Nakusa, hima [debian ebook reader .TXT] 📗

PREFACE
PREFACE
It is said that girls are given equal rights with men; they are given reservation in some countries to encourage their development. We find women working in every field; some spread their wings and fly in the sky. Some travel into the deep blue ocean, some women are brave enough to fight for their mother land. Some enjoy the place in whatever field they work but are every woman in this world treated the same way?

I don’t know, but I have seen some cases where they still believe that girl child is nothing but a burden, they kill their baby without those eyes ever seeing the world. What’s worse is that they treat the girl child like mere trash. What’s so wrong about being a girl? If it weren’t for them there is no creation in this world.

People like a girl friend, mom, aunt, sister but not a girl child why is it so? I have recently read an article where I have seen that all the girl children born in a village are given the name “Nakusa” which means unwanted in Hindi.

The story is dedicated to all the women in the world…


“Linda… please wake up…” I felt a gentle tug on my shoulders. I pushed her hands away, “Mom, I’m tired…” I gently whispered. She is a woman in mid 40’s but all the grief took its toll on her and she looked more than her age.

“Your father is awake…If he sees you in bed you know what will happen…” She chided gently.

As soon as mother mentioned father’s name, I saw his distinct image in my mind, a tall and grim looking person coursing upon me with a lash, his very image sent chills. I pushed myself up and ran into the room to freshen up before I started my chaotic day.

I ran into the kitchen where my elder sisters already started the work for the day, “You are late…”they chorused. “Sorry…”I mumbled.

I have four elder sisters, elder sister Jane is the most sensible person, she is in 20’s, and she takes care of us all. Next to her is Emma who is in her 19’s, she always sulks about being born, she hates the fact that she is born like a girl at all. After her it’s Jenny who is 18, she is the optimist. My younger sister Julia is very close to me since she is only a year elder than me and for Dad we all are “Nakusa” unwanted children.

“Linda…I think it’s your day. You should serve breakfast today…”Emma said. Julia gave a weak nod, Everyday one of us were assigned to take breakfast to father and in return we get lashed. We agreed in between us that each day one should get the lashings since none of us could take them every day. He always found a reason to beat us if he didn’t find a reason even then he would beat us for just showing our face to him.

“Okay…”I said setting the breakfast into a tray. While I was about to open the door to kitchen, Jane stopped me. “Linda…Please do not answer back.” She said sighing. I nodded; I knew if I answered back it would only mean more lashes.

I took deep breath before knocking the door, “Come in…”His voice was rude and sent shivers to my spine at once.

“What took you so long? You are nothing but mere waste you never do any work properly…”He scolded to which our little brother laughed. It’s time like this I had the urge to kick him not even considering him as my brother.

I didn’t answer; I just set their breakfast avoiding eye contact with him all the time. I waited until they finished the breakfast and slowly began to gather breakfast thinking it had gone well. I slowly began to walk out of the room when I stumbled and fell down. The plates made a crashing sound… the sound wrecked my nerves... I knew what would come next. I picked up the glass splinters in frantic and the glass splinters cut through my skin…tears welled up in my eyes and I blinked them back…one thing that father hated more is to see us crying…it would make him even mad.

“You little bitch…”I heard his voice; I faced him slowly getting ready to face his wrath. He walked in quick stride to the corner of the room and grabbed the whip from its safe.

He began to charge me with the whip in his hands; it tore through my dress and then made marks on my exposed body parts, I promised not to cry but the tears slipped. It’s only a matter of time before you get used to the pain, I thought. My body and heart were so used to the pain that they no longer felt it but my eyes, I think they were still trying to get used to all these things. From the corner of my eye, I saw my little brother grin.

“It’s him… He put his legs in my way and made me fall…”I said glaring at him. “How dare you speak about your brother like that?” My father growled and intensity of the lashes increased with his rage. I saw my brother grinning widely enjoying the show, that made me furious. My sisters and mom soon walked into the room. Mom fell over me protecting from the lashes.

“She will die…”she said meekly as blood began to ooze from the open wounds. “She deserves it for her insolence…”he grumbled.

“Sir, you have visitors…” someone called and he left us with one last lash to us all.

