BENGALURU: In 2014, Padmaja (name changed) was just 13 years old when she was married to Manjunath (name changed), a 53-year-old man. Back then, she was not aware that it was a wedding. The girl, later rescued, continued her schooling and now she dreams of becoming a Math teacher. Padmaja was staying with her parents and sister near the Prasanna theatre on Magadi road. Life was peaceful till she lost her father when she was in primary school.
Her mother single-handedly raised her and her sister. Manjunath, who was reportedly known to her parents, would visit their house often. Her mother had taken loan of over one lakh from him. “He would come to my house and I would call him uncle. After few days, he started asking my mother to return the money,’' Padmaja said.
One summer, when she had finished her eighth standard and was at home, a ritual was conducted. “I had a fever. My mother came with him, and he was holding a thread. She told me it is a thaayatha (thread from temple), and by tying it on my neck, my fever will come down. I agreed. But when he came to tie it, I resisted and insisted my mother tie the thread. But they convinced me by saying that since he did the pooja, he has to tie it. I didn't think it was a marriage ritual,” she said. She was told to hide it and not show it to anyone as it is very sacred.
After summer, I started going to school. One day, one of my neighbour's noticed the thread and asked me about it. When I said it's for my health, she said it is a mangal suthra. I started shivering. Not knowing what to do, I removed it and went to school. In the evening when my mother and Manjunath got to know about it, he assaulted me,” she said. Her then-husband would often visit their house, would sometimes even drink alcohol and abuse the mother and the child.
Padmaja overheard a conversation, and learnt that Manjunath would tie her a mangalsutra at a temple. “I called my aunt and they told me to run away. I left. Later, with the help of an NGO, my aunts and uncle lodged a complaint at Kamakshipalya Police Station,” she said. Manjunath was arrested too.
Padmaja was sent to Bosco Mane, an NGO that works with children. She was at NIMHANS for over a month where she underwent counselling. Later, she got admitted to a hostel, where she completed her ninth standard and SSLC. Despite the trauma and without the aid of private tuitions, Padmaja passed her SSLC with first-class marks.
Talking about her love for Maths, she said, “Since my childhood, I've loved this subject. Even after my SSLC, I stayed at the hostel for some time, I used to help my juniors with Math,” she said. She later moved to her aunt's house, who works as a maid. “I finished my tailoring course and am presently training in computers. I want to take up a small job, work in the morning and go to college in the evening. I want to complete my degree and do my BEd,” she added.