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A poignant poem that takes its unfortunate inspiration from the Kathua rape and murder of an 8 year old. Do read.
Trigger alert: This post contains descriptions of violence that could be disturbing for some readers.
A mom’s heart Sat beside her little girl’s Fresh grave Trying to moisten the soil With tears of blood She asked-
“Tell me little girl Tell me your pain!” The little girl answered- “Dear mom, tell me first honestly Didn’t you too secretly want a son? Was I born in vain?”
The mom’s heart sighed And with more tears replied- “Yes I did little one, because I too was a little girl here once, I knew what they do to you If you are born as a burden Often wombs are tombs For unborn girls, sigh!”
“So then why did you have me?”
“Well little girl I did because I hoped Things would change and improve
You will work and study And will have a lot to prove For yourself, me and my mom And all the women before you Who this world forgot.”
“Yes mom, I was trying But why didn’t you tell me They could take me anytime And do things to me That hurt, not just my tiny body But things that bruised even my heart! And I didn’t understand why, why! They were tearing me apart Like a lifeless toy I didn’t know that soon I was about to die I couldn’t even shout or loudly cry But could you ask the world mamma For me why? Why?”
The mother’s heart mourned And turned into the headstone Of the grave of the little girl Mutilated and sacrificed Brutally left alone to die! The headstone read- “A step at a time”
Each little flame of life You snubbed out in its prime Will now become a fire May their curses combine! Patriarchal monsters You will pay for your crimes You may politicise, hide or pray Soon it will be your judgement day!
This story had been shortlisted for the April 2018 Muse of the Month, but not among the top 5 winners.
Image source: pixabay
Pooja Priyamvada is an author, columnist, translator, online content & Social Media consultant, and poet. An awarded bi-lingual blogger she is a trained psychological/mental health first aider, mindfulness & grief facilitator, emotional wellness trainer, reflective read more...
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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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