Open Letter - 15

Dear Society,

How are you? I am fine and I hope this letter finds you hale and healthy. Though it sounds a mere pleasantry, I want you to understand that every time I begin a letter, I truly hope to find you healthy because only when you have a healthy body can you think with a rational mind.

You might find it difficult to believe me, but I have literally started living on fruits. I, who five months ago wouldn’t mind to steal a glance at a fruit stall, am now finding myself bargaining with every fruit vendor on road. Sometimes I feel there is no great relationship in the world than the one between a mother and her child. Women rarely give importance to their health but when they have a child in their womb, none can beat them at health and hygiene.  

On one such fruit-stall-outing, I happened to look at a side-street aglow with a dull street lamp. At the corner of the street stood a little boy frozen to the spot under the street lamp. My recently acquired motherly instinct pushed me to the rescue of the lad. As I went closer to the street, I could see the reason behind his frozen silhouette. The lad was facing four street dogs, though not bothering him, but right across his path.

I went and placed my hand on his shoulder at the touch of which he jumped with a start. I could then see that he was no more than ten years old and was shivering with fear while his body was profusely sweating. I smiled at him and asked him to walk with me. He doubtfully placed his nervous hand in my outstretched palm and we walked across the street until we came to a halt at the other end.  

At the farthest end, there were students filing out of a coaching centre. Out of this tuition centre walked out an eighteen-year-old girl holding her sling bag across her shoulder. On seeing the boy, she came forward and he ran to her embrace. On hearing about me, the girl humbly thanked me for helping her brother. On further enquiry, I came to know that it is a daily routine for the boy to come and pick his sister from the coaching centre. While both the lad and the girl know that it is a futile exercise to send a ten-year-old to accompany an eighteen-year-old, their family insists on either letting the boy come to pick her or not going at all.

I felt deeply moved on hearing this tale. I always thought women are being harshly punished by being holed to the four walls of their homes but I rarely realized that it is men that are being punished into action irrespective of their age, state of mind, necessity and situation. From quite an early age, there are taught to take up family responsibilities. They begin their journey by becoming guardians to their sisters, both younger and elder, then their girlfriends, then wives, then daughters, then mothers and then every other woman under their roof. If to be guarded is a dishonour to women, then to always stay on guard is an equally harsh punishment to men.

Dear society, why do we always push our boys to take care of their girls? Why should an eighteen-year-old girl be accompanied by a ten-year-old boy to reach home safely? Doesn’t it sound ridiculous that we are over-estimating the physical prowess of our boys? Doesn’t it feel terrible that we are over-straining their tender shoulders with burdens beyond their capacity? May be we should try to divide our out-door chores equally between boys and girls. We must create an atmosphere where, irrespective of its gender, a child can reach home safe before, during and after sunset. We must create and world where there shall be neither guardians nor the guarded.

When my child enters this world, I shall make sure that home is a safe nest that one can reach after flying as far and as long as one’s wings can hold.

Dear society, please pass my anguish to other mothers as well so that no son is further tortured to fight for his sister’s honour and no daughter is expected to wait for a saviour in times of need. Tell them that I dream of a world where brothers and sisters share a bonding of love and comradery where no brother is bound to protect his sister throughout her lifetime. Because, hard it may sound, but as long as they are protected, women are definitely disrespected.

Feel free to write to me for further clarifications.

Yours Sincerely,

An Expecting Mother.