The night was standing on the threshold of darkness. It was about eight o'clock when I was returning from a long journey alone and the steering wheel was gripped with my cold hands. Due to torrential rains, an atmosphere of fear was developed. On the other hand, the influx of phone calls from home also made it frightening. The whole body was trembling due to the atmosphere of cold and fear. The rain was hitting the front glass of my car with very high speed making the pitter-patter sounds, making it cool and the attempt of rain drops to get inside was thwarted by the glass.

In the same frightening scene, a dim light was visible at some distance. As I was driving close, the light also came closer to me. When this light became visible, I saw a girl standing with a lantern in her hands and she forced me to stop the car. Her hair was scattered by the heavy rain. She was gesturing for help. Once I applied the brakes, she grumbled and begged me to help her. "Can you help me, please leave me at my house." I opened the window of the car and she sat inside the car; her clothes were soaked, her hair was shattered by the rain, shivering due to cold. and she had a medicine bag in her hand.
I pressed the heater button of the car and said to her, "sit comfortably and warm yourself. By the way, it is too late, where were you yet?". She replied in an innocent pulchritude voice, "it was heavily raining outside and I didn't get a lift to take my ailing father to the hospital. I thought I'd see a doctor in the morning and the pain wouldn't get worse so I brought medicines". "Is there no one else in the house?". "No", she replied in a painful voice.
Scrutinizing her painful voice, I encouraged her and started talking to her. I thought my mind would be relaxed and the burden of her heart would also be lightened. "Well, tell me about yourself". "My name is 'Eimaan', my mother passed away in my childhood and along with my studies, I had to take care of household chores from my early childhood. I don't know when my childhood was over. Like other children, I didn't got time to play. The responsibilities of home were such that there were no friends and no sympathizers". And she began to cry. "Stop, here is my house, please accompany me to my door because it is too late".
As soon as we got out of the car, I gave her my coat to wear because she was soaked, but she refused. As soon as we stepped inside her house, it was already dark. I turned on the light of my mobile phone and she put more than half a burning candle on the table and she gave medicine to her ailing father. Both of them signed a relief. I looked at her and said "now I will walk out, 'It's too late, Ammijaan must be upset and she is constantly calling". She replied in a low voice, "Thanks! You helped me so much. If you hadn't come on time, what would have happened? I wouldn't have been able to get home properly and my father would not have got any rest".
Ailing father, cold dark room, few utensils on shelves and the girl was the total content of the house. As soon as I pointed upwards, raindrops fell on my face from the dripping roof. Their poverty and helplessness were clearly visible. Only in one corner of the room were lots of costly sweets. There were valuables, including expensive clothes, shoes, clock, suitcase, a watch and a mobile phone.I thought it was weird and I asked without hesitation, "What is this? Where did all this valuables come from in your house? Oh yes! Someone sent you as a gift ?." She looked at me with longing eyes and said, "It isn't gift, i have to send it to my husband's home".
Wiping her tears, I said, "Hey, it's a pleasure, you're getting married and you're so upset". She took my hand and asked me to sit down and she himself went to another room. After a while she took a bag and put it in front of me. I said, "What's all this?" She took all the stuff out of the bag and put it in front of me and said, "See for yourself, these are bills"! For the last two years, I had to send all this stuff to my husband's home. There is no bread to eat in my house. My father is sick. This dripping roof is in need of repair. With this money I would have got all the happiness of my life and I would have had a palace of my own.
I was stunned to see and hear all this. Oh! My Lord, how wrong is this with her? Where is the justice? Why so much oppression on a poor girl? I controlled my emotions and told her that if this relationship is causing you trouble then why this relationship does not break up? "Everything in my life is already broken," she replied. My destiny, my home, my happiness, even my heart. I work as a waiter in a nearby restaurant. Baba had a small shop. After he got sick, we closed the shop. When more money was needed, Baba's friend "Rahim Kak" helped us. If he had not paid then, Baba's treatment would not have been possible. My dad is breathing today because of his treatment. "Rahim Kak, may Allah keep him healthy and prolong his life so that he may be the helper of Allah's creatures". Expressing happiness, I said to Eimaan, "Rahim Kak" is no less than an angel to us". Trickling down tears from her painful eyes she said," Rahim Kak passed away a few months ago, and he was a close friend of Baba. When Baba's health deteriorated, Rahim Kak paid for Baba's treatment and in return asked for my hand for his son because Rahim Kak was aware of my helplessness and he always called me 'my jigar' because Baba had no confidence in his health and he unwittingly agreed to the marriage and my engagement was finalized".
May be Baba's decision was also right, but who cares about life? Rahim kak passed away. His son and wife had filed a writ petition seeking payment back. After working hard day and night for a year, I had paid the full amount, but their calculations are not going to end and she started crying loudly. They are demanding for everything that is costly for me. My eyes got wet when I heard this and a bunch of questions conquered my mind.
Alas! My Lord, what a world this is ? The tears of the oppressed have no value, no one to ask, no one to sympathize with. How is it that her life has been traded, how has this girl been trapped in this chokey? They should have taken care of it. Be helpful to this innocent pearl. But no, the marriage has been put on hold for more than three years just because of the greed of dowry.
This is not just a rare story but thousands of such stories. Thousands of families are trapped in this quagmire. Where are the contractors of religion and the world who are engaged in providing social services ? What has happened to our thinking? How can a person be so selfish? But all this is happening in front of our eyes and we are sitting hand in hand. "Tea", she pointed to the cup and I stepped out of the world of ideas and said "yeh" and I consoled her till giggles of smile appeared on her face.

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