Right to Freedom

Kavya worked as a chartered accountant in one of the renowned finance company in Marathahalli. She always concentrated on her studies and work. Unlike her peers, she refused to resort to gossip to find joy in life. Her parents, Rudra and Mandakini, doted on her, but they had a very different perspective when it came to marriage. They believed it is imperative for a woman to marry and then deliver a child to embrace motherhood. In contrast, Kavya believed in the idea of having a soulmate, but did not prefer having a child. Kavya did not hate kids, neither had any animosity towards motherhood. She strongly believed it was a sin to bring a child to the earth when a woman doesn't desire to have one. She was a bit matured compared to her counterparts. Kavya held her ground despite multiple attempts made by her parents to change her mind. They just left the decision to her.

Some birds perched on a branch of a mango tree grappled with the heavy winds that threatened to break the branch. Clouds too danced to the tune of the wind as it passed by the sky. Since it was a winter season, the fog had encroached upon the sky to make it hazy. The folks of the city resorted to thermal protection to refrain from the freezing effects of the cold weather. The occasional Sun rays kissed people's skin to render them goosebumps. Kavya put on her jacket as she got ready to go to work. She waved bye to her parents before she hopped onto her mopped and spurred it into action. As she drove her mopped with ease, the wind tried to flirt with her back hairs. She then got entangled in a notorious traffic jam that refused to budge. It had been a daily routine for her to get stuck in the traffic jam. The number of people and the number of vehicles in Bengaluru kept on increasing, making the roads congested. Anyone who frequently drove through these congested roads would receive master certificate in driving. Kavya somehow maneuvered through the traffic and reached her office in time. She walked down the aisle before slumping on her cubicle chair. She could hear laughter from her peers, who had already resorted to gossip mongering in the early morning itself. Kavya then got so engrossed in the work that she forgot about what was happening around her. She looked at her watch and realized that the lunchtime had arrived. She picked up her lunchbox and joined her peers in the pantry.
"When are you getting married?" one of them asked.
"When the time is right," she replied.
"When will be the time, right?"
"That's not in my control."
"You need to get married before you run out of age."
"Marriage is not about age... It is about connection," Kavya said as she took a bite of her dosa.
"All these philosophical lectures will only work in movies. In reality, we need to follow the rules of the society."
"What is society? A bunch of people who come up with a whimsical plan that everybody needs to follow this rule and that rule. Who cares? Our democracy endorses right to freedom and nobody can snatch our freedom."
"All this drama will not work. A woman's life is made when she marries and delivers a child."
Kavya felt sorry for those who danced to the tunes of the society. "Do you mean a woman is a kid manufacturing machine?"
"Of course! Our life is like an infertile land if we do not produce a kid."
Kavya deemed her statement senseless. "Are you really an educated professional?"
"You seem to have gone mad. Nobody will accept your views."
"I don't need anybody to accept my views. Neither will I put on a fake mask advocating views that I don't endorse."
"You consider yourself as superior."
"It is not about being superior or inferior. It is about being matured."
"Oh, you are very matured and intelligent. We are immature and dimwits."
Kavya chose to remain silent as she understood it would make no sense to carry on the conversation that would only hit dead ends.

Kavya's parents had invited a family to see their daughter. Husband, wife and their son, Roshan, had a seat desperate to see Kavya. They had a chat with Kavya's parents before the girl arrived at the scene. Roshan did not take his eyes off her, as he seemed to be smitten by her beauty. Kavya hardly gazed at him. Both of them went to the balcony to initiate a conversation to see if they could connect on an emotional level. Roshan had already fallen head over heels for her bbeauty,so he was desperate to make her his wife by hook or by crook. He quickly started the conversation to attract her.
"You look exquisite in this attire."
Kavya feigned a smile. "Thank you."
"Do you have anything to ask? I don't have any."
"How can you not speak and just give a nod, just in one sight?" she continued, "I have a lot to speak."
He remained mum.
"Do you have any alcohol or cigar addiction?"
"No.. No.. No.."
"What is your hobbies?"
"I like to do party but with no alcohol. I love travelling."
"I don't like parties. I love to be spiritual."
"I am ready to let go of my party habits. I also love spirituality. I am an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman. Jai Shree Ram."
Kavya had already discerned his mind pattern but chose to continue. "What is your take on having kids?"
"I love kids. Do you know my grandfather asked me to have a half a dozen kids? I am okay with two."
"I don't have any desire to have a kid."
He couldn't fathom what she just said. "Can you repeat?"
"I said I don't have any desire to have a kid."
He found her statement to be strange and out of sorts as he gazed at her from top to bottom. "How can you even say like that? Having kids is necessary in an Indian family. How can you run away from delivering a kid? Every woman is obligated to co-operate with her husband and produce a kid. That is how life goes."
"That is your life, brother. Not mine."
"How dare you call me brother?"
"Because I won't marry you at any cost."
Roshan looked livid as he walked down the stairs to approach his parents.
"How can she run away from having a kid? Is she not morally obligated to deliver a child?"
"She doesn't need a child. Oh, my God! What kind of girl is she? How can she not embrace motherhood?" his mother gaped.
"She must be ashamed to be a woman in the first place. A woman is born to deliver a kid. That is her role. How can she run away from that?" his father rose from his seat.
"I am pretty much sure nobody will marry her if she chooses to not have a kid. I have no problem with your daughter if she chooses to consummate. A wife has to give pleasure to her husband, which is her moral obligation," Roshan said.
"Whether or not I want to have a kid is not your business. Kids are not the products of love making. We need to deliver a child only when we have a strong desire to raise a child and take the responsibility for the child whole-heartedly. Have some sense before you talk?"
"Is this how you talk to elders? First of all, you are a blot in the society for choosing to be childless and if that is not enough, you even have an ego problem. Thank you, for inviting and humiliating us," Roshan's mother said.
All three of them walked out of the house despite pleadings from Kavya's parents.
"This is what happens when you want to be childless," Kavya's mother said.
"Why do you need to give respect to such people? He is a lustful monster. Marrying a man like him is a sin in itself," Kavya went back to her room.
As she sprawled on her bed, peering at the ceiling fan, she felt like smacking Roshan's lust-laden face. She found it annoying as well as amusing to see the world filled with immature folks.

