The Success Story of
Indira
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Indira was born in Agardia in Bhilwara district. She was married at the age of
eight months and lost her father soon after. Her marriage took place under the
atta saata system and her brother Devaram’s marriage was fixed with her
husband Gopal’s sister Khema. However, Khema was not Gopal’s biological
sister. She was born to Devilal of Narayana village. Her mother had died when
she was an infant and so her father sold her for Rs.10,000/- to Devaram in order
to remarry. This was Devaram second marriage and he had two sons and a
daughter from his first marriage. Indira began living with her in-laws when she
was 16 years old. During her first pregnancy, Khema came to Narayana to look
after her. Here, Khema got into a relationship with the neighbourhood social
convener Kaluram Dhakad and decided to go away with him. Fifteen days later
Kaluram and Khema were found murdered on Devaram’s farm. Indira asserts
that it was Devilal’s son who murdered them. According to custom, the
responsibility of meeting the expenses of Devaram re-marriage lay with Indira’s
in-laws. To avoid this expense, Indira’s husband Gopal snatched their child
from her, hit her and threw her out of the house. Her in-laws also took all her
ornaments. Devilal was also party to this. Another marriage was arranged for
Indira’s brother for a sum of Rs. 80,000/- . Indira wanted to go and live with her
in-laws and wanted her child back, but her natal family wanted to send her in
nata in order to pay Rs. 80,000 for Devaram’s marriage. Indira filed a complaint
at Pandher police station, with little success. She then contacted MJAS, shared
her story and asked that her child be given back to her. She wanted to re-start
her life with Gopal and wanted that her parents be given a sum of Rs.20,000/-.
MJAS organised a women’s panchayat in Narayana. The panchayat members
vehemently opposed Indira’s stand. However, due to support from the large
number of women present at the meeting, the decision went in Indira’s favour,
and her in-laws also agreed to pay Rs. 20,000 to her parents.