Article : A girl who didn't get a chance
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| A short story of a girl who was never given a chance |
A short story of a girl who was never given a chance
This is a story about a girl Varsha, a name chosen by her mother before her birth. Varsha had opened her eyes for the first time in a government hospital, in a small village. Echoes of her cries filled the hospital halls. Her father stood gazing at her, disappointed as he wanted a boy.
A girl child is considered to be a burden, another mouth to feed, he thinks to himself. He wants to dispose of the newborn, the solution to his problem.
Varsha’s mother cradles the infant into her chest. She tries to convince him as the baby starts wailing. Seeing, no other options left, she threatens to end her life too if any harm comes upon her newborn child. Seeing his wife's stubbornness, Varsha's father finally accepts her as his daughter.
Varsha was a healthy child and never gave her mother any trouble. Though from a poor background, her mother did multiple jobs to give her the best food and clothing that she could afford.
At a tender age of five, Varsha started accompanying her mother to her work place. There, her innocent eyes witnessed the hardships her mother had to face. Her tender mind did what she thought would be helpful. So she started helping her mother with her work.
At first, the gesture made her mother really proud of her dear child. However, Varsha's mother didn't want her child to be like her. So she decided to take a loan from her employers and started sending Varsha to a private school. Her mother always believed her child to be a special child and her beliefs were confirmed when her teachers informed her that Varsha would be promoted few classes as she was smarter than an average child.
When Varsha reached her teens, one day she was asked to call her mother to the Principal’s office. The Principal along with few teachers told at length about the talents of her daughter, and believed that she would benefit from higher education. Her mother cried in tears of joy. She felt proud of her daughter. However, soon she fell in despair. She didn't have sufficient means to send her to a better school. Her mother decided she would not give up. One day without telling her husband, Varsha's mother sold the little jewellery she had to send her to a better private school.
Upon reaching the new school Varsha was scared, she didn't know the place and while she was a star student in her previous school she had to start from scratch at her new institution. She ran back home the first day, crying to her mother wanting her to send her back to the old school. The students teased her and made fun of her being poor. Her mother a simple lady wiped the tears of her daughters face, and told her, 'they make fun of you cause you are poor, so you have to stop being poor'. These words were all the motivation she needed to get accustomed to her new surroundings.
The mocking and the teasing didn't affect her anymore. Then one day, she ran back home, however, this time with a wide smile on her face. She hugged her mother as tight as she can. Then Varsha showed her the scholarship she was awarded. They were both were in tears.
One day while returning home from school, she witnessed two policemen taking her father away. She ran to her crying mother who was trying to stop the policemen from taking her husband.
Later that day while sitting in the police station, she asked her father what he did.
'This system does not help the poor'. He said. Varsha tried to make sense of what he meant, and took the guidance of her teachers. They started a long discussion about law and how it only favours the rich. It was then she finally realised what she wants to become. To be the part of the system and try to improve it.
Her determination and rigorous studies landed her into one of the best law colleges of this nation. She was saddened to leave her mother. However, to achieve the goals and dreams, she had to leave the side of her beloved mother.
In college, Varsha discovered that she wasn’t the smartest among the students. In a way to even the odds, she started investing more of her time in extra circular activities like debate teams and the moot court. During the final years she landed a job with a pay scale of 20 lacks per annum which she refused, upon asking by her professors for the blunt refusal. The answer she gave made them see the vision of this young girl.
Her vision was to become a Judge in the legal system. Soon she cleared the exams and became one of the youngest woman's judges of this system. She took her mother to the house given to her and this was the proudest moment of her mother's life to see her daughter reach such heights.
Sadly this never happened because Varsha was not even allowed to learn the name, which her mother had chosen for her. She was never given a chance in life. Varsha was a victim of FEMALE INFANTICIDE. The horrifying meaning of this word is “killing of an infant which is one day old.” Varsha's mother gave into the threats of her husband and was not courageous enough to defend her daughter. Varsha’s mother would often dream this story and wonder how things would be. She would curse herself for not standing up to her husband, but now it's of no use. Varsha another soul sent back to God, her only crime being a girl.
