Indian Independence Day

Independence Day

15th august, 1947 midnight

After all the pains taken, after the entire freedom struggle… the Indians felt their land again, their free land. The country was all theirs again. Indian land felt its national flag again and everyone saluted it. An old woman cried with joy though she had lost all her relatives. She sat down on the sand and kissed it. She was overwhelmed with happiness. They were actually free again. After years of struggle, after being beaten up and after having lost their loved ones; they still survived.

A married woman looked outside her house from lifting her purdah upwards. She saw her husband and father-in-law celebrating outside her half- broken house. She had a smile on her face. Her husband was shouting- ‘Azaadi, Azaadi’ outside their house when he turned with a huge smile on his face and saw his wife looking at him with her risen purdah.
He was enraged and he rushed towards the house. His wife quickly covered her face again but was already seen. He slapped her hard across her face, she fell down and tears rolled down her cheeks.
“What do you want to show to other men outside? That you are beautiful and available? Is one man not enough for you? If this happens again I’ll burn you alive.” After this he left and she kept lying on the floor.
She had to stay alone in that house. She wondered if she could call herself free. She starts remembering the independence struggle and her contribution in order to attain it.
Sita, was 27 years old. She was born on 15 august, 1920 in a village near Delhi. Soon after her birth, her mother died and she was considered inauspicious. Her father remarried and his second wife gave birth to a boy. Her childhood was spent observing Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters around and she was captivated by their passion. She believed that her position would change too. One day she’ll be given education and will fight the British. She was very intelligent.
When she was 10, she heard about the Dandi march led by Bapuji. A year later, efforts of Bhagat singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev had failed. She was inspired by them and somewhere knew they will be free one day. She belonged to a very conservative family and was to be married at an early age. Her father saw her reading and beat her.
When she turned 15, she was married to a man who was 12 years older to her but she could not refuse. Soon after her marriage the family demanded children and she gave birth to four daughters, out of which the first two were twins. She was ill-treated because she couldn’t give birth to a boy. She was now given the last warning. She was only 18 then. Finally, at the age of 20 she gave birth to a boy. On the day of the birth of the boy, her husband and father-in-law were in the jail as they were a part of the freedom struggle. She had to take care of the family and also kept herself secretly updated.
Within her husband’s tenure in the jail, she joined the women in strikes and protests. She made posters. Her husband was released in 1942, during the Quit India Movement. He was still busy in the struggle while a fire broke out in that area. No one ever knew about it because it was a small unimportant village. She rescued the family and managed to get water to put off the fire. She kept herself busy with the happenings of the struggle and lent a hand whenever required. She still never ignored the family.
She spoke the local language and wore only khadi to discourage the English. She continued to take care of her family and also put up with the humiliation she had to go through created out of her husband’s frustration.
Finally, on her 27th birthday, India was free from the colonial rule. She made her silent contributions but they were not recognized because she was a follower, not a leader. She was just an ordinary woman in some corner of a small village and it was her duty to do everything she did.
Reforms made for women came into practice. The purdah system was removed, sati was abolished, female children were to be respected and given education.
She thought about the whole time and decided to leave home. She thought she would become something and come back to take her children. She was happy. She left a letter for her husband and left.
Soon after she left, her husband discovered her being missing and looked for her. She was found and got beaten up and burnt down in front of a million people who never spoke about it again.

It is because of women like Sita that we have freedom today, the real freedom. Her efforts might not be recognized but her contribution cannot be ignored. Sita helped proving the strength of women and all men should always remember that.

(written in school for the school board)

Changes

I am in a crowd,

I talk to every soul,

I laugh and crack jokes.

I seem to be good,

But then…who knows?

I meet a new person,

I like that new person.

I start loving that new person.

I spend a beautiful time with him

And then, he goes away…

I meet another one,

History repeats itself.

The new person leaves memorable moments

Also gives me a new one…

I go to a new place,

I like the new place,

I start loving the new place.

I spend hours there

And then I find a new place.

I find an interest,

Like it, love it.

Forget about it.

My definition of fun changes.

Detachment,

Absurd feeling,

Something that no one will ever understand

Surround me,

Trap me,

Take me away,

To my new destination.

I look back,

I see where I was.

Think why it happened,

That was the thing I cared for most

And now I don’t know why I even turned for once.

I loved that thing,

I could spend my whole life there.

It was my world.

Well, I rule the galaxy

And my world changes…

Changes…

I love changes,

The only thing that I love,

The only thing that always remained with me.

Fake promises,

“We’ll always be friends…”

“This is our home.”

“This is something you’ll enjoy forever.”

Lies,

Ruined dreams.

A new dream comes,

Why?

Where am I today?

Where was I?

How have I become?

Who are those people?

Did I ever know them?

Was he the person I loved?

Was she my best friend?

What has stayed?

I wanted to move on,

I wanted to be emotionless,

I wanted to enjoy life,

I wanted nothing to stop me from fun...

Fun…

What is fun?

What was it for me?

Little things,

Time with people I cared about…

‘Care’

Do I care?

Do these things affect me as they did?

Did they ever affect me?

Friendship and love

last forever.

Bullshit

The only thing that lasts is

‘Changes’

Everyone goes away,

Life goes away,

But changes…

They remain forever.

I am in a crowd,

I talk to every soul,

I laugh and crack jokes

But I am still alone

And I have to be alone.

An Unknown Tale

AN UNKNOWN TALE

The hall all prepared,
The princess alas not dressed,
It was a moment of anticipation,
For it was a big celebration.

The princess was sixteen,
Her age to get wedded,
There were brave princes
From the nearby kingdoms,
All ready to take her and crown her.

The princess,
Prettiest of the pretty,
Eyes of a deer,
Hair touching the ground.
Her sight was rare,
Made everyone’s head go round.

Among the bravos,
Appeared the bravest.
He came from a far away kingdom.
His heart was made of gold,
He loved all and was known.

The hall was soon filled,
Everyone hoped to get what they willed.
The bravest calmly
Tied his horse himself.

There was something that no one knew,
The princess was about to depart..
There was a disease unknown
Which could get the two of them apart.

The decision was quick,
The dance was to begin,
The princess wore her black dress
And who could say about the rest.

That night they danced,
A dance never seen before.
They were perfect together
And just then, she fell
He held onto her
How could he let her go?
And suddenly she closed her eyes,
In the arms of her lover.