It was a regular work day… Got a call from casualty to attend to a 11 yr old girl vennila who was given poison by her mother … Rushed to see her but fortunately she was already stabilised and intubated… Then had to visit her often to track her progress. She was coming out well and was extubated on day 3… Then on a casual note when enquired about the history came to know that Vennila’s mother in a fight with her husband had ingested poison herself and had forced her two girl children to take it…Thought how foolish an act it was and came back to my unit…
The next day Vennila was transferred in to our ward and had to elicit further details about the incident …Her mother Thamarai was with her…
Thamarai was looking drowsy and tired…She too was just out of danger and was barely able to walk… But with no one to tend to her daughter she accompanied Vennila…
Me:: Ena ma Prachana? Aen epdi panninga
Thamarai: Mudila nga … daily Veetukararoda sandai
And she started elaborating her struggles…
Thamarai’s husband was a deaf and dumb .He was thamarai’s close relative …
Thamarai was married to him at 16 yrs of age… The marriage went well for quite some time … Vennila was born and then her young sister “Janani” after 3 years…Life have its cruel turn for reasons less understood…To help the finances Thamarai joined work in a nearby handloom… And from then Thamarai’s husband started behaving odd… His illusory suspicion grew and he started to thrash Thamarai on and off telling she was betraying him… Added to the inferiority complex he had because of him not able to speak and hear he become an alcoholic… Turned into a filthy monster and began to whip his wife and daughters on regular basis… With no relatives to tell her struggles Thamarai approached her neighbors for help… But they were apprehensive and cudnt believe Thamarai’s husband a deaf and dumb could be so mean.They denied to help her…Not able to bear the torture she decided to take the extreme step of ending her and daughters life…
Vennila was a bumblebee ,bright and pretty sharp…She excels in her studies and also in athletics amidst all this turmoil…
When asked Vennila why she didn’t stop her mother from doing so ?
Vennila:: Na niraya thadava sollirken Amma Namma Vera engavadu poi puzhachiklam nu
but Amma romba azhudute irundhuchu…Nanum Amma illama enna panrathunu kozhapathula ,amma kudutha poison sapten … !!
Me:: unaku padikanum nu Asai illaya?
Vennila :: Niraya iruku padichu police Aganumnu romba Asai…
A week later After obtaining psychiatric counselling Vennilaa was ready to be discharged…
Me:: Discharge Agiklam ma … veetuku poi padikraya etha pathiyum Kavala padama?
Vennila:: kandipa nalla padikren
Thamarai:: Ayoo Thirumba antha veetuku venam sir … Engayavdu ivala hostel la Sethu padika vekanum… Na poi pillaya vara oru tharam pathukren…
Vennila:: Amma unna vitutu na thaniya iruka matten and started to cry…
Thamarai :: Azhatha kannu… na vandhu adikadi pathukren… Ne veetuku vandhu kasta patu un vazhkaiyay keduthukatha…
After much pampering Vennila accepted to study from hostel and we sort the help of community worker Ranjan sir who helps such kids… He came within an hour and offered to help Vennila find a good hostel and also financial support for her future studies …
Vennila and Thamarai was very happy and I was confident that Ranjan sir who have a great track record in rehabilitating such struggling kids will help Vennila come out in flying colours…
Vennila waved good bye ,Ranjan sir exchanged pleasantries and told he will take care and keep in touch…
Thamarai wept and was ready for her new journey as a Bold mother focused only on Vennila’s future…
And when asked Thamarai how she turned so mature and bold after the incident she replied,
“ Oru Ponni dhan poiruchu… En Muttal thanathala naane konnuten avala. Vennila padichu nalla Nilai vandha podhum Sami”
Yeah Vennila’s younger sister-8 year old Janani died after consuming the poison…
Heartening that this new journey of Thamarai and Vennila have to go on over the loss of their innocent little angel Janani - who doesn’t even know why she has to die !!
Fate or what else we may name Thamarai and the society has buried Janani alive.
Atleast let Vennila come out in flying colours to soothe the wounds of Janani’s loss
~Sankar Narasimhan