A Thousand Splendid Suns....

I had heard about Taliban, I had heard about Afghanistan, I had heard about Osama, I had heard about September 11 attack, I had heard about Polygamy being practised legally, I had heard about child marriages, i had heard about 'Madarsa Education', I had heard
about unwed mothers... I had heard about all of it before. But if I came anywhere close to understand the meaning of any of it to even a fraction of reality it was by the book 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'.
How a mother dies in want of her illegitimate daughter who is tricked by her 'so - called' father in believing that he is the one who has his heart open for the child.How that daughter realises the fact after being left to sleep on streets because it may tarnish her father's ( in want of a better word) reputation to take her in inspite of having 3 wives and 10 children.How that man is unable to do or understand what to do of his illegitimate daughter when her mother commits suicide and his wives consider the girl as a burden.How that girl is forced to marry brute of a man some thirty odd years older than her who treats her as a baby bearing machine to get him a son he almost murdered himself due to his negligience in drunk state.How she is told about a married woman being the sole property of her husband who treats her worse than a piece of furniture in the worst corner of the house when she fails to give him a 'waaris', a son.
Time passes.How there is a family who celebrates the birth of a bay girl as happily as they would have done for a boy.How when the sons of the family have gone for war against communists the mother's life almost stops, forgetting she has a daughter too.How the father takes care of the girl, her schooling and of the house.How there can be pure and innocent love, unconditional love amidst all such haterd, war, ignorance and pity.How there are teachers in schools in kabul, trying to teach students that everyone is equal and sshould be treated so.How a girl cant mourn her brothers' death as she has never really been with them, owing to the fact that they had been fighting for their country as mujahideens, whom she had never been able to consider akive in the first place.How those Buddha statues were actually there in Afghanistan once upon a time.How people celebrated the exit of soviets from Afghanistan.How feelings are all the same irrespective of time/place/people and the thousand restrictions.How someone's absence can make you go mad, ignorant of the world beyond.How the lives change with a bomb.
Small lapse.The girl starts recovering.Is told about her lover's death, a lie.Is proposed to get married to a man more than thrice her age as his second wife.A woman the age of her mother as the former wife of her husband.The birth of a baby girl, change in man's behaviour.Coming together of the two women.Plans to escape.Failure and the tortureRise of Taliban:
"All citizens must pray five times a day. If it is prayer time and you are caught doing something other, you will be beaten.All men will grow their beards. The correct length is at least one clenched fist beneath the chin. If you do not abide by this, you will be beaten.All boys will wear turbans. Boys in grade one through six will wear black turbans, higher grades will wear white. All boys will wear Islamic clothes. Shirt collars will bebuttoned.Singing is forbidden.Dancing is forbidden.Playing cards, playing chess, gambling, and kiteflying are forbidden.Writing books, watching films, and painting pictures are forbidden.If you keep parakeets, you will be beaten. Your birds will be killed.If you steal, your hand will be cut off at the wrist. If you steal again, your foot will be cut off.If you are not Muslim, do not worship where you can be seen by Muslims. If you do, you will be beaten and imprisoned.If you are caught trying to convert a Muslim to your faith, you will be executed.Attention women:You will stay inside your homes at all times. It is not proper for women to wander aimlessly about the streets. If you go outside, you must be accompanied by amahram,a male relative. If you are caught alone on the street, you will be beaten and sent home.You will not, under any circumstance, show your face. You will cover with burqa when outside. If you do not, you will be severely beaten.Cosmetics are forbidden.Jewelry is forbidden.You will not wear charming clothes.You will not speak unless spoken to.You will not make eye contact with men.You will not laugh in public. If you do, you will be beaten.You will not paint your nails. If you do, you will lose a finger.Girls are forbidden from attending school All schools for girls will be closed immediately.Women are forbidden from working.If you are found guilty of adultery, you will be stoned to deathListen. Listen well. Obey.Allah-u-akbar."
Which Religion preachs this way?
Another Lapse.A woman gives birth to a baby boy in inhuman conditions because there are no hospitals for woman except one, which is overcrowded, has no medicines and facilities.Discrimation between the baby boy and baby girl is visible.Her husband's first wife poses as her mother to have her treated and have a delivery without complications.The woman is made to send her own daughter to orphanage.She is beaten for no offense.The man is killed, one of the two faces punishment by law and other repents
Is this life???I am still unable to grasp..Are you??