Child marriages

One of the sights that remain etched in my memory is that of girls walking/biking to school. It was a heartening scene, something that I have not seen in my previous trips. I looked at the girls closely. Many of them were sporting the sindoor. They were married.

In July I made a trip to Panjab. The destination was Sherpur Village where Asha India meeting was going to be held. I took the Dadar-Amritsar express from Delhi. I shared the berths with a young couple. With them was an old man and a very ill old woman- the young man's parents. I got into a chat with the young wife who was cradling a baby.
"Boy or girl?"
"Girl."
Then I was questioned:
"Where are you going?"
"Dhuri. From there to Sherpur."
"Is it your mother's house or mother-in-law's house."
"Neither."
"They why are you going?"
"Some work."
"How many children you have?"
"I am not married."
Her eyes went large:
"You are not married?"
"No."
"I have been married for three years."
There was silence in the compartment. The young woman was obviously brooding over what I had told her.
"You know how old I am?"
I shook my head.
"I am eighteen. I was fifteen when I got married."
"Oh."
"It is really bad. Now I have a baby to look after. I am tired all the time. Now my husband has decided to bring his parents over. Look at my mother-in-law. I have to take care of her, do all the household work, and take care of the baby. My husband will go off for work. What does it matter to him?"
I made some noises.
"I tell you. One should not get married so early."
I nodded. I asked:
"What will you do with your daughter?"
She beamed with pride:
"This one is going to study. She is going to do a job. Do you know, madamji, girls who work need not get married till they are 25-26."
I decided not to tell her my age.