Women & The World | Life Story- Ananya Grows Wise | Ina : Author

Thy Name Is Woman 

Time has moved ahead, tides have changed for women, we all say. Women have moved out of four walls. Outside world is theirs too. What does the world think about them as individuals? What do women too feel about their lives at contemporary age?

Women & The World, is a series of true short episodes of women from their lives, as narrated or witnessed.

Three Generation Women | Women & World 

Poster by Ina

"My job as an economist has been about identifying injustice,

and I am concerned with developing human freedom

and capabilities as tools" - Dr. Amartya  Sen 

Life Story

Melodious tune from a sahnai, a blowing instrument, waves through the air, soft beats of tabla, a percussion instrument accompanying it  adds to joyous mood as the celebration of a marriage ceremony  proceeds in freshly renovated house in the capital of India. A pandal, colorful canopy especially erected to host the guests. A reputed event management company is hired for decoration, and, to look after the comforts of the invitees.

Anaya, a teenage girl, an invitee and also a relation has arrived with her mother to be a part of the festivity. She is in a merry making mood while  interacting with others. She notices that everyone present is rejoicing the day. She  looks around searching for her mother, but doesn't find her.

" Where is she, missing so much fun!",  wonders Anaya

"I'll go and bring her", she says to herself.

She enters the corridor that leads to the rooms on both sides. She opens one door and peeps in. Ladies wearing traditional sarees, five and half meter long drape Indian women wear;  decked up with heavy jewelries are gossiping, admiring one another's newly acquired possessions. Anaya moves out closing the door behind her, not finding her mother.

 

She then steps ahead following loud voices coming from the adjacent hall. She finds youngsters of her age are in heated arguments about the country's future. They stop halfway with enquiring look . She leaves them and steps into the garden, guessing that may be her mother is here plucking flowers for puja, a religious ceremony. She doesn't find her here too. Her brows wrinkle, she now really begins to worry.

Meanwhile she hears her 'Mami', younger maternal aunt's voice and gets into the puja room, a room especially built to worship deities. Her aunt is busy organizing customary offerings in a basket for the evening ceremony, a social custom followed in a marriage.

Ananya enquires her, " Do you know, where my mother is?"

"Oh yes! Go and meet her in the kitchen," replies her aunt.

Ananya almost runs and after reaching the kitchen, takes a deep breath, and, sighs in relief, seeing her mother more than half hour search.

"What are you doing here?", she asks.

"Just preparing tea and some snacks"

"Why?" ,and, then" For whom?" Ananya enquires, her brows raised in surprise.

" For guests, dropping in" her mother replies in a calm voice.

" But why you?" asks Ananya, her tone sharp, feeling hurt. "When cooks are hired!", she continues in annoyance.

"Well, I'm  asked to do so", her mother replies.

While the mother and the daughter are speaking, Ananya's elderly mami enters and gives orders for some more cups of tea to be prepared. 

Ananya now learns, who is monitoring and what is expected from her mother. She wouldn't have imagined in her wildest dream to watch her mother being treated so undignified way by her own keens. Tears roll up within, Ananya finds hard to control them. She feels miserable watching her mother being isolated purposely from enjoying the day,. Whereas the rest of the guests, the ladies and the hosts too are busy celebrating the occasion. Chiming of the wall clock, striking twelve, brings her back to reality. She says to herself, " Time has moved ahead, but here peoples' outlook is stuck to medieval era, when it comes to women!"

 The evening approaches, hustle bustle in the house gains momentum, every one dresses up in fashionable attires, gems, and jewels for the occasion except but Ananya. Nobody has seen Ananya smiling any more since the morning episode, which otherwise is so natural to her. Her cousin wants to know why Ananya is still not ready. Ananya doesn't answer back, she is quiet, trying hard to cope up with the bitter experience that has shaken her and shattering her faith that all human are to be accepted whatever situations they may be in their respective lives.

 Leaving others, Ananya retreats to the kitchen and watches her mother still busy with tits and bits. She notices that her mother is still wearing the same saree since morning. She screws up her eyes to give a closure look to her mother's face, and  notices sweat droplets collected on her temple. "She is exhausted", thinks Ananya. Neither the daughter nor the mother speaks. For silence now speaks louder than the words to both. One is subjugated in pretext of keeping her occupied with the kitchen activities, which have been inhumanly decided for her to avert her from partaking in the festivities. For worthless reason being, a widow, is thought to bring ill fate for having lost her husband in youth, so must be kept away from auspicious marriage ceremony. And her teen age daughter in deep reflection about, what needs to be the true identity of a woman. One, , who is raising her children single handedly, and deserve love and respect from her keens or all other individuals in any society or just another widow to be neglected, uncared, and a victim of undignified treatment for a cause that has not been under her control.

Though in her teen, Anaya seems has grown up and matured, over a few hours on that day.  Even though being at an age much early for her to come to terms with the ways the rules are set and imposed upon women in society. Ananya learns but the blow is very harsh that hits her hard to remember for the rest of her life.

What if Anaya's mother understood to lead her life the way she chose? Many like her suffer in silence, in humility surrendering their lives, strangulating their own hopes and wishes. While the world outside continue demanding and exploiting their goodness taking it as their weaknesses. 

 Ananya could perceive about her mother, not receiving dignity she deserved as an individual. Perhaps her mother too felt like that, but she didn't learn how to get respect from others. Ananya on being educated, acquired the skills to live in dignity whereas her mother with meager  education missed out the necessary skills, that life demands, to claim own dignity.

This life story of a simple mother has had a profound impact to transform the outlook and shape the life of a doting daughter, who would never bow down to live a life without dignity.

Need Of Girls Education Worldwide

Educated Girls Sustain Development In Families, Communities, Nations & The World

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