Life towards footpath

In a beautiful village known as “Nilambara”, across the greeneries, deep inside the remote areas, there stayed a upper caste traditional royal family. On the way to the hill tops in between there was a palace view bungalow of Rudra Hassan, who was the richest man in that village. He had several acres of properties, open lands, grape yards, cashew farms, plantations of rubber, teak, etc. He had his own business of clothings, match factories, etc. He also had a generous heart due to which others in their society obeyed and respected him always. His family consisted of his wife Radhika and only daughter Triveni alongwith other helpers and housemaids for their support. Also, he had a very happy family life.

He loved his daughter Triveni and was very cautious about her life. Triveni was intelligent and beautiful. Her attractive blue eyes, long black hair, fair colour, tall height made her appear very attractive to everyone. Whenever, she attended any traditional functions of pujas, all the boys of her village were desperate for a glimpse of her even from far away, the reason what made them stay away from her was they were afraid of Rudra Hassan and his powers.

On the other side, Triveni was also a lazy character, as she was brought up with abundant love and care by her parents with all in-house facilities, like servants and helpers for each works at home. She never knew hardships, she had a spendy nature. She was poor in studies, failed in most of her class, but Rudra Hassan wanted her to be well educated. Even though she was not interested in studying, due to her parent’s pressure she attended her class. She was studying for Higher secondary studies, since past 2 years, not able to get through even with pass class.

Rudra Hassan was the owner of many properties and business, he was also assisted by his wife Radha for the supervisional works in his business transactions. So, most often they both used to out of house for business tasks. Now their only aim of life was to get Triveni married to the richest man either equal or higher than their status, as they believed her happiness was in it.

Usually, Triveni was alone at home, with other servants and helpers, while her parents were out. She enjoyed at home either playing video games, watching TV or sometimes outing with her friends in her car, assisted by one of their male servant Shiril, who was asked to stay always with her, by Rudra Hassan, during day time while she was alone considering her safety.

Shiril was their loyal servant, whom Rudra Hassan trusted blind. He knew all the household tasks, paper works, car driving, etc. They treated him like a family member. Also Triveni was quite familiar and close to him, since he had been with her right from her teenage days. They were good friends initially, but later on they both entered in a relationship which unknown to her family members.

They used to be together while her parents were away. Shiril was Triveni’s first love to whom she had lost her body and soul. Even though she was aware that their relationship will not be accepted by her parents, still she continued to be with him. He belonged to a poor family and uncomparable to her family status and values. But still she did not want to lose him.

On the other side, as she completed 20 years, her parents were in search of alliance from higher families. They saw several marriage proposals for her, but did not match their criteria, sometimes either her horoscope mismatch or status levels of her family was the issue.

As days flew, Triveni and Shiril became closer than earlier. They could not stay without each other, as they decided to live together forever. Triveni was afraid to disclose to her parents about her love for Shiril. 

One day a close childhood friend of Rudra Hassan comes to meet him in his house. He had his only son graduated from abroad, looking after their business. He seeks Triveni’s alliance for their son after he saw her. Their horoscopes were matched, as Triveni’s parents were religious. They found it was a perfect match for her and considering the boy also belonged to the rich family status than them too. Rudra Hassan gladly accepted this marriage proposal for Triveni as it was as they wished for her.

While learning about it, Triveni was disheartened. She informed her mother that she was not interested in marriage now, as she wanted to complete her studies first. Her mother answered her that this proposal cannot be turned now, as it was a perfect match in all aspects for her, also her father had given words to the boy’s parents and he will not turn back.

Within a week, Triveni gets engaged. She pretends to be happy for her parents, but at the same time she was not able to forget her love for Shiril. So, they decided to keep silent affair till her marriage.

But later when her days of marriage were nearing by, she grew more restless and nervous.

On the day before marriage, Triveni’s parents had arranged a function for their relatives and friends.

Shiril urges her to meet outside, and finally they decided to stay together. She escaped with him as this marriage was against her will. She felt her happiness is to be with her love.

Meanwhile, at her house, everyone was looking for her during the evening function. Later her parents and others present there learnt from one of the servants about her affair with Shiril and they ran away to live together.

