Cake Of Inspiration!

When we talk about women empowerment in society, it comes to most of our mind that the empowered women can make a choice between household and career. But how far is it true for the women of our country?

From the time of birth it is drilled perfectly in to the minds of the girls that their ultimate success lies in a happy household — managed by them. That their main goal in life is to be a perfect wife and a perfect mother. In other words we are socially conditioned to believe that the home is a woman’s utmost responsibility and that a man is only a co-inhabitant, not responsible beyond writing cheques or earning for the livelihood. And when the time comes to make a choice, women are forced by their drilled "teachings" to "choose” home above career as a conditioned response. Do we really think this is a free choice! Hence approving the fact that women should walk shoulder to shoulder with men in the society is illogical and formidable.

Yes off course their had been quite a lot of changes in the society and we see girls are being uplifted for higher education but this is just a means of securing a better groom. Marriage is seen as the ultimate goal, not just an important milestone. With marriage, a woman ceases to be herself, losing herself in home management and relational roles: wife, daughter-in-law, mother. A career is an afterthought.

If a woman does continue on her career path, she needs to be a logistical genius. She needs to organize childcare, oversee impossible schedules, drop everything when there’s a vaccination or any other issue. She’s is also expected to stay on top of the laundry, the cleaning, the day’s menu, take care for in-laws, medicines, occasions, ceremonies.

Her career, naturally, suffers from these distractions, especially if she happens to be working from home. In any scenario she can attend to her career only after she has taken care of her first duty — the home and the family.

There had been quite a lot of examples of women whose career had given ways after marriage or they had not been able to balance between the household and the career as they chose "household" over career per their "free will", whose dreams had been shattered, whose thoughts ,experiences intellects had been baked in the kitchen and in rearing the children. These leads to irritation and clash between the husband and the wife, children feeling awkward to introduce their house wife mother to their friends with their friends' working parents and more so if such women ever gets to meet their friends who are well settled with jobs and high positions the frustrations rises a notch further.

But what can these get us? Education for a girl doesn't mean a way to secure a highly paid corporate husband or an NRI match and "settle well"....but it actually provides them the way to make decisions, to choose the right over wrong, to understand her own self ,to be independent and nurture independent thoughts and growth.

Sufferings goes hand in hand with most of the women ,winner is the one who jolts back and stand steady against all odds.

So is the protagonist of this story "Pavithra"

She was born of a well educated south Indian family where education was a must and the girl's career was taken up to be of utmost importance and not just the means to secure a good match.

Pavithra had never secured a second rank in class, she was always first, outstanding in academics, sports, culture everything. She had a bright future, post her Masters in Business she joined a Multinational company at a high rank and highly paid salary with lot of dreams and expectations...little did she knew that her future was about to blend into a different steam and flow in the opposite direction.

She had to travel quite often towards the Northern zones for business when during a visit she met Vijay, an employee of the same company but different branch. Their first meeting clicked a spark within them, they made friends ,it started with Facebook, chats, long phone calls, Whatsapp and when finally they realized they needed to speak to both their parents.

Both their parents were not happy about fixing the marriage, one due to the age old caste difference, second their thoughts and culture did not match and hence being adults their marriage took place in the court with few friends and colleague to witness without the blessings of their parents perhaps this was the first step towards the black hole of the despair.

Both worked for the same company and Pavithra had to take transfer to settle together, however her position was little higher in the company and she was paid better than Vijay, gradually it started hurting Vijay's ego when he saw Pavithra seated inside a cabin and he with other employees.

This in turn led to unnecessary clashes quite often and when due to business purpose Pavithra had to travel across the country and had to spend hours working hard ,getting back home late added fumes to his jealousy. The daily clash, arguments were as if part and parcel of life in the meantime they were blessed with a girl and Vijay kept on pursuing hard to make Pavithra leave her job.

Pavithra needed to organize everything at home from child care to getting her baby vaccinated, or attending her during illness this slowly and gradually made her take more leaves than she could .She had to stay on top of the laundry, the cleaning, the day’s menu since Vijay was at work, he was working for earning a leaving. Handling both the job at office and the job of a mother and a wife, looking after every household activities could not be balanced and hence Pavithra had to leave her job at the peak of her career.

Doubts are like termites that eats away every senses from the mind. Vijay grew suspicious about his wife's character. Daily arguments led to fights, slapping & thrashing his wife, acting in humanly became the part of Pavithra's life. She was helpless she could not go back to her parents, she could not revolt as she loved her husband and had a little child to raise hence she restricted herself from taking any lawful steps. But how long a woman could withstand domestic violence? rash behavior? Going out with bruises all over the face or blue marks under the eyes rose the brows of the neighbors quizzically. The ultimate thing happened when Vijay was terminated on the ground of fraudulence from the job.

People laid hands on him, he was beaten up and thrown in the gutter later to be saved by Pavithra and hospitalized. Now the roof above their head was gone, savings were spent, no one to help, their little child almost was suspended from school due to non payment of the fees. Vijay had multiple injuries and was mentally imbalanced. How would the household run? how would their child get good education? how would Vijay get good treatment? pay off the heavy debts? These questions burnt her mind and heart.

A helpless woman who could not return to her work due to a huge gap in career, if she started a new job she would not be able to take care of both her husband and little child who needed to be attended, she could not start a business as she had no principal and bank would not offer loan looking at their credit scores as they were in debts till neck .It seemed her back was leaned to the wall, all the ways seemed closed, she had 2 choices, turn back towards the hurdles and fights or give up all her hopes. To top it all came the situation of "Pandemic".

A cruel life that made people abandoned each other due to contagiousness and life threats, business were shut, country went on lock down closing all the doors of earning livelihood. Now how would Pavithra survive and help her family survive?

"Happy Birthday to you" the song went past the road, the little girl who was probably 5 years old blew out the 5 numbered candle and with a smiling face started to cut the decorated cake, giggling and enjoying. A small doll implying the Disney character with a white frilled princess frock ,pink laces, bows and shoes, hair tied in a top bun a magical wand with golden star in her hands, it was a fascinating cake to look and yummy to eat.

There were talks amongst the mothers of the children invited to the birthday party. Who made this cake, which bakery made this cake so beautiful to look at "Soumya's Cakes and Bakery". The name was one for the entire colony. The name was just not familiar in within the colony but was now getting popular to the remaining districts and nearby places.

The pandemic, lock downs in country, unemployment has not only made people view despairs in their lives but also brought out the hidden talent within all the people. A similar talent hunt was launched online for the best dish preparation and garnishing very much like online Master Chef audition.

That's what made Pavithra's life take a U-turn.

She was quick, talented and creative and above all was best in baking cakes and pastries.

With no luck she thought to take a chance, with nothing to loose or gain. She was selected, won and the winner Chef Hat and Apron was put on her and this gave her a new way ,a new journey started. She used her old business administration ideas, after listening to her, there were empathic people who came forward to help. She took the reins of her drowning family both as a home maker and an entrepreneur.

She started getting orders at home, this increased resulting in more economy and when more orders came up she took a small space on rent, she knew exactly how to increase her business, this did not disturb her job as a wife or mother, she simultaneously worked for both her family, taking care of her husband and child. She proved herself to be a logical genius a perfect blend of wife mother and an entrepreneur.

She was ultimately successful in making a happy household as a perfect wife and a perfect mother.

With passing time I had known this woman and had even known how she managed everything and how Vijay is returning to normal life, Somya, their daughter in whose name is their Bakery is growing up under the arms of both her parents and with her little hands helps her Mom.

A real inspiration and admiration, made me write this, hope this truly inspires all the women.