Value of a Daughter

wrote this story 4-5 years back

   Nothing was going right for Sukhiram. The factory he worked for had closed down three months ago. Employment was scarce. Only the younger ones got selected that too for wages next to nothing. Starvation and disease were wasting his wife. The children had also lost their work javascript:void(0)at the zari factory due to the municipal corporation. Child labour. Like all animals a poor child also has too feed itself on its own. Food was scarce in their home but they cannot ask the neighbours for food. They themselves did not have proper meal since ages.

    Sukhiram was sitting outside his 8 X 10 jhopdi smoking a bidi. His wife had gone to work as a maid in the flats of nearby buildings. The two younger children, Shiva and Sudha had gone to play. His eldest daughter, Rashmi now aged twelve had gone to fetch water from the community tap. Sukhiram sat brooding about his misery. He felt no one was in such wretchedness as him though the story was similar in all the lakhs and lakhs of jhopdis spread all over Mumbai.

    Mumbai- the city that never sleeps. Mumbai- the city of the rich and the beautiful. Mumbai- the city of dreams. Mumbai- the city with the greatest poverty and grief. More than half of the population of Mumbai lives in poverty. It’s the city where the first sin of a poor child would be that it took birth in a poor family. The parents are punished by having an extra mouth to feed for being poor. In some places money flows like river water and in some places a person is killed over Rs.100. It is a city where the rich can get richer but the poor become poorer.

    Thus Sukhiram sat there ruminating, cursing his misery, cursing the society, cursing God. Rashmi came carrying two handis filled with water. When she passed him, an idea struck him. At first he was horrified with the thought but as time passed he felt that was the only way out of this wretchedness.

    In the evening Sukhiram visited a man. Though that man lived in a chawl he was rumoured to have lakhs of rupees in the bank. Sukhiram talked with him. They negotiated and finally Sukhiram left, satisfied.

    Sukhiram returned home inebriated. He called to his eldest daughter, “beti, see what I have bought for you.” He gave her a red dress having laces. She was thrilled to get a gift from father. “We will go out tomorrow and you have to wear it. Go now, go to sleep.”

    The next day Sukhiram got up early. Lines of worry streaked his face. He went and had a bath at the community well. He asked Rashmi also to bathe and become clean. He went to the nearby country liquor shop and returned after consuming some alcohol. He asked Rashmi to get ready to leave. When she returned wearing the red dress Sukhiram commented, “you look so beautiful, dear. Your hair is so thick and smooth. Now we shall leave.” Saying thus he held her hand and prepared to leave.

   At that time his wife asked in an apprehensive tone, “where are you going? Where are you taking her?” She blocked his way.

   “What have you got to do with it? Get aside,” said Sukhiram irritated.

   “Where are you taking my daughter?”

   “Get aside, randi,” said Sukhiram shoving his wife away.

   “Don’t take her. Please don’t take her,” pleaded the wife grabbing Rashmi’s hand. She was crying and begging desperately.

   “Chod use,” commanded Sukhiram and slapped her several times across the face. He even kicked her twice in the stomach. Then he grabbed Rashmi and dragged her away leaving his bruised and pleading wife behind. The younger sister and brother stood there standing wordlessly. They had seen this scene more number of times than they cared to imagine.

   Soon Sukhiram and Rashmi reached a two story building. Shady activities were supposed to be conducted here. Rashmi at once became fearful but clung to her father’s hand silently. Her father, her guardian, upon whom she put her complete trust. They were stopped at the entrance by a guard. Sukhiram said to the guard, “tell saab I have brought my daughter.” The guard went inside without acknowledging. He returned back after few moments and indicated him to go inside.

    He entered the building with Rashmi clutching his hand. They entered a room. Two men were seated on a sofa. One of them was sniggering and the other had a malicious smile. “come Sukhiram, sit down,” said the latter indicating to a chair. Sukhiram sat and Rashmi remained standing.

   “Why are you standing there? Come sit here,” said the other man indicating Rashmi to sit between them.

“jaao, Rashmi, daro mat,” instructed Sukhiram never raising his eyes.

   She went slowly with apprehensive steps and sat down between the two men. The first man placed his hand on her shoulder. A shudder passed through her body. The other man threw an envelope at Sukhiram’s feet. “There should be fifteen thousand as we agreed.” Sukhiram opened the envelope never raising his eyes. There were thirty crisp Rs.500 notes in it. “There are fifteen thousand,” said Sukhiram putting the envelope into his pocket.

   "Theek hai,” said the man and then asked Rashmi patting her head, “what is your name?”

   “Ra…Ra…Rashmi.”

   “What a sweet name! Just as sweet as you. You know you are very beautiful,” he said caressing her face.

   “What are you waiting for?” demanded the first man to Sukhiram. “You got your money. Now leave.”

   Sukhiram got up to leave with tears in his eyes. Rashmi called out scared, “baba, don’t leave me here. Baba…”

    “Leave quickly,” ordered the man. Rashmi tried to get up and run towards her father but the two men held her tightly. She called out for her father fear and betrayal in her voice.

    Sukhiram left the building. He could hear Rashmi pleading and crying to let her go. He went some distance and streams of tears started flowing down. He heard Rashmi call out ‘BABA’ in one anguished wail for the last time. It was as though Sukhiram could not sense his daughter’s voice calling out for help. Sukhiram put his hand into his pocket and felt the crisp Rs.500 notes against his fingers and they numbed his ears and killed the father in him. He had fifteen thousand now. He was finally richer. Now they would live better. A wry smile came across his face. His feet were taking him towards the country bar. Whether he went there to drown his shame or to celebrate being richer is a question which will remain unanswered.