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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

life on its own terms....

He got down from the bus and started walking towards home.the afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on him.but he was not aware of it,he was too busy munching over his problem.Uday did not know,what to do and how to get on with this particular problem.he had finished his graduation in Commerce,along with a 3 year course in Animations from a reputed institution.he wanted to pursue an advance course in Animations as his masters,but for his dad.he sighed.his dad wanted him to remain in the field of commerce,get a management degree and start a business with him.which was not what Uday wanted.
he was sick of all the arguments,fights and cold wars between him and his dad.home was not the same with so much tension hanging in the air.even mom and sis,both who are usually vibrant and vivacious,seem to be quieter these days.
damn,how were you supposed to get your way in life,without hurting your parents.
how did and why did his dad expect him to live a life,which he could not even think of.the very thought made him miserable,he had his own plans..he wanted life on his own terms...





she looked down at the form in her hand.and looked out of the window at the everlasting silken skies.
the sense of freedom was exhilarating.so near,she only had to reach out.
her hand tightened around the form.she had finished her post graduation in literature and was ready to face a free life.but ,her parents wanted her to marry.the very thought made her nauseous.
Nandita thought about her life,she had not finished her education for jumping straight into the next thing which would put shackles around her feet.her eyes strayed to the guitar in the corner of her room. it was like an extension of her,she was a part of a rock band,"psycho curls".she and few others had formed it during their degree years,she was their lead guitarist.now 5 years later,here was a chance at international exposure.if she filled the form and submitted it,their band would have to go to Dublin for a Rock fest,where if they get noticed,maybe there would be some chance at recordings.she did not envision a famous lifestyle,but she sure wished for a musical one.
how was she supposed to make her parents agree,that she did not want a marriage right now,she wished for a nomadic lifestyle..that wanderlust beckoned her.
she looked at herself in the mirror,huge brown eyes stared back at her.eyes which could change shades according to her mood and the play of light,eyes which made people stop in their tracks. she knew she had beautiful eyes,a gift from her mother.but while playing on stage,she generally made her curls fall over them,so that no one noticed her for her looks,but only for what she played on the guitar,for her potential.
she loved her mom,but she did not wish to be like her,her mom had an amazing voice,but she had kept aside her musical ambitions to marry and start a family..Nandita did not want the same to happen to her.she wanted life on her own terms........




Raj looked at his wife,sleeping beside him,blissfully unaware of his tumult.he tossed and turned in his bed.he had had enough of his boss.after so many years of service in the company,he was devastated not to be promoted,just because the boss wanted someone from his family to take over.he had not tolerated so many years of his boss's interference in his work for this day. the day,he found out about his non existent promotion,he had thought of a way to escape,he wanted out of working under someone.maybe he could start a family business,with Uday.
after Nandita's marriage,maybe he could think about quitting his job.there were problems,with Nandita's reluctance to get married..when had his daughter grown up...he thought wistfully.
and yes,there was Uday's case,how was he supposed to convey to his son that working for someone would only lead to where his dad stood today.doing your own thing was the way....to live life on their own terms............




Vaidehi sipped her cup of tea and watched the dawn break over the horizon.she always got up early before her family did and watched the sun rise sitting in her kitchen table.this was her moment of peace in the whole day.
today,the worry lines showed on her face.
she was worried about Raj and his office condition,sometimes she did not know what to tell him,that to let things be or that he was right in wanting out.she did not know,whether she wanted to burden him with the usual things which had kept him going all these years,family,kids.their studies,now Nandita's marriage.it was not fair,she knew..but she understood how he felt,unlike what he thought.
during the early years of their marriage,her in- laws had taken time to adjust to her.there had been moments when she had wanted to give up,but she had pulled on.eventually,they accepted her as their own,but it took time..she knew how it felt for him,with his boss constantly interfering and favouring his family above him.....


after 25 years of marriage,she knew all about how adamant he was.did he not realise in that case,Uday was more his son that hers,she smiled ruefully.


and her daughter,Nandita,she knew what she wanted.one headstrong lady she was!and though it could really get tough for Vaidehi at times,she could not deny the fact that she was proud of her daughter.her beautiful,talented daughter.
she knew,what Nandita thought about her.that how could she have kept her singing talent aside to take care of her family.Vaidehi knew,Nandita loved her unconditionally,but did not want to end up like her.
she wanted to tell her daughter,that life did not end with marriage,people could make careers work,it her case,it was her own preference to stay at home,not something forced on her.
she wanted to tell her daughter,that though there were many aspects of her which reminded Vaidehi of herself,there was more to her than that..that she believed that her daughter could make both family and career work....however weird her career choice was..there would be someone who would love her for it and together they could make it work....
she sighed..how come necessary words become so difficult..how come everything gets trapped in pride and ego....how come everything gets so complicated.....everyone seemed to want life on their own terms...without making an effort to understand and accommodate each other..after all what are we..but our relationships...


the world around her woke up slowly...she started making way around the house to start her day's activities..
she spied something on the living room table.making way towards it..she was that it was a gift wrapped box..curious she picked it up to read the name on it..to her surprise she saw her name on it..slowly she unwrapped it to find..a beautiful Saree from Raj,a CD of her favourite songs from Uday and a book from Nandita.

tears filled her eyes as she looked up to find all of them,sleepy eyed waiting for her response...
"thank you",she whispered....


Raj took her in his arms.

"Happy Women's Day",Nandita and Uday shouted...as they all hugged each other......

unable to contain her smiles and tears..she thought..oh yea..it is worth all the complications...it sure is worth it....in whichever terms......




(author's note: a dedication to all the Mothers in this world, a person whom we take for granted,whom we cannot survive without..and who loves us and is loved by us unconditionally..who understands us...even if we think she does not..and who requires her own space...and has her own right to maintain her individuality.....she is the best and the noblest embodiment of a woman's role....... with loads of love and thanks...and yea...to all the ladies,out there..Happy women's day)

6 comments:

The West Wind said...

Really good.. so simple yet so touching :D Reminded me of my family back home.. my mother :D Thank you for this amazing post.

iceprincess said...

@WW
thanks a lot....:)

Anonymous said...

simply....superb narration...gr888

Anu Ghanashyam said...

woohhoo..applause..claps....applause..cheering...wohhhooooooo!!

iceprincess said...

@eve1
thaaank uuuu!!!!

Khush said...

wow!! real neat!! :)