On the other side, Triveni and Shiril left the village and got married to each other. They settled down far away in another remote and slum village known as “Ramalaya.” This village consisted of all tribal, low-caste and uneducated people who hard worked to earn their bread and butter through daily wages labour jobs. For Triveni, this was an unique surrounding where she had never been before ever. As she belonged from upper class society, her life was like a royal queen so far with her parents.

But now for the sake of her love, she was ready to undergo any hardships.

They lived inside in a quite remote slum area where they built their own tent.

In earlier days, Shiril takes good care of her. But later on, as he had no money and work, he sells her ornaments for money. This way they could manage for few months, but later on again he needed money. But she could not support him this time for money as she almost gave him whatever ornaments she wore. Also he was angry that while leaving home, she did not carry money or jewelleries, through which they could have managed their livelihood at present. This hurts her, but still she loved him.

Shiril found a daily wages labour job through his contacts in the village. Over a period of time, he starts drinking and smoking, which made Triveni very upset. Initially, she thought it may be due to the stress and economic problems they are facing currently. So, she kept quiet. But this went on, till he became a worst drunkard and smoke addict.

Now, her life twisted to hell. Shiril also exploited her now by using abusive words and daily beat her after he drank. He also visited other women for satisfying his lust. This disappointed her a lot. Now she realized her mistake of leaving house against her parent’s wish and marrying this man, who cheated her.

Eventhough she wanted to go back to her parents, she could not as she was quite aware that her parents will not accept her back. Also she was pregnant.

Once on her way while coming from the temple, she meets one of her elder cousin sister Meera, who lived with her husband nearby her house. They were a childless couple, who were married over 16 years. They were glad to see Triveni and invites her to their home. She visited their house. She elaborates her whole story to Meera, on listening the same Meera felt sad for her.

Since then, Meera and Triveni grew quite close to each other. Meera becomes a moral support for Triveni in her worst days, helped out her in all possible means like sometimes helped with money either gave clothes or food stuffs to Triveni. This went on for several years for now.

After 16 years:-

Now Triveni was a mother to three girl children. Shiril’s nature was too worst than earlier. He spend a lot of money in drinking and smoking, but did not gave her a single penny for house expenses. Triveni alongwith her children had a miserable life with him. In this circumstance, their only support was Meera in this whole village.

One day a woman with 2 children knocks on Triveni’s door. On opening the door, this woman started shouting over Triveni, “You are a shameless creature, will do anything for money. You kept my man for several years , it’s too long my husband has never come to see me and my kids, because of you bitch.”

Triveni could not understand what was on. Meanwhile Shiril comes in and all the tribal villagers gather near their door. On seeing him, the woman with her kids ran towards him and continued shouting on Triveni further adds,

“ See my man has come, this squad has hidden him since so many years, without allowing to come to us.”

Triveni felt ashamed and cried a lot. Now she realized that before her, Shiril was firstly married to this woman. He left her, after he joined her father Rudra Hassan’s job.

Triveni became speechless, neither able to explain the bitter truth to anyone here.

Shiril moved ahead with his first wife and their kids, leaving back Triveni and her children to suffer back.

As days passed out, Triveni had no means of earnings to feed her children. Meera helped her with food, sometimes by money and clothings also.

Later Triveni decided to work for their livelihood. She finds a minimum daily wages job for herself in a small yarn mill. When she went to work daily, Meera took care of her children. In this way Triveni managed her family alone.

Triveni’s elder daughter Kavya was pretty good in her studies. She won many scholarships and had a good reputation in her school. But the only thing which bothered Triveni was she often felt sick. While her second daughter Ramya was blind by birth, thinking about her future, it pained her heart always. And her third daughter had completed six months, learning to crawl now.

Her positive attitude made Triveni to strive hard for them. She wanted her children to come up in life, as they were her only expectations left. She always regretted for her mistake because of which she lost her parent’s trust.

One day, the school principal called Triveni to inform her that they will be sponsoring a scholarship exam in which if her elder daughter Kavya, if qualified will get a privilege to study for freeship for her higher studies ahead. Triveni was happy to know about it, as this was a great help for them. She owed whole her expectations and dreams on her elder daughter Kavya, who turned 14 years now and was quite intelligent, hard working too.

