Chapter 1
*Note:* This story is true, only the names of places and characters have been changed.
We often see injustices happening around us, but we ignore them and move on, thinking we can neither deliver justice nor interfere in someone's matters. And so, we remain entangled in our complicated lives.
Gyanpur was a large village. It was named Gyanpur because, at a time when schools, colleges, and madrasas were scarce in India, this village had a large madrasa established by British landlords. After independence, it became a government institution. People of all faiths studied here, as it was the only centre of learning available. Students from distant villages came to study here, where expert teachers taught various subjects.
Boys in the village often studied, but girls rarely did. People believed girls didn't need education. Some progressive thinkers thought girls should learn enough to help their children with their initial studies, but what's the point of studying more when they're managing households? Studying hard is useless. Instead, they should learn household chores, sewing, pottery, and grain storage to avoid their mothers-in-law's taunts.
Mothers taught their daughters these skills, worried that if they didn't learn, they'd face criticism: "What kind of mother are you? Didn't you teach your daughter anything? She's useless and ignorant!"
Some believed educated girls would argue and question traditions, dominating their husbands instead of obeying them. Girls were conditioned to think, "We'll be married off soon, so why waste time studying?" Even Teachers were strict, and one wrong answer would result in hard punishment.
In Gyanpur, mostly boys became knowledgeable, but girls were married off at 14 or 15 after completing 7th or 8th grade. Only girls interested in studies attended the madrasa; others dropped out after learning to just sign their names. Parents didn't encourage education, following the prevailing custom.
A teacher, Master Sahib, lived in the village with three daughters and two sons. He married off his two elder daughters after 10th grade, following the Neighbour's advice to hurry, they warned that delaying marriage would lead to losing good groom prospects.
However, Master Sahib's youngest daughter, Diya, was different. She was Gyanpur's most avid learner, borrowing books from the library and reading voraciously. She devoured books beyond her grade level, seeking new knowledge. Diya was quiet, lost in her world of books, and rarely spoke. She, too, was conditioned to believe marriage was her ultimate goal.
But Diya was unaware that life isn't always blissful. Marriage has two sides: dark and bright. If it flips to darkness, life becomes a series of setbacks; if it flips to brightness, life becomes beautiful.
Diya's sharp mind and passion for studies led her teachers to promote her from 6th to 8th grade, skipping 7th. She had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, wanting to absorb everything. Her interests included writing poetry and stories, painting, dress designing, gardening, and cooking. She was slender and appeared younger than her age. By 10th grade, she had grown taller, and marriage proposals started pouring in.
People would visit her home daily to discuss marriage, annoying Masterji and Diya's brothers. They wanted to delay her marriage for two years, allowing her to grow stronger, as she would handle household chores and care for her in-laws alone. According to village customs, daughters-in-law must serve their in-laws, even if they're healthy.
After passing 12th grade, Diya's marriage was arranged. As preparations began and Masterji gathered dowry, Diya's heart became restless. When she looked at her books, once a passion, now seemed meaningless. She consoled herself, thinking she'd be happy like other married girls and become a good wife, daughter-in-law, and mother.
Diya was uneasy about giving away household items to the groom's family. Her parents were collecting and packing everything, including kitchen utensils and furniture. This troubled Diya, especially knowing her father had taken a 200,000 rupee loan for the wedding. She silently accepted the customs, aware that speaking out would lead to taunts from her in-law's neighbours.
The dowry system was wrong, but no one spoke against it, as everyone had sons and was eager to receive dowry. If a father gave dowry to his daughter, he'd recover it from his son's in-laws. And This harmful practice continued.
At 17, Diya married a man seven years older, who had barely passed 10th grade. He was uninterested in studies and had a bulky build and mind. Diya's family arranged the marriage because he was the only son in his family, and only sons were pampered. His four younger sisters would marry and leave, leaving Diya as the sole owner of the family's wealth.
No one realized Diya had become a puppet in the hands of a man who saw her as an object for his use.
To be continued...
