When Women Speaks

It was the happiest day at the Singhania house, after all the arrival of the young man of the house was being celebrated. Mrs. Singhania being married for fifteen years now had five daughters and three abortions of female feticide, she felt blessed that her prayers were finally answered and she was blessed with a son who was named Chirag. But little did anyone know what the future awaited them. Mrs. Singhania was a school teacher who had been teaching without any doubt in her mind for the past seventeen years. Chirag was being overly pampered and loved by all the family members, which included grandparents, uncle, aunt, and his five amazing sisters.

Gradually, as years passed by Chirag started to develop a keen interest in modeling and fashion, he would watch shows such as supermodel of the year, miss India along with his youngest Didi. And then his mother would be called a witch by her mother-in-law to teach their grandson all sorts of female desires. Grandmother of Chirag would come and switch off the television and then made sure that he went to play with his friends, the gully cricket and football.

But, all this never made Chirag give up on his dreams, rather every night all of the six siblings along with their mother would go up to the terrace and watch Chirag perform. And his mother always told that no matter what she would always stand by them, and as she would say tears would always flow from her eyes.

And as tears flowed down her eyes, she would tell her kids the story of the night she was married to their father and how he supported her. And thus, she would narrate

"How can I forget that night? I had eloped from my house with your father, married at the temple nearby, and then went to the registrar to get the marriage certificate and had an amazing dinner at the roadside Dhaba and came to Singhania house. Right after maa saw me she was immensely happy, coz she was very fond of me, and after all, why wouldn't she be coz my father had promised her a handsome amount of dowry, who was the MLA of the area at that time. But as she got to know that we had eloped suddenly she started to call me names, I can't even tell you all, and I became that girl in a second. And right after your father said she would continue her job, maa felt as if someone had stolen her diamond necklace in front of her, she stood there at the door like a statue and didn't move until babuji came and asked who it was…." a sudden rain bought back Mrs. Singhania to reality, and she saw her children crying along with her.

Days, passed by and nothing changed at Singhania house, but today Seema the eldest Singhania Daughter was going to change something, she had been selected for the India Air force and had to go for her further training. As she broke this news, everyone was shocked and started calling Mrs. Singhania by names, that it was under her black magic spell that the woman of the house will now go so far away from home and stay at unknown places and such difficult situations, instead she should make Chirag a strong man and send him when she grows up. Seema was well prepared for all this and she didn't say a word.

Right after her mother came back from school, she told her mother everything, who not only was overjoyed but also helped Seema in her packing, who had her train late in the night. The Singhania house was filled with extreme gloom, and no one exchanged any word, as Seema was about to leave, her grandmother told all, "If today Seema leaves this house, she has to forget she ever had a family. And anyone who wishes to drop her at the station can leave the house as well."

To this Mrs. Singhania replied,(who was about to leave the house to drop her daughter at the station), " Beta, you don't need a family now, because u are going to serve your country and the whole nation is your family, and India is your mother, who will always take care of her children no matter what the situation is." As she said this, she shut the door and went to her room, and Seema followed her dream.

It had been ten years since this incident, happened and Seema who was now married and had a son was in touch only with her mother and her siblings. And Chirag was sent to Engineering College as doing modeling would bring shame to the family, which Seema has already bought enough.

One fine day, there was a talent hunt for the upcoming show India's Got Talent, at the college of Chirag, and he without telling anyone participated and showed his modeling and dancing skills and got selected to go to Mumbai for final Selection. As soon as he broke this news to his family, that he had to leave in two days, all the crying and howling started again and the same old things being told to his mother, but this time not only by his grandmother but his aunt as well who was younger to his mother.

Mrs. Singhania told Chirag to follow his dreams, and forget his family, like his sister, but he refused and told that "Maa if you cant come along with me and stand with me I will not step out of the house to follow my dreams, and will stop going to college also." That night she thought about each event that ever happened with her after she became Mrs. Singhania, and she realized that she always supported her children's dreams, but why never didn't she come up and stood for them? Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer to this and then finally made a decision and now she knew what had to be done tomorrow.

It was the day Chirag was supposed to leave for Mumbai, she packed his bags and told him to bring it down to the living room, while cooked lunch for all. After all, ate lunch she told, "I want all of you to listen to me, so please shift to the sofa". As all shifted, Chirag looked at his mother and asked in actions what happened, she replied in action nothing serious.

After all, sat she said, " I Mrs. Rita Chowdhury Singhania (hearing this all were amazed, coz Rita never used her father's title after getting Married), want to say you all, that I fully support the dream of my every child and especially of my son Chirag, who wishes to become a Model and pursue his career in the same. I am a woman who can stand for her children just quietly because that's what the tradition speaks, so today I break those traditions and support my child totally and openly, and I will also be going to see him perform at the Mumbai auditions." As she told this her youngest daughter went to get her mother's suitcase, which she had packed last night. Rita continued, " if anyone has any objection, let me make myself clear, that choosing my child over my family traditions was difficult, but what I should have done at the time of Seema, am doing now, so I am ready to leave my house, which I have built with all the love I had to stand by my son and show the world that if a woman wants she can stand by her child, irrespective of gender and allow the child to do whatever they want to. Because after all, it's a woman who builds this society and the norms."

As she told all this, a doorbell rang and the security informed Mrs. Singhania that the hired car was waiting outside to go to the Airport. She turned back to her gave them a smile held her son's hand and walked out of the house, where people were waiting to see the talent of her son.