Nari Learns It’s Not Her Fault…

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful village named Patriarchal filled with culture, traditions, and values. The people of the village were very warm and welcoming. They lived happy and complacent lives. They rewarded their dutiful daughters and adored their intrepid sons.

It was the home of an eleven-year-old girl named Nari. She was hard-working and caring. She always respected her elders and spoke with them politely. She used to help her mother in the kitchen, assisted her father in chores, and took care of her grandmother and grandfather.

Nari loved to go to school. She was focused and passionate about learning. She was one of her teacher’s favorite students. She was her mother’s delight and her father’s pride.

One fine day, Nari was coming back from the school. It was a hot day and Nari was thirsty. She took a short-cut and stopped beside a nearby well. She pulled out the water from the bucket and was about to drink it when she felt something brush across her waist.

Being petrified she turned back reflexively. She saw that a boy named Adarsh was standing behind her and it was his palm that gushed across her waist. “What are you doing Adarsh?” She said as she instantly made herself distant.

“Nothing,” Adarsh replied with a vicious grin. “I was just trying to help you.” Adarsh was two years older than Nari and used to go to the same school. She was familiar with his notorious reputation and chose not to extend the topic.

“No. Thank you.” She said giving him the benefit of doubt “I’ll manage.” Sacred and confused by the uncomfortable situation she started to walk away hastily.

“Wait.” Adarsh clenched her hand “You haven’t drunk the water yet.” He tightened the grip over it.

“I am not thirsty anymore.” Shrugging away his hand, Nari ran away. She sprinted all the way till her home. She banged on the door rather loudly.

“Yes. Coming, coming…” Her mother replied from within. She opened the door and saw the disoriented state of her daughter. “Hey, what happened?” She asked being concerned.

Nari who was herself perplexed about the state of affairs said nothing. She washed her hands and face and calmed herself. While being perturbed from within she pretended to be fine and carried on as usual. She decided that it was best to forget the entire incident. That night, sleep alluded Nari.

The next day in school she tried her best to divert her attention to studies. Before she knew, it was recess. She sat in the front yard along with her friend Niti and Kunal for having food as usual. As the three friends laughed and chatted she momentarily forgot about her troubles.

“Hey, Nari.” She felt a palm’s tight grasp over her shoulder. She flinched as she heard a familiar voice. She quickly stood up as she took a step backward. “How are you?” Adarsh took a step forward with a despicable smirk. Nari for a moment apprehended the worst.

Noticing the tension, Kunal intervened “Hey Adarsh.” He said courteously “I don’t think the big boys are supposed to come to this side of the courtyard. You would be in trouble if the teachers found out.” Giving a frustrated look to Kunal, Adarsh went away.

“Thank you,” Nari said as she let out a sigh of relief.

“What was that about?” Niti asked her bothered friend. Nari being embarrassed narrated the entire story about the day before.

“Nari…” Kunal sounded genuinely concerned “You should have told about this to someone.” He sighed “Did you at least tell about this occurrence to your mother?” Nari sheepishly nodded no. “I think you should.”

“What are you saying Kunal?” Niti interrupted “Tell her mother?” Niti ridiculed Kunal’s idea. “Why? I think that you should just ignore him. After some time he’ll stop.” 

“What if he doesn’t?” Kunal sounded agitated “These aren’t the type of things you should take lightly Nari.”

“You won’t get it. You are a boy.” Niti murmured “It’s not the same for us. It’s always our fault!” Before Kunal could reply the bell rang and they had to return for their classes. Nari somehow made it to the end of the day.

The thought of going home alone made her anxious. “Hey.” Niti and Kunal caught her by the school gate. “We’ll come with you to your house.” They said in unison. Nari accepted their offer gratefully.

She reached home a little late taking the longer route. She was a bit edgy the entire time. Both Kunal and Niti noticed her apprehension. As she waved goodbye, Kunal said “I get what Niti meant, but still I think that you should tell your parents. They will know what to do.”

Not sure about her further course of action, Nari promised Kunal that she would give it a thought. She went inside her house like nothing had happened and did all her chores.

However, her mother who was keenly observing her since yesterday knew something was wrong. Around evening when everyone was sitting in the living room for having their tea, she asked Nari what was the reason behind her worries.

Contemplated whether or not to reply, she decided to take Kunal’s advice. She narrated the entire instance of the past day and the morning to her mother as her mother listened to her story calmly.

“What should I do Maa?” She asked almost in tears.

“What do you mean, by what you should do?” Her grandmother who was listening to this entire tale said prejudicially. “Just avoid the boy.”

“But…” For the first time, Nari was genuinely offended. “I didn’t do anything wrong. He is the one who has been troubling me.”

“So what?” Her grandfather interrupted “He could say that he was only trying to be friendly. He only approached you twice. He’ll turn the tables and put the entire blame on you. He would say that you are over-thinking and assuming things… Then what?”

Nari who was in tears asked being stunned “So should I just keep quiet?”

“Yes.” The grandfather replied in an obvious tone. Nari who was beyond disappointed wiped her nose.

“I think that she should take a stand for herself. She should tell the teacher or the concerned school authorities.” Mother who was patiently listening to her in-laws spoke at last.

“What would that accomplish…?” Nari’s grandfather interrupted bluntly.

“She would learn to…” The mother tried to take her daughter’s side.

“Discussion over!” The grandfather pronounced his verdict.

“And while we are talking about it, don’t tell Sanskar about this. He would be ashamed” The grandmother added. This was a side of her grandparents Nari was stranger to, and now they seemed like different people.

“It’s always our fault.” Niti’s words echoed in Nari’s ears.

“And why is that mother?” Nari’s father, who had heard the entire conversation, came inside. “Why would I be ashamed?”

“Because she is a girl and when things like these happen, people talk…” Grandmother said affirmatively “Adarsh is a boy. No one will blame him. Fingers would be only pointed at Nari.”

Nari’s father came and sat next to her and gave his daughter a handkerchief to clean her face. “For the first part, she is a girl; she is my brave daughter who dared to tell when something wrong was happening. I couldn’t be more proud of her.” A gentle smile curled over Nari’s lips as she wiped her tears. “And as far as the second part goes, I couldn’t care less. Adarsh is the one who committed a blunder here. It is his mistake and he should be made aware of that. By not doing anything about this, we are not only discouraging Nari from doing what is right, but also encouraging Adarsh to repeat the same thing again.”

“But people won’t see it that way…” Nari’s grandfather interrupted.

“We,” Nari’s father said affirmatively “We are the people, father. Our actions would determine how safe would be the future of girls in this village.”

“But what if he says that he only tried to be friendly… After all, he only did go after her twice.” Nari’s grandmother was not ready to give-up “What if…” 

“It doesn’t matter how many times he did it.” The father sounded frustrated but maintained his calm “The point is he violated Nari’s private space and he should know that such kind of behavior won’t be tolerated.” Nari’s father looked at his daughter with contentment “I won’t let my daughter compromise her dignity because I was scared of the norms of this society. She is my honor, and no one shall take her respect for granted. Period.”

There was silence for few moments as Nari and her mother looked at Nari’s father in awe. Nari felt a sense of security like never before. The hesitation was replaced with confidence and now with her father’s support, she knew she was doing the right thing. “Nari…” Her father said kindly “We will go and complain to the school principal tomorrow. I and your mother will accompany you, ok. We will stand by you, in every step you take” Nari nodded with a grin. “I am glad that you told your mother. And remember champ, it’s not your fault… In incidences like these, it’s never your fault!”