Arya, a woman from a small village in India, recounts her unusual and often tumultuous childhood. Born on a Friday the 13th to superstitious parents, Arya was frequently ostracized and mistreated due to her "devilish" smile as a baby and her tendency to speak her mind. After being abandoned by her parents at a young age, Arya was taken in by her aunt, a tarot card reader, who provided a more loving and supportive environment.
As Arya grew older, she became increasingly frustrated with the superstitions and injustices in her village, including child marriage. She attempted to sabotage a wedding and, in the chaos, a fire broke out, leading the villagers to believe she was responsible. Arya was forced into hiding, but when her aunt fell ill, she ventured out and discovered she had antibodies to a deadly disease that was spreading. Her blood became the cure, and she was hailed as a goddess by the villagers.
Arya uses this newfound influence to advocate for education, medical facilities, and an end to superstitions and age-old rules that harm children. The villagers ultimately listen, and Arya leaves to pursue her studies and later becomes the new chief of the village.
Here are the extracted key facts:
1. Arya was born in a small village in India on a dark stormy night on Friday the 13th.
2. Arya's parents were superstitious and believed that her birth on Friday the 13th was a bad omen.
3. When Arya was two, she called out her grandmother's name for the first time, but her grandmother passed away the same day.
4. A few months later, Arya learned to say her grandfather's name, but he also passed away.
5. Arya's parents thought she was weird and believed that she was cursed.
6. Arya's parents didn't allow her to wear black clothes or keep black objects, as they thought they were demonic.
7. Arya rescued a black cat from the streets and named it Kali, but her parents threw the cat out of the house.
8. Arya was furious and started screaming, and a loud clap of thunder followed by a loud bang occurred, striking an ancient sacred tree with lightning.
9. Arya's parents apologized and brought Kali back to the house.
10. Arya's parents took her to see her aunt, who lived in a far-off village, when she was a child.
11. Arya's parents left her with her aunt and never came back for her.
12. Arya's aunt was a tarot card reader but never taught Arya any of it.
13. Arya started school, but the school was just an empty piece of land with cows and buffaloes grazing.
14. Arya's aunt taught her at home instead.
15. When Arya was 13, she was playing with neighborhood kids when one of them got bitten by a snake.
16. A man took the bitten child to the temple instead of the hospital, but Arya intervened and the child was taken to the doctor.
17. The child's life was saved, but rumors spread that Arya was evil and could talk to snakes.
18. A girl named Maya was the biggest gossip in the village and would often pick on Arya.
19. Maya was getting married at the age of 14, but Arya discovered that Maya was unhappy about the marriage.
20. Arya decided to kidnap the groom to prevent the marriage, but her plan failed when she tripped and the wedding tent caught fire.
21. The villagers blamed Arya for the fire and tried to throw her out of the village.
22. Arya's aunt hid her in the house for months, but eventually, Arya had to leave to get medicine for her aunt.
23. The villagers saw Arya and ran away, thinking she was the devil.
24. Arya went to the hospital to get medicine, but the doctors were shocked to see her and conducted tests on her.
25. The tests revealed that Arya's blood had the antibodies to the deadly disease that was spreading.
26. Arya's blood was used to cure the disease, and she saved everyone's life.
27. The villagers apologized to Arya and started calling her a goddess.
28. Arya told the villagers to stop their superstitions and age-old rules and instead focus on education and healthcare.
29. The villagers understood and appreciated Arya's message.
30. Arya left the village to study science and medicine and was appointed the new chief of the village.