Water was a very precious resource one used it for
everything. Cook, clean drink , wash but the most important was to sustain .It
was the life- source. Kiran loved when water slid off her hair in rivulets,
neck and then her back. It made her clean, whole and pure. Happiness to her was
an unlimited water supply and to bathe with it non – stop using the small tikki
of khushboo daar soap from the nukkad wali shop. Swarna Ram had new, brightly
wrapped soap cakes from the city that promised a lingering perfume, and also
made the person white.
Kiran was a good, obedient but a very shy girl who
used to do all her work before going to the next village with her brother to
attend a private school. They used to walk to school, she obviously carrying
Hari Om’s bag. Girls were taught to be docile, servile and they did all their
brothers work. It was in their genetic code. This is how it was and she could not
imagine going against her brother. In fact her mother made her press her father
and uncle’s feet everyday. When they came back from home, they were obviously
tired and she had to press their feet. Kiran knew of nothing else, or she could
object to this.
Life kept on moving at its pace and then she heard of
this evening school where she could go and improve herself for free. No
questions asked, she just needed to study, attend school and she would also get
clothes, books and sometimes the stationary like her friend had got. The new
Princess sharpener in pink with glitter was so beautiful. It was a few villages
away. She would have to convince, cajole and also promise to her mother that
she would come back on time to help her with evening chores. In fact she gave
the logic that she would get clothes and stationary free thus her mother would
save money also; which could be used somewhere else.
Kiran loved going to class, listening to her teachers,
the gentle coaxing by her teacher to
speak out loud, to not be afraid. To use her voice, to think , to dream of a
life where she could earn and to be independent .
Kiran was excited , next week they were going to
travel in a bus and they were all going to the city and to the biggest hospital
in Jalandhar where they were getting a dental and eye exam .
Kiran had never had had a dental or an eye exam . Plus
, the catcher was getting a frooti to drink and a meal there. She , just knew
what she was going to wear .
Finally the day came, they all went to the hospital , dressed in their finery , hair oiled , combed and plaited . They all had their little name tags and had a hanky each . It is something It was something all kids carried, as if it was a
security blanket. Some carried a white one, some a little printed bright towel.
Hospitals are always intimidating but this one was huge.
Kiran had never seen such a big building ever. It was bigger than anything plus
it was very clean. They kept on visiting new rooms, eyes done, and teeth done.
They had just finished there, exams when ma’am started distributing juice and samosas.
Kiran and her friends loved samosas and were eating
them when the teacher made another announcement.
She had decided that the older girls would all have
another physical test .
What was a physical test? She didn’t understand. Were
they supposed to run, and then they would test them. It must be that, she
thought in her mind. And, she was wearing her mother sandals. She didn’t have
other shoes. How would she compete with the other girls? Now, she would come
last and Madam would be unhappy, she was failing the trust that had been given
to her. Kiran loved the way she called her Kiran Kumari.
Kiran went to room no. 21 with the nurse. Dr. Gurpreet looked at her and when asked her
to go lie on the bed where she would be examined. Kiran vomited. The lady Dr.
was taken aback. Was it the samosa or just too much excitement? She let her lie
on the bed with the help of a nurse. When Kiran woke up, she looked at her;
Kiran had marks around her mouth, dark stains, and a boil on the side of her
lip.
When she asked her to pick up her shirt, to just
examine her, Kiran burst out crying and laughing at the same time.
She said, Dr sahib aap bhi …
Kiran , suffered from sexual abuse at the hands of her
father and uncle. She thought the Doctor was also going to use her sexually .
90 percent of the cases go unreported and the mother always knows of this
sordid act. Kiran Kumari was my student , she stopped coming to my evening
school and is missing . Her brother is still seen around the village and has
the same boil marks around his mouth and has the dark discoloration like his
sister. This abuse was admitted and it carried on when she would press their
feet. Kiran Kumari is 14 years old.
