The Ninth Sense

A town like no other…

I felt free and proud on the streets of Roorkee. Its a different world.

A place where the sons were raised by giving examples of the women of Roorkee…

Everything was lively…sports…swimming…watching uncles sit and play cards at the university club house….the Regetta!

Never got flack for anything. I was free. It had culture!

People ask me…BUT you were born and grew up in India…you should be used to it…used to the mosquitos, the heat, the dust, etc etc.

NO….i grew up in Roorkee! Google it…but you wont know…unless you are a RoorkeeITE

When i came to bangalore in 2007…i thought i was going back to “my version of India”….and was stumped!!

After 11 years…i feel its not a safe place for single women or single mothers!! The moment there is a GUY standing by you…could be your father brother uncle boyfriend driver….nobody will mess with you. But the moment they SEE you alone or a woman or a foreigner…in my case….its a mob lynch..harrass her…bully her…BECAUSE SHE IS A FKG WOMAN. Seriously!!

Happened to me last year…April 8th, 2017. I rent a space and run my clothing store. LAST 9 years i rented. Then the landlord needed money for his daughters wedding. So i gave him…2.5 lakhs…with a promise to return within 3 months.

Afyer 2 years…last april…i asked for my money back again. He had ADJUSTED half the amount in rent and water etc etc. But i needed cash for business at that point….so i asked.

He brought me 50k and said the rest i can adjust with rent. BUT i need money Anna (big brother). He is a elderly man. He refused.

Then he said to empty his shop. I said i want my money. And he said to take it from his crotch. So…i pushed him! And i forgot that 5 of his family members were standing around…who had also been shouting at me….well the daughters pulled my hair and the one son in law pushed me against the clothes rack…

I felt pain and i knew i could get hurt bad…so i hid behind the table…while they broke glass…shouting in kannada…not allowing me to use my phone…4pm…the salesgirl tried to bring me water…she is hurt in head…

And then i started pleading …

I will empty your shop

Forgive me…touched his feet…

NOT REALISING THAT I HAD ALLOWED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME.

What were you thinking Raina….ask me…coz you werent there! So dont presume.

I needed This shop to earn living. What will i do if i leave it. What will happen….i need to make peace!

………..

I was taken to hospital next day…filed a FIR…a police case on 6 counts of violating dignity of woman…mob attack etc etc.

But i felt quite broken by this time…

And i couldnt chase after the police…my shop was closed…my water and electricity cut and everytime i went to shop…his daughters would spit at me. OFCOURSE, WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER STORE LOCATION. Took me 9 months to find one.

And here i am today…. missing my home town… “THIS would never happen in MY AREA….MY TOWN”

So…like a very dear and elusive friwnd of mine says….”there you go….”