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I love my daughter, no doubt. But I can’t neglect myself. I choose to embrace my desires, dreams, no matter how trivial they may sound to others. I need this—my independence and happiness for my mental well-being.
Lakshmi adorned her husband’s picture with a Jasmine garland. She lit the lamp and closed her eyes for a few moments to pray.
“Lakshmi Mami! Today is the last day to confirm your availability for the Kumbakonam temples tour,” said Muthu, a travel agent, as he entered the house.
Lakshmi came out from the puja room. Wearing a crisp Chettinad cotton saree in maroon, she looked beautiful despite her wrinkled face. Her long grey hair was meticulously plaited.
“Yes! Please include my name. I’m looking forward to this trip,” she said.
“Okay Mami!” said Muthu and left.
Lakshmi then sat down to check her diary for the list of orders for the day. She had started a home business after her husband’s demise.
“Hmm! 1 kg Sambar powder and Rasam powder. I’d better get started now,” she said enthusiastically and entered the kitchen humming her favourite Carnatic song.
As she finished frying the red chillies and lentils, she heard the phone ring.
“Must be Raji,” said Lakshmi and rushed to pick up the phone.
“Hello, Amma! How are you?” asked her daughter Raji.
“I am doing fine. How is Ria kutti? Does she crawl now?”
“Yes, Amma! Soon she will start walking too. I’m finding it very difficult to concentrate on my office work these days. I will sponsor citizenship for you. You can shift here for good. Anyway, you are alone. It will be of great help if you come here instead of hiring a babysitter.”
Lakshmi remained quiet for a few moments. A chain of thoughts was running in her mind.
For over forty years I was consumed in mundane duties—demanding in-laws, never-ending chores, children, and their upbringing. Never have I given importance to my priorities or dreams. But now I’m free to do whatever I wish. Should I say yes to her? Going there would mean giving up my life here, my freedom…
“Amma, are you there?” asked Raji when she did not hear her reply.
“Yes! Raji, please don’t misunderstand me. I can visit you whenever time permits. But I can’t move there permanently. My home business is doing pretty well now. Moreover, I have registered as a volunteer for the temple activities, and I’m also heading the Bajanai group. I love doing all this. I hope you understand.”
“Amma, I understand. I’m happy for you. Don’t worry, I’ll take care,” said her daughter and hung up.
Lakshmi had no second thoughts.
She then sat on the swing to read a Tamil novel, Ponniyin selvan. It was a book she had gifted herself for her birthday.
Glossary:
Mami- Aunty
Kutti – baby
Bajanai- Bhajan
Ponniyin selvan – A historical Tamil novel
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A freelance storyteller and a writer by passion. read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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