The Jasmine : Wild Fragrance

by Venkat Bathini

“He wanted to see you crying and shed tears in front of him.”

  He also had plans to kill Vishu, so that he can remarry Sarita that the love he had for her. Vishu mowed down by a speeding vehicle was perceived as an accident was actually planned by Bhoj. But luckily, Vishu escaped as we reached the spot on time.

  Mr. Muthappan, you never realized the pain potential mothers experienced when their unborn babies were getting terminated just because their gender was female. Since you have lost your own granddaughter, Now I believe you understood those feelings.

  Muthappan:” Just nodded his head, Shed tears.”

  Karthik: How about these photos that clearly shows you were talking to Ramasamy's men. Look at this one, this photo shows you Collected the money from Amma mess.

  Tell me did u accept the money!

  Richard: Yes, I did collected the money the next day after I met Shankar.

  Karthik: So you were responsible for our arrest.

  Pandi: Let me answer this. If Dr Richard did not accept the money, he and his family members would have been killed by this time.

  Myself and Richard sir approached the Pharma distributor in Madurai city to supply baby kits, nutritional supplements, health drinks for mother's who delivered female baby in our hospital. These were distributed for free of cost.

  I personally mobilised these kits to to some known families who are economical poor and just delivered female child.

  Always used the name of Meenakshi hospital and used Hospital logo printed bags to deliver the kits.

  When Ayya and Karthik were in jail, it was mainly these families that supported and insisted on release.

  Dr. Richard inspite posing threat from Ramasamy brought good reputation to hospital.

  Pandi: Sir, I was angry initially when I saw you, Now I am feeling very sad. I miss u.

  Richard: I too Pandi. I intentionally mispronounced your names for fun. Come to London, we will have a great time!

  Myself and Michelle left to London. Michelle wore a jasmine flower bunch in hair which she carried till Home. The fragrance continued till London. I kept these flowers as memorabilia in my diary.

  I came to know through Pandi’s letters that there was sea change in the behavior of Muthappan. He completely aborted the gender scanning operations at his hospital. Extending Free maternity operations and medicines for underprivileged. The hospital also conducted free awareness camp to educate about the importance of girl child.

  I realized whatever happens in this world is for a cause. Though we were not actually guilty, we experienced hallucinations and undergone mental trauma. The soul of jasmine was mobilizing us to world where girl child death is not a rare instance, but was a common practice; a social stigma which can be minimized if not completely eradicated only through education and rational changes in society about girl child. We have achieved the purpose to an extent. Thereafter, we never did experience any hallucination, it was a thing of past. The land where goddess Meenakshi was prayed and hailed by thousands of devotees; girl child had no place on the land. It was terminated either by female infanticide or foeticide!!!

  Epilogue

  Though I completed reading the diary, I noticed few pages were left blank. The safety and security of women in India is still a challenge for government of India. We could only change a person ‘Muthappan’ To stop female infanticide or foeticide. Through common friends in medical community who moved back to india, I learnt that Indian government has taken several steps to curb female infanticide/foeticide. Apart from that, gender scanning is an offence and the hospitals are being closely watched by governing authorities. These steps have helped in increasing the number of females per 1000 males in India thereby improving sex ratio. From Doctor’s perspective, I felt that this ratio needs to be improved further to ensure the numbers are equal. In the six months of stay in Madurai, India I noticed that the society is unofficially classified into caste, religion, regional, financial basis and these are indeed parameters looked after when two persons are getting married.

  After 18 years, I certainly believe that outlook of the people have changed. At this moment, I wonder what if the baby Jasmine survived on that unfortunate day? She would have been a beautiful 18 plus lady. But what if she was in place of girl who was raped brutally? A girl child is an unnoticed endangered specie who go through a lot of hurdles during their lifecycle right from mother’s womb facing foeticide/infanticide, child abuse, molestation, eve teasing, rape, sexual harassment and still comes out of all odds in the society, emerges successful making a impact in the development of economy and successfully handle the family.

  I looked at my wife who was still busy in kitchen cooking for us, forgot to relax and find happiness in serving the family. My daughter watching videos in Iphone who literally sought an appointment from Doctor father to spend time with her on Sunday. I went to Kitchen and Lifted my wife in both hands.

  I made her sit at the dining table and served the food she cooked. Immediately my daughter joined the Sunday brunch. Later, I spent sometime playing football with my daughter which we thoroughly enjoyed!

  I was tired and was breathing heavily. Sat on the bench to relax and closed my eyes. The Jasmine’s flashback and India’s daughter visuals were criss crossing each other. I was the only person who witnessed the cruel death of Dr. Bhoj. It was the soul of Jasmine and hundreds of female babies which were terminated either in the womb/immediately after birth that killed Bhoj.

  But what could be done to the current situation in India to prevent crimes on woman?

  Improve Sex Ratio, Accept Love marriages, Moral upbringing of girl and boys at home and schools, Censorship of objectionable content in movies and teleserials, Workplace Security, Channels like Apps, Toll Free numbers in Public Transport and mandatorily in cabs to report crimes, Martial arts training to girl child in schools as part of Physical Fitness, suggestion box in women’s college and lot more…….

  Will anything like Jasmine happen in the present scenario in India and will the wild fragrance seek its revenge…….Sounds Interesting!!!

  About the Author

  (Venkat Bathini) is a writer who wants to depict social stigmas in society through commercial narratives. He wants to take these books to the next level with movie adaptations which have a wider impact. All he wants is to entertain readers through his fresh plots and narration. His themes are unique written in a movie format where the first ten chapters comprises of first half and the remaining ten chapters discussing the second half. The author deals with the most sensitive issues of the society written in a simple language and an engaging manner. His books evolve a path for new type of books Called the ‘Bookie’( Book+ Movie) – a book in a movie format.