83 and counting !
It was raining. Drops of water rolled down the dried palm leaves of the hut before kissing the soil. The hut was the only human made thing standing for over 20 Kms in any direction. It was a small hut with a lot of ventilation's. Sun and rain were uninvited guests. One corner of the house, sheltered her. The other corner sheltered two torn Saree and a blanket. In rainy season, she switches corner. She was lying on the damp floor covering herself with the blanket. At times, a drop or two of water would crash on her 83 year old forehead and she would wipe it off with her torn Saree.
It was 1928. Mahadhi was born into a family which was struggling to find a place on Earth. Both her parents were house keepers. To be precise, they were slaves to British ladies. They weren't able to afford education to her. All she learnt as a child was to cook, clean and wash. She was becoming one more house keeper, one more slave. Though education eluded her, beauty did not. She missed out in the list of miss India's and the most googled person, because she lived in 1930's. However, she grew into a fine young woman. She was eagerly expecting freedom, no less than Mahatma. But little did she know, when all India was free, she wouldn't be.
In 1947, at the age of 19, her dying parents got her married to a 48 year old widower or let me say, they sold her for Rs. 1000/- The widower(he was no more one though) lived long enough to give her a baby. 1948 did not see only Gandhi's death. Carrying a new born son, she returned back to her parents soon after her husbands death. She thought they would help her. But, Fate had other options. Both of them were struck by lightning and burnt to death.
Mahadhi was 21, Her son 10 months old, and their hut, who cares what's its age? were all that were left. She joined as a cook in a landlord's house. With Rs. 40 monthly package, she had to bring up her son. Arjun, was in class V, trying to prove Pythagoras wrong, when his mother fell sick and he had to drop out of school. He joined as assistant cashier, to the same landlord for whom his mother worked. He was offered Rs. 50 monthly package, higher than his mother's wage because he was little educated and was a man, rather a boy. When money filled his packets, he started abusing his mother. He cursed her for not providing him good education. He blamed her whenever possible. And then , he got married, when his monthly package became Rs. 75.
No sooner did he become the cashier, he brought Sujatha into the World. As a kid, Sujatha was very naughty. Being the only child, she had all her wishes fulfilled and when it came to education, she was given the best that could be afforded. She graduated in history, took up a teacher's training, and became a lecturer in a local college. But, at times, she used to sit alone and think about her dream. To become an engineer. Only had her father been educated and had a good job, he would have managed to afford her engineering. This in turn made her angry on her grandmother. She had visited her once when she was a child. She had turned her face down at her smiling grand mother. She thought she was responsible for her father's position. Their relationship wasn't good and never will be.
Sujatha got married to a doctor. Their combined package of Rs. 4000 afforded their son Shravan, English education. He completed his engineering and as any kid would do, joined engineering. He had never been to Mahadhi's hut but for once. The first time, his parents donated his hair to the village temple. It was 1991. Mahadhi welcomed Arjun, Sujatha, and Shravan happily. They were her family. She wasn't alone. She smiled a big smile, when they took a family picture. She touched Shravan once and felt heaven. When everyone was gone, she took the photographer aside, gave him Rs. 25 to get a portrait of image and hung it proudly in the hut. She did not realize that it will be her only company till death.
Well, Many of us don't realize that, there is a Mahadhi, a Arjun and a Sujatha behind what we are today. A little mistake of them and we would have ended beggars on streets. Respect old people. Don't let them find their shelter in an old age home. You are what you are today, because they were what they were.
It is still raining. Drops of water were falling on her forehead. But, she did not wipe them off. She lay still and her eyes were closed. Blood wasn't flowing and her body went cold. A silent wind brushed her body and whistled, Rest In Peace.
She shivered. Opened her eyes. Pulled her blanket over her body and fell asleep again. Not in this World.
It was 1928. Mahadhi was born into a family which was struggling to find a place on Earth. Both her parents were house keepers. To be precise, they were slaves to British ladies. They weren't able to afford education to her. All she learnt as a child was to cook, clean and wash. She was becoming one more house keeper, one more slave. Though education eluded her, beauty did not. She missed out in the list of miss India's and the most googled person, because she lived in 1930's. However, she grew into a fine young woman. She was eagerly expecting freedom, no less than Mahatma. But little did she know, when all India was free, she wouldn't be.
In 1947, at the age of 19, her dying parents got her married to a 48 year old widower or let me say, they sold her for Rs. 1000/- The widower(he was no more one though) lived long enough to give her a baby. 1948 did not see only Gandhi's death. Carrying a new born son, she returned back to her parents soon after her husbands death. She thought they would help her. But, Fate had other options. Both of them were struck by lightning and burnt to death.
Mahadhi was 21, Her son 10 months old, and their hut, who cares what's its age? were all that were left. She joined as a cook in a landlord's house. With Rs. 40 monthly package, she had to bring up her son. Arjun, was in class V, trying to prove Pythagoras wrong, when his mother fell sick and he had to drop out of school. He joined as assistant cashier, to the same landlord for whom his mother worked. He was offered Rs. 50 monthly package, higher than his mother's wage because he was little educated and was a man, rather a boy. When money filled his packets, he started abusing his mother. He cursed her for not providing him good education. He blamed her whenever possible. And then , he got married, when his monthly package became Rs. 75.
No sooner did he become the cashier, he brought Sujatha into the World. As a kid, Sujatha was very naughty. Being the only child, she had all her wishes fulfilled and when it came to education, she was given the best that could be afforded. She graduated in history, took up a teacher's training, and became a lecturer in a local college. But, at times, she used to sit alone and think about her dream. To become an engineer. Only had her father been educated and had a good job, he would have managed to afford her engineering. This in turn made her angry on her grandmother. She had visited her once when she was a child. She had turned her face down at her smiling grand mother. She thought she was responsible for her father's position. Their relationship wasn't good and never will be.
Sujatha got married to a doctor. Their combined package of Rs. 4000 afforded their son Shravan, English education. He completed his engineering and as any kid would do, joined engineering. He had never been to Mahadhi's hut but for once. The first time, his parents donated his hair to the village temple. It was 1991. Mahadhi welcomed Arjun, Sujatha, and Shravan happily. They were her family. She wasn't alone. She smiled a big smile, when they took a family picture. She touched Shravan once and felt heaven. When everyone was gone, she took the photographer aside, gave him Rs. 25 to get a portrait of image and hung it proudly in the hut. She did not realize that it will be her only company till death.
Well, Many of us don't realize that, there is a Mahadhi, a Arjun and a Sujatha behind what we are today. A little mistake of them and we would have ended beggars on streets. Respect old people. Don't let them find their shelter in an old age home. You are what you are today, because they were what they were.
It is still raining. Drops of water were falling on her forehead. But, she did not wipe them off. She lay still and her eyes were closed. Blood wasn't flowing and her body went cold. A silent wind brushed her body and whistled, Rest In Peace.
She shivered. Opened her eyes. Pulled her blanket over her body and fell asleep again. Not in this World.
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