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Saturday 8 March 2014

A brave woman

 Meena Devi was sitting in her office, lost in deep thoughts. She was thinking about her past. Tears were flowing like a stream, but she did not wipe. All of a sudden a knock on the door  brought her to reality. A middle aged man was standing. Hiding behind him was a girl. She was about nine year old.  Meena Devi looked at the girl. There was something in her expression which moved Meena Devi. The man's voice brought Meena Devi to reality. He said,"this girl was found stealing  in the market, and was taken to the police station. My sahib told me to leave her in your office," Without saying any thing else, the man left.  Meena Devi stared at the girl and was lost in deep  thought. Her past came alive--------

Born in a poor family Munni was only five years old, when her mother died in child birth. Munni's father got married again soon after the mourning period was over. Her step mother was a wicked woman. All the time she cursed the innocent child.  Munni got up at 5o clock in the morning, swept the shanty, took bath and made tea for her father and step mother. The step mother started her day by beating and abusing the  poor little child. The child shrieked and called her father. But he was even worse. He took a cane and beat her mecilessly. There was no one to save her from this agony. This went on for two years. Her step mother bore a baby boy.  Her fate was sealed. Now she had to cook, wash the utensils,and the clothes. At night she had to press her step mother's legs. If  she felt sleepy , she was beaten by her father. Even he had no sympathy for her. Munni could bear this tyranny  no longer. One night she she left the house. She did not know where she was going. She ran and ran,fearing if her father followed her, she would be taken back to the same prison. She did not know how long she ran and fell asleep on the road side.

When she gained conscious, she was lying on a soft bed, in a large room. One old lady was sitting by her side. Munni got up with a shock. The old lady addressed her ,"don't fear my child. What is your name?" Munni burst into tears.Another lady came, put Munni on her lap and said," Dont fear my child. Be comfortable. Tell me your name." Hesitatingly  Munni  told her name. The old lady said, From today your name is Meena.  You call me Nani. Don't fear at all" Next day she got new clothes. Nani bought books for her. She called one girl and said, "She will teach you." All this seemed to be a dream for Munni. 

Next day onward a new life started for  Munni. Slowly she was accostommed to life in her new house. Time passed and she was a young girl of fifteen years old. One day she heard one lady telling Nani, ,"Meena is now grown up, why don't you send her to the office?" Nani replied,"Wait for one more year." Meena was now curious to know  what they were talking. Now she started observing every thing. Slowly she followed that  all these women were prostitutes and she was being geared for the profession. How to quit the place? Where to go? such questions started troubling her.  One day Nani told her." Beta a boy is coming to meet you.Wear your best dress and come . I will introduce him to you''. Nani took her to an adjoining building.They entered a room. A smart boy,in late twenties was sitting there. Nani came oto the point straight away. "She is a new comer. You have to teach her." and left. The boy questioned her and asked her name, how long she had been there etc. Meena started crying. She understood that Nani was pushing her into  the trade of flesh. She told him her particulars. He consoled that he will not even touch her, if she co operates. Meena's inner self believed him. She told him every thing she knew. This information was sufficient  to take action against them. He told her that his name was Rajesh and he was a CID Officer. He promised to come the next day. Next day the police  arrested all the workers under the law of human trafficking. Meena was taken away by Rajesh. After one month she and Rajesh got married. It was the month of February. Govt. of India took the particulars of Meena. On 8th March,!992, International Women's Day she was awarded a gold medal for rescuing young girls. She was now running a Sewa Ashram for the girls, and making the girls self sufficient.

She came to her present. She took the poor girl in her arms.  Meena and Rajesh  took a vow that they would not have their own child as all the girls in the Ashram were their daughters. Today, on International Women's day two more girls will be awarded  a prize for working for the upliftment of women.

Happy Women's Day.


This post is written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words.Today is day 7 and the topic is 'Woman'.

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