STORY-HINDU

HINDU

I am a Christian; I was offered free site for construction of a house, if I joined the Hindu religion. Myself and my sister decided to try it  As poor workers in a factory, we had nothing to lose.

Some Hindus had who had approached us took us to a temple. There were about thirty people, both men and women, all living in the same street .  As directed, we took bah and sat in front of the deity. A bearded man said many things about Hindus and conducted a pooja in front of a fire,  and, in the end , sprinkled water over our body. We were given new names- I chose Nikhil and sister became Sukanya. We were given food and certificates of identity. We went back.

“What difference did it make?” my sister asked me. I could not give any reply.  After some days, she got a letter, enjoining her to appear for an interview . I accompanied her to Pune. In an office with a board ‘Job Offered’, she was given the work of a domestic servant in a family, in the city. As it was a new place, I too went there. They appeared to be good people. She was accepted, but not I.

“I have no work; give me any work.”

“What can you do?” “Any work. I can work in the garden.”

So things were settled. At the end of the month, she got two thousand and I received five thousand  . Not bad, we thought.

Months passed and all went well. Trouble began, when a new person came in the family. He was their son who came from Burma, where he was working as a chemist, but things became difficult, due to Terrorist activities.  This man tried to take undue advantage of my sister, who is handsome. I complained to our house owner. So, he was sent to Bombay to set up business there ; I accompanied him.

In the City, life was difficult because of small accommodation. “Do not worry; as soon as we settle and improve business, we can get a new house.” The business prospered. I used to hand over the products to the customers and boss remained  in the office. One day he said:”Your sister can help us, if she comes here. She misunderstood my motive. I never wanted to spoil her. Now too I like her and am ready to marry her. It can be registered here itself. If she remains there, she will always be a house maid.” I thought about it and wrote a letter to her.

After a month, she wrote to say, that she is willing for the marriage. I went back to  Pune and returned  with her.

We shifted to a new office- cum –residence and she married the boss.