My name is Ganga Mandal.
I am from Kolkata, 38 years old, and I have been living in Jaipur since 2001.
When I was 15 years old, my husband was already living in Jaipur.
It was an arranged marriage — his family was wealthy, and we were very poor.
I got married in Jaipur in 2003.
My elder daughter, Payal Mandal, was born in 2004, and my younger daughter in 2006.
Everything was fine until my first child was born.
When I was 8 months pregnant with Payal, I was sent to my village with my aunt because, in our tradition, the first child is born at the mother’s home.
19 days after Payal was born, I became very sick and was admitted to a government hospital for 5–6 days.
At that time, I needed my husband the most — but he didn’t come, because I had given birth to a girl.
Over the phone from Jaipur, I was told, “If it was a boy, I would have brought a gold chain.”
My mother-in-law and brother-in-law came to the hospital but did not stay even for a day. They told my husband not to come.
My in-laws even said, “She screamed so much and gave birth only to a girl.”
After I recovered and went to my mother’s house, I will never forget how my mother, sister, and family members cared for me — if they weren’t there, I might not have survived.
When my daughter was 3 months old, my mother-in-law came to take me to the village.
She never carried my baby in her arms — she would take her away in the morning and say, “Feed her only after all the work is done.”
I had to express my milk and throw it away because my baby wasn’t brought to me on time, which caused me a lot of pain.
Once, my mother-in-law laid my daughter on a bed without pillows on either side. She rolled over and fell to the floor, injuring herself near the eye and swelling one side of her body. My mother-in-law applied warm flour paste and said there was no need for a doctor. She even stopped me from telling my husband.
Back then, there were no mobile phones — I had to go to someone else’s house to call. Whenever my husband called, my mother-in-law would stand next to me and listen.
When Payal was 8 months old, my husband came to take me to Jaipur.
It was the time of Jagadhatri Puja in our village. My mother was invited to a puja, but my elder sister-in-law and mother-in-law threw her out of the house.
The reason — my husband had said to my mother, “Please take Ganga for 2 days before she leaves for Jaipur; it will be hard to meet later.”
For this, there was a big fight, and my mother was insulted and sent away in tears. On the way, a villager told her, “It would have been better if you had killed your daughter and thrown her in the Ganga than marrying her into this family.”
At that time, my husband supported me. But gradually, he began to change.
We came to Jaipur. After Payal, I had two abortions in Dr. Deepak Raj’s hospital.
When my second daughter was conceived in 2006, they told me to abort again — but I refused. Because of this, I was beaten.
I gave birth to my younger daughter at Mahila Chikitsalay, Sanganer Gate, Jaipur. My mother came to help me when I was 9 months pregnant.
After my younger daughter was born, my in-laws troubled me even more.
I was young and could not manage two babies, so my mother took my elder daughter to the village for 3 years.
Later, when my younger daughter was a year old, they sent me to my cousin’s house in the village.
My mother-in-law wouldn’t give milk for my baby — she said, “Until our cow gives birth, feed her rice paste.”
Once, when my daughter was crying for milk, I went to my uncle-in-law’s house to ask for it. This caused more taunts, as there were family disputes.
My daughter had severe pneumonia. My mother-in-law would leave her outside and tell me, “Do all your work — crying won’t kill her.”
Eventually, they even gave me poison and told me to die.
A neighbor aunt suspected something and secretly took my parents’ phone number.
When I fell seriously ill, my father-in-law took me to a government hospital in Kalyani, Nadia district — but my parents were not informed.
The doctors said I wouldn’t survive unless I was taken to Dr. Sadhu Khan, who specialized in poisoning cases.
Only the next day were my parents informed.
They rushed to the hospital.
I regained consciousness only after 3 days, during which my body was kept in the sun to warm me. I stayed in the hospital for 15 days.
When I returned, my two daughters kissed me and cried. That day I promised myself — no matter what happens, I will never let my daughters be separated from me again.
My parents took me home. Later, my husband came to Kolkata and took me to a doctor — but in reality, my mother-in-law had already gone to get my signature on a blank paper. The doctor intervened and stopped them from forcing me.
After that, my husband told me to stay with my parents, promising to send money — but he never called or sent anything.
A few months later, I went to Jaipur with my daughters and brother. Instead of welcoming us, my husband abused me and threw us out.
With no money, I went to the railway station with my daughters, thinking we would either die together or go to my parents. People there gave my children biscuits and juice and suggested going to an orphanage. But the orphanage was closed, so an auto driver took us to Gandhinagar Women’s Police Station, from where we were sent to Roop Ashram.
The ashram was very good and kept us safe. After 4–5 days, my sister and husband came and signed a written promise not to abuse me again. But once we returned home, everything started again.
I went back to the ashram. My husband visited during Friday meetings, but his lies were exposed. The ashram decided not to send me back.
My husband then filed false reports against my parents, claiming they were keeping me away from him. I had to go to Krishnanagar court, which ordered us to live together for 6 months. I agreed for the sake of the children.
We returned to Jaipur, but soon my husband got involved in a fraud case and ran away, leaving us behind. He was later arrested and jailed.
That’s when my journey as a single mother began. I started working as a housemaid for ₹800 a month. Later, I learned saree-making, opened a small unit, but it failed. I returned to the ashram.
With help from social workers like Kavita Srivastava, Nisha Sidhu, and Kiran didi, I found stability. Kiran didi even kept us in her home, then helped me get a daycare job.
Eventually, I put my daughters in Malviya Nagar Orphanage for schooling and took a rented room nearby. I worked as a security guard at EHCC Hospital, then at Marriott Hotel.
Kiran didi introduced me to Azad Foundation, which trains poor women in driving. I was hesitant, but she took me there and got me enrolled.
I continued night shifts at Marriott while training. I also started providing lady guards and bouncers for events, which became a good source of income.
I learned driving well, and in 2016, when Ola and Uber were booming, I bought a Maruti Alto and started driving with them.
If Kiran didi had not forced me to join Azad Foundation that day, I might have been begging on the streets today.
Azad Foundation not only freed me, but also gave my daughters a free life.
Today:
- I own two houses.
- My elder daughter is studying Hotel Management.
- My younger daughter completed her 12th and is training at a big beauty parlour.
I believe — If you keep working hard, results will come.
I tell all women — Don’t be afraid. The day we get scared is the day we die. We must live and prove how powerful a woman can be.
Thank you so much to all members of Azad and Sakha Team for showing the patience and help me become a successful driver. ?????