Birth of An Angel
Shravani was listening to the story of her parents true love story with great admiration and pride.
She asked Vanya,
"I am happy that my parents finally found their true love. Still, I feel sad for my maasi Jiya, she must be lonely and sad. What happened to her, did the local people accepted her decision of separating from her husband because it must have been quite a scandal in those days! Even today people say mean things to a woman when she wants to leave her husband as people think that it must have been her fault that her marriage broke down."
Vanya said to her,
"Yes, that's true. People were angry because she divorced her husband. At that time, no one did such kind of a thing. Men used to marry again if their first marriage didn't give them progeny as if it was a valid reason to be involved in polygamy. There were widespread superstitions which often targeted women or some men too and declared them to be possessed by some ghosts.
Jiya was also asked to be a part of such cleansing ritual. She said, "No" and as a result of that she was banished from the village. She was considered to be too educated and modern in her demeanour and was considered to be a misfit and a bad influence on other women of the village.
Vasudha was also warned to stay away from Jiya but she refused to do so. She asked the villagers to accept the modern education, Medical College, Nursing home for expectant mothers, construction of wide and pucca roads so that their village could become a shining example of modern village with traditional values.
The villagers threw her out of their village alongwith her husband Jayesh and all three of them took shelter in our village.
There was a strict warning that if anyone ever set a foot in the village then they will be responsible for the final outcome!"
Shravani asked Vanya, "Then what happened in the end, please tell me!"
Vanya said to her, "After sometime, Vasudha gave birth to a beautiful angel and she gave her little girl to her sister Jiya but then villagers stormed into the house with sticks and stones!"