Nadia
Grandma, Grandma why we were going to attend the woman's funeral?.The grand daughter asked her grandma for many times.Her grandma didn't answer to her question.But tears rolled down from her eyes. The grand daughter didn't want to disturb her further.So she kept quite . The whole family attended the funeral and returned to their home in the evening. The home was very silent for many hours.The grand daughter was also very silent. She understood the situation very well. After sometime she went near her grandma's bed.She watched her grandma keenly .The grandma's eyes were closed and she looked very tired . The grand daughter touched her foot.Her. grandma opened her eyes slowly.She hugged her grand daughter.She knew that her grand daughter would like to know about the woman who had died.Her grandma said that the woman was her step mother and her name was Nadia . Nadia was a kind hearted, innocent and young girl .She.was married to Marudhan.He was a farm labour and he worked in the village landlord's farm. After the marriage Nadia lived with her husband in a small bamboo hut in the remote village. Both of them went to work in the morning and returned to their hut in the evening daily .They were given one padi of rice and a half anna daily as their wage.Her life was mingled with her husband,her hut and her work. Months were rolled. After ten month Nadia had given birth to a male baby in her hut.On those days there were no hospitals in the remote villages.Giving birth to a child was a difficult task on those days too.Nadia and her baby were safe.On the same day the landlord's only daughter had given birth to a female baby.Unfortunately she died.The whole family was totally upset.The landlord was very much worried about the new born baby. He came to know that Nadia had given birth to a male baby.He thought of an idea.He called Nadia to her house immediately . Without knowing anything Nadia came to the landlord's house very slowly.The landlord told her about the death of his daughter.He also requested to her to feed mother's milk for a few days .Nadia was shocked to hear that and she didn't know what she did . Because she belonged to the untouchable community.She refused to feed the baby first. After she had seen the motherless baby she accepted to feed the baby finally.The landlord called her wife and insisted her to give new clothes, food and essential things to Nadia.Nadia have promised them them to come on the next day and feed the baby.She returned to their hut and told everything to her husband . Her husband had no other way to refuse the request of his owner.He also said that the god had given a chance to help the owner .They felt that it was their duty to help the landlord in such a critical situation.Both of them became very happy to save the new baby. The next day Nadia got up very early and took bath in the Pandava river.She wore a new saree and worshipped the home God and walked towards the landlord's house.The landlord and his wife welcomed her cordially.She became a new guest to their family.The landlord's wife brought the baby and handed over it to Nadia.Nadia received the baby with great respect and fed the baby.The baby had drunk the mother's milk full. Nadia became very happy and felt like an angel.She visited the landlord's house daily.The baby was very cute and it caught the finger of Nadia.A new bondage had developed in between them.. From that day onwards they were unseparable .Nadia liked the baby after her son and husband.Days were rolled.The landlord's family members treated Nadia as one of their family members .Nadia and her husband were requested not to work in their farm as farm labourers no more.All the basic needs were given to them by the landlord.The villagers were very much surprised to see the new woman Nadia and her improved behaviour.The untouchable community people of the village treated Nadia as their special woman . They were given more respect to Nadia and her husband. First respect was given to Nadia in the temple and functions in the village.Nadia became very popular in the village.Days were passed.Nadia fed the landlord's grand daughter for nearly three months.The baby was very safe and healthy .But the landlord was affected by pneumonia.He was in death bed.He wanted to do something for Nadia.He called his son and asked him to treat Nadia as one of their family members after his death.He also asked him to give one acre land to Nadia for her unimaginable service to her family.The landlord's son accepted the demand of his father.After somedays the landlord died . His son donated one acre land to Nadia as his father had promised.Nadia refused to get the land initially but accepted it finally.She lived a peaceful life in the village for so many years.She became very old and died All the villagers attended her funeral.The landlord's family members had attended the funeral also.The villagers called the donated land as Nadia's land .After hearing the story of Nadia, the grand daughter wept for so many hours.The grandma consoled her.She kept her grand daughter in her lap and patted on her back.The grand daughter had slept and the grandma also slept after a deep thinking.
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