The Freedom

Parvatiya was very happy today. Her father had just returned from the neighbouring village of Himmatpur having finalised her marriage. It was only three miles away from their village.

"Only twenty days we have in our hand. I requested them a lot to push the date at least ten days back, but the boy's father seems to be in a great hurry, " she heard her father say to her mother, Kunti Devi, from the kitchen where these days she spent most of her time doing the cooking work. She had left her school right after passing the board exam. Though she was good at studies, her father did not want her to study more. He believed that excess of education makes a child useless. "He says the boy has no time. He's coming for two weeks only."

Parvatiya brought the tea in a steel tumbler and stood beside him, perhaps she wanted to say something to her father. "You needn't worry, Beta. All will be done by him." He pointed his finger towards the sky. She went back to the kitchen. After a while, after her father went to his younger brother's home to give this good news to them, her mother walked into the kitchen and embraced her. Tears were running down from their eyes. None of them could comfort the other. After a while, her mother said, " You're going to a very big house. The boy earns a lot of money. Apart from that, he owns a lot of landed property. You'll live happily there."

After a while, when Ramlal returned, he had with him his younger brother, Ratanlal. "You needn't have to worry even a little, Bhabhi. Whatever is required will be done," Ratanlal assured her. That night both the brothers together took their supper and over that discussed many things such as when and where the marketing would be done, how much money would be required, and do on. Just a little before midnight, they parted. Ramlal was happy to see his younger brother's enthusiasm at this crucial hour. He had no son, and without Ratamlal's cooperation, it would be a little bit tough for him to manage all the things.

The next morning, Ramlal got up very early in the morning and went to the village temple. He everyday visited this temple to seek the blessing of Lord Shiva. That day he made special prayer to Him. Thereafter he went to post office and withdrew the amount that he had deposited there bit by bit over the last seventeen years. The amount that the postmaster handed over to him was only a little more than forty- thousand rupees. He knew that it was not enough for the wedding of his daughter. Even though the boy's father hadn't asked for any dowry, yet this amount was not sufficient. However, he thought that it was his duty to adorn his child with some respectable items of jewellery or what her in-laws would say. They would taunt her all her life and his daughter would not be able to bear that.His heart trembled to think about this situation. So he thought hard as to how and wherefrom he could arrange at least twenty thousand rupees more. At last, he remembered that he had a paddy field. He decided to sell twenty decimal of it to his younger brother, and that very evening, Ramlal went to his younger brother, Ratanlal's house and proposed him to but his field.

"Ratan, you're younger to me; so brother, what I can say to you, I can't say to anybody else,and I think you'll keep my words. " Ratanlal who had great regard for his elder brother knew that he was a self respecting person and would never take anything for free.

"Order me brother. I can give my life upon your word. You are my elder brother and my biggest benefactor in this word after our father who is no more in this world, " Ratanlal assured him.

"My dear brother, I want you keep twenty decimals of my paddy field near the temple, and give me twenty thousand rupees in place of it. " Ratanlal couldn't say no to his brother and immediately gave him twenty thousand rupees from his trunk. Ramlal was very happy to get this money as now he would be able to organise the wedding of his child in a respectful manner fulfilling almost all big and small articles required for the happiness of his child.

The days passed quickly one after another and at last, that day arrived for which Ramlal and his wife were waiting since after Parvatiya's birth.All their friends and relatives arrived in time. The house, though made of mud and tiles, was looking good in colourful lights. Festoons of mango leaves hanging from the rooftops all over the alleys were increasing the beauty of the alleys through which the marriage procession was to reach the house. A loud speaker fixed on tiled roof was blaring old film songs that was getting mixed with the wedding song sung by the village women had created a perfect wedding atmosphere in the village. Guests were coming since morning. The house was full of people. It was so full that there was not an inch left to set the foot. Parvatiya was surrounded by her friends. They didn't leave her alone even for a moment. Even the girls from her school, who had never talked to her before, we're also flattering her and wanted to get her company. They followed her everywhere cracking jokes and giggling all the time. Parvatiya liked this and wanted this to go on for ever, but this was not in her hand. Time's cruel hands moved on and that time arrived when the sun hid down the horizon giving full authority to the goddess of night to spread her darkness everywhere.

The party started soon after the sunset. Relatives and guests we're busy in devouring the delicacies amid a noise of confusion. At times Parvatiya peeped through the window and felt proud of her father. She had never seen so so much food being cooked in her house and so many people eating it together. She was feeling proud of her father. Just then a faint sound of sound of brass band hit her ear drums and her face dropped. She understood that the time had arrived. The sound of brass bands gradually got louder. It meant the marriage procession was advancing towards her house to take her away from her parents.

