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Content Tip |
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Children's
Story Writing is a good creative outlet and can be used to
inspire others. |
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A Long Wait
Today
also Madhuri found the door locked. She was happy to have finished her
work at office early. She thought to have a little more time all to
herself before her husband, Pankaj comes around 8 p.m. Although she does
not have the duplicate key but she just wanted to take a chance in case
her in laws are at home. Generally Pankaj picks her up from the office and
together they come back home. Pankaj’s parents quite often go out at this
time just to trouble her at least she feels that way. Pankaj, a number of
times told her to carry a duplicate key to the door but she refused on the
ground that she does not want to enter the house alone. You never know
what your parents are upto! Pankaj could not protest. He knows his parents
very well. They can resort to any means to make Madhuri miserable.
When Madhuri came to this house, her in laws could not accept her. There
was no ceremony, no sweets, no traditional lighting of lamps, no
celebrations to welcome the daughter in law. That day is very vivid in her
memory. How she can forget that. Pankaj’s father made a lot of grumbling
and his mother cried as if her son were dead. Madhuri was dumb founded
seeing all that being enacted before her eyes. She would not have troubled
herself much if things settled down after the initial hiccups. But that
didn’t happen. The tug of war continued. Some times she does feel
frustrated and wanted to move out of her in laws house may be to a rented
apartment. But the in laws behaviour has transformed her will into a
resolute determination to give a bitter fight and she feels justice is on
her side and no power on earth could take away her fundamental rights. She
is legally married to Pankaj and she wants to see all her legal rights are
respected. She feels for those girls who are subject to harassment by
their in laws day in and day out. Are these in laws human beings? She
doubts very much. In fact they are animals in human garb. A society which
boasts of being progressive minded still burns, kills, harasses those
hapless girls who do not have any one to defend. But this cruelty to human
beings by human beings must end…
The calling bell rings. It
must be Pankaj, Madhuri thought. The sound of
the footsteps is well known to her. “How long
have you been waiting?” Pankaj enquired. “Not much, for about half an
hour”, Madhuri told him. Pankaj opens the lock.
“Madhuri you change and come to the kitchen for cooking, in the meantime I
will get ready with your cooking arrangement.” Pankaj suggested Madhuri.
“You can finish your cooking before my mother comes back”
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“Yes, that is a good
idea”, Madhuri supported Pankaj. Other days Madhuri goes to the kitchen
after 10.00 p.m. by that time her mother-in-law would have finished her
cooking. It takes about two hours to prepare breakfast, packed lunch and
dinner. In the morning she hardly has any time. By 7.30 they will have
breakfast, pack the lunch and by 8 they should be out on the street to be
in office by 9 sharp. That evening Madhuri took a long time to cook. She
prepared her favorite dish Rajma Chawal and paneer pakoda. By 10 they were
in bed. Fortunately next day was Saturday, a holiday for both of them.
Generally she goes off to her parent’s house and spend two days with her
parents, sister and a brother. Pankaj also attends office on some pretext
on Saturday and comes back early to Madhuri’s house and they enjoy the
Sunday playing, gossiping, some times pay a visit to a theatre. Thus life
goes on in spite of hiccups being experienced by them on the weekdays. |
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Madhuri feels happy at least when she thinks of Pankaj. He has been
always helpful to her. There was no air conditioner in her room when
she first came. She was just thinking of one such cooling machine,
Pankaj got the AC installed the very next day. Another problem she
faced was to commute to her office on Pankaj’s scooter. As a pillion
rider she was not uncomfortable but the problem was how to avoid the
sensuous looks of the people who would just stop their vehicle or
motor cycle almost touching their scooter. Madhuri is aware that she
has a healthy body and an attractive face so it is natural for people
on the road to look at her sensually. Madhuri suggested Pankaj that
they should own a car to avoid being exposed on scooter and as it is
also accident prone. The next day they went to a Maruti dealer and
firmed up a contract. Some how, she could not tell Pankaj the cause of
her real concern. |
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She still wonders how a
few months back a young man who was completely unknown has become the
closest man in her life. Perhaps life is so beautiful at times because of
such unsuspecting developments. In her office there still are a number of
collegues who wanted to make friendship with her. But they could not dent
into her mind not because they were not eligible bachelors, but perhaps
they did not have the passion for love which she found in Pankaj. The day
she met Pankaj in one of the company programmes where she was the
coordinator on behalf of their company where Pankaj’s company was their
client. Pankaj was in charge of their computer stall. The logistic support
was given by Madhuri’s company.
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The moment she saw Pankaj
her heartbeat increased. His bright eyes and his body language swept off
her feet. She felt he was the man for whom she has been waiting. Within
two days, she forgot about home, relations, they came so close as if they
have been in love eternally. After this it was a matter of days before
they got married. Of course Pankaj cautioned her about his parents
behaviour and that she may not be accepted by his parents. But at that
time Madhuri could not think anything else except Pankaj. What does it
matter if her in laws do not accept her happily! What matters is that
Pankaj has accepted her wholeheartedly and he is always on her side. She
is not afraid of the world as long as Pankaj is on her side.
At the same time she feels
an obligation on behalf of those girls who are not treated well by their
in laws. The bill on Woman’s empowerment and protection from any
kind of harassment by their in laws, husband or other relations is on the
anvil. This bill is going was introduced in the parliament in the monsoon
session. Once it becomes a law she will definitely file a case in the
court of her harassment by her in laws day-in and day-out She awaits for
that day…
Contributing
Story Teller
Sukhendu Roy Chowdhury, I live
in Delhi and do outsourcing work for an NRI. I love the Himalayas and
would like to settle there. my website divinepersons.com
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