Pacchamma

Pacchamma was my fifth class friend. She was living withher grand mother. THEY were living near to our house at the entrance of Gali veedhi. She was fair and calm. I dont know why she was not living with her parents or where they were.I used to go her house for playing. AFter completion of fifth class I went to her house one day and she told me that she was going to be married.I did not understand.Because in our house I was the youngets and I never heard my father talk about marriage to any one of us. I did not see her afterwards. I dont know to whom she had been given in marriage. whther her life was happy or did she suffer due to child marriage.

My another friend Mastan bi was also not allowed to go outside after fifth class. I dont know about her plight. Even in these days , we are hearing about child marriages. I dont know when they will bw stopped.Recently, I saw in paper that one grand father took kanyasulkam and gave his grand daughter to some one and they had come to compel him to marry the child. Father has gone to court that he wants his daughter to study well and come up in life ,. He does not want to marry off his daughter. But it seems local village heads would not allow this because in those areas girls are in demand. See wher ethe society is going even today.