The article on meherunissa makes me write this. The names have been changed but unfortunately it is a true story.

Whenever he came home there was a hush, a lull in the activities.
Everyone in the family would be at his beck and call and why not, since he was a bada aadmi… a busy, benevolent , cultured and socially active man. They paid obeisance to him and considered themselves privileged to be within his periphery.

Salma loved to see the turbulence he created in her Ammi. She would be in a dither and absolutely lost till a look from him would shush her, calm her and quieten her. Salma’s brothers also would hang onto his every word and follow all his orders. She, being a girl wasn’t allowed near him . But being ziddi, Salma had once tried to sit on his lap but was rudely pushed down first by him and then by her Ammi.

She sulked for a week but no one cared. Being a child she soon forgot the ticking off. To tell the truth his once a month homecoming was a change from the humdrum of daily chores. The revelry and the feast that were a part of his homecoming was looked forward to by the entire Mohalla.

The years sped. Salma grew from a lanky, pigtailed, bedraggled girl to a comely maiden all sensuous curves and long limbs. Her best feature were her eyes and at thirteen she realized that she hated the burkha. Maybe it was the English medium school that made her shun silly norms and customs. But being a girl she dared not say a word. Except with her like minded friends.

One day back early from school, she flung the burkha and her satchel when she realized no one was home and put up her legs and dozed off. When she woke it was in a rush. Someone was standing and gazing at her disheveled state. She put a hand to her mouth , grabbed her burkha and fled to her room. Oh, my goodness what would he think? She was sure her Ammi would be chastened. She waited for the axe to fall.

But nothing happened. Instead he came to her room at night. Quietly, like a thief. He shushed her, kissed her terrified doelike eye and sat her on his lap. The lap that had been taboo to her because she was a girl a few years back. And then he caressed her body. Now she knew where and why he had been gazing at her in her sprawled state. She was too shocked to do a thing, and his warning hand that seemed to calm her was actually a warning to be quiet.

It became a habit. Now his homecoming was three times a month and always he would come to her. In the dead of night. His panting, heaving body and greedy hands would be all over her. Salma didn’t know if she loved it or hated it. Sometimes she felt good, it was like a seduction, he gave her clothes and jewellery but she dared not wear them. What would her Ammi say? Then she hated him .

She became morose and dull. Her Ammi was worried, so were her friends but she couldn’t tell anyone. His hard hand which would clamp down the moment she fidgeted or tried to stop him when he hurt her was threatening. Also, who would listen to her? He was too well loved and saintly .

One of the girls in school became pregnant. Salma’s friend whispered about how these things happened. Salma was petrified .Ya Allah, would she also be pregnant? But he had not yet penetrated her. He was wicked, he wouldn’t do that and let the world know his black deeds but for how long? Salma could feel his impatience and his need to fully satisfy himself. And one day he would ..then what . She broke down and confided to her best friend. Radhika. To say she was scandalized was an understatement. In fact she didn’t believe it. Until Salma showed her the bruises.

The friends sat and plotted. But what and how? Nowadays he had become more obsessed and his homecoming had become more frequent. Last night he had whispered frenziedly in her ears that he was going to take her away with him so that he could be near her always, away from probing eyes and wagging tongues. That meant he did not care at all about Ammi. He was ready to dump her. Salma felt a black hatred welling up in her. Her mind worked . She remembered something….

He was declared dead the next day.The whole mohalla gathered for condolence and mourning. Such a good man, Allah had called him early. Must be a heart attack … they said .Her Ammi wailed , so did her brothers and relatives. Salma’s eyes were dry.
He was given a grand burial. Such a benevolent, cultured person, they said.

Radhika was jubilant when she met Salma at school after the customary mourning was over.
“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” she said. “Before he raped you, God has killed him”

Salma was silent. Why should she tell anyone that she had fed peanut chutney lovingly to her dear Abba when he had stealthily come to her room in the dead of night, like the cad that he was to for perverse pleasures? Why should she tell anyone that he was allergic to peanuts? Her Ammi had told her that once. In fact her Ammi had told her that the day he had died too. Just a casual remark but Salma felt that maybe her Ammi knew…..