This is the story of a woman of substance. A woman, who rose to defend her identity in the male dominant society that we live in. A woman who had found love in a man, and then chose to kill it ; because there was another love she had to protect. A woman I call MARDANI.
She is a Christian. She loved a Muslim. Religious differences could not keep them apart. In the society that we Indians live in today, marrying your daughters off in another religion is still not readily accepted, she was aware. But she had found love and she wasn't letting go.
"Religion is a feeling of the soul. By getting my soul close to yours, we'll be aiding two religions to come together." She said to him.
"You follow Christianity, I will pray to Allah. And we will harness and feed our own beliefs, respecting each other's always and forever. We will be true paragons of virtue." He asserted.
"Our love is strong enough to help us fight them, them ALL. We'll get through this"
"We'll make our way" He said with poise.
"To paradise", She continued.
"Our love is strong enough to help us fight them, them ALL. We'll get through this"
"We'll make our way" He said with poise.
"To paradise", She continued.
'Running away' happened. But only for her. HIS parents accepted her Christianity and subsequently her to their house. HER parents tempered downed feelings for her and ceased any further communication. But she had found love and she wasn't letting go. They tied the knot.
6 months passed by in paradise, then came the 25th of December. With most preparations done, little was she prepared to drop the idea of celebrating Christmas. He assured her that she could celebrate after they had a place of their own, that his parents were not keen on decorating a Christmas tree at home, that he was sorry for her, that he will have to forestall her this year. She hesitated, but tried to understand him because she had found love and she wasn't letting go.
He forgot all his promises. Eventually, he forbid her from attending the Sunday Church. He forced her to pray to Allah and celebrate Id and Ramzan with him. That's how he felt powerful and dominant. She felt like she was betraying Jesus. She had a certain connection with Jesus which she obviously failed to establish with Allah. She refused to follow. He beat her. She cried. He walked away.
Every night she silently slipped out of bed and read the Bible. Jesus had been her first love. Her parents had taught her that may what come, Jesus will protect her. The Bible was not a mere collection of papers for her. It was her biggest strength during those tough times, it was the only contact she established apart from him. Family connections were ceased right after marriage, he made her cut-off from all friends and colleagues too. She accepted all that only because she had found love and she wasn't letting go.
One morning she woke up to find her Bible in ashes and the Jesus's photo torn. He had burnt the only source which kept her from crumpling. She cried out in grief and anger at the same time. She screamed, she roared, she shrieked and sniveled. Packing her bags she started to leave his house. Just then he caught her hand and pulled her back. Struggling to free herself from his shackles she slapped him on the face. It was more of a slap on his masculinity. Trembling in anger, he pushed her to the floor and twisted her ankle, disjointing it. She let out a roar.
"Don't you dare touch me again, you nerveless bitch. Stay glued to the ground now. Stay helpless."
She stared at him from the ground.
"I'll pull those eyes out and feed them to the dogs. You understand? Look down. LOOK DOWN!"
She looked away, cold, tears pouring down her cheeks uncontrollably. Only if she knew about the beast that would unveil in her lover on becoming her husband! In a flat voice she dared to punch him with her words "I'm going, you bastard." With a broken ankle, kajal smudged face and tears still rolling down her eyes, she stood up, limped her way out the door. He looked after her, not daring to stop her.
She borrowed some money from her neighbors and took a train to her hometown, clueless whether her parents would accept her or turn a deaf ear. But they were the only ones she could think of right then. She traversed all the way with an ankle hanging from her one leg. People turned around to stare at her leg, some pointed fingers and murmured, none of them offered any help. She felt helpless and shag, just as he had described her to be, crying, then wiping off her tears by herself. Bringing herself together. Then bursting out crying again.
She reached their house in a pitiable condition and raised her quivering hands to ring the bell. She expected her mother to open the door with a passionless, cold look on her face. As she heard footsteps nearing the door, she wondered if it really was the right thing to do.
When she looks back now, she is assured that coming back home that morning was the best decision she had taken in years. Her mother had opened the door. After a long while had she seen love and care in someone's eyes for her! The parents took her to the doctor immediately. They were very sympathetic and did not once mention about her running away from home. The more they cared, the more she sank in her own guilt.
Today, after 10 years, she is divorced and is living a happy single life with her parents. She completed her studies and supports the family now. Talks of her second marriage did rounds, but she smiled and said, "I'm already devoted to Jesus. I have found love in him and this time, I'm not willing to let go."
As she finishes telling me about her life, she sipped her tea and looked out through the balcony with dreamy watery eyes. She still sometimes wonders what her life could have been if she had never met him. She has regrets, she wouldn't lie. But she believes in the old saying, 'All's well that ends well!'
"Don't you dare touch me again, you nerveless bitch. Stay glued to the ground now. Stay helpless."
She stared at him from the ground.
"I'll pull those eyes out and feed them to the dogs. You understand? Look down. LOOK DOWN!"
She looked away, cold, tears pouring down her cheeks uncontrollably. Only if she knew about the beast that would unveil in her lover on becoming her husband! In a flat voice she dared to punch him with her words "I'm going, you bastard." With a broken ankle, kajal smudged face and tears still rolling down her eyes, she stood up, limped her way out the door. He looked after her, not daring to stop her.
She borrowed some money from her neighbors and took a train to her hometown, clueless whether her parents would accept her or turn a deaf ear. But they were the only ones she could think of right then. She traversed all the way with an ankle hanging from her one leg. People turned around to stare at her leg, some pointed fingers and murmured, none of them offered any help. She felt helpless and shag, just as he had described her to be, crying, then wiping off her tears by herself. Bringing herself together. Then bursting out crying again.
