Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Guilt of a Mother

Bhavani Rajput was in her room. She was going through the albums of her one and only daughter Suman. Tears were flowing through her eyes. What has happened to her child. She couldn't do anything to save her. As a mother she couldn't protect her child.

How could she. What voice did she had in that house, no haweli. Virender Rajput's family looked proud, idealistic from outside. But she knew what they were from inside. She had suffered through her marital life and her mother had told her that is the woman's fate.

Bhavani was a domestically abused wife. On a daily basis her husband beat her in their room, sometimes outside also. Her MIL was nothing less. Bhavani was made to do most of the jobs at home because she didn't had a male child.

When she came itself her MIL had clearly told. She will have the first baby whatever it is and after that they are expecting only a male child from her. And it was like that also. Suman was born, but she was forced to do 2 abortions post that. And the second abortion was really worse that she bled a lot and her uterus was damaged in such a way that it was declared she could no longer conceive. The family liked pretense of the socially progressive family. So since Virender's brothers had male kids Virender was asked to keep her.

But for her husband not having a male child was shame. He never looked at his daughter, blamed her at every chance for him not having a male child. Even for small mistake beat her terribly. Suman never came in front of her dad as much as possible.

It was the need for social pretense that helped Suman. She was allowed to study Kathak, but was told that she could not perform outside. Suman was a very artistic girl who excelled in dance, dress design and writing. Since she had 3 elder sisters, her marriage was not immediately thought of and she continued school.

And in teenage when in came to her marriage Virender's family understood taking Suman out of school might result in their public loss of face because by that time Suman was a class topper and all teachers knew her. So it was decided for her to continue till 12th. After 12th in the public meeting the principal announced that since Suman has topped he has personally recommended her to AR college and Virender Rajput will not have any problem in that. Her father was trapped and that was the reason Suman was able to go to college.

Bhavani had thought her child had got wings. She will atleast escape her fate. But what she didn't know was much more cruel fate was waiting for her daughter.

Virender send spies occasionally to check on Suman and they came back telling during her second year that she was roaming with a guy. That was enough for Vijender and other family members to decide what to do for her. They immediately took the first alliance that came their way. Fixed it. Bought her by lie. And made her a prisoner in the room.

Bhavani remember her child's pleas " Maa I don't want to marry, I love.."

What was the boy's name Bhavani thought hard, Suman had told multiple times that name, but she was brutally slapped either by her father or by her uncles. After her attempt to kill herself she was always kept in semi sedation by giving her injections 3 times. She was never in steady state. Even for her wedding she was given injection.

Her MIL had asked why she is not walking steady and Bhavani had lied her daughter is not used to heavy dresses and jewellery. Truth was she was not even in complete conscious when the pheras happened.

She was guilty. She was guilty of doing it to her daughter. She was guilty of taking away life from her daughter. Now what will she do.

She looked at the Krishna idol in her room. " Hey Murali Manohar I will take any punishment you want to give. But give my child a chance to life. It is not her mistake, it is my mistake. I am the criminal for allowing such a marriage to my child because I wanted protection in this house. Give her a chance Murali Manohar. Give life to my child. It is a mother's prayer. Please listen to it" She cried bitterly in front of the Lord