How Anjali Kakkar Found Strength Through Her Daughter To End Abusive Marriage

Anjali Manchanda, a 28-year-old makeup artist from Delhi, has emerged as a bold, confident, and financially independent woman, but her journey to this point has been marked by unimaginable suffering. Ten years ago, she was an innocent 19-year-old who fell deeply in love, rushed into marriage, and soon found herself trapped in a nightmare.

Her story begins with a love that turned toxic after marriage. What initially seemed like a loving relationship quickly became something far darker. Anjali's in-laws, obsessed with money and material possessions, began pressuring her to extort money from her family. "I remember feeling completely helpless and confused. I had no idea that my life was about to change so drastically,”  Anjali recalls. 

How Anjali Kakkar Rebuilt Her Life After an Abusive Marriage

When she refused, her husband responded with violence. The beatings were relentless, lasting for 30 to 45 minutes at a time, and she was left screaming for help, but no one came. "I often wondered why no one came to my rescue. It was as if I was screaming into a void,” she says. 

Despite being pregnant, the abuse continued. Anjali was subjected to physical and emotional torture, including being kicked in the stomach and slapped so hard that her eardrum burst. Her husband's family showed no compassion, and Anjali was forced to leave her home and seek refuge with her parents, all while hiding the truth from them out of fear and shame. "I felt like I was living a double life, constantly pretending everything was fine," she shares.

In a desperate attempt to support herself and her newborn child, Anjali took a job as a salesgirl, working long hours despite her deteriorating health. She later registered with UrbanClap, where she began to earn a modest income. However, the abuse and stress took a toll on her body, and she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. "Every day felt like a struggle, but I had no choice but to keep going," she says.

The abuse reached its peak on a fateful night, when Anjali was brutally beaten for refusing to ask her family for more money. This night, which she describes as the worst of her life, pushed her to the brink of suicide. "I was so close to giving up," Anjali remembers. "It was only the thought of my daughter and a conversation with a friend that pulled me back from the edge."

Anjali finally found the courage to leave her abusive husband after her friend informed her mother of the abuse. Her parents took her to the police, where they discovered the extent of her injuries, including a ruptured eardrum. Anjali filed a case against her husband, and after three years, she finally found the strength to move forward. "I knew I had to fight for my daughter and for myself," she says.

Anjali's story is a powerful testament to the resilience and strength of a woman who refused to be broken by the abuse she endured. Today, she stands as a symbol of empowerment, having overcome immense challenges to rebuild her life and provide a better future for her daughter. "I've come a long way, and I’m proud of how far I've come," Anjali reflects.

This story was published in collaboration with Josh Talks.