By Sumera B. Reshi
In a jiffy she lost everything she had gained in life. Her wide and cognac eyes reveal her short story. Once upon a time, she and her husband build a home a la birds do. Together they collected all accessories and decorated their small and cozy house in a fashion which looked like a dream house. From a house they turned four walls into a home, a perfect home. Both of them toiled like ants do. They gathered everything to supplement their dream house because they wanted to live their lives full of laughter and mirth. But destiny had something else in store.
On that ill-fated day when bright sunny day of summer hid into the lap of the night, Sara got restless. Her heart pumped fresh blood into her veins due to curiosity to find out her husband. Sara, 50, married Maqbool Dar of Bandipora. Maqbool was also in the prime of his youth when he decided to spend his life with Sara. There’s had an arranged marriage’ but fell for each other after marriage.
Life to Sara and Maqbool was colorful until one day air blew in frenzy, messing their world like a hurricane does to people when it thumps at its top. It took them years to construct a home, to have a family and to live happily, but their dreams shattered like a pack of cards. Maqbool was shot dead by the security personnel on the basis of suspicion.
Everything was fine but one fine evening Sara received the news of Maqbool’s death. Earlier, she went mad and restless as she had no clue of Maqbool. Deep in her heart of hearts, she had some apprehensions regarding security of her husband. She knew that sometime back Maqbool was involved in militant activities and she feared that someday Maqbool’s past might bounce back at him.
The day proved quite inauspicious for Sara and her children. She lost Maqbool forever. She lost her love. Her beloved vanished like dreams mystify in dawn. She knew she now has to bear this burden whole of her life. Maqbool left nothing except his three kids, two sons and a daughter. Sara, beat her chest, cried at the top but Maqbool had already set for his last abode.
“It is no fun to sob your heart out, look what has happened to you Sara”, said Sara’s mother –in-law.
With these words, Sara tried to reconcile with her situations and moved along. She once again started to share her responsibilities at home. Life went on normally and she was happy with her in-laws and her children.
But, she was destined to suffer in this world. She had to see a lot in life. She had yet to witness darkness; she had to face a new and fierce storm of fate.
Her family now was mother & father in-law, two brother in-laws, one sister in-law and her three little stars. Life was good enough; however, some unexpected tragedy was in offing.
Life moved normally. But again misfortune befell her. One day, late in the night some unidentified gun men broke into their house and indiscriminately started firing at the family members. In this gun battle, Sara lost her father and mother in-law and her only sister in-law. She, however, managed to escape along her two brother in-laws and her kids.
“It was a horrible night and I was so scared that for a moment I felt giddiness. I don’t know how I managed to escape”, said Sara while recalling the incident.
When Sara recollected her memories, she broke into sobs, her eyes welling down those fears she had experienced at that time.
“I was stunned to see my family members in a pool of blood. I stayed like an android unable to do anything other than to escape”, added Sara.
She kept running until she went to a far off place, out of reach of those unidentified gunmen. Besides, all these misfortunes, she had yet more to live with. Her father in-law serviced in a police department and that is why they came into the scanner of militants. On the both sides, Sara bore the brunt of hatred. Even now there are millions of questions in her eyes with no possible answers. There is a vast emptiness in her eyes that even an ocean can merge into them.
“I often wonder why me and my family. Misfortune is chasing me like death chases a human being”, sobbed Sara.
Sara gave everything to her family but now she is a desperate need of some financial help. She is unable to meet her both ends. Sara is interested to educate her children, especially her daughter, but being dependent on her brother in-laws she has to obey their commands. Sara is in a dilemma right now. She wants her daughter to continue her studies but her brother in-laws are pressing hard to get Sara’s daughter married soon. She is in a dilemma and don’t know what to do. This is a known fact that while conflict inflicts suffering on everyone, women are particularly affected by its short and long term effects. Sexual assault and exploitation are frequently employed as tools of war; victimization leads to isolation, alienation and prolonged emotional trauma. Same is the case with Sara. She often ask why she always and do we have answer to her queries.