High drama prevailed at the self-ostracised Vemayyagari Indlu alias Devara Indlu hamlet, 10 km from Pakala, in Chittoor district, from Saturday evening till early hours of Sunday, when a group of social workers along with the police rushed there to stop a child marriage.
After hours of persuading the parents and village elders amid heated arguments, the net result turned positive, but not without threats of police cases against the lawbreakers.
Vemayyagari Indlu, which is believed to have come into existence in 1850 during a survey of the British officials for laying a railway line, still practises weird traditions. None in the village is allowed to wear footwear from birth till death. No man is permitted to speak to any woman in public, the exceptions being his wife and daughter.
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Weird traditions
Not a single girl has studied beyond Class X in this hamlet, as they are forced to drop out after puberty or entering Class VIII. During their menstrual periods, girls and women have to spend three days and nights on the outskirts of the village abutting a jungle. Efforts of the British and Indian officials to effect changes did not succeed.
Under these incredible conditions, parents of a 14-year-old girl mooted her marriage with a 22-year-old boy, their relative. The burning urge to see the outside world and to “wear footwear” made the girl agree to the proposal. The marriage was scheduled to take place on Sunday morning.
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As the girl suddenly stopped coming to school, her classmates from neighbouring villages grew suspicious and found out she would become a bride in a few hours. They informed the Rural Organization for Poverty Eradication Services (Ropes) Child Line 1098, and the Women's Association for Liberation, Transformation and Community Health (Watch) on Saturday evening. Their volunteers rushed to the hamlet, but were forced to seek the help of the Pakala mandal police, anganwadi workers and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Initially, the team was not allowed to enter the village with footwear. The parents and village heads argued that they were guided by the rules of their mentor Vemayya (who founded the village), and none could interfere in their administration.
The presence of a cop instilled some fear among the villagers, who at last reduced the pitch of their voice. When the rescue party tried to take the bride with them, elderly women hid the girl saying that she had left for nearby Pakala to purchase dress material. The parents finally budged to the threat of arrests and inspection by the police, and promised that they would not perform the girl's marriage.
A ration shop dealer played a part in preventing the social evil, but not without a threat of his licence getting cancelled.
The social workers kept surveillance on the village till Sunday morning to prevent any untoward happening. In the morning, the ICDS officials received communication that the girl was safe and the bridal preparations were stopped.
The girl told a woman official that she succumbed to the lure of wearing footwear. "Once I get married, I will have chance to see the outside world. And I can wear footwear, though secretly outside. I can sleep inside home when I undergo menstruation. Now, I can't even go to school," she said and wept while urging the official to help her attend classes.
Meanwhile, in another incident, the Ropes Child Line team rescued a 14-year-old girl from a planned marriage at Ponnuru village of S.R. Puram mandal of GD Nellore Assembly constituency on Saturday.