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As the day passed by, the branches of the tree were spreading as if they wanted to touch the blue sky . Rishu’s life was also something like this, she dreamt to touch the blue sky . But nobody knew that Rishu had to fight with her own family more than the outsiders ?

Rishu was a resident of Narendrapur, a small village in Giridih in Jharkhand .

She had a big family but what was the use! No one except for her old grandmother understood her . The problem is, when people get old, they are treated as an “old shoes discarded in a corner” . It was the same case for Rishu’s grandmother . After her grandfather passed away her father had to take the entire responsibility of the house and the family . Her father was a very hard-working farmer . He grew vegetables like bitter gourd(karela), pointed gourd (parwal), brinjal, sem in his farm land, and at times he also cultivated seasonal vegetables . Her father sold the vegetables from his farm to earn a living for the family .

The family had 5 daughters . Rishu was the eldest . Each time her mother got pregnant her father expected a son but every time they had a daughter instead . This time when her mother was on the family way, they got her tested and found that it was again a girl . Rishu’s father tried to get her mother’s abortion done . Rishu’s mother asked him not to do so but he refused to listen . He never listened to anyone . This time the foetus was already 3 months old and an abortion would lead to death . Rishu’s mother did not want to die because she couldn’t give birth to a son . Later the abortion could not happen and she was brutally beaten by her father that she was unable to work .

Few months later Rishu was blessed with a sister . They named her Rajo . All the five sisters were very happy but their father wasn’t . He tried to strangle Rajo many times but she survived every attempt .

On the other hand, marriage proposals were constantly coming for Rishu, but she wasn’t interested, she wanted to study further . She secretly started studying from the village school teacher . Only her mother knew about it . After the classes she went straight to the field and looked after the vegetables . She also plucked the vegetables and brought home so her father would not become suspicious about her! Seeing her good results her teacher insisted that she took admission in the school . But her father didn’t want any of his daughters to study . Rishu was wondering how to share this with her teacher . 

After coming from the field, the sisters used to complete the household chores and later at night Rishu shared her study material with all of them . The youngest sister Rajo really liked to learn from Rishu 

Rajo asked in her sweet voice:- “Didi what have you learnt today?”

Rishu said:- “Yes, let mother and father go to sleep . I will tell you after that .

One day Rishu said:- Today we will learn alphabets .

The third sister Manju asked:- Didi what is this alphabet? Is it something which we can eat?

Rishu explained:-  Wait! There are alphabets from A to Z . We can form a lot of words with these alphabets and also write them, Example- She is my small doll . Understood? Now let me show you in writing” .

Rajo nodded her head- “Okay didi”

Everyone got their slate and chalk . Rishu wrote on that . The sisters communicated in sign language as they did not speak much at night .

The morning started with the chirping of birds . They all went back to their own assigned chores . One morning Rishu’s mother said: I don’t feel like getting out of bed today, I am feeling really weak . She asked Rishu to get some butter milk(lassi) for her . Rishu’s mother fainted while having the buttermilk . Rishu called out her sister Rajo . Her sisters came, they panicked, and started sprinkling water on their mother . When their mother didn’t regain consciousness, Manju ran to the next village to call Dr Murli .

It was 8 .00 o’clock in the morning and Dr . Murli was getting ready to leave for his clinic .

Manju:- (Panting) said wait Uncle(kaka)!

Doctor asked:- Manju why are you scared? Is everything alright? Did Kishan beat you again?

Manju said:- “No No uncle, my mother is in a serious condition, I am here to take you home’  . 

Murli Kaka heard the entire thing and started his scooter and said- “Sit quickly . How much will you walk?”

They both left immediately .

Meanwhile Rishu’s mother gained consciousness . Murli Kaka checked her up . He prescribed some medicines and asked her to come to the clinic the next day . Hearing the news their grandmother also came back from their aunt’s (Bua) house . Father heard the news, he came back home and went straight inside the room .

Father said to the grandmother- “Already there are so many members in the family to eat and now you have also come back? Your daughter- in- law is not dying, I will let you know when she is dead . She is not that ill that everyone has to come back to look after her” .

Murmuring himself he picked his hoe and went back to the field . He didn’t bother to ask Rishu’s mother once what happened to her? She knew that she was pregnant again and was hesitant and scared to share the news, she was very weak, even her bones were visible .

One day Sophia Didi came to the village to take a census . She was visiting every house and filling the form for the detailed information . She also visited Rishu’s house . She did not want to share the news of her mother being pregnant but they couldn’t hide it either . When Rishu told Sophia didi about the news she suggested that they should take their mother to the health care centre which was near the village . She said: The health care centre is especially for the weak pregnant women, and they could easily avail the service free of cost . Hearing this Rishu’s mother felt relieved and happy as she did not want her baby to be malnourished because of her weakness . She took the treatment from there .

On the other hand, Rishu’s father got to know about the news and he started forcing her mother to go for sex determination again . This time her mother said that “I am tired of this process and it is illegal also, I am not going to kill my child” . The minute she said this she was beaten up by Rishu’s father .

