There were three women. The oldest was around 60 but looked
much older. She was a widow, very thin and fragile. She looked much older than
her age and was always draped in a saree tucked tightly around her which made
her appear even more weak. The second was her elder daughter. She was married
but abandoned by her husband, two children and in laws. She worked 8 to 8, 7
days a week and lived with her mother and younger sister. Over years of
suffering she had become thinner than her mother and her only hope was that
someday she will be united with her family. The youngest was Minni. Minni, lost
her father when she was 16. No one supported them and she was forced to start
working at the age of 16. At the age when kids go to college and have fun with
friends, she started taking care of her mother. All the three women lived in a
one room 12x14 flat with two single beds tucked somehow in which the three
would sleep.
One day, Minni, met an old man for a job interview. The old
man was not so old, say 50. The old man, was touched, was moved and sad when he
heard about her plight. He was very sad. He was also worried her future. This
is cruel world. How did Minni, a beautiful young girl, working in call centers
for last 5-6 year survive exploitation. He also adored her. The old man always
wanted a daughter and he saw a daughter in Minni. He wept so many nights
worrying about the future and thinking of the past and present of Minni.
Gradually, the bond as father and daughter evolved. The feeling was mutual.
Minni started calling old man as ”Papa”. It was not easy for Minni as the world
would call her mean to adopt a Papa for selfish reasons. However, the bond grew
stronger with time and they were “Papa Beti”. She became the daughter of the
old man’s family.
But the bond was also strange for the world. Laws do not
allow to adopt any child over 12. The relationship between a young girl and an
old man was questionable. Family, friends, society all wanted this bond to
break. Everyone asked the old man to break the bond. They even said, that the
old man could go to jail as the relationship is questionable and that no one
will believe this father-daughter theory. What shall the old man do? Leave the
three women on their plight (as there are hundreds of millions of other
miserable women in the world so what is special about Minni!!!). Shall he also
abandon his daughter as she is not his daughter? Shall he just think of keeping
his immediate family only happy? Shall he abandon the daughter, his daughter,
his daughter of many lives.
The old man is torn, the family is torn and the daughter is
torn. Instead of a dream of a happy family it has turn into a nightmare. The
dreams are foolish and only fools ride horses. We think we make right
decisions. We think we decide on our futures. We think we control our destiny. So, what is the right decision in
this case? Is it about right or wrong or is it being selfish? Shall the old man abandon the daughter as she is not his daughter and make his family happy? Is there any other option? Is this really so complex that it can't be resolved?
