Author’s Note: Every one of my women with spunk stories are true stories, narrated to me by the women who went through these challenges in life, and overcame them with sheer grit and determination. Names have been changed to protect their privacy.

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While Bhoomija silently lived through her private hell, Ram had relocated to another town to study towards a masters degree. A few months into this, Ram could no longer bear the separation from his wife and child. He rented a bigger house which was more suitable for a family and asked both of them to join him.

Life sparked within Bhoomija again who grabbed the opportunity with both hands! She packed up only the bare necessities for herself and Luv and joined Ram happily. In those blissful months away from the influence of Bhoomija’s in-laws, both of them rediscovered the reason they fell in love with each other. It was a time of joy and peace. 

Like most small towns, there was no need for Bhoomija to have any cash on hand on a daily basis. Ram paid off the vegetable vendors and the grocery stores maintained a running account that was settled every month. It so happened that Ram had travelled back home for a work-related trip. Before he left, he confirmed with his mother that money to run the household in his absence was on the way.

But the money never arrived and soon, Bhoomija found she didn’t even have enough left to buy basic vegetables every day.

For a few days she resorted to convincing the vegetable vendors to part with any one vegetable for free and if she liked the quality she would buy it from them the next day. It was sheer ingenuity on her part, but it was also driven by sheer desperation. This was the only way she could think of ensuring she had at least one vegetable daily to feed her son.

Eventually Ram came back and was shocked to find Bhoomija had run out of money, as his mother had assured him money had been sent.

They moved past this incident and focused on being happy and cherishing every moment they shared. Ram and Bhoomija lived a very simple life in this small town, with no mobile phones, land line or television. They simply enjoyed each others’ company and of course spent all their time, love and attention on Luv.

One evening, Ram left for work-related travel. Living a lifestyle with no television or smart phones had its drawbacks. Ram had no inkling of the trouble that was brewing in town; a major riot was underway. He found out only once he reached his parents’ home but by then it was too late. All roads into the town where he had left Bhoomija and Luv were blocked for security reasons. No one could get in or get out. Overnight, the small and simple town had become the centre of a major religious feud.

Bhoomija was cut off from everything including electricity within the first two days. Food was the last thing on their mind by then. Only survival mattered. People of one faith were hunting down people of the other and ruthlessly set about killing anyone in sight. There was no mercy for women or children.

Bhoomija wasted no time in forming a contingency plan. Thinking on her feet and completely focused on her son’s safety, she found a loft within their apartment which was just the right size for Luv to hide in as it was not immediately visible in case a stranger managed to break in. She trained two year old Luv to climb up there and not come down no matter what he heard until he heard his own mother say it was ok to come down.

The sounds of people dying all around them echoed for the next couple of days followed by an eerie silence. Bhoomija and Luv had survived the worst nightmare of their lives.

Meanwhile after desperately trying every possible means to get back to them since the day he left, Ram was finally able to find a way back into the small town and bring Bhoomija and Luv back home after a couple of days.

As soon as they reached home, what should have been a sigh of relief became a wave of accusations. Once again, Ram’s mother found a reason to blame Bhoomija and said they wouldn’t be in this situation had she not decided to go live with Ram in that small town and put herself and her son at risk. 

Ram’s mother continued to exercise her control and refused to let Luv be enrolled in school. By this time however he was of school going age and it wasn’t just a matter of missing play school. Bhoomija put her foot down and refused to give in to this latest demand.

Slowly and steadily, Ram also began to take a stand for his wife and son. Bhoomija could see how Luv would get affected by the loud voices and the arguments so she would try her best to keep the peace for his sake. She also began to notice that Luv cried every time he saw her cry. Bhoomija began to bottle it all up for her son’s sake, never letting him see how upset she was with the way her life had turned out. He and Ram were the bright light at the end of the very dark tunnel and she always reminded herself of this.

Even during the worst of those times, Bhoomija never argued or fought with her in-laws. The most she permitted herself was to say “This is not right. I do not want to do this.”

Everyone reaches their limit some day. And one fine day, Bhoomija found she reached hers.

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