She reached their house in a pitiable condition and raised her quivering hands to ring the bell. She expected her mother to open the door with a passionless, cold look on her face. As she heard footsteps nearing the door, she wondered if it really was the right thing to do.
When she looks back now, she is assured that coming back home that morning was the best decision she had taken in years. Her mother had opened the door. After a long while had she seen love and care in someone's eyes for her! The parents took her to the doctor immediately. They were very sympathetic and did not once mention about her running away from home. The more they cared, the more she sank in her own guilt.
Today, after 10 years, she is divorced and is living a happy single life with her parents. She completed her studies and supports the family now. Talks of her second marriage did rounds, but she smiled and said, "I'm already devoted to Jesus. I have found love in him and this time, I'm not willing to let go."
As she finishes telling me about her life, she sipped her tea and looked out through the balcony with dreamy watery eyes. She still sometimes wonders what her life could have been if she had never met him. She has regrets, she wouldn't lie. But she believes in the old saying, 'All's well that ends well!'
I salute her spirit, her devotion and her courage. To me, she is a MARDANI.
 |
| The Mardani herself |
Editor's Note- I, in no way claim to mislead people on religious grounds. The story has merely been narrated to share the Mardani's true experience.
powerful.
ReplyDeleteShe really is :)
DeleteI salute the woman for slapping him and leaving him at once. Yes she is a true woman for she may be physically weak but she is much much stronger from inside. No male can ever bear the pain that a woman suffers or bears in her total life. Yes not even the strongest!
ReplyDeletePoor thing is that she could not recognise the animal in him. Or may be the man might have changed altogether once the attraction evaporated. We might never know. People hardly know the true meaning of Love yet declare that they are in Love. This is one of the many ironies of our love lives.
The way you brought this case in front of our eyes is really awesome. There are many such disabled males living freely in our society who try to overpower women and try to sustain their hollow male egos by using the twisted rules of a religion as their crutches. I’m not pointing out at any religion but the problem is not inside the religion but inside the male dominated world around us. Most of the males can’t even think of giving their partners enough freedom and respect which they deserve. They treat their wives as some kind of property which they own. Many Feminists have already discussed enough about this issue I guess. :)
By the way, I didn’t like the use of word Mardani. Why again the use of the word Mard or comparison with a Mard. I mean this may not be the right example which you are trying to show to all the weak women out there who are still suffering. Show them that a woman need not become like a mard to fight back. Show them that it is a woman’s duty and nature to fight back when in need. It would have been much better if you used the title “A True Woman” (It’s my personal choice though :)!).
P.S.: For all those Muslims who believe twisted rules of religion, read this:
Islam through the Holy Quran preaches a true Muslim man “to marry a woman who follows a holy book.” . If we study further it is said that a Muslim man can marry a woman who follows a holy book according to Quran(Same is the case for a Muslim woman also.).The woman even after her marriage can follow her own holy book freely without converting to Islam if she does not like Islam. The four holy books mean TORAH(Jews), ZABUR and INJIL(Christians )and QURAN(Muslims). It means a Muslim is permitted to marry a person who follows any of the above said four without any condition (because all the four books are believed to have come down directly from above. They all preach about discipline, equality, unity, Peace, cleanliness and most importantly they speak of only one unique god to combine all the people of the world as one. But sad thing is that even the people who follow those four started to fight with each other)
P.P.S: It is not just the case of this person who inflicted such a great pain of breaking the trust. Each and every person now a days is using the name of his own religion either to show his supremacy and dominate others or to find fault with others.
Hello Stranger. Welcome to my blog.
DeleteThank you so much for your detailed views on the post and the topic.
The use of the word Mardani is because I've written the post for a contest by Blogadda and YRF in collaboration, because the name of an upcoming film of YRF is Mardani.
Thank you for sharing the preachments of the Holy Quran with us. Im sure all those who are reading will definitely gain something out of it.
I'm glad you liked the way I have brought this up! Appreciation from 'stranger's is the best inspiration ;)
very nice post. A big salute to this Mardaani
ReplyDeleteTina from The Sunny Side of Life
I'll show her your comment, Tina :)
DeleteThought provoking story, Soumya and it touched the heart. I was so moved by the powerfully narrated story. Simply brilliant and Mardani:)
ReplyDeleteThank you Vishal. I heave a sigh of relief knowing that the narration moved you! :)
DeleteOh it's so powerful and so many things I wanna share..I feel moved and revolted..why stay in a humiliating relationship and more power to this wonderful lady.
ReplyDeletehttp://vishal-newkidontheblock.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-orkut-love-story-chapter-14.html
It was great reading her story :)
ReplyDeleteA salute from my side for her. And I agree with Vishal, the narration was powerful :)
Your salut made her smile, Anmol.
DeleteAnd thank you. Im glad you the narration could create an impact!
A big salute to the lady! And Soumyaa you have done a great job writing about her! I loved the narration.
ReplyDeleteThank you soo much Reema! You always encourage and inspire me to write :)
DeletePowerfully shared, Soumyaa. Wiped my tears.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to the Mardaani- she sure is a role-model. Why stay suppressed when the husband forgot all the promises after marriage. Sad story. Great that now she's independent & has regained her life.
All the best for the contest :)
I too am glad she did what she had to, however difficult and heartbreaking it must have been.
DeleteThank you so much Anita :)
This is truly a beautiful and inspirational story. Noone can deter a woman when she recognizes her inner strength.
ReplyDeleteThat's absolute truth. The inner strength of a woman is unmatched.
DeleteThank you Arti :)
You are welcome, Soumyaa :)
DeleteWow...i bet the Mardani herself could not tell her story in a such a gorgeous way like u did.You are one to b envied upon.I just started to read your stories...
ReplyDelete