Kavya studied hard day and night, she never wanted to let her mother down in any aspects.

Later Kavya was able to qualify the scholarship exams held and she won the top prize award, making proud of school authorities and her mother too.

The moment she was announced as the top prize award winner, she was desperate to inform about her success to her mother. School leaves and Kavya ran out with her trophy to surprise her mother.

When she came home first, she understand that her mother had not reached home. Then she goes to Meera’s house, and there she gets to know that her mother will be reaching late today from work.

Kavya was very desperate and directly she ran towards her mother’s work place. On the way, Kavya fainted on the road towards the yarn mill. People gathered there and she was admitted in the nearby hospital. Triveni was informed at her works, by one of them, and she hurriedly left to the hospital with heavy heart.

Few hours Triveni was asked to wait, while Doctor carried out some medical tests on Kavya. Doctor called Triveni and informed her that her daughter was suffering from brain tumour, which is in very critical stage now. She need an immediate surgery without any delays. For the surgery, she was charged very high cost, which was not affordable for her. They informed without advance payment they will not be able to carry out her daughter’s surgery. Triveni could not sustain this and could not tolerate her mental burden any more now.

She thought in such a circumstance only her parents can help her out for this immediate surgery. Therefore, she requests the hospital guard and called her father Rudra Hassan, recollecting her house telephone numbers. On the other side, one of the house maid received the call from her house,

“Who are you?’

Triveni: “I want to speak with my father.”

House maid: “He is no more, passed away long back due to sudden heart stroke, as he could not sustain his daughter’s incident.”

Then Triveni asked for her mother, the house maid says,

“Amma is bed-retarted, as it was a sudden demise for her, she could not bear it. Now your cousin brother is taking care of her, and he is the owner of your entire properties.”

After listening this, Triveni keeps the receiver, she was neither able to think nor listen on other side, as if she had lost herself somewhere.

As of now, she was aware only about saving her daughter by any means, so she ran to the mill owner’s house and begged him to help her out. But he denied giving her such a huge amount. She shouted and quarreled with him for money, due to her inner violence. She was thrown out by his security and the mill owner also warned her that she is thrown out of work now.

Now, she had no place to seek help, so she runs directly to Meera’s house, where she left her younger daughter Ramya and the little one while going for work in the morning.

She informed Meera and her husband about Kavya’s incident. They agrees to help her out with the required money for the surgery, but at the same time, they kept a condition of adopting her little baby girl of six months, as they were very fond of her since she was born. And they made Triveni to promise that, she will not come to them anymore in future asking her ownership on the little one or for anything else.

This condition was not acceptable for Triveni, but there was no alternative left for her to save Kavya’s life, so she agrees to it. She left Meera’s house, wiping her eyes, with the money for surgery along with her second daughter Ramya.

She ran fast towards the hospital, but unfortunately she was too late. On reaching there, she understands that she had lost her daughter Kavya.

Triveni was not able to handle her daughter’s death.

Seeing her mental state, the hospital authorities advised her that they had an orphanage for physically handicapped children, where her second daughter Ramya who was blind, can be taken care by them for rest of her life. Triveni had no answer as she had no means and strength to bear anymore. She accepts for the same and Ramya was handed over to the orphanage authorities.

Triveni leaves the hospital. She didn’t know where she wanted to go and why she wanted to be alive, what was the purpose, because her brain stood dumb.

She walked through the roads on and on. Finally she sat down on the footpath. Without begging she managed her days, as her stomach never knew whether it wanted food or not.

Few years passed away, she appeared to look older than her age. She came in contact with a man who was begging on another side, lost both his legs due to the disease of leprosy. She was able to recognize this man, who cheated her for whole life.

The same day, few hours later, She saw a very beautiful girl child coming out from a car, who gave her a lot of food for the day. She didn’t spoke anything but blessed her from heart. Her eyes watched that little girl going back to the car, who was accompanied by her cousin Meera and her husband.

Triveni stood leaning aside in the middle of the footpath…………

***END***