What do you do when you know every bit of the problem? Do you try resolving it or just pretend you don't care? Reshmi feels that everything in her life is interlinked to one another. Creepy it feels like imagining ouroboros* that have no ending in society.
In an ouroboros Society….
By Poonam W
Present Day 21.01.2080
On a scorching hot sunny day, we all gathered in the yard to have our special ceremony. We celebrate the moment when a girl has her periods for the very first time. Indeed I was really happy. Being a mother of three girls is my pride. My honour to see them grow every single day- whether it's mentally, physically or emotionally doesn't matter. Finally! I get to see this kid growing up. This tradition has been carrying on for decades. I didn't want this ceremony to just fade away like a breeze. So here we were.
Reshmi, my eldest daughter, came in our traditional attire wearing bright vibrant colours of choli and Ghagra. All the world's beauty lies before this gorgeous woman. Those charcoal black eyes followed the crowd. I guess she was looking for me. She was. Exactly! Her gaze stopped at me. She steadily approached me through the crowd and said "Ma". Those words touched my soul!
"Yes beta", I whispered into her ears. She couldn't place her eyes on a particular thing, her gaze was somewhere else. She was fidgeting with her fabric. I sensed her awkwardness and pulled her by her shoulder.
"Dear, this is a ceremony that we always follow. This is what distinguishes us from the western culture", I said, trying to pin Reshmis' chunni on her shoulders. She stared at me with a confused expression.
" See dear, when you hit puberty that is when society recognizes you as a woman. I am celebrating this day because you have turned into a beautiful, strong, bold woman just like your grandmother," I said, having a firm hold of her shoulders.
The whole day, we didn't talk about the reaping ceremony. That would have just built a tense environment. Deep inside me, I was broken. The night where I wouldn't want to face anyone. I buried my face into the pillow and cried hard. How long could I control my tears?
22.01.2080
I am Reshmi, the daughter of the renowned family- The Patel. Thinking about the reaping ceremony brought me goosebumps. Mom told me to check the potali* that was near the top of the ceiling. My mom always said that there was something in that box. So here I was searching for the exquisite box.
Everything had dust on it. So old! I gasped for my breath. Finally, I found the letter. That unpleasant, musty smell trickled up my nostrils. Achoo! I rubbed my nose against my shoulder. Without tearing a piece of the letter, I carefully unfolded it.
It read-
19.03.2021
Dear grandchildren,
I hope things are going the way you want them to go. Well, you might not know me as I will pass away soon. I am writing this letter to you because you have turned into a beautiful creature today - a woman!
I will start giving you a glimpse of my life. The Patel family, which we all belong to, has ruled Gujarat for the past decade.
'A Perfect Day'
My morning started with waking everyone at 6 o'clock. It was pretty dark , and we could barely see where we were heading to. The palace was lit only by candles at the entrance of the gate.
I got ready for breakfast. While walking down the stairs my fingers ran through the royal texture of statues that were situated everywhere.I passed by more sculptures that were hung on the huge wall;The wall that separated me from the rest of the world.
I reached the corner of the table. The table was covered with a violet tablecloth. I was always reminded not to spill anything on it. We had 30 varieties of breakfast. The aroma of every item of food had made a circle around my family. I reached for the apples and paratha. My stomach did not crumble so I had a little bit. We were grand table was cleaned by our maids. A hump of food was going in the bin.I smirked and over it.
I go to school around 8:30 and come back by 5. All my friends come from rich, royal families so we don't have anything to lose. We play in the garden. "She cleans at my place", my friend said pointing to the person strolling down the street.
I was home and we had our grand feast again. This whole cycle repeated the next day and the next day.
Love,
Your Granny
Then why couldn't people do anything about the scarcity of food now? Why were actions not taken? "We could have not seen these days if you guys would have taken some crucial steps", I said , I was the only one hearing my cranky voice.
It continued-
01.10.2021
Dear Grandchildren,
Every bit of the earth has changed right from the dust particles to the human beings.
'An imperfect Day'
We aren't the royal family anymore by land, food, money or even as abstract as respect. The family that had everything done at its fingertips now had to beg for food.
Today, I saw a kid near the dustbin. His messy hair disturbed him, and it was difficult for him to was a transparent plastic bag with some old smelly food. It was food! See, when the words we didn't pay a lot of attention to were now, at the doorstep of every mouth the community.
With a 136.64 crore population, it's difficult to fill everyone's tummies. What would the government do? In a country where culture, tradition and background are imprinted on our names and lopped with our individuality-there was no way back.
There are draughts in Banaskantha after every 30 years. This was the first one that was so severe that it caused death to thousands. By the way, there are only two rivers that cascade through Gujarat- Narmada and Tapi. By the time you have grown up you will have many rivers flowing, but the quality won't remain the same.
Countries are racing like cats to prove that they are better than the rest. They have forgotten that they have left prints that can't be removed. For example, banks are covered with huge toxic garbage.
You might be thinking of what you have to do with all of this information. Why am I talking nonsense and how is it connected to you? Well, it is indeed a valid question. See, I have banged my head against the walls trying to tell people about the situation.
" Look at that arrogant woman, walking as if there is shit on the floor", was how I was taunted for the wealth we had once upon a change was hard for them to digest.
This is an Interdependent Universe where everything is tied like a thread to one another. If you believe in methodology then it's the Ouroboros cycle. We are facing problems like scarcity of resources, diseases spreading like rumours and infections like a cold.
Your helpless Granny,
Loves you even without food
Tears dripped down my chicks. Mom says crying is like cleaning your deep wounds, so I didn't stop myself. All thoughts enveloped me. Tomorrow was the day.! The day where I go to fight for my state. This is the ONLY way to get resources. On the other hand, granny gave me some hope. The hope that I could bring some change. See, it's easier to say than do.
I climbed the stairs to reach up to where my family was sitting to bid me goodbye.
23-01-2080
The Next Day
There I saw Dev Modi with white hair, standing by the mic. He started his lecture as always. The leather jacket, blue silky pants were a highlight. I could barely see his face because of the distance and the scorching hot sun penetrating right into my eyes. This weakened the eyesight of mine. The atmosphere was filled with sweat and nervousness"What would I do with this letter?" What is the purpose?
I stayed numb. I didn't dare to move one step towards the stage. My legs felt heavy. My eyesight felt weak. All I could do was stare at the mic.I couldn't sense the scorching hot sun anymore. Everything became more blurry.
All kinds of thoughts start bursting in my head. The letter just made me have these visuals that would only cause trouble and headache to me. I held my head in the opposite direction. My stomach crumbled, I felt sick. Was there a need for me to read the letter?
I stood there like a rock, no expressions. All my thoughts were at a halt. It all ended when Dev Modi said, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour." It felt like the world stopped for a second,everything returned to how everything was. Fight…..Fight and fight;so that the fittest could survive.
Key Term:
Potli- A bag that is tied with a cloth.
Ouroboros- represented the concept of eternity and endless return