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"And most importantly, you should be prepared for this. Every girl is eager about her first night and you should also be."
“And most importantly, you should be prepared for this. Every girl is eager about her first night and you should also be.”
Pragya was motionless, her whole body aching. She felt as if ten scary hands were running all over her body. The pain in her private parts made her ache even more. Not for a moment had she closed her eyes, all night. It was her first night of marriage.
There was a knock on the door. She with all her pains got up to open the door. Her elder co-sister stood in front of her with a sly smile. “How are you dear?” Pragya was asked to get ready for the morning rituals. She could hardly face Mihir, her so called husband. There was no talk, no expression, only silence prevailed.
Water from the hot shower washed away the pain from her body. She felt relaxed, but the bitterness in her mind wouldn’t go. After she got ready, she called up Meera, her bhabhi, to release her wrath. “Why didn’t you tell me ? Do you know what happened yesterday night? I didn’t expect this from him.” A volley of questions struck Meera one by one
“Hold on for a second, dear. What didn’t I tell you? Everybody knows what happens. I too have crossed the same bridge before you. And most importantly, you should be prepared for this. Every girl is eager about her first night and you should also be.”
The answer left Pragya speechless. Eager for having sex…?
Pragya was a small town girl belonging to a middle class family. A family mostly comprising boys, she was the loved one. By god’s grace she had found a friend in Meera, who was married to her elder brother. Pragya was a shy and traditional girl prone to dreaming a lot. She hadn’t met Mihir before marriage, though she had chatted a lot with him on her phone. For her, having sex was not a minor thing, especially since she was not prepared for it… it had shattered her completely.
After the puja ceremony, both newly-weds were asked to visit the temple. While driving the car, Mihir tried to hold her hand, but she was stiff and unyielding, unable to relax, and pulled her hand away. This startled him. Stopping the car, he asked her the reason for this
Pragya got out of the car, and before, Mihir could ask anything, she started crying and sobbing loudly. She opened up her whole heart in front of Mihir, telling him how she had felt when he had violated her without asking her about it.
Mihir was stunned. He had never thought of it in the way Pragya felt. For him it was just a ritual, and pleasure to be bestowed and taken…but for Pragya it was sacred. She had wished for a comfortable relationship with Mihir before stepping into a new chapter of love. But she had never dreamt that love-making would make her hate love.
Mihir was a decent guy. He understood what she felt, and realized his mistake. He felt guilty about it, but he couldn’t change the bitterness of their first night. He came closer to Pragya and held her hands. He promised her that he wouldn’t hurt her feelings anymore, and wouldn’t touch her without her consent, and was sorry for what he had done.
Pragya could see the glisten of tears and guilt in Mihir’s eyes. Hope rose in her heart – they could start over again.
Respecting each other’s feelings really makes a relationship prosper, and binds it together forever. At least Pragya could openly speak her heart. How many of us do really speak up?
Image source: pixabay
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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