From News Dispaches NEW DELHI: History was reversed when Jayaparkash Narain Hospital for the first time in its history saw the wedding on Saturday the 20th of May. Naresh wedded Babita in the Burns Ward which has a history of receiving ‘women burned by their husbands.
Nineteen year old Babita daneed through most of Friday night. She was getting married the next day. She was happy and she showed it.
In a corner of the room where Babita and her friends were dancing stood a small lamp. Its wick was dipped in ghee and it was to be kept lighted all night. It was auspicious, Babita’s mother told her, and would bring her luck.
The lamp was about to change Babita’s whole life. But she did not know it then.
Around 2 pm Babita who was sleeping next to the lamp was ysit up by the flames eating into
At some stage during her sleep Babita had moved too close to the lamp. Her clothes caught fire. And in panic she screamed.
Babita’s mother and sister tried to put out the fire, But Babita frightened ran away from them and her clothes kept smoldering until her brother in law. Khem Chand threw a sack over her and stifled the flames.
Babita’s legs were burnt. Her abdomen was scalded. She had 25 percent burns, doctor said, and Barat was to arrive just 12 hours later.
Baraat Arrives
The baraat arrived on time. Nervously Babita’s uncle, Om Prakash broke the news to Naresh Kumara young tailor who was the groom. Everyone waited to see how Naresh would take the news. Would the barat go back, never to return?
Naresh took everyone by surprise, “I am going to hospital to see Babita,” he announced. And with acouple of relatives and friends he marched away to Jayaprakash Navain hospital.
Naresh who had known Babita for about a year first asked the doctors how she was feeling. Would she recover? When?
Then he sprang another surprise. Could he take her away for an hour or so and marry her, he asked,
The doctors refused. Babita could not be shifted from the burns ward, they said. She could easily catch an infection and then there would be no saving her.
“In that case,” said the young tailor, “let me bring a pandit to hospital. I just need 30 minutes. I came to marry Babita and I will marry her.”
Naresh with a pandit and some relatives returned to hospital at 11 pm on Saturday. Naresh put a garland around Babita’s neck. Since she couldn’t move very well, he helped her in putting a garland around his own neck. Doctors and nurses stood in attendance while the pandit chanted his mantras. And for the first time in its history, the burn ward saw a wedding.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 2, 1989