THE CURSED ONE

 The Unseen Pain: A Story of Resilience

Her name was Meera, but in the village, people called her 'The Cursed One. From the moment she was born, the world seemed against her. Her father had wanted a son, and when she arrived—a girl—he refused to even hold her. Her mother, though loving, was powerless against the traditions that dictated a woman’s worth. 

A Childhood of Shadows  

Meera grew up in a small, dusty village where women were expected to be silent. She wasn’t allowed to go to school like her brothers. Instead, she learned to cook, clean, and bow her head in submission. At twelve, she was married off to a man twice her age. His name was Raghu, a widower with a temper as sharp as a blade. The first time he hit her, she cried. The tenth time, she learned to swallow her tears. 

The Torment of Society  

The village whispered about her. "She brings bad luck." "Her husband beats her because she doesn’t obey." "A woman’s duty is to endure." No one helped her. Not the neighbors who heard her cries at night. Not the priest who blessed her marriage. Not even the women who had suffered the same fate but now looked at her with pity—or worse, scorn. 

One day, Raghu came home drunk, his rage worse than ever. He accused her of stealing money, though she had never even touched his belongings. He dragged her outside, into the village square, and beat her in front of everyone. The villagers watched. Some shook their heads. Others muttered, "She must have done something to deserve it." No one stepped forward. 

The Breaking Point

That night, bleeding and broken, Meera lay on the cold floor of her hut. She thought of her mother, who had died whispering, "Endure, my child. This is our fate." But something inside her snapped. "Why?" she whispered into the darkness. "Why must I suffer because the world refuses to see me as human?" 

A Glimmer of Hope

The next morning, a stranger arrived in the village—a woman named Priya , who worked for an organization that helped abused women. She had heard whispers of Meera’s suffering and came looking for her. When Priya saw Meera’s bruises, her eyes filled with tears. "You don’t have to live like this," she said. "There’s a place where you can be safe." Meera hesitated. Fear gripped her. What if Raghu came after her? What if the village shunned her completely? But then she remembered the pain. The humiliation. The years of silence. With trembling hands, she packed a small cloth bag—just a few belongings—and left with Priya before the sun rose. 

A New Dawn

The shelter was nothing grand—just a small house with other women who had escaped their own nightmares. But for the first time in her life, Meera felt free. She learned to read. She learned that her worth wasn’t tied to a man’s approval. She learned that pain was not her destiny. Years later, Meera stood in front of a crowd of young girls in a different village. She spoke of her past, her suffering, and her escape. Some cried. Some listened in stunned silence. "You are not cursed," she told them. "You are not weak. You deserve love, respect, and freedom." 

The Echo of Change 

Back in her old village, Raghu still lived alone, bitter and angry. The villagers still whispered—but now, some of them wondered, What if we had helped her?" And somewhere, a little girl heard Meera’s story and dared to dream of a different life. 

 Meera’s story is not unique. Thousands of women suffer in silence, crushed by tradition and cruelty. But one voice, one act of courage, can change everything. 

Will you be the one to listen? Will you be the one to help?