Whose Gain, at What Cost ? - II

This is India. On one hand we are competing with and aiding the best of the world in the fields of medicine, technology, humanity, beauty etc. and on the other hand we are struggling within ourselves against the dowry system, child marriages, child labour, Sati pratha and many such social diseases which are still hollowing our society.

In India, even now it is common to see marriages where bride & groom hardly get to know each other before their wedding (sometimes they do not even see each other) or a husband throws out his wife for not bearing a male child or where sex education is still a taboo.

This is in continuation of my earlier post where I wrote about a woman who died on the operation table to fulfill her husband’s wish.

Now, the next case was a horribly shocking one for me. I fail to understand why some men treat their women as commodities, a toy which can be played around at their capricious whims and fancies. I don’t have words to describe this woman’s situation. Three months have passed by; it is still haunting me terribly.

As she was being shifted to the adjoining bed from a wheeler bed, I could see her writhing in pain. A newly wed bride (it was third day of her married life), her hands adorned by still fresh mehndi (henna) and tinkling bangles. Her off white saree was fully soaked in blood.

Reason ? A man who happened to be her husband, who had pledged in front of sacred fire to take care of her happiness and safety; could not control his desire to ‘conquer’ her and pounced upon her like a beast. He didn’t want to waste a single moment after the wedding. After two days of continuous rape, there she was lying in almost unconscious state accompanied by her mother-in-law. That monster didn’t even have guts to come to the hospital.

She was immediately shifted to operation theatre and was given thirteen stitches to her private parts. Her family at Ajmer was not informed as this was ‘nothing’ according to her dominating mother-in-law who obviously wanted to defend her son. She was continuously cursing the bride for not ‘co-operating’ with her son and making it such a hue & cry.
Without letting mom-in-law know, I somehow managed to speak to her busy doctor about hospital filing a complaint but on what basis, the doctor asked me. It was neither any accident nor the husband had beaten the patient. The hospital has its own set of rules before taking such steps. The police case could not be filed unless the bride herself complains. What a mockery !!

For the fear of arising of such a situation, the mother-in-law never left the patient alone. I was very bluntly told to mind my own business. I myself was going through a tough testing time then, did not want to multiply my problems. Could no longer stay there, asked Suhani if I could go home and came back saddened.

Probably I am selfish to the core and a coward as well.

Later, I came to know that the mom-in-law took her home the same evening... only to be attacked again by that beastly creature who was waiting there.

My heart aches.
I can see one more death in near future.

Think of it. With what dreams that bride must have come to her new home – a home full of strangers where she wanted a little love and a place to blossom.
Sometimes I do not want to believe in the institution of marriage.

Current song- Zindagi Tune Hume Kya Diya, Kuch Bhi Nahi – Jagjit Singh

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