WOMEN SHAKTI ( POWER )

This happened about a year ago. I was on my way back from market when I saw a tempo with household luggage at the entrance gate of our housing complex. It seemed someone was shifting in. As I was passing by, a car came in and stopped near the tempo. A smart and good looking young lady was in the driver seat with about 3 years old girl ( later I came to know she is her daughter ) in passenger seat and an elderly lady ( young girl’s DADI as learnt later ) of my age group in the rear seat. She told the driver to follow her. After that day I used to see that little girl either cycling or playing in our locality park, when I accompanied our granddaughter for her evening fun there. She and our granddaughter got friendly and started cycling or playing together. She was being looked after by a maid with DADI also with them and her mother used to join little later on her return from office. We got onto hello hello terms. I learnt her name was Asha. At times my wife used to be with me and after few such meetings she and DADI got talking. Asha also used to join them when she came. They visited our house a few times to meet my wife. After we shifted from there she kept in touch with them. What I learnt later from my wife I am sharing with you all.

Asha’s parents belonged to well to do middle class. She studied in best of the schools as well as college. When she joined college her elder brother migrated to USA after completing engineering in IT. Later he got married to an American girl there. They visited India few times but mostly for short period. Her parents never went there. She after Post graduation in psychology completed MBA in HR. During school and college days she was good in sports and extra curricular activities as drama, debates etc. She had a number of friends, both girls and boys. She started working after MBA. She was well liked due to her good nature as well as being helpful. Though she had lots of friends but she was however not close to anyone to call it an affair. She built up good reputation in office as hard working and ethical person.

A young man little elder to her took fancy to her. His name was Ajeet. He was into garments export business and had office in the same building where her company was located. He followed her a number of time and subsequently got himself introduced through some higher up in her organization. He often started “accidently” meeting her in the corridor or lift. He asked her out a number of times but she politely declined. She declined his offers of lift home too. He followed her home a few times. In short he made all efforts of getting close to her but though she spoke to him with all politeness did not accept his overtures. One day he bluntly told her that he would like to marry her. She told him that she hardly knows him and his family not at all as well as it was upto her parents to decide. She had told her mother about him as it was her habit to share her day with mother always.

One day on her return from office she learnt from her parents that his mother had visited them with proposal for her marriage. She had told that her husband had passed away few years ago thus leaving him to take care of business from young age. He had no siblings and they had very few other relatives. Her parents told her that they would get back after speaking to her. She informed them that she hardly knew him and his constant behavior to get close to her was something not to her liking. A few days later his mother called them up to ask if they had decided. They told her that she was not willing to marry as yet. He however continued his efforts to woo her. About a month later her father died in an accident. Her mother was heart broken and went into depression. Her brother came over alone for related ceremonies and left without any offer to take them to USA. Her mother was not keeping too well thereafter. Ajeet alongwith his mother attended all ceremonies. His mother became a regular visitor and even he used to come over often.

Sometime later Ajeet’s mother brought up proposal again saying that as her mother was not keeping too well it should be decided on priority. Her mother too was keen to marry her off as soon as possible. Seeing her mother’s condition and keenness of Ajeet’s mother, she consented. This was also as his mother was very affectionate. A very simple marriage took place within a period of three months. There were hardly 10 odd relatives from his side while from her side many relatives attended. Her brother however did not come but sent some money to mother. This all seemed fairy tale.

On the very first night when she was alone with Ajeet, she got shock of her life. His first words were how dare she showed rejection to him and he would teach her a lesson. He followed it up with forcing himself on her brutally without caring if she was hurt. Though she knew about sex but this was her first time and it left her traumatized. This made her shudder at the hint of his wanting sex. He told her to quit her job and take care of his affairs if she wanted to work or stay at home. She had no choice but to work with him. He used to pull her down in front of others without a care about her feelings. At home he treated her as if he is lord and master whom she has to bow to all the time. He used to abuse her telling that she was not a virgin when she married him and any amount of reasoning about being active in sports did not mean anything to him. His mother was aware of it and she sided her but could not do anything more than that. Asha bore all this as she did not want her ailing mother to be burdened. He got bold with this and even started hitting her at times. First time she retaliated with hitting back but he used force to subdue her. There was no stopping him after that. When she got pregnant her mother in law made her go to her mother as she did not want any mishap. After birth of daughter he even told her that she could not give him son as she must have got pregnant from someone else. Her mother in law used to cry with her. Her mother passed away when her daughter was two years old. She then started telling him to stop his misbehaviour or she will report him to police. He mocked her that as she has kept quiet for so long no one would believe her.

Water went over head when he could not do anything to her due to her warnings, to vent his anger in frustration he slapped their daughter for no fault of the little girl calling her whore’s child. He just laughed when she told him that she would be leaving with her daughter. So that is when she came over to our locality. Her mother in law too left her son along with her. Asha started working in a reputed company in HR.

I bow my head to these brave ladies who took such courageous step. Later I learnt that his mother consulted family lawyer and sent him notice for share of property as well as business for her, Asha and little girl. Ajeet wanted them to compromise and return but his mother refused unless their rightful shares are transferred to them. That process is on and in another month or so they will have their share of property and business.