Sanity

It was not just another day for me. My daughter is grown enough to move out and be on her own. Today is the day for which she was waiting for all these years. All her hard work and sacrifices are paid off and she got the job she hunted. I am proud of my brilliant daughter...

The train started moving. My eyes were welled up with tears. As I was leaving her hands, I told her “Don't confine yourselves inside the room in the name of safety. Go out! Be it day or night! Wander through the streets! Breath the fresh air without fear. Pay deaf ear to those who tell you to lock yourself up in your room in the name of safety! Go out my child... go out!”

My child is going to Delhi. Don't call me insane for seeing her off with these words! If you call me insane, I say you are insane.

Dilemma

As I was helping out my niece, Nayana, to finish her school project on Dandi March, I was wondering how the freedom fighters struggled to keep them bound to the vow of non violence and peace as they were being beaten to the pulp.

Down the memory lanes of history the struggle for Indian Independence has been the source of courage and inspiration for many freedom fighters including Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. After much explorations in the sea of knowledge the internet offered, we finished the project pretty well and retired to bed.

That night, in my dreams I met many heroes of the freedom struggle, especially those unsung heroes who lost their lives clinging to the mantra of ahimsa to their heart. The chanting of bhajans in the morning prayer session of Mahatma came as a lullaby and I had a sound sleep. In the morning, as I took the newspaper, the main news was about the historic launch of India’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.

After reading it my niece asked me with a sheepish smile, "Uncle should I be proud of the "ahimsa" or "arihant"? and I was answerless.

For sale

Lalithamma came home complaining that Sandu, her college going son, had lost his sleep for the last couple of days.
When asked, she said Sandu is very upset, as his friend Vinu's mother is going to donate her kidney to pay off the debts.
.....
Saranya, Vinu's elder sister turned 20. Her mother wanted her to be given in marriage soon. The marriage broker came with the proposal. He asked Twenty Thousand and 10 Sovereigns of Gold as "gift" for the proposed boy (I don't use the word "dowry"! It can take me to the authorities!)

The poor mother had to borrow from many people, including a Gold Jewellery owner.
Saranya leads almost a happy life with her husband. Thank God!
----
A year went by, Vinu's mother could not pay off the debts. The Gold Jewellery owner asked her to pay back the money, otherwise he would take legal actions against Saranya, as she is the signee in the promisory note.

The mother found no other way but to "sell" her organ to pay off the debts. The docs asked her to take a months complete rest to be healthy enough to undergo the surgery.
------
A poor, unhealthy mother is going to sell her kidney... to pay off her debts!!

The Moral Cops

The moral cops had no sleep in the night. Theyhad to devise an effective plan to chastise the sheep that went astray. At last they decided.... to kill!!

........

Rema was eking out a living by giving home tuition for children of well to do families. With her hard earned money she could giver her own children a healthy and happy living.

But her husband, a drone that he was, lived for smoking, drinking, and roaming around without doing anything. He was jealous of his wife, and it was sprouted and flourished in his idle mind. He had to depend his wife for everything. He felt he was inferior to her. But she never thought so.

It was he, who complained first, of his wife's character. He did not spoke about it with her, but with the neighbors. He said that she had affairs with other men.

It had its powerful effect in the vicinity. People started spreading roumours about Rema. They had their eyes always on her.


The youngsters kept night vigil. They waited in the night on the terraces of the nearby houses. They were waiting for her "secret companions who come only in the night." Thy wanted to catch them red handed. But they could not find any one. They got angry and pelted stones at her house. Her husband, joined them for all these and he enjoyed all these.

The next day, the moral cops, prepared a mass petition that alleged Rema to be a prostitute, and got it signed by her neighbors. They wanted Rema to be punished for immoral trafficking. They wanted her to bow her head, helplessly before them.

At last she had to!

........

Even in her trials and tribulations nobody ever saw Rema crying.
She never hate her husband.
She worked hard for her family, until she was brutally molested and beaten to death by the moral cops, the "sentinels of the society."

