I am a curse!

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Sometime back I came across the above picture on a Social media platform.  I could hear the screams and cries of the little girl bound by the chains of societal evils. At an age for playing with toys and going to school, her tender shoulders carried the burden of untold hardships.

India is a country which boasts of a huge diversity and an alarming inequality across the different strata of society. While on one hand we do have women reaching the pinnacle of success, on the other, female infanticide and callousness in raising a girl child is still rampant. Though illegal, child marriage still remains a social evil among the rural and uneducated masses of India.

This poem is a story of one such unfortunate girl.

My

soul scavenges for memories

into the past, scouring for moments

of smiles and happiness.

Alas,

only to meet a murky wall

of gloom and darkness

bias and prejudice

abuse and scorn

burden and guilt

hunger and loneliness

pain and sorrow.

My

delicate hands forced into labour

books and toys being only a fantasy.

The hollow love, tyrant family

leave me bereft of emotions.

The wedding celebrations

shatter my tender dreams.

For,

tonight I shall be crushed

abused and crumpled.

Silently,

wiping the bloody tears

silencing the screams

hiding the bruised body

a  lifeless ,muted me ,

will mourn and lament

my birth as a girl.

My body breathes

but my soul is buried deep!

 

58 thoughts on “I am a curse!”

  16. my birth as a girl.
    My body breathes
    but my soul is buried deep.
    Dil ko chhuti aapki panktiyan……….Bahut khub likha.

    गुजर गयी हैं सदियाँ कितनी,
    कितने बीते साल,
    सुधर सके ना मगर अभी तक,
    अपने ये हालात,
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ,
    जीवन पाकर अब भी मैं शर्मिंदा हूँ,
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ|
    साँसे चलती देह सलामत,
    तबतक मैं हूँ एक अमानत,
    रूह मृत है मेरा,
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ,
    जीवन पाकर अब भी मैं शर्मिंदा हूँ,
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ|
    जन्म लिया तो माँ का छाँव,
    होश हुआ तब बेड़ी पाँव,
    बचपन,यौवन,बृद्धापन में,
    कहाँ आजादी देखा मन ने,
    देखा बंदिश पाँव
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ,
    जीवन पाकर अब भी मैं शर्मिंदा हूँ,
    केवल जिन्दा हूँ|

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  18. A very strong and emotional piece.I cannot be more against these social evils in our society. Female infanticide, inequality and child marriage can only be tackled by increasing the awareness and giving terse punishment to the perpetrators.
    I did the anthology on it as my bit as a poet to increase the awareness. Thanks for writing about it Radhika.

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    1. Absolutely Megha. It baffles me as to how can a parent be so cruel to their own piece of flesh and blood? I pray that they open their eyes to the wonders a girl can achieve.
      I remember reading your anthology Megha. They were brilliant!

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      1. Yes I too fail to understand that how can you do that your own flesh and blood and make her go through all that pain.
        Thanks for reading them. I really appreciate your time, Radhika.

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  26. My eyes betrayed me while reading this, Mam. The powerful way in which you put it across- something only you can do. Very saddening to imagine how many voices are being silenced, how many dreams shattered and how many wings clipped, just as I type this. The soul of your poem is too intense, Mam.
    This shouldn’t happen to anyone. The fact that this went on for generations before us is alarming. But high time it stops.
    Brilliant piece, mam. Could hear the voice of the girl in your words 🙏😭

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    1. Thank you so much dear.
      I know Sahana, this is a sad story in many parts of the world. I find it so hard to believe as to how can parents be so cruel to inflict this pain on their own daughter. Hoping that this evil system comes the an end soon.

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