Episode 1 : A Girl Who Had No Option To Choose

2012-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Even after India has got its first lady president, the condition of women's status still requires a strong boost up to secure its prestigious value that is still missing in present Indian scenario. This real time story puts up a severe question against security issues of a girl child. This story has been presented from the perspective viewpoint of a six months old girl child who lost her father by the time she had hardly grown enough to understand what different relations mean to her.

"Listen Sangeeta, I hope you are gonna deliver a girl child soon this week as your date is approaching, “said the father.
Sangeeta smiled and asked how sure he was that she would have a girl child delivered.

"I have been praying for this for long to Lord Shiva and believe me if it happens I will not ask him to fulfil any other desire in my life ahead," added the father.

I was graced to hear this when my father expressed his deep love about me especially for a girl child as it is a rare phenomenon in a middle class. I had no words to express my happiest state. I was in my mother's womb by the time my father urged his eternal attachment for me.

As soon as a week passed, my mother cried and complained for a severe pain. I had no intention to make her suffer but it was natural.

July 25, 2006 when I opened my eyes for the first time in the world. I was not welcomed much into the family. In fact I saw compromised smiley on the faces of the family members. I was the first child of my generation in the joint family having fourteen members in count and the truth of being a girl child was a fortunate or an unfortunate thing to consider, I had no answer.

But my father looked highly exclaimed with happiness. It seemed his ultimate desire of life has accomplished.

About five and half of a month passed. I was being trained to learn to identify different family members and their different ways of expressing the love for me.
I enjoyed being into the family.

I remember that day when my father told my mother that the family was going for a vacation next morning. And hence things happened accordingly. The whole family including me headed for the village. Reached next evening.

It seemed as there was a marriage ceremony that lasted for four days. On the day bride farewell ceremony finished, everybody in the house looked calm and relaxed as a big function was over.
It was my father's only cousin marriage.

Within two hours of this function that has finished, my father complained severe sudden headache.
Everybody in the house rushed for a taxi. He was taken to the hospital.

Next morning ...

My grandfather had a call. He fainted as soon as he attended it. Somebody from the village sent a silent message into the home and from then I could not understand why everybody in the house was screaming and crying loudly.

I had never seen my mother into such a state before. It appeared as if she had lost something very precious. Well what it was, I had no idea.

And from then changed almost everything that related my life.

By that time I was just a six months old child on the day my father died.

I even had not started what different relations meant to me. For me the world was just simple and raw to accumulate.

I could only differentiate good versus bad people only by their friendly or unfriendly gestures.I had to make a guess when my mother cried for my father that day, something had gone bad.

I cried just because my mother cried and got back to normal when my uncle took me into his lap.

Few days passed my eyes used to search my father but I had no idea that he would never return.

Over time my stored memories fainted. Now I could hardly recall that my father was missing. By this time I started recognizing new people in the house.

My maternal grandfather suggested a new marriage proposal for my mother.

It was totally a rubbish proposal as it had been only fifteen days my father died.

Surprisingly my mother agreed without family consent. It appeared she had no concerns for me otherwise she would have rejected the proposal at least for the time being.

Nobody in the house even had the issues about my future perspective.

My mother started many arguments frequently in the house with my grandmother every day and night. I could not understand why she shouted on my grandmother as she had lost her precious son too. So there was no point in shouting at her anyway.

No body had problem in the remarriage stuff but it was too early to take a decision. My mother didn't care for ant sentiments, I hope my father wasn't watching all this.

My mother asked for my father's share in the property. Family denied.

No body asked me what I wanted. Care, love, affection and attachment like words had lost their essence for me. I could only acquire hatred, disrespect and insecurity as no body cared about me. Believe my I was just six months child by the time.

I felt if I would have been a boy child my mother hadn't wished for her second marriage. But what if even my mother was least interested in me.

Next morning suddenly few people came in the house, lodged all my mother's luggage into a taxi. I was grabbed off from my grandmother's lap. But my mother looked happy as it was all pre planned to invite her brother from her maternal house.

I had no idea where I was being taken to. I reached my maternal uncle's home. No body asked me for my consent. I had no option other than crying.

Totally a new place, new people and new relations. My mother was sent to another state to avoid villagers protests. But this time I was not being taken alongwith her. I was left all alone in a new environment surrounding strangers.

Three years passed I grew up here alone. My Mother got married into a new family. She never came back even to see me off once .

I always used to ask my maternal grandma about where, my parents were, with no answer from the front, maybe just because some chapters were still remaining to be explored in my childhood.

In lieu of this, a stranger came to the village and claimed my grandmother that he was my real uncle.

He wanted to take me home back to Delhi where I started my life. I cried and denied to go anywhere as I hardly remember where I was born and who that man was. They all convinced me with biscuits and toys. I accepted and reached my new home back in Delhi.

Again a new place, new people and new relations to entertain. Again nobody asked what I wanted.

From one place to another I was kept wandering. I always kept trying to understand what would have been my developmental affinities if I would have been a boy child.

.................................................................................................................................................

"This girl obviously deserves all her rights to be secured. Well she is just five years old by now staying in a safe family that promises her to ensure her life security through better education, love, care and affection, no matter her both parents are still missing. "

The Flavors Of Indian Middle Class: "The Flavours of Indian Middle Class" is a smallc...

2012-03-27T07:01:00.001-07:00

The Flavors Of Indian Middle Class:
"The Flavours of Indian Middle Class" is a smallc...: "The Flavours of Indian Middle Class" is a small collection of different real time stories which find their indispensable place in India...

2012-03-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

"The Flavours of Indian Middle Class" is a small collection of different real time stories which find their indispensable place in Indian Society. It includes different tastes of circumstances in the lives of millions of Indian middle class people. Lack of resources, financial crises and inability to fight against poverty are the few elements that provoked me to ignite a spark in the society through the power of ink and print. Many of the stories discussed in this compilation pertain to my original personal experiences that accumulated over time and with developing intimacy with my middle class friends. Many of us are aware of the problems that we usually face in our lives but very few people have a perception to bring these issues for society benefits. Poverty is the barrier that limits actions and can convert a capable man to an incapable one no matter what plethora of ideas he or she contains as soon as there is no lack of self realization.

Being born in a low middle class family, the most unusual thing that usually used to pinch me off was my inability to connect people from two different facets of life. One side comprising that of my poor friends and another including my so called high profile sophisticated friends. But their faith in me always inspired me to bridge this gap between these two facets.So I decided if a small thought can bring a revolution in actions then why not eradicate the feel bad factor and bring things into focus for the sake of emancipation no matter on what scale, small or tremendous. I hope this effort would inspire its readers. So let me take you on a journey into 'Indian Middle Classes' through episode-wise short stories.