Judge……………"court cannot permit you to take
custody of your daughter, till age of eighteen she will stay with her mother.
You are allowed to visit your daughter”.
I.…………………“Sir, My wife is a liar! She talks like an opportunist. She is an ego
manic. She takes me for granted. She
even use my daughter to emotionally black mail me and use her sex as weapon”!
Maya’s lawyer…..
“My lord, this is nothing but character assassination”!
I.…………………. "Sir, I got married eight years ago I
know my wife inside out, more than anyone else in this world. Sir, in my case my marriage is made as meat
business.”
Maya’s lawyer: “I object your honor!” Her husband is
comparing marriage to meat business”.
Judge…………….."Objection over ruled ".
I... ………………..“Living with my wife is like living with
an enemy. First Get married, have
children, find fault with husband, fight over silly things with mother in law
then file divorce and get legal maintenance amount (alimony) and live the way
she and her family wants. Some people
had developed this as an art. In my
case, I had a decent job when I got married to her. My company had to close down due to the
financial loss. At the age of forty
-eight I am unable to get a good job. Nobody wants to employ an old person like
me for more than Rs.2500 p.m. with my align mother I am just Surviving in this
world. I will not be able to give my
daughter a decent education. Therefore I humbly request you to permit me to put
my daughter for adoption. Somebody will
be able to give her decent education and secured life. I am willing to sign divorce paper so that my
wife can live her life the way she wants.
My wife is also from poor family; even she is not in a position to bring
up my daughter. I once again humbly
request you to permit me to put my daughter for adoption for the welfare and
better future of my daughter. I have
nothing more to say. (I broke down).
After studying the case judge pronounces his verdict.
Judge.………….. “Considering the welfare and better
future of your daughter I came to the conclusion. Since neither you nor your
wife is interested in living together and due to poverty neither of you can
raise your child so I hereby permit you to take temporary custody of your
daughter and allow you to put her for adoption."
Maya’s lawyer:"Her husband had pledged Rs25, 000
worth of gold ornaments in the bank. I
want her husband to return her ornaments at the earliest".
Judge asked me to return her gold
ornaments at the earliest. I had hand overRs.26, 000 and an authorization
letter permitting my wife to collect her gold ornaments. I then gave our
marriage Certificate to the judge. The
judge issued a letter authorizing me to take temporary custody of my daughter
and for Subsequent adoption.
My wife came to me.
She removed her wedding chain (mangalsutra) with Tears running down on her
Cheeks. I took it with my right hand and
returned mangalsutra back into her hand and closed her hand. I gently and gave
a pat on her hand. Our only daughter
stood as a silent spectator. I lifted my daughter in my arms…. ”Come on Sony;
let’s go to papa’s home”. I carried my daughter in one hand and in other hand I
had the custody documents of my daughter. Her brother came begging for my
daughter. I showed him court documents. “No!
Maya will learn her lesson in hard ways.
My daughter’s future means everything to me. Take care of your sister”. I waved for an auto. Someone clicked.
On the other side of the verandah, wife’s ego
does not permit her to beg for her daughter.
She was pleading with her parents asking not to allow me to take her
Ammini away. I carried my
daughter into an auto. My daughter asked for her Mummy and started crying. Fighting my tears back I held my daughter
close to my heart. Auto took U-turn in the court premises from the corner of my
eye I saw my wife stretching her arms at me and begged for her daughter. “My daughter...Ammineeeee...” she then
fainted .I shut my eyes tightly.
At home Maya took Sony’s doll and wept
inconsolably and started cursing herself.
Later when judge
went to his house he called on his wife. “Viji...I had committed a sin. An
unpardonable sin, I had separated daughter from her mother. A poor family case came up for divorce. Neither the husband nor his wife could raise
the child. I had to order for child for
adoption." He then went to the pooja room and asks lord Murugan for forgiveness.
“O lord! Forgive me for the sin I had committed. Whoever adopts the child must give her plenty
of love and affection…" His voice choked with emotions.
After we had food at the restaurant I took Sony for shopping. I
purchased dresses and toys for my daughter. In the evening we boarded train for
Chennai. “Sony you know, we are going to
papa’s home. Your nana will be waiting
for you. Do you still remember mammy, mamma, Navin Anna, Raga and Sudha Kutty?
Next day morning
we reached Chennai. At home my mother was waiting for us. Now and then my daughter asked for her mummy
and started crying. She had a small
circle of friends of her age. All my
neighbors welcomed her with open heart.
