Kashmakash

Part 31

<25 years back>

'Yeh kiska bachcha hai Arif?' Ajmer (Agha Jaan) inquired upon seeing his son holding a 6-month-old baby.

'Abbu, Ye mera beta hai, Zain. Iski maa ab iss duniya mein nahi rahi' Arif replied with tears in his eyes, cradling the baby close.

Nagma Begum, sitting beside her husband, held his arm for support and finally asked her son, 'Tumne kabhi bataya kyu nahi'.

Instead of answering his mother, he stepped forward and gently handed her the baby, tears streaming down his face. 'Main akele kaise karunga Amma'

Nagma Begum held the baby, kissing its tiny forehead. 'Main hu naa beta, Isko Maa ki kami kabhi mehsoos nahi hone dungi'

**

Arif awoke with a throbbing headache, a result of his hangover. He reached for a glass of water on the side table and downed it in a single gulp. As he looked around the room, his eyes landed on his mother, who appeared extremely furious, holding his one-year-old son in her arms.

'Kab tak chalega yeh sab? 6 mahine se jyada hog aye hai, roz sharab peete ho. Pata hai naa haram hai' she scolded Arif.

Arif rose from his bed, irritation evident on his face, and made his way to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him..

'Aap baat kariye naa, kab tak aise chalega. Zain bhi saal bhar ka hone ko aa gaya hai. Ab apni zimmedari sambhalni padegi. Main soch rahi uska phir se nikah kara de, isko sahara aur bache ko Maa bhi mil jayegi' she suggested to her husband, Ajmer, who nodded in agreement as he observed his son's condition.

***

It wasn't Falguni's first day at Siddique Haveli. She had been there multiple times, accompanying her mother to help with the household work. Her mother worked as part of the house staff. Today, the haveli was unusually empty, and Farheen roamed around, taking in the beauty of the grand estate. She had always admired the decor and wished to explore the entire haveli, appreciating its beauty. But her mother had always stopped her, saying, 'Maalik ko pata chala to unhe accha nahi lagega. Hum log mulajim hai, aise kahi bhi nahi jaa sakte'

People might act polite and caring towards those less fortunate, but there was always an unspoken boundary that set them apart. No matter what kind words they used, they would not appreciate a servant's child sitting on their beds or sharing their belongings. Falguni always knew this truth, yet, she had no complaints. They had always treated her kindly, giving her clothes and books. They had even ensured she received an education by paying her fees several times. She was thankful to them.

As she wandered through the haveli, she spotted a beautiful painting in one of the rooms. Drawn towards it, she entered the room and became completely absorbed in the artwork, lost in its details. So engrossed was she that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

Suddenly, she snapped back to reality, startled by a voice saying, 'Yahan kya kar rahi ho?'

A man stood very close to her, scrutinizing her with lustful eyes. She turned to look at the door and found it bolted, her fear rising.

'Maaf kijiyega.' she stammered, quickly moving away. 'Main bas kamra saaf karne aayi thi.' But the man grabbed her hand and held her back with a smirk on his face.

***

Falguni stood at the kitchen door, her spirit broken, her eyes drained of the joy she had when she left the kitchen to explore the haveli. Her disheveled hair, torn clothes, and bleeding body told a horrifying story of what she had endured.

Her mother stared at her in shock, unable to find the right words. In a heavy, trembling voice, she managed to ask, "Ye kya hua Falguni?" Falguni looked at her mother with eyes that seemed lifeless and then collapsed on the ground, overwhelmed by sobs.

***

'Maalkin, chote babu ne galat kiya humari ladki ke saath' Falguni's mother cried helplessly.

'Hum tumhari beti ka nikah Arif se kara denge' declared Ajmer without looking at her.

'Par malik Falguni sirf 16 saal ki hai aur hum Hindu hai' she responded, fear evident in her voice..

'To tum karna kya chahti ho? Police bulwaogi? Tumhe lagta hai tum humare bete ko jail bhijwa paogi? Aukat bhool rahi ho. Ye paise lo aur dafa ho yahan se' Ajmer spoke bitterly, making her realise that there were boundaries in society that allowed justice to favor only the wealthy.

Rama looked at her husband, who forcefully took their daughter, leading her out of the room. 'Hum insaaf mangane aaye the, beti ko bechne nahi'

Nagma Begum observed the pain in the young girl who had been sitting quietly in the corner moments earlier, as if her life had been stolen from her. Nagma Begum interrupted the conversation and spoke empathetically to the mother. 'Rama, Tum pareshan naa ho, hum sab hai. tumhari beti ko acche se rakhenge. Agar tum police ke paas jaogi bhi to tumhari ladki ki badnami hi hogi. Yahan saare aisho araam se rahegi. Tumhari aur do choti betiya hai, unka socho. Ye samaj tumhare Parivar ko jeene nahi dega. Isse aacha Insaaf tumhari beti ko nahi milega'

Nagma's words were like another dagger piercing Rama's heart. Even if she somehow managed to get justice for her daughter, society would never forgive them. Society could be heartless, especially toward women, who were often blamed even when they were not at fault. Rama realized the same fate awaited Falguni and her other daughters. So, she made a heart-wrenching decision, one that she believed was the best for her family, even if it meant injustice for Falguni.

**

Falguni was sitting in Arif's bed as his bride. The same Arif who had abused her, and her family had given the right to Arif allowing him to abuse her every night. 

A week ago, she was a 16-year-old schoolgirl, and today she found herself as a wife and mother to a one-year-old son. They even took away her identity, her name, Falguni. She would now be called Farheen. Her life had taken an unimaginable and challenging turn in such a short time. 

Her family had abandoned her, driven by the fear of society's judgments. Did they ever truly love her? She questioned herself.

'Main aaj anath ho gayi' she whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek. She wiped it away and spoke with a mix of sadness and rage, 'Sabko afsoos hoga iska'.