Based on a true incident of female infant deaths in India:
THAT MORNING
It was a bone chilling winter dawn in the interiors of Punjab. Everything would be quite except the sweet little chirping of early risers and a shrill cry of despair she had planned...
But when she looked at the 3rd bundle of sorrow she had given birth to last night, still moving, a mother in her won over a helpless woman in her. She lifted her baby and embraced her in a warm tight hug and then drenched her with uncontrolled tears flowing down her eyes in absolute silence. The bond of a mother and baby was established.
ONE MONTH BEFORE
Everything wasn't good in the house of Bhatti's as Mandeep - a mother of two - was due in a months time. Mandeep and Sajjansingh were parents to two bubbly girls and Sajjansingh was very clear that this time he wants to have a son or none.
While Mandeep was leaving to her brother's house for delivery, Sajjansingh made it clear in no uncertain terms that 'he can take care of no more than two girls and she need not return if she gives birth to a baby girl'. No pleading, no sobbing from her persuaded him to change his brutal stance.
Mandeep came to her brother's house under this tremendous pressure of losing her husband and the security which comes with it. Her elder brother - Kartarsingh - assured her that if Mandeep gives birth to a girl, he will speak with Sajjansingh and will convince him to forget the bitterness and accept you. Mandeep was so proud to have a brother like him!
Mandeep - now bit relaxed - delivered a baby in nearby hospital and as was expected - it was a baby girl. There were no smiles, no congratulations, no 'Wai guru da khalasa, wai guru di fateh', there was no celebration. Mourning was the only emotion with which that little angel was welcomed in this world.
Now all the hopes were on Kartarsingh. Mandeep was sure, that her brother will convince her husband and will save her marriage.
But Kartarsingh was tensed too. Rejection from Sajjansingh not just meant a devastated life for his still young sister but an unwanted burden of four additional mouths on his not so great finances. He had to somehow bottle his brother in law.
When he met Sajjansingh, it didn't take him too long to realise that he is fighting a lost war with him. Sajjansingh was adamant on his stance and this was a danger signal for Karatarsingh's. He had to mitigate this risk to his wallet and then he came up with that evil plan. He told Sajjansingh "You said that 'you can not take care of more than two girls' - so I promise that Mandeep will return with just two girls". The deal was stuck. The fate was locked. One of the girl - mostly a newborn - had to die.
Mandeep was discharged from hospital the very next day. Kartarsingh wasted no time in telling her about the pact he had arrived at with Sajjansingh. She has to get rid of that ill fortuned baby and return to her home - to Sajjansingh's home. She couldn't believe what she heard. She never thought her loving elder brother will say this. She argued "Bhaiyya please don't do this to me. If singhji is not ready to accept me with our third daughter, be it. I will stay here with you and I promise that we won't be a trouble to you and bhabhi. I will work here in house, I will work in our farms. Please let us stay here" but it didn't help. Kartarsingh was brutal enough not to budge with those emotional appeals. "Enough of this melodrama Mandeep. You are leaving this house tomorrow. Better to go to your husband's place on his terms or find a new shelter for you and your daughters".
A helpless mother of three daughters - what is she going to do without home and any income source? The decision was made. Instead of risking future of 2 of her daughters, it's better to jeopardise life of one.
On that unfortunate night, when both her daughters and Kartarsingh's family were fast asleep, she came out in the verandah in the nail biting cold of winter nights of Punjab. Temperature must have dropped to 2 degree celsius. She kept her week old baby on the cold floor of verandah - without any clothes, without any cover. She left her there to die.
She was determined not to come out untill next morning and then lift the dead girl with a loud scream.People will obviously gather with her scream and then she would tell them that she accidently left her baby in the open and forgot about it. A full throttle melodrama would follow.
THAT MORNING
When Mandeep came out in the morning she couldn't believe her eyes. Her week old baby had turned blue entirely, she was gasping for breath - but... But she was alive. Neelangi (blue bodied (girl)) - was still alive.
That was the moment when Mandeep decided that if a week old infant can fight with death for entire night, she as a fully grown adult can sure fight the world for well being of her daughters. This was the turning point of her life.
- END -
(This story was told by Ms. Smriti Irani in women empowerment seminar organised by Art of Living. Ms. Irani in her early days as an actor had interviewed - Mandeep (all names in the story including hers are unreal) now a known social worker. She had asked Ms. Irani to introduce herself as a murderer of her daughter)
Ms. Iran's Speech:
