going to convey my acceptance. We will have the Nikah by this Friday’.
He was feeling dry in his mouth and went away to quench his thirst.
Shahida left the room indignantly. Hazra did not know what to do.
‘Amma, let’s not loose this opportunity’ Iqbal quipped.
Mother looked at Hazra and sighed.
Hazra did not remember how the next few days went away. She was sixteen years old. She understood everything about marriage. Actually she was already running an affair with the nearby garage mechanic Rahim. She was not sure about love and other things, but did understand the biological needs.
Initially it was a bit shock. But once the matter struck in her mind she found pleasure in the thought. The boy, Ibrahim, is not such a good looking, but ok. She kept on remembering him even in the hectic activities of marriage.
‘Qabul hai’, Hazra heard her voice answering to the Qazi shahebs question. ‘Shadi Mubarak’, everyone gathered congratulated.
The small room was decorated for the consummation of the marriage. Hazra waited for her husband eagerly. By now she is fully ready for her husband mentally.
The first night was a great night for her, to be followed by two more nights, this time at her in-law’s place.
Ibrahim left for Dubai, but wrote letters regularly. He even called her on phone at the nearby PCO every fortnight at prefixed times.
One morning Hazra felt sick while getting up in the morning. Mother-in-law took her to the doctor, who pronounced her pregnancy. Everybody was happy. Only sore note was sounded by the doctor didi, the lady gynecologist.
‘You people do not have any sense. Is it her time to become mother?’ She shouted on her mother-in-law, who accompanied Hazra. But everyone was so happy that nobody really bothered.
The regular phone calls from Ibrahim started diminishing. He was even faltering in sending money regularly. The face of mother-in-law started darkening. She started complaining about he raising cost of living.
Hazra did not know what to do? Hazra wrote to Ibrahim requesting him to send money regularly. The expenses are increasing with the advancement of pregnancy. There was no reply.
Hazra delivered a healthy boy. The doctor didi was relieved. She was worried about child pregnancy, but everything went on well. Hazra did not know whether to feel happy or not.
The phones from Ibrahim stopped. Letters were also reduced to one in two months. He did not send money for last 3 months.
She was staying with her mother for the last month of her pregnancy. But after the delivery also nobody from her in-laws house showed any interest to take her back.
Her father was very angry, so the other siblings. The burden of the married daughter and her newborn child was too much for them. All the other girls were working and they did not feel happy when they saw their hard earned money is spent on Hazra. Only mother was supporting her not knowing what to do.
One day the most expected news came. Ibrahim is coming back. Hazra was overjoyed.
Now all her problems will be solved. The mother-in-law came running to take her back.
On the day of arrival everyone went to Begumpet Railway station to receive Ibrahim, the day before he has arrived at Mumbai. Father Hasim and brother Iqbal also came and went to receive the son-in-law.
After a long time Hazra again dressed herself. She decked up her baby boy also.
She was shocked seeing the person entered along with her father-in-law and her father. Ibrahim could not be recognised. He was sick. Hazra did not know what to say and what to do. Everyone was crowding around. Ibrahim. But he did not talk to anyone but went inside.
All the festivities of the house went away.
Next day Ibrahim informed.
He is suffering from AIDS.
Ibrahim is admitted in a hospital. In-laws have thrown away Hazra. She went back to her mother’s place, but none wanted her there. The tests conducted on Hazra and the baby showed both of them HIV positive.
Hasim and Iqbal, father and son started insisting mother to throw her away. The stigma is going to kill them. Who is going to marry the other girls? They were also worried that the disease will spread to others. They stopped interacting with Hazra and her son. Luckily it’s summer and Hazra could at least sleep at the courtyard. She was not allowed to step inside the house.
Mother felt helpless.
‘I want justice.’ Shrieked the mother.
Mother has become hysterical. For once in her life she rebelled. She called the religious and neighborhood elders for solving her problem.
‘This man has brought death to my daughter. Not death, a death much more painful than death,’ she shouted pointing out at her son-in-law, who was sitting at a corner.
‘This man has committed murder. He is responsible for double murder, one young girl and one infant. I want punishment. I want justice’ cried the mother.
The elders did not understand what punishment to be meted out. They did realize the grievousness of the crime, but they were helpless.
This story is based on a real life incident. Along with the elders I also was pondering:
Is this not a crime against woman? Is this not a serious crime to send an unsuspected young girl to a death much painful than murder? Is this crime less heinous than rape and murder?
I could not find any answer. Now I am asking you, what do you think?
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