Sarvi

I would like to share with all of you about the life of my friend and how confidently she stood to a critical situation.

My friend’s name is Sarvi. Her parents are farmers. They have two acres of land where they cultivate wheat. They have three daughters. Sarvi is the eldest.

As an elder sister, Sarvi looked after her sisters in the absence of their parents. Her parents sent their daughters to school. All three daughters were brilliant in their studies. 

Sarvi completed her school education and then got admission in a city college for higher studies. She was the first girl who went to college from her village. Everybody in her village appreciated her for this and felt proud of her.

She completed her under graduation. Meanwhile, her parents arranged to get her married. They conducted the wedding in a simple manner. As per the custom of marriage, Sarvi left her parents and sisters and went to her in-laws' house with a heavy heart. At the beginning of her married life, she lived happily with her husband. 

Slowly, she came to know the true colours of the people in her in-laws' house. They started treating her very badly. Her mother-in-law treated her like a maidservant. She went to sleep last, after completing all her domestic chores. Sarvi told her husband about her sufferings but he didn’t listen to her. Her in-laws didn’t allow her to talk to her parents. She couldn’t share her feelings with anyone.

One day, her parents came to see her. They were shocked to see the plight of their daughter. She looked like a maid. Her parents inquired about her situation from her in-laws. They replied, “We want 30,000 rupees cash to start a new business for our son.”

For the sake of their daughter, Sarvi’s parents accepted their request but Sarvi didn’t accept it. She explained in detail all that happened to her parents. Adding to her ordeals, it was found that Sarvi had difficulty in conceiving a baby. On this issue which is no way Sarvi’s fault, her mother-in-law kept grumbling constantly. Sarvi’s parents tried to pacify her husband’s parents but all in vain. Sarvi returned to her maternal home with her parents, sad and broken.

Sarvi’s parents kept agonizing about her life. However, she was very confident about her life with her parents. Her parents were greatly disturbed thinking what their villagers, relatives, neighbours, and society would think and say but Sarvi gave them confidence and added that she could fight back and face all of them. Her parents got surprised to see the prowess of their daughter and supported her.

A month later, she got a notice from her husband. It was a divorce notice. She signed it and sent it back. The case was proceeding in the court but she was busy finding a job for herself. She didn’t lock herself up in a room and worried like other girls. She didn’t worry about others’ comments. For a few months, her parents didn’t attend any celebrations in their village. 

After six months, she got her divorce papers. As a single woman, she encountered all the problems confidently. Sarvi went to the city with her mom to search for a job. First, she got a job for a small salary. She worked hard to earn more to live in the city. She became the Executive Manager of a company. 

She started a self-help group to help other girls and women in her village and appointed her mom as the head. Now, many girls in her village have started moving to the city for a job. 

Sarvi stood out for her exemplary behaviour to all the women in her village.