Wife on instalments!


They got her married to someone who was already married but was also well off, even if not around most of the year. A labour migrant in UAE (or was it Saudi Arabia).

 She fell in love with a Mirasian da munda, a boy from a different village who she met in the town. He worked there at a barber shop in the town bazaar. 

The Mirasi boy brought her home. His family accepted her at once. She was clever and beautiful.  

 They went to the court for a nikha. She claimed that she was divorced from her previous husband. The husband's family contested that claim. The court asked for a proof of divorce. She presented her two sisters and a brother-in-law as witnesses. Nikha was done with the court's approval but the litigation that followed cost them dearly.

 The Mirasi family had saved some money by selling an old house to buy a new (bigger) house. This money was now spent on lawyers,  court fees and police. Some of it was also spend on feasting relatives and friends for their support.

 The girl’s parents and her (first) husband’s family wanted her back. They approached an influential person in Mirasi's village through an influential person in their own village. A panchayat was convened to decide the fate of the runaway girl.  

 More than fifty people (men) from both sides gathered on five occasions at the place of the influential. Private meetings were also arranged between the girl and her parents. She refused to go with them.

The panchayat decided to send her with parents anyway. 

The Mirasi family could not put up much resistance to the decision. It had already cost them a fortune. They were fast losing support from the feasting relatives. Two family finally agreed to drug the girl and dispatch her with her parents and first husband.

 The case was resolved.

After a few weeks, the first husband contacted the Mirasi village influential: 

“My people want me to kill her for bringing shame to our family... but I can’t do that because I love her!”.

If he didn't kill her, he must sell her off to get rid of her. He was told. That would satisfy his family.  

“Can you ask the Mirasi to take her back for 2 lac rupees ($1200 USD approx)?” He pleaded with the influential.

The mirasi agreed. They paid half of the amount upfront and the remaining half in four instalments. 

She moved back with him.

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