Whispering Thoughts

While walking through rural Haryana, I was deeply struck by the names given to young girls: names like Antima, Kaafi, Maafi, Batheri, and Kshama. The irony of these names—synonyms for apology and regret—contrasted sharply with the lofty rhetoric of empowerment. This poem emerges from that memory, a stark reflection on the hollow celebrations of Women’s Day and the harsh reality many women endure. And while we sit in our plush cabins, dressed in the choicest garms, talking about empowerment,  inspiration and elevation  of "we, the women",  a girl is born in the rural remotes, and for the rest of her life,  she will be called,  no, not by the names of Durga or Lakshmi,  but by the synonyms of apology and regret. Happy women's day. Sounds so hollow...right??? Welfare unto all  Rab rakha 

She is. And her being is sufficient. Complete. Adequate. Rather abundant, plentiful in all respects. She is.. The horde of possibilities that this sentence offers, all the adjectives that you can think of. Yes! She is each one of them. Ace. Adept. Accomplished. So, she is. And it is because she is that we are. Period.

We'll get you a brother, They promised; Running errands Outside our nest, Pushing my wedding-cart, Running our family-name, Sustaining their withering souls; Never lamenting The sisters I could have had, Not even once. Its okay, I offered. Its fun catching fireflies alone.