After 1pm

There were a lot of smiling faces around us.
They sat beside us with compassion and love. They wiped our tears. They laughed when we laughed. They shared their meal with us. Sang for us and gave us gifts.
When they reached at 10 am, we could not mingle with them. But soon they stole our hearts. By noon we became like a family. Joy and laughter all around.

Then the clock struck 1.
They all began to pack up hurriedly. They were too busy doing it, even to look at us. We tried to talk to them. But they did not. They did not even smile. They seemed as if they were in the wrong place. They finished packing within seconds.
They said good bye to the orphanage's manager. They drove away to their next destination, a water theme park.

Now, they're gone...
We're left behind, now by them too...
And now, after 1pm, everything in this orphanage is same as they were before 10 am.
It's pale, colourless, as the lives of the inmates like me.

Twelve years down the memory lane...

It was yet another ordinary day for me. I got ready and rode my bike to office. From the parking area I walked to office. Suddenly my eyes caught sight of something precious for it!! Oh my!! Lo! there stands Sweta!!

My eyes welled up with tears of happiness. There were the vivid pictures of sweet moments of twelve years down the memory lane.

The corridors of the training college were echoing with cheerful songs & laughters. There was fun and fights... friends & foes like Sweta, Romy, Saj, Shajin, John, Williams, and myself...

We learned how to channelise our talents for the good of the society. Learnt how to react powerfully. Learnt how to use the pen creatively, how to be with the wounded and helpless and ease or share their pains. We were learning to be responsible humanbeings.

We made fun of each other. We lauded each others victories. We shared our failures. Stood with the losers. There were fights between us. The more we fought the more our relationship got strong. There, be it friend or foe, everyone loved everyone. Words transcended their meanings, identity transcended and we were a "big one."

And then it was time for us to bid farewell & take our own paths... Now the time has brought me & Sweta together on the cross roads again... I didn't've to take even a second to recognise Sweta & memorise her name.

On the busy street we shared around five minutes together. Hearts throbbing... I did not ask for her contact nor did she. It'd be like asking for one's own contact.

And then it was time for us to bid farewell & take our own paths, hoping the time will bring us again together on the cross roads of life...

Thank God...

Chillamma, the Widow!

A two wheeler hit a dog and left him badly hurt. He was almost dying. The dog was abandoned by his master. He threw the dog on the streets.

Chillamma saw the abandoned animal and decided to feed him during his "last days." But for good or bad the dog came back to life and health.

He did not go back to his master again. He became loyal to Chillamma. He became very protective of Chillama and her two kids.

Chillamma was a young widow with two kids.

The dog had a problem. He was angered by the very sight of two-wheelers. Whenever a two wheeler passed by he'd try to frighten the riders. Many got hurt, as they fell on the road. Then they'd curse and scold Chillamma and her kids.

Once it was the turn of two policemen to be frightened and they tumbled down from the bike and got hurt. They came down heavily on Chillamma. The "keepers of the law and order" shouted at the lady and the kids, knowing that she cannot say any thing back, but to cry. They did not give a chance to Chillamma to defend hereself. They threatened her if she did not lock the dog they'd "do what is needful".

The impact of the incident was so bad that the kids could not write their exams next day. They failed.

Now Chillamma wants to get rid of the dog, but doesn't want to kill it. She isn't able to get anybody's help to find out someone to adopt the dog. Because if she talks to anyone about it, that would leave many a eyebrow raised. Because she is a widow!! An Indian widow!!.

The society will be watchful of her. Not to protect, but to find fault.

Chillamma, though in need of help, does not complain to anyone of her woes.

Every day has it's bitterness and toughness in store for Chillamma since the death of Maran, her husband. She's a widow!! An Indian widow!!

There's so much for an Indian widow to take care in the society!! There's a lot she must not do... There’s a lot she must do...

She's so cautious of her widowhood. She is so scared of the society that would blame her if it finds that she interacts with others, especially men. What a pity!! What a society!!