Kavya went to attend to her relative's function, along with her parents. She socialized with some of her relatives who were matured enough and did not stick their nose in her business. While some of them decided to have a go.
"Will you marry or not? You will become old, very soon and no guy will marry you," one of her relative said.
Kavya had seen enough of immature talks, but still she embraced patience while responding. "When the time is right, we find out soulmate. We need to have patience to wait."
"You cannot give such excuses, Kavya. You need to marry early or else your chance of conceiving will diminish."
"I am not going for a child. I am just looking for a person who understands and respects me for who I am."
"What a joke? You do not need a kid. Do you even know the significance of being a mother? Only if you are blessed, you will comprehend its significance."
"That's fine. If I am cursed, so be it."
"How can you run away from your responsibility?" she widened her eyes in disbelief as if she met an alien from another world.
"For your kind information, I have every right to choose whether or not I need a kid. I don't have any personal animosity towards kids. It is just about voicing my opinion."
"It is a sin not to have a kid. Who will take care of you in your old age? The society does not accept childlessness."
"Society does not come and live my life, aunty. By the way, is there any guarantee that a child will take care of us in our old age? Be responsible before you have a kid."
"That's so mean of you. It is important to have a kid, otherwise your life is not full."
"That is your opinion, aunty. Why do you expect everybody to toe your lines? Life is full when you live it to the fullest, as per your needs and desires."
"Do you think you will become the next prime minister of this country? Is that the reason you want to avoid having a child?"
"Whether I want to be the prime minister or a beggar is my karma's choice. Having a kid or not needs to be a conscious decision, not a forced one."
"How selfish you are?" she pressed on, desperate to change her mind.
"If we do not bring a child to this earth, you consider it to be selfish? So be it. Don't you bring a child to this earth to fulfil your selfishness? You expect your child to do well and become an achiever? Is that not selfishness? You want your blood to blossom? Is that not your selfishness?"
The lady looked stunned, unable to utter even a single word. She just walked out of the seat and briefed this to someone else. Kavya just laughed as she got amused by their insecurities.
"The best business in the world is minding your own business," she spoke to herself.

A bunch of trees swayed to the tunes of wind at the backdrop of a gob smacking blue sky. The chirp of birds sounded music to the ears. It had been an onerous task for the street dogs to find food in the heap of garbage. They kept a vigil around the area to ensure other dogs wouldn't infiltrate their area. The Sun rays scourged the rooftop to stamp its authority. Kavya had been busy watching a podcast on marriage. She wondered why people wouldn't have the maturity that the guests in the podcasts have. She heard her mother's voice echoing in the hall. Keeping her mobile aside, she strode to the hall.
"Today, Ajay is coming to our house to see you."
"Who is that Ajay?"
"We got his details in matrimonial sight. Both your astrological charts match."
"If he behaves like Roshan, I will not keep quiet," she continued. "Life is nothing but a misery without freedom."
"Okay! We will not snatch your freedom."
Ajay and his parents knocked at the door. Kavya's parents looked up as if to apply a petition to God to make their daughter agree to the proposal. They opened the door and invited the guests inside. They rendered the basic hospitality before asking Kavya to come out. Both Kavya and Ajay went to the balcony to have a word.
"What is your lifestyle like?"
"I love reading books, watching creative movies, doing yoga and meditation."
"Do you drink?"
"No, I don't have such habits."
"Are you a party freak?"
"No, I don't feel comfortable going to parties."
"What is your take on, kids?"
"I strongly believe kids are like Gods. We all were kids before we grew into adults. We need to be responsible before we bring a child to this earth. It is disheartening to know that many bring a child to this earth for foolish reasons."
"What are those reasons?"
"Who will take care of me during my old age? How society will perceive us if we do not have a kid? For pleasure's sake. I am totally against these lame reasons people give to bring a child to this earth. I don't know what is your take on that. I am perfectly okay not having a child. I would rather help others which I deem as Karma Yoga. I enjoy doing that. I strongly believe we need to follow our heart instead of being lost in the nausea of outside noise."
His mature words blew Kavya away. She had been waiting for a long time to meet a soul like him. Finally, her patience bore fruit. Both of them gave their nod. Kavya's parents were on cloud nine. It shocked her relatives and peers to see her find a soul of her choosing.