STEPMOTHER

If you search for the definition of a mother, Wikipedia says:

“Mothers are women who inhabit or perform the role of bearing some relation to their children, who may or may not be their biological offsprings”

A woman becomes a mother when she gives birth to a child and becomes a stepmother when she raises somebody else's child.

Here, this little girl in the picture lost her mother when she was four. Her father got married to another woman who now has the responsibility to raise her, who now is her 'stepmother’. She has a story that will send cold creeps down your bones.

She is Nisha, my neighbor, about ten years of age. She asked me if I could teach her mathematics, so I asked her to come home after school time.

Are you wondering about the brown colored patch on her face? it's neither allergy nor an infection, they are the burns given to her by her stepmother. Now wondering why? Heh, nothing much, she just asked for mere five rupees before going to school.

No No! Don't be shocked. It's just her stepmother, not the one who gave her birth. she didn't bring her to this world, why should she be responsible for her?

While she used to come and study, after teaching for about an hour when I asked her if she wanted to go (because maybe her stepmother would disapprove staying that long or disallow her to study) she would always reply with a smile, "nahi, abhi thodi der me". That did make me feel happy but sad at the same time. Maybe she found peace in those 2-3 hours where she stayed at home.

Nisha’s stepmother has a son, whom she treats like a prince. Her alcoholic father does not even care about what is happening with his daughter. Sigh!

Such behavior by a mother contradicts the saying 'the fosterer is greater than the one who gave birth'.

Mother is the one who does everything for us. There is no one in this entire universe who can take her place. A mother is a friend, a spirit, an influence towards success. There is no replacement for a mother.

But this little girl got her mother replaced. Don't you think it's better for such children to live in an orphanage? The pain of being an orphan is way more accepting than being tortured by the one you consider your world.