Nirmala was 10 years old then….everything changed for her…the entire world…she was no longer allowed to wear skirt n blouse…she had to wear a half saree….she was stopped from school…she didn’t understand…what was happening…
The same thing had happened to Parvathi her elder sister a year ago …just two years older…one fine day many women were invited home…their hut was filled with guests…they brought colorful bangles, new clothes, flowers and lots of sweets…they decorated her with all the things that they brought. Nirmala then thought Parvathi was lucky. Parvathi was not allowed to go to school since then…
For Nirmala it was just a fun filled festival at home. Parvathi did all the household work while their parents went to the brick chamber for work. They would leave home early in the morning and would be back after dusk…Parvathi took care of the house and the younger sister ….
Now it was her turn ….
Nirmala was dressed in red silk skirt, blue blouse and a red half saree…her hair adored with jasmine flowers…every body put sandal paste on her cheeks…two lamps were burning in front of her…lots of guest at home…since then she had to stay mostly indoors
One evening Nirmala was coming back from her friends place… she saw everybody run towards her home…she also ran with them to see what was happening…her father was crying banging himself on the wall…she saw her mother hanging from the wooden ceiling of the hut in her saree….each one had a reason to offer …the gossip went on for days …it got over within a months time…
Soon she saw a new lady at home…a lady who must definitely be younger than her mother…she didn’t know who that lady was…she started living with them…she spoke very less…she slept near her dad and in the night she heard strange sounds…the sounds which she never heard before… the neighbors told her that her dad had married her…she didn’t know when it happened…..but that lady lived with them thereafter … soon her belly started to bloat ….Nirmala thought that she ate more…but it swelled and swelled and one day she saw a baby boy lying beside her…
One morning their dad didn’t wake up…he slept forever. Since then everything changed…the sisters starved all day….The step mother brought strange people home… …they stayed over night…and they left before it dawned.…
One fine day Nirmala over heard one man say to their step-mother “why do you have to feed these orphans? Why don’t you send them to my brick chamber…you know their mom worked for me…and their dad too…I will give them work …they will get wages in turn…??” and from the next day both the girls went to the brick chamber…
They had to work from early morning till dusk….just for a meal…they were not allowed to sit…or rest…there was continuous work…and supervisor would always be on rounds….there were lots of girls like them…the supervisor would be in his late 40’s .. an arrogant guy…he knew no mercy….he was fat, stout and had a big tummy…his hand and legs had lots of hair which made him look more horrible…the men worked separately far away from the girls…many of the girls where whipped when they sat down to rest…the fear of whips made them work harder…
One hot sunny afternoon Parvathi almost fainted…she was thirsty too…and exactly at that time the supervisor was there…he pulled Parvathi into the stock room and locked the door…
Nobody had guts to check what happened…. …it was almost an hour….the door opened and Parvathi came out… in rags…as though preyed upon by a stray dog…that animal ravaged her…
Everybody continued to work….as though nothing had happened….
Nirmala stood watching her sister…she did not know nor could understand what had happened
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE…STANDING WITHOUT WORKING…COME HERE”…the same voice ..which she had heard talking to her step mother…a strong rough hand held her and dragged her to the store room…now it was her turn……
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