The sound of the brass band was getting louder and louder.The bridegroom's relatives and friends, to make the moment memmorable, were dancing in a frazied manner.Here at home, Parvatiya was sitting in her room surrounded by her friends, who were singing beautiful wedding songs to make the moment suspicious. Sometimes, she raised her head to look at her mother and father, who were performing the required religion activity at the mandap, the place where the wedding was to be solemnised. The Pandit ji was helping them recite the mantras, but their mind every time got drifted towards their daughter.

For the last seventeen years, she had been theirs, but after her wedding, they wouldn't have any right on her. The marriage procession had reached the door. The brass band was playing now even more loudly. Ramlal felt that each beat on the drum was falling directly on his heart and rending it into a thousand pieces. He seemed that some unknown power had sucked all his energy and strength. He sat down on the ground, but he had to keep his feelings under control and do his duty. " Remember Ramlal, you're not the first person in the world who is marrying his daughter to someone. Many have done that before you," He heard someone say in his head. " Yes, I'll do my duty," he hardened his heart and the process of solemnising the wedding started. Mantras were recited and the sacred fire was burnt. The bride and the bridegroom's clothes were attached with a knot and both were being made to go round the sacred fire amid recitation of Vedic mantras when suddenly someone's voice attracted everybody's attention.

"Stop...! Stop it immediately. Deepak, you get up."

The wedding stopped and all started looking at Manoharlal. "What's wrong, Manoharlal? You were not like this. How you changed?" someone asked from the crowd, " Let the wedding go on. " Manoharlal angrily shouted looking at them, " No... I cannot marry my son for these trinkets only. Ramlal, where is the money? Where is the jewellery? "

" But you yourself said you're against dowry, " he pleaded him putting his turban at his feet, and he sent it away with a powerful kick on it.

"Why're you talking childishly? Do you think that I'll marry my son to your daughter for free? Put two lakh rupees before me, if you want my son to marry your daughter. Get up my son, " Manoharlal howled like a wolf.

" Where shall I bring that much money from, my friend? Please take pity on my daughter and let the wedding be solemnised. It will spoil her life, do please..." Ramlal almost broke down and fell down at his feet, but Manoharlal didn't melt. He was not ready to shake off his rigidity. Rather, his tenacity increased with the passage of time. Seeing this, Kunti Devi started crying bitterly and for some time, all the attention shifted to her. Ratanlal, who was watching all this silently for the respect of elder brother lost his patience and was ready to thrash him badly, but considering their compulsion thought it better to keep quiet.

The brass band was no longer playing. The bridegroom was waiting for his father's next order. Just then, Parvatiya who had been watching this whole thing from behind the curtain came out and raised her father from Manoharlal's feet.

"You don't worry, father. I've decided not to marry now. "

" No... my child, don't say this. I'm your culprit who's unable to fulfil your dowry. "

" No father, no. you've given birth, you've given me life, that's greater than all the wealth of the world. "

"My child... my child...forgive me, my child."

Parvatiya then turned towards Manoharlal who was still standing beside his son at the mandap. He was probably thinking that Ramlal would again fall at his feet and plead him to save him from getting dishonoured in his society.

"O Uncle, what're you waiting for here now. For God's sake, please get out of here. Your time is up now. " Manoharlal hadn't ever expected this king of thing from a village girl and with quick steps went out of the wedding ground.

"Go Manoharlal, go, and look for another girl for your son."

Parvatiya then turned towards her father said, " Father, please don't take me as a burden. "

"Did I ever think you as a burden, my child? You're my life... you 're my life, " Ramlal mumbled. Parvatiya looked around her courtyard where none but the Panditji and her very close relatives were still sitting on the floor with heads hanging down to earth.

"Father, I want to study now. Please, don't stop me from doing that. See, I'm only seventeen, and my whole life is lying before me."

"Yes my child, you study now. I'm with you. It was my fault that I stopped you from completing your education. My child, I was afraid of our society. But now I've drawn strength from you and set you free to write your own fortune by your own hand. Work hard and live your life. "

Her father was a changed person now. It was as though he had got a new birth. She too was feeling lighter than before. All worries and stresses had disappeared from her head. Now she was mentally ready to face the challenges of the world and carve a safe niche for her family and herself. She took off the colourful wedding garment and put it aside with a feeling of real freedom. Her soul that had been crushed for ages finally got freedom and was ready to fly