They all missed her for more than two years. I made sure she was not missing her mother
nor feeling lonely. Therefore, I took
couple of days off from work. I was
always with my daughter. At times she felt sad. She cried only when she thought
about her mother. Poor soul! I played
only her favorite pogo channel on TV.
She spend time watching TV and playing with her little friends.
Next day
Photograph of Sony appeared along with headline in our national newspaper.
“Landmark
judgment in child custody!” Judge allows poor father to put his daughter
for adoption!!
One day I was
playing with Sony Gudiya .a man came to our house in Lord Krishna’s costume. He
had his face painted in blue color with a crown on his head. He started singing
in Telugu. “Jaya govindam."… I gave
him 50 paisa.
Lord Krishna
… “Sir, makeup costs more money”. He
asked me for more money.
I…“Did I ask you
to wear makeup?" I then called Achoo (A local dog I adopted when he was a
pup). There was no sign of him. Lord Krishnan peeped into my house. He expected
my wife to give him more money. He then started singing vigorously. ,”JAYA
GOVINDAM…PARAMANADAM…! ”.
I Screamed
“ACHOOOOO…” Achoo appeared from out of nowhere .I found him wagging his
tail at the back of me and was eagerly waiting for my orders. Achoo looked up
me and I winked at Lord Krishna. He got the clue. Lord Krishna took off, Achoo
set after him; both of them ran around the playing ground, which was in front
of my house. Achoo ran tugging at his veshty.
Sony…. “Papa man
running, running Achoo biting, biting.” She told me in her broken English. Sony
could not stop laughing. She literally went into Paramanandam. Started laughing
with over excitement.
I saw Lord
Krishnan running back to me. I caught hold of Achoo. Achoo looks satisfied with
his performance. I give a pat on his back and put him on the chain. Lord Krishnan
spread his veshty; I looked at his face through the torn veshty
Lord Krishna...
“Sir, your dog tore my veshty,” he complained to me.
I……“Yeah, You
missed your crown too!” I end up paying Rs.10 but it was worth for my
daughter’s laughter, which I missed it for more than two years. We both had fun
at the cost of ‘Lord Krishna’ and Achoo.
One day I took
my daughter to zoo. I pointed cubs playing joyfully with tigress. She enjoyed
watching cubs playing with tigress for some time. She then started crying and
asked for her mummy. I had no words for her whenever she asked for her mother
so I took her to the monkey’s cage. Monkeys were making funny faces some of
them were doing acrobats. However Sony was not interested. We visited some more
cages and went back home without speaking.
Next day evening
I took my daughter to Marina beach. She played with sand and sea for some time
and ran all over the beach. After some time she became tired .she came back and
sat with me. She watched parents playing with their kids joyfully with waves.
She then started crying for her Mummy. After some times she asked me “Papa why
can’t we live with my mummy”? I held her close and looked at horizon for
answer…. Then I promised her that I would get her a good mummy. We left for
home in silence.
At home she had
her dinner early and slept with Nana. I started thinking..." if I marry a
working woman I will be able to manage home. What would I do if my new wife
does not like Sony? If she gives birth, will she love my daughter the same way
"? “Yes”, I have to put
advertisement in paper for adoption of my daughter. For that I had to sell my
TV. I sold my color TV and got Rs 3000. Next day I went to newspaper office and
give advertisement for my daughter's adoption.
For adoption
Healthy /
Intelligent
Sony
C/o. the National,
P.O.Box: Chennai -2.
Seven years old
Ajay asked his mother why Sony’s photograph was given in the
advertisement. His mother told him that
her parents put her for adoption “may be they are very poor people. They might
not be able to bring up her”
Ajay…“Mummy I
like her. I need a friend, a friend for life!”
His mother asked
him "What happen to your friend Nisha"?
Ajay…"She
is mad! She beats me! At times she even bites me!”
His mother
continued “And you're other friend, Swetha?”
Ajay... “She is
too proud of herself. Egomaniac”! He showed a mocking face at his mother.
Ajay's mother repeated his words. “A friend for life! Not a bad idea. I will
write to Sony's father” In a cover Ajay put his photo and a small slip (request
letter) in it and asked his mother to send it along with her letter to me.
Ajay's mummy
took the newspaper and went to kitchen for cooking. Now and then she looks at
the girl’s photo. Sony. What if I adopt this girl and mould it as my future
daughter –in-law? She would be my perfect daughter-in-law. She finished her
cooking and started writing letter.
After a week
time I had collected twelve-reply letter from the newspaper office. I went
through all the reply letters most of them from childless couple. Some of them
want to change Sony’s religion for adoption; few of them offered me money. I
found one of the letters with a small boy’s photo along with his mother’s
letter. I had selected only three of the letters.