Parvin Jungalwala Escapes 17-year Confinement
For 17 years, Parvin Jungalwala, 40, a Parsi widow, allegedly spent her life in home confinement. However, she decided to end her torture and the reason for this his is her daughter’s well-being, who will be appearing for her class X examination next month.
Parvin, who got married soon after her class X exams, has lodged a police complaint against her in-laws. Ever since her husband Cyrus’ death in 1993 she has been held in captivity by her in-laws, the widow has said in her police compliant.
She chose to end her confinement after she got angered by the alleged beating of her 15-year-old daughter Aava by her in-laws recently.
"I was married off at the age of 19 in 1990 to Cyrus, who was 39-year-old. My in-laws now are trying to ruin the life of my daughter," said Parvin, alleging that they used to beat her up and now have begun to assault her daughter too.
Her husband died in an accident after three years of their marriage. Subsequently, her brother-in-law Hormaz took charge of the family, Parvin stated in her complaint. "I was sexually abused by my brother-in-law whose wife had left him," she said in her complaint.
"Later, they took my signature to transfer various benefits which I should have got after my husband’s death like insurance etc. They even tried to prove me as mentally challenged and kept me in a room," Parvin said.
After Hormaz’s death, his son Jimmy began to abuse her, Parvin states in the complaint. Even Shirin, her mother-in-law, used to harass her and for food she had to depend on her father who lived in Mumbai, she has alleged in the complaint.
"I had informed my father about my situation in a letter written to him without the knowledge of my in-laws. Thereafter, he made arrangement for my food and sometimes I used to get food from my neighbours also," Parvin said.
Parvin’s elder son Jamshed, 17, is treated nicely by the family while daughter Aava is not looked after well, she has alleged.
Parvin left her house wearing a nightdress on January 27 and picked up her daughter on way from the school. Later, she approached a local NGO for help to register a complaint against her in-laws to recover the valuables which belonged to her.
"We were informed about Parvin’s suffering for the last three years by her neighbours over the phone. However, she could not muster up enough courage to come out against her in-laws," said Geeta Shroff, a women’s right activist.
This is indeed a very sad case and one cannot imagine the traumatic experience Parvin and her daughter must have gone through all these 17 years. I feel this is a fit case for the BPP to take up strongly with the in-laws who have mis-appropriated all the funds due to Parvin and yet ill-treated her. Such case are rare in Parsi community and it is essential that when they occur exemplinary action must be taken so that others would not dare take law into their own hands and give due justice to helpless widows and thier children.
Such type of inlaws should be punished and she must get all her rights and whatever things belong to her husband and son should look after his mom and sister as he is agrown up boy.
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mahruk kapadia
One canoot believe such an incident in this era. it seems that there was some sort of settlement b/w parvin and Hormaz because soon after his death she started complaining about the In laws. What made her not to let her parents know about her miserable life for so long.
I think we need to hear both sides of the story before jumping to conclusions.
i am toatally shock and saden to know about parvin.actually i respect parsis for their kindness and kindhearted soul but parvin suffering shaken me and if her in laws are truly harrassing her then this people are sham and i have no other words for them so i am agree with rony italia that we need to hear both sides and i pray to God that suffered lady parvin get justice for tough time she had gone through.i feel very bad for Aava God bless inocent Aava and parvin and get strong and get good life hearafter that can only ordinary person like me can wish.i am sure and hope some one from parsi kindhearted soul will come forward to help.
wellwisher
I am unable to believe that any Parsi woman would tolerate such nonsense …. The BPP should immediately swing into action and come out with the truth. It is a shame to the community that such a thing should happen and a bigger disgrace that an NGO has to come to her rescue instead of the BPP.
I am sure the community condemns such happenings and is ready to help once the investigations are done and the matter is factual.
Type your comment here…how come for so many years this nonsense was tolerated and nobody came to know about it . Why did the father try come to the doughter’s resque? it is difficule to believe such incedent has happend in our community. We are educated and one should have taken recource long time back.
This things happend in other communites but not with parsis. Why did the fly friends etc try to find out and oppse the in laws or complain to the police.
Type your comment here… I am deeply ashamed at the thought of someone from our community doing this to Parvin and her daughter. We take pride in our communities milk of human kindness, but this has left me dumbfounded. The BPP must take all steps to give justice to them. Anybody of the Trustees listening ?
This is India!
Even today the families stay together in one household. Mother-in-laws command over their daughter-in-laws …
Men still have more rights than we women.
India is backward and the changes need to happen in people’s mind.
What hell – to live in one household with every member of the family and their spouses and children!
Thank God for my freedom and the freedom of my daughters.
Thank God !
How can I help the poor mother Parvin and her daughter and son?
Any funds settled?
Jeannie Antia Wimmer
Hi Jeannie ,
This is Diana Bharucha ( nee Bhumgara ) We had great fun in Calcutta 30 years ago !! If you are the same person do get in touch with me dianabharucha@gmail.com
Isn’t this wonderful … my sweet friend in Calcutta found me!
Hi Diana … let’s start again exactly where we stopped over 30 years ago!
Jeannie
I would like to put in another comment!
My masi lives together with her daughter-in-law and never bosses over her.
My cousin-in-law Binny has a wonderful life in the household of my masi!
Besides …. in my grandfather’s house we also were staying-in together and were one big gentle soft family.
I never want to miss the wonderful seconds minutes hours days weeks months years
with my grandfather , my masis , my cousins and my brother.
God bless my wonderful family in Mumbai great town city.
Jeannie
I want to add some more comments,
Cyrus died some 17 years ago but his daughter is just 15 how come? It seems that Parvin is telling a lie she lived at her own because as soon as Hormaz expired she complained, his wife must have left him due to his illicit relations with Parvin. We must not accept her (Parvin’s) statement true untill and unless an inquiry is conducted.
Why would the Parsi Panchayat help such people – they are more interested in making money for thier own family rather then helping such families.
Look at the previous situation where the mother ( non-parsi) who was married to the parsi man ( who left his wife to live in the Parsi Panchayat House & left them to starve- due to which the little girl died as mother had to leave her and her older sister @ home while she worked as maid to someone in Dhobi Talao. )
No news as to what happened to that parsi guy due to which ” Phool jevu bachhu gujri gayu with starvation”
Useless people in the Panchayat – shame on the Panchayat people – look @ other communities where thier people fight for thier people & do everything to help them & look at our ” so call Panchayat Gurus = money making gurus”
NZ
One must not comment without hearing about the other side too.It does not suit to malaise the name of somebody departed without knowing the whole truth.Also if Pervin is evil ur comments cause distress to the family already in trouble.