Monday, June 28, 2010

An Encounter with a stranger...

It was a hot sultry day....though the rainy season had commenced but ironically not even a single drop of water was to be seen around.
Indore was boiling hot.
I was sweating profusely, and to add to my pains I had opted to wear a full-sleeve black kurta!(what was I thinking?) 
But none of these minor galling issues bothered me. I was excited to the core, since I was ready to set off to Mumbai all by myself. My parents could barely suppress their tension, their little girl (Eighteen, officially adult and yet "little") was about to travel all alone and that too by train! The 1st class A.C coach brought little peace to their agitated souls. But still with a heavy heart they bade me farewell... 
I was to stay at my grandmother's place for a week. 
The train glided smoothly from the platform with a low screeching noise. The hurly burly was ceasing slowly. In a matter of 10 minutes, my cell phoned beeped, it was an incoming call from my father.
"Everything all right in there?" he asked with barely concealed worry. "Yes paa...don't worry, I'm fine", and with that I put my cell away in my handbag.
"So first time in train huh? Alone I mean?". The question had come from an uncle, he was in his late forties yet had a brawny physique. "Yes" I replied. 
"Aah that explains it all" he smiled a knowing smile, the smile that acknowledged the anguish my parents were going through. After all he was a father himself.
With that the ice was broken and we conversed freely about anything and everything. The topic slowly settled on my education. He some how had keen interest in what I studied. "Media student", I replied but with a sadness edging in my voice. " Don't you like your course?", he asked.
"Well, I do. But I wish I could study in Mumbai"
He sighed. "you are a girl ...." was all he could manage. The statement hung in the air between us. So me biologically being programmed as a female was the only reason why I could not study alone? This discrimination was something that always lingered in the corners of my mind, biting me inwardly, mocking me silently.
This whole world is a male chauvinist pig, I thought grumpily.
"We are in the 21st century, Uncle" I said silently. "Yes but parents are always a generation older, you see" he said and then continued, "You younger lot think that everything is possible at your age, but you often overlook the small difficulties of surviving alone. Adjusting in a new environment, living independently, doing chores, washing clothes, your life becomes very challenging. The luxuries you took for granted will be absent when you step alone in the world. Your parents are just saving their girl from that danger and when the time is right, they'll let you free"
I marvelled at his deep insight. Thinking of it, I did remember going on a school trip for a week and missing my parents sorely, since I had to pack luggage on my own and clean the room, again on my own. And I knew I was not yet ready to depart from my family, though, if only for 3 years. We youngsters often turn oblivious towards our parent's wishes, just to chase our dreams. Be it settling abroad or living in the same house and yet ignoring your parents.. Our life, just like a 'leech' has drained us of little moments of peace and bliss with our family members. Big-packaged jobs and crisp green notes are all that we're bothered about now. It was the breaking of dawn for me. The dream I so desperately yearned to chase before, now became trivial infront of my loving family.
Yes, I did take many things for granted. But now I was about to take a U-turn.
 
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