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I could barely hear her voice, though she was visibly yelling at the driver, hand-signalling him to keep going. Yes, I was in an ambulance, the victim in a hit-and-run case.
Gasping for breath, with sunken eyes, weakened limbs, and a pale face, I was on the stretcher.
I could hear voices and noises.
“Is my time up?” I pondered, lying there.
I could feel the nurse pricking a needle into a vein on the top of my left hand. It was painless because the bleeding from the accident made every part of me, painfully numb.
Suddenly, the stretcher stops moving and everything comes to a stand still.
“We’re getting the medical team ready for you. Stay strong,” said the nurse to me. I could barely agree or disagree.
I could remember all my loved ones at once. Mom, Dad, Husband, Children, Sister… Everyone’s face passed by mine. All loving faces of family and friends. I love them all. They love me back.
I prayed silently, “God, for once, give me a chance to live. I still want to make my presence felt in the world. I still have unfinished goals and dreams to fulfill. You cannot be so unfavorable to your creations.” I could not hold back my thoughts or tears. All the while, what the nurse saw in me was an expression-less tear-marked face.
I pleaded to God, and to the traffic around me oblivious to my situation, “I might die, Please let me go.”
I had little luck. Probably, the traffic was busier than me. There are people transporting things, going to office, or heading for that very important business meeting.
I could feel the driver and the nurse trying their best to keep moving. But without much cooperation from the ‘busier’ people on the road, blocking my ambulance, I started to lose hope.
Once again I prayed silently, “Guys, I might die, Please Let Me Go First…”
Then all of a sudden, something dramatic happened. I could see that I was flying high in the air, high above everything in the world. Feeling so light, I didn’t understand why the nurse seemed to panic. Feeling so light, the traffic that blocked my way now looked very tiny. I’m now high above everything tangible in this world.
To the world, I’m now dead.
Author’s note: Thank you all the busy people who do not give way to an ambulance. You’re successful in liberating souls from the earth! This is a piece of fiction aimed at societal awareness. Let’s take an oath today to stop and let the ambulance pass… How is public behaviour regarding allowing/stalking ambulance in your city? In Hyderabad, there is certainly room for improvement. A real-life incident inspired me to write this story. Nothing in our life can be as important as saving another life by just giving them permission to move before us. Please share this message across your extended groups and save a life!
A version of this was first published here.
Image source: shutterstock
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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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