To honor is to love, protect and defend. There's no honor in killing.

Shiv was an upper-caste Brahman. From his childhood he was taught the importance of being born in a privileged class. He never understood casteism. He believed in equality of humans- irrespective of their caste, creed or gender.

Shama was the daughter of a local washerwoman. From the very start she wanted to become educated and serve humanity. Having have faced discrimination always in her village, she wanted to uproot the social evil of casteism. She wanted to prove that a washerwoman's daughter isn't born to become the same but what she wants.

There soon developed a deep affection between Shiv and Shama. Both had same thoughts, both had same views, both wanted to reform the society, both loved each other deeply.

Knowing that their families would never support their marriage, they tied the knot in a secret ceremony at an adjacent temple, thinking once married they will make the family members 'understand'.

The news started spreading like wildfire as soon as they reached Shama's village to convince her Baba.

"Bade Ghar ka Ladka humari Ladki ko Fasa Raha hein" slogans began being chanted, Shama's Baba, the Sarpanch all went against their decision and wanted her back. Frightened by the increasing tension soon both fled the village ans came to the city in a quest for Shiv's family's approval.

"Iss Choti Jaat ki Ladki ne Humare Shiv ko Fasa liya, Peisa chahiye inko bas" his family taunted Shama and disowned her.

Stressed by the elevating pressure in his family, they decided to elope from the city.

Suitcases were packed, a car was arranged, both went hand-in-hand to start their life afresh, away from all the familial pressures.

"There they both are, kill them!" Suddenly chaos ensued as Shiv and Shama's parents had spotted them.

"Leave us" they pleaded, but their parents were too deaf to hear. They were beaten black and blue, blood started oozing out from the many wounds they suffered. One last breath and they died.

Their families were happy to teach them a lesson- a lesson for wanting to live with the one they loved, a lesson to look better in front of the materialistic society, a lesson for marrying someone of their own choice, a lesson for not valuing a system of cast created by the society, a lesson for breaking all bounds for their love.

What the parents saw was their children tearing away the rules, they tried hard to maintain. What they didn't witness was rebellion, a want to do as they liked, a want to be with whom they loved.

Is Honor Killing Justifiable?

Love doesn't see inter-cast or intra-cast it sees happiness and contentment. So does our society. It sees it's happiness and contentment in being able to impose on us a stringent rule, failing to follow which we die.

Society killed the two souls on earth but God liberated them in heaven.

Stop Murdering to maintain a name, stop killing for a transient fame.

Image Courtesy- Google

19



  19