Dr. Elizabeth V.Koshy is a Professor in English Literature at Dr.A.B.Telang Senior College, Pune, India. Her poems have been published in edited anthologies by Sweetycat Press in ‘Love’, ‘Song’, ‘Beauty’ and ‘Movement’, Clarendon House Press in Poetica 3,4,5,6, Gertrude’s Writing Room, Caesurae.org, The Writers Club (Grey Thoughts), Stacy Savage’s Poetry for a Cause, Lothlorein Poetry Journal, The World of Myth Magazine, Indian Periodical, Literary Yard, Rabble Review, Muse India, The Wise Owl Magazine and Spillwords. Her CNF/memoirs have been published by Academy of the Heart and Mind, Impspired Magazine and Sweetycat Press. A story has been accepted for publication by 101 Words and a poem in  MockingOwlRoost. Her poem ‘The mystical conjunction’ was selected by Sweetycat Press for ‘The Jewels in the Queen’s Crown’ anthology in the 24 K Gold category.

Pati-Parmeshwar

Eyes downcast, face covered with her worn-out saree, the housemaid reported for work. When it slipped off her head, I saw her bludgeoned-in gaunt face, swollen and blue-black in places, with ruby-red blood in the deep cuts; one front tooth sacrificed to pati-parmeshwar bestiality.

I urged her to leave the lout and register a police complaint. She said he was a constable. Face streaming with tears, she blamed the drink. He would kick her plate of food, scattering chapattis and vegetables, the plate ringing against the wall. He beat her for protesting, till he was spent. Neighbours were forced to intervene at night and take her away for peace and quiet.

Her son, having night-duty, was not at home to watch over his mother. They had purchased a piece of land in their village, borrowing money. Mother and son were paying the monthly instalments. The rogue refused to make the payments though the property was in his name. His salary was spent on his food, his drink and a woman he was seeing, who was also working as a housemaid in our Housing Society.

A couple of months later, seeing her look happier and less gaunt, I asked her whether she had left him. The brute had left her and was staying with the other woman. He even dropped the other woman to work. She vowed that she would never divorce him because as the legally wedded wife, the property which they were paying instalments  for, would eventually come to her.

Asked why she wore the kumkum and the mangalsutra, though he was gone, she said it kept other devils off her. The kumkum and mangalsutra protects the wife from beasts outside and saves her for the bestiality of the monster inside!

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Pati-parmeshwar: Husband-God

Kumkum and mangalsutra: The red sindoor or kumkum and the black-beaded mangalsutra are worn by Hindu women  as a sign of marriage.