This is a story about a girl Varsha, a name chosen by her mother before her birth. Varsha had opened her eyes for the first time in a government hospital, in a small village. Echoes of her cries filled the hospital halls. Her father stood gazing at her, disappointed as he wanted a boy.
A girl child is considered to be a burden, another mouth to feed, he thinks to himself. He wants to dispose of the newborn, the solution to his problem.
Varsha’s mother cradles the infant into her chest. She tries to convince him as the baby starts wailing. Seeing, no other options left, she threatens to end her life too if any harm comes upon her newborn child. Seeing his wife's stubbornness, Varsha's father finally accepts her as his daughter.
Varsha was a healthy child and never gave her mother any trouble. Though from a poor background, her mother did multiple jobs to give her the best food and clothing that she could afford.
At a tender age of five, Varsha started accompanying her mother to her work place. There, her innocent eyes witnessed the hardships her mother had to face. Her tender mind did what she thought would be helpful. So she started helping her mother with her work.
At first, the gesture made her mother really proud of her dear child. However, Varsha's mother didn't want her child to be like her. So she decided to take a loan from her employers and started sending Varsha to a private school. Her mother always believed her child to be a special child and her beliefs were confirmed when her teachers informed her that Varsha would be promoted few classes as she was smarter than an average child.
When Varsha reached her teens, one day she was asked to call her mother to the Principal’s office. The Principal along with few teachers told at length about the talents of her daughter, and believed that she would benefit from higher education. Her mother cried in tears of joy. She felt proud of her daughter. However, soon she fell in despair. She didn't have sufficient means to send her to a better school. Her mother decided she would not give up. One day without telling her husband, Varsha's mother sold the little jewellery she had to send her to a better private school.
Upon reaching the new school Varsha was scared, she didn't know the place and while she was a star student in her previous school she had to start from scratch at her new institution. She ran back home the first day, crying to her mother wanting her to send her back to the old school. The students teased her and made fun of her being poor. Her mother a simple lady wiped the tears of her daughters face, and told her, 'they make fun of you cause you are poor, so you have to stop being poor'. These words were all the motivation she needed to get accustomed to her new surroundings.
The mocking and the teasing didn't affect her anymore. Then one day, she ran back home, however, this time with a wide smile on her face. She hugged her mother as tight as she can. Then Varsha showed her the scholarship she was awarded. They were both were in tears.
One day while returning home from school, she witnessed two policemen taking her father away. She ran to her crying mother who was trying to stop the policemen from taking her husband.
Later that day while sitting in the police station, she asked her father what he did.
'This system does not help the poor'. He said. Varsha tried to make sense of what he meant, and took the guidance of her teachers. They started a long discussion about law and how it only favours the rich. It was then she finally realised what she wants to become. To be the part of the system and try to improve it.
Her determination and rigorous studies landed her into one of the best law colleges of this nation. She was saddened to leave her mother. However, to achieve the goals and dreams, she had to leave the side of her beloved mother.
In college, Varsha discovered that she wasn’t the smartest among the students. In a way to even the odds, she started investing more of her time in extra circular activities like debate teams and the moot court. During the final years she landed a job with a pay scale of 20 lacks per annum which she refused, upon asking by her professors for the blunt refusal. The answer she gave made them see the vision of this young girl.
Her vision was to become a Judge in the legal system. Soon she cleared the exams and became one of the youngest woman's judges of this system. She took her mother to the house given to her and this was the proudest moment of her mother's life to see her daughter reach such heights.
Sadly this never happened because Varsha was not even allowed to learn the name, which her mother had chosen for her. She was never given a chance in life. Varsha was a victim of FEMALE INFANTICIDE. The horrifying meaning of this word is “killing of an infant which is one day old.” Varsha's mother gave into the threats of her husband and was not courageous enough to defend her daughter. Varsha’s mother would often dream this story and wonder how things would be. She would curse herself for not standing up to her husband, but now it's of no use. Varsha another soul sent back to God, her only crime being a girl.