“I told you to keep your mouth shut…”Emma glared rubbing her wounds. “Why should I? It’s not even my fault our stupid little brother made me fall…” I gritted my teeth as mom applied the ointment on my wounds. “Even if it’s not our fault, we need to keep our mouth shut because we are born as girls…” She said. “Mom…why is it so wrong to be a girl?” I asked. She just cried more and hugged me. My sisters gathered around us and hugged.

We ate what’s left of our breakfast and mom sent me to pick groceries while my sisters prepared lunch.
“Hello, missy. Had a good day?” The shopkeeper asked me. He is a nice person and always kind to us.

I gathered the groceries and hurried back to home greeting every person on my way. As soon as I reached home, I found my sisters crying.

“What happened? Did he come back to beat us again?” I asked checking for new wounds. There weren’t any fresh wounds on any of them. “What’s it?” I begged them to say something. “Linda….”I heard him call out loudly. His voice sent shivers, there was something wrong. I scurried to his room immediately.

“Yes, father…” I said eying the visitor. He is a well dressed gentleman in 40’s. “Pack your things and come down…”He said. I stared at him. Why should I pack my things? What’s he up to now?

“Didn’t you hear what I said?”He asked hoarsely. I rushed into my room where my sisters were eagerly waiting. “Why does he want me to pack?” I asked them. They stared at me with tear stained eyes.

“Linda… Are you done yet?” He called. “What’s it mom? Where is he sending me?” I asked. “That gentleman promised your father to give riches if he gives one of his daughters in return.” She said meekly.

“What?” I stammered. My eyes went wide as I deciphered the meaning… How low could he even go…? “Why don’t you say that my father sold me to him?” My mom cried out loud. “Linda…” My sisters hugged me crying. “I think anywhere is better than here but I’ll miss my family…” I said wiping away my tears.

“What’s taking you so much time?” He asked standing beside our door. He dragged me into the hall where the stranger was waiting.

Another man came and took my luggage from my hands and I took one last look at my sisters and mom who were peeping through the window, before I climbed into the horse cart. “This is what you get for you insolence…” my father whispered into my ears giving a wicked grin. “Any where is better than here…” I answered back. He glared at me as the horses pulled the carriage away.

I didn’t talk much to the gentleman sitting before me all through the ride. I had mixed feelings about him, gratitude for taking me away from the hell and hatred because he stole me away from only one thing that I had, my mom and sisters. The carriage pulled at huge, old building. I stared wide mouthed at the huge palace doors.

“Excuse me, sir. What work should I do here?” I asked for the first time. He was surprised at once; He shrugged his shoulders and walked me into a room.

He opened the doors to let me in. Inside there was a man and woman who looked very elegant, they are in mid 40’s, I guess. They smiled very attractively but not one of them had a genuine smile.

“Hello…Miss…”He paused to remember my name. One of the men standing behind him whispered something into his ear. “Miss. Linda. Of course, how was your journey, dear?” he asked.

The woman smiled. “Good, sir. What work do I need to do here?” I asked. He laughed merrily.

“You are here to be the bride of my son…” he said still laughing.


My mind raced with many ideas. Were they making fun of me? Of course, yes. That would be the only thing, what else would they want from a poor peasant girl? A poor girl like me marrying a prince and then living happily ever after happens only in stories that Jenny reads. Mother was brought up in a good family where they taught her how to read, she was the one who taught us how to read. We didn’t care much about learning to read when our life was so messed up, mother understood it and didn’t pressure us. However, Jenny had a wild interest to the fairy tales that mother used to say during our bed time so she learned to read from her and read whatever book she found…

“Do you need anything else, miss?” A girl about my age asked setting the dinner for me. I got down from the bed. “You don’t call me like that; I’m more like you, a house worker, call me Linda…” I said. She nodded and began to serve me in my plate.

“It’s okay…”I said taking the spoon from her hands and gave her an appreciative smile for helping me and thanked her.

“Did you eat?” I asked her. “We usually eat after our mistress ate…” She said. “I think it’s past nine, she should have eaten by now… Why don’t you eat with me? You know it would be sufficient for us…” I said smiling.

“No...I can’t eat when all the men in the house finish eating then we eat…” she said. “I really can’t eat alone, I usually eat with my sisters and besides I can’t eat all this food alone. I promise I won’t tell anyone…”I pleaded her.

“You don’t have to request me Miss.” she said.