I AM A GIRL, NOT THE FLESH PART 10

 I AM A GIRL, NOT THE FLESH- PART 10

The Interval

The housemaid, Ayesha, prepared two cups of coffee and gave one to Gita. This was the time when Gita used to spend with Ayesha, just chatting and talking. They spoke about everything in the world as they normally would. Gita had helped Ayesha guide her children, one son and one daughter, in their education, even financing it at times when the maid ran out of funds. Her husband used to work as a casual labourer, and as it happens, their families never had surpluses. It was only now, when the son and daughter both had joined an apprenticeship in some neighbourhood company, that their financial situation had become a bit comfortable.

Ayesha could understand that Gita was not in her best of moods, and thus started a conversation.

Ayesha: Didi, you are not well now. You were alright when I left after preparing lunch, but it seemed that something has happened. Hope your health is fine.

Gita: Yes, Ayesha, my health is fine. You know I read books after lunch every day, but today someone disturbed me a lot. My mood is not good. It is good that you prepared the coffee. 

Ayesha: What happened, Didi? Did any relative call and inform of some problem? How is your brother's family?

Gita: Brother's family should be fine as there is no news. No relative, but a mad lady called and disturbed me.

Ayesha: Didi, why should you get bothered about someone whom you are referring to as mad? You have not gone out of the city for a long time. Why don't you revive your group and go outside for a week? You will get fresh and energised.

Gita: You are right that I have not been out of the city for more than a year, but my friends are not ready to go now. I was speaking to them just last week. Maybe we can plan later.

Ayesha: Didi, at times I think that you have done better in not marrying and are at peace. I hope I am right, but sadly, I had to marry at a very young age and have always been suffering.

Gita: Ayesha, yes, I do think I am better than many, but it is difficult to be a girl. 

Ayesha: Yes, Didi, I agree it must be difficult. Tell me something, Didi, about yourself.

Gita: Ayesha, today I am not in a very good mood, and I am looking back at my life for the past couple of hours. What is our fault if we are birth as girls? Many do not like girls to be born into the family. Can you think that when I was born in the family as the first child of the family, my parents, even the grandmother, did not have a problem, but a lady was working in the family for more than 10 years. My grandfather had died around one year before my birth, and that lady used to say that he would come back as the first child. On seeing me, the first child as the girl child, she left the job and went to her village.

Ayesha: That still exists, Didi. I have two children, a son and a daughter. But my sister, who has been married for ten years, has four daughters and is expecting a fifth child. Her husband, she herself, mother-in-law everyone is adamant that they must have one or two sons. My sister is not keeping well, but some godman has told her to clean the road from their home to the temple every morning by hand. And she gets up at 4 o'clock in the morning and cleans the 500 m street with her hands, without using any wiper or anything. Some milk suppliers are selling them some so-called magical powder which will ensure that she gets a male child. He had been selling this in all the nearby villages, and to her also he gave in the last two pregnancies. Every time, the milkman and her mother-in-law blamed her that she must have missed the so-called majical powder on days in between. The only saving grace is that in the name of this powder, at least she is getting to drink milk every day.

Gita: How can a powder ensure that a male child, that too after the start of pregnancy?

Ayesha: Who will explain that, Didi? We are helpless. I have been working as a maid since the age of 12. My sister also started working at that age in other houses. But we had two brothers, they were the apple of the eye and were in school. Our salary, till we were married, used to go for the tuition fee of our brothers. At that time, we did not understand, but now we do feel, was it an offence for us to be born as girls?

Gita: What is your sister's husband is doing?

Ayesha: He is a graduate and works in a private office. For her marriage, our father was able to arrange for a cash dowry so he could pay for a graduate from the village. But what to do with that? After three daughters, he was ready for another marriage and told my sister that he would keep two wives at home. But my sister was already pregnant for the 4th time. She told the doctor that she needed a son her husband could marry once more. The doctor restrained her husband and mother-in-law, explaining that any thought of a second wife would be illegal. 

Gita: Yes, things are in a sad state, and nobody knows when it will be corrected. Many treat us like machines, just to obey and produce children. And if I am not married, it means I am freely available to be pawned.

Ayesha: Didi, my luck is considered good that I came to stay in this area, and further got to work in houses like yours. You have helped my daughter to take off from the poor household to build her own career. But when I look back, it seems to be a bad dream when I think of the hell-like situations which we used to see around us. I have seen parents drowning newborn babies because they did not want girls!

Gita: I can understand. Leave it, Ayesha, and it is already 5 pm now. You go now, and I will also go for a walk. Today I will speak to my friend in Indore.

Ayesha: Okay, Didi. 

***

Hi Friends, Part 11 is coming shortly. Just wait for it.

It will be here very soon.