Paru Tales -The Emergence of a Phoenix Bird

I am sure you would like to know how Paru emerged from the fire and became a newer, stronger version of herself. Paru rose from the flames within the four walls of her life, like a phoenix with powerful wings, ready to soar high like an eagle.

Like any ordinary domestic quarrel, Paru fought with her husband, asking him to move away from the joint family into a nuclear family setup. She longed for a life where she could focus on her children and her husband, plan her daily chores, and live without being dictated to by her mother-in-law every single day. She also craved personal space to pursue her passions, painting, traveling, and building friendships.

The joint family setup not only prevented her from saving money but also left her physically and mentally drained with endless chores. Her husband empathized with her but was powerless, unable to go against his parents’ wishes. Paru felt disgusted by his inability to stand up for even the smallest things, like taking a day off for a family outing. At last, she decided it was time for her to speak up rather than depend on her obedient husband, who never had the courage to voice his heart before his parents.

Paru had grown up in an environment where girls were treated as equals to boys. She had played sports, gone on trips with friends, and had the freedom to explore her creative talents. Unfortunately, the household she entered as a bride was its exact opposite. It took her months to learn how to navigate people who felt like they belonged to a different planet.

Her new home was dominated by her male chauvinist brothers-in-law, who blindly followed their arrogant mother. The father-in-law had little or no say in anything, silently yielding to his wife’s authority. Her mother-in-law’s arrogance was masked by her charming looks and fake smiles, so much so that the outside world never saw her true face. Behind her beauty was a selfish and toxic mind that no outsider could ever imagine.

At first, Paru thought her mother-in-law was like a fairy-tale godmother. She followed her “orders” and even felt relieved when she could check them off. She was flattered when her mother-in-law praised her to neighbors. But that illusion shattered the day she overheard a conversation.

Paru was in her bedroom when she heard her mother-in-law speaking to the neighbor, Kamala Aunty. “Unfortunately, my son has brought home a short, dark-skinned wife,” she complained. Paru’s heart sank. She was the shortest among her sisters-in-law, and most of the other women in the family were fairer than her. Kamala Aunty tried to comfort her mother-in-law, saying Paru was a good girl who would fit in easily. To this, her mother-in-law replied coldly, “She may fit in, as a permanent servant. After all, my son doesn’t earn much, and managing his family is my burden.”

Paru felt the earth tremble beneath her feet. A graduate with a gold medal, she knew she could easily get a job and support her family. Why should she silently bear the weight of her husband’s small, struggling business?

Within a week of overhearing that cruel remark, Paru got ready with her lunchbox and left for her new office job. Her mother-in-law was furious at losing control but didn’t stop her, knowing that her income meant extra money for the household. After three months, however, Paru realized her hard-earned money was being siphoned into joint family expenses. She couldn’t save or spend for herself. That’s when she knew, she had to move out.

After weeks of discussion, her husband finally agreed. Breaking the news to his parents, however, was like lighting a fire. Arguments erupted, escalating into abuse. Her husband proposed living in a separate portion upstairs, still within the same house. But his parents accused him of being brainwashed by his wife. Paru stepped in, defending him, saying he was capable of thinking for himself. Immediately, her mother-in-law played her next card, demanding rent for the upstairs portion, just like a tenant.

Paru’s patience broke. She spoke the truth plainly: “It is my hard-earned salary that is running this household, paying for our children’s medical and educational expenses. Not your son’s business.”

Her mother-in-law snapped back: “If you think my son is of no use, why don’t you just leave him and go?”

Paru was shattered. She loved her husband despite his limitations. Instead of supporting her, her mother-in-law was determined to make her life miserable.

Her tears flowed. Her self-respect was crushed. In her pain, she did something drastic, she removed the sacred yellow marriage thread and placed it in her father-in-law’s hands. “This is the end of my story in this house,” she said. Then she rushed to her room, locking the door to weep in silence.

At 10:30 that night, her husband came pleading with her to calm down. But Paru dragged her children to the small living room, spread out mats on the floor, and lay down with them. Her helpless husband retreated to their bedroom.

At 2 a.m., disaster struck. Paru awoke in shock, her nightdress was on fire! Flames rose like a whirlwind, spreading to the mats. She screamed, pushing her children aside as they cried in terror. Her husband rushed from the bedroom, threw a blanket over her, stopped the fan, and rolled up the burning mats. The family came running. To their horror, they realized that someone had pushed a petrol-soaked shirt tied to a stick through the window. It was a deliberate attempt to kill her.

Paru was in shock, trembling, speechless. At the hospital, her brother-in-law called the police. By 4 a.m., officers arrived, questioning her from every angle. But Paru kept silent. She refused to expose the previous night’s quarrel. She didn’t want to jeopardize her relationship with her husband, the very man who had saved her life and her children’s that night. She was indebted to him forever.

The next morning, her parents and friends arrived. In tears, Paru hugged them. Gathering her children and essentials, she left for her parental home. Her husband didn’t stop her, nor did he join her. He stood silently as the taxi turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Yes, Paru was now alone, with her children, in a home she built for herself. Free from the suffocating entanglements of the joint family, she finally breathed. She believed that one day her husband might return to live with her and the children. Until then, she was content to live her own life.

For the first time, she could smile and play with her kids without endless chores tying her down. She could read, paint, travel, and enjoy friendships. No more cooking for a dozen people. No more gossip. No more control from her wretched mother-in-law. She had a home, and a life, of her own.

Yes, Paru had her own life. A life reborn from the fire that engulfed her.
 A life that made her emerge as a Phoenix.