Maya- A Reality Check

"What is the noise all about? 

Oh my god. . . She . . She is here again!" murmured Maya.

The concrete footsteps were progressing louder towards the door. "Maya, Maya .... come out. Look who is here!" called mummy.

Anxious Maya had to go out, reluctantly. She couldn't disobey the orders of her mother-in-law. She has to live up to the expectations of being an ideal Indian woman.

Swallowing the anxiety, she moved out of the room to meet her long awaited relative, Aunty Meena. Meena aunty represents an idealistic status of womanhood. As if, the onus of some specific roles lies in her hands only. 

Something sank in Maya's bosom and the pupils of her eyes widened as soon as she got to know Meena aunty has come. 

"Oh god . . Make me invisible so that her sarcasms wouldn't touch me" muttered Maya, as she was moving towards Meena aunty with her fist clenched. She was trying to see and prepare herself for all the possible mental trauma that would touch her in another few minutes.

"Namaste . .aunty", stammered Maya.

There were a lot of violent storms going on in her mind as she again has to put on her guard not to be effected by her titles. 

"Hmmmm. .. Namaste beta Maya", greeted Meena aunty as she scanned Maya's belly thoroughly. "Come come, sit closer to me dear. It's been a long time we've met each other. "

"Hmmm ... hmm" Maya's smile was filled with angst.

She continued in a sarcastic tone "Looks like you are very tired, Maya beta. Didn't have a good sleep?" Moving her eyes towards mummy, she sneered, "Sister, see her big beautiful eyes are darting out of her dark circles. Hawww. I am sure Rahul is not letting you sleep. 

After all, he also wants to hold a little one in his arms and enjoy being a father", she bitterly scoffed at Maya. 

At this moment, Maya was still and started contemplating. She wished that she is incarnated as Sita and really wished to let the earth split open for her. 

Suddenly, mummy guarded Maya and changed the topic towards her servings. Every moment of that day was an accumulation of Maya's intrusive thoughts and her rapid heart beat.

                                        ***

While the women were gossiping, the door bell rang. Mother opened the door and there was a "Hi mom" from the door, "I am home! What took you so long to open the door, you must know I come home tired."

 As soon as mother tried to say something, Dhriti signalled her to be quiet. She further continued "Anyway, where is Nonu?" She asked about her 3 years old and her small eyes grew wider out of suspicion. Looking for her baby, she even averted her eyes from the guest, who was sitting desperately to say hi to Dhriti.

Dhriti was the youngest daughter-in-law, therefore, the most loved one. For her family, she was a great achiever: the achievement of having a baby boy soon after her marriage.

'Nonu is playing with Maya', exclaimed Mummy. 

Dhriti gave a hostile glare to mummy and ran frantically towards her child playing with Maya in her room. She quickly seized happy Nonu back from Maya leaving her thoroughly astonished! For a while, even Nonu too couldn't understand why did her mother come and snatched him, as if he was a packet of chips. Nonu screamed, he wanted to continue playing with Maya', but Dhriti's one word "Shut up" had actually silenced little Nonu. He had no choice, but to leave.

 Hats off to Dhriti's agility!

"But what have I done?' Maya asked herself. 'I love to play with children. I too belong to this house. Don't I deserve some respect and some warmth from the people around me? I've been good to everyone", pondered Maya.

"Oh come on Maya. You know you don't deserve all this. Had you got your own baby, you would have every right to question people around you. They wouldn't have mistreated you" whirled Maya's conscience as she spoke through the vortices of her mind. 

Maya broke down. Tears of helplessness trickled down from her eyes. She felt as if it was utterly wrong to be good. She thought to herself, "Am I so vulnerable that people come and judge me like I am contestant or I allow people to come and judge me the way they want". For a while, she thought that this happens because she allows this to happen. She mustered her courage and thought she will not give anyone the chance to encroach upon her personal space. 

But then suddenly, she was drowned in the good old world; it was a panorama of a perfect childhood.

 "Chubby cheeks, 

dimple chin, 

rosy lips, 

teeth within, 

curly hair 

very fair 

very fair 

Eyes are blue. Is that you? Yess yess yess. . That's my Maauun. . My mauunn billi. ." Mumma gave a tight kiss on 5 years old Maya's right cheek.

"Come on Maauun, get up. . Close your books and pile them up. 

I've made your favourite dish. Can you guess what it is?" asked Mumma.

Like every family, despite of all the divides going on in the family mumma papa loved Maya a lot.

"Is it Bhulao? I just 'melled it", babbled little Maya.

"You have a dog's nose, Maaun. . Yes, you are right. It's your favourite mirchi wala Pulao".

"Mayaaaaa. . Mayaaaaa ..." called out Mummy.

"Come on, get the food on the table

 Dhriti is just back from the office. She must be hungry" demanded Mummy.

Maya fluttered and trying to recollect her senses back in reality. "Ji. . .ji. .. coming". 

She didn't know what were god's plans for her and her conscience started again:

"This soul, or life within us, by no means, agree with the life outside us. If one has the courage to ask her what she thinks, she is always saying the very opposite to what other people say."

Virginia, either you are Maya or Maya is you.