   After the completion of 9 months this time a boy was born . Everyone in the family was surprised to see it . Her father was happy . He organised a Puja in the house and also distributed sweets to the neighbours . He was shouting out of happiness and telling everyone that he has been blessed with a boy . He laid the baby boy on the bed and told the sisters: “See now I have someone who can hold my head high, you girls are of no use . You all are born only to fill your stomach, how will we manage to get so much dowry for you all”? Cursing his daughters and he left for the field .

Meanwhile all the sisters continued their studies discreetly . One day the eldest one Rishu got married and she had to leave her studies . After Rishu left the sisters had to face a lot of difficulty in continuing their studies . The brother neither studied himself nor did he let the sisters study . Rajo and Champa were very good friends, they all managed to study from Champa’s books . Rajo often thought about the days when the two friends went for grazing their goats, sat near the river bed and spoke for long hours . 

Rajesh, their youngest brother, was grown up now . Father wanted him to study but he had no interest in it, he was busy gambling with his friends and yet father never said a word to him . On the other hand, if the daughters demanded anything, except for beating they got nothing else . Even if they asked for some extra food they were beaten up, whereas father fulfilled all the demands of his son .

One day Manju and Roja met Murli kaka on the way .

He said- “You don’t step out of the house  as now there is a lockdown due to CoronaVirus”!

Manju couldn’t understand- “What Kaka? Yes, Rajo was saying something about it . But no one knows what actually the Corona virus is .”

Rajo said- “It’s a virus which is called Corona Virus . This virus is spreading like a catastrophe and people are dying because of it . There is no cure for it . It spreads with human contact . The symptoms of this are high fever, uneasy breathing, headache, weakness, muscle pain . Sometimes we might not know and it takes 15 days to diagnose if it is corona or not, that too after a proper check-up . That’s the reason for lockdown so that people can stay at home and be safe .”

Manju said- “Okay, now the lockdown is for one month . It has been told that no one should step out of the house for their own safety . When everyone will start staying at home there will be scarcity of food! Other than this there are other problems evolving too .

There were a lot of other problems they were facing . Rishu-Manju and Rajo’s house was made of raw clay . During rainy days the water would enter the house through the ceiling . They were facing a lot of hardships to run the house . Hearing this Murli kaka called Rajo the next day in his office to work . Rajo had studied till 8th standard and Murli kaka’s office was not very far from her house, Rajo had no problem in traveling . Rajo’s father was not happy with the idea of her working, but he had no choice; he needed someone to contribute in the house so helplessly he permitted Rajo to go for work . Rajo was earning Rs2000/-with which she was taking care of the entire house and also contributing for her mother’s treatment .

One day when Rajo was on her way to work her father asked if she had some food with her? Rajo was surprised thinking the man who wanted to strangle her and wanted her dead was asking such a question! Rajo thought to herself “Rishu di was right, she said one day one of us sisters will be taking the entire responsibility of the house .” Father always said that my son would take the entire responsibility of the house, but Rajesh is useless and now it’s the daughter who is being useful .

Rajo didn’t reply and left for work . At work Murli kaka asked her if her father had come along? Rajo was surprised and went out to check and she was astonished to see that her father was standing there . He was standing with a bag which had chapati made of  ararot (Makke ki roti) . He handed it over to her and left the place . Before leaving he said, it's true that having a son or not is of any use, it’s the daughter who always takes the responsibility of the house . He apologised and left the place with tears in his eyes .

At that time the teacher of the school was passing by, seeing Murli kaka he stopped .

Looking at Rajo the teacher said- “How are you Rajo? After Rishu left her studies, you also stopped studying?”

Rajo- Hesitatingly said “Yes” .

Teacher- “You are a bright student you should continue your studies” .

Rajo- “Yes teacher, but what should I do with my father? He will never agree for this!”

Teacher:- “Yes, when Rishu was my student your father was against her studying too, but  I think, now he might not say anything as you are the one taking the responsibility of the house . If you talk to him there might be a chance, he agrees this time .”

Meanwhile Rajo’s father was standing at a corner listening to the conversation . He came out and apologised to the teacher . He said: I wish I had listened to you earlier, then all of my daughters would have been studying now . I have really given my daughters a very hard time . I want to rectify my mistake now . I was blind thinking how I would manage the responsibility of so many daughters, that’s the reason I was craving for a son . I assumed he would make my life easy, I always worked hard so my son could get the education, but it was my misunderstanding as it is said QUOTE “Whenever you rise then it’s a morning” . So finally, I am awake today . I want all of my daughters to complete their education, I want to see them successful in life . Today Rajo is fulfilling the needs of the entire family . Rajo always dreamt of becoming a social worker, and she has made her dream come true . Today everyone in the village sees her as a leader, everyone recognises her, what else a father can ask for?

Rajo smiled and thought to herself that she would share this with her sister Rishu and also with the other sisters . She also thought that when her mother will hear this, her misery will also be reduced, and now Rajo might also be able to touch the blue sky .

Written by Neelam (18), Giridih, Jharkhand

This article is part of an Livelihood Action Project of FAT with young girls from Bihar and