“Do you realize what you have done?” she asked ashamed.
“Yes, but it just happened and I didn’t initiate it, Sunil did.” He said without remorse.
“And more over Pa says, I will be out in 10 days.” He continued, eating the first morsel from the tiffin.
“Yes, sure you will be, have you wondered you spoiled a young girl’s life? The media has exposed her name…newspapers are running stories on her like an autobiography. Where would she get work, who would marry her? Don’t you feel sorry for what you did?” She almost screamed.
“Are you my mother or hers? She shouldn’t have been in a pub at 11 pm in the first place. Delhi anyway is not a safe place. On top of it, she started arguing with Sunil when all he had done was to ask her to dance with him as she looked really hot. Her telling him ‘be a man and back-off’ cost her. Good she will now never try it again, she knows how much of men we four are.” he said sarcastically, drinking the kheer his mother had brought in the tiffin.
“Yes son you are so right, I was relieved when the nurse had announced it’s a boy as I was under a lot of pressure from your grandparents. Your father’s joy knew no bounds as his business empire got an heir. I know I cannot reverse what happened to the girl but this is my way of proving to her that I am by her side. And all I pray God today is may you be born as a woman the next birth.” She said wrapping the tiffin containers, as her son turned blue oozing froth from his mouth.
I shudder to wonder what a mother would have to go through with such a son and then the last line hit me hard. Probably, the toughest for a mother to do but it was the only thing she could have done. How it must have torn apart to face the truth and it getting harsher that he hadn’t an ounce of remorse.
However, the last second line came out as a curse, which it certainly isn’t. Being woman is the most wonderful thing and being subjected to the darkest deed is horrifying which a woman should never have to witness. Not because of any deed in her past life or whatsoever. My thoughts! I get what you’ve written and in such few words that’s a powerful message there Shweta.
I so agree Shanx, being a woman is a blessing…its the most wonderful thing. As you so rightly said she cursed him on that as she wanted him to feel what its like to be punished without a fault in a country where hypocrisy rules.
She did it to her own son….imagine the state of her mind, the thoughts, her heart….but it happened so that girls might be saved from such terrible deeds.
How girls could be saved by killing culprits? Did killing of Osama or capital punishment of Kasab prevent the Peshawar Attack?
As far as I see, fear of punishment cannot cultivate respect in heart. If a mother start killing her son instead of bringing him back to moral path then it would be a beginning of…………
I liked the end of Haider in which a mother killed herself but brought her son back on moral path. That was a courageous act from a mother for me. She was a mother in its real meaning. She fight till her last breath to make her son a real human and succeeded in it.
By bringing in Haider, you again are talking fiction. a debate on fictional outcomes is just a matter of your perception to mine.
Well, Dear, the question is not about fiction or reality but the effective way to deal with it.
it’s a story not a social cause discussion. too less of the story revealed to make it as a debate.
Fiction-yet-thought provoking. Superbly written, you have an excellent writing skill, I must admit it. Lovely read.
Men will men, that’s the ideal thing I understand from this story. The emotional lines from the mother at the end was quite touching. Thanks for writing such a valuable post. Keep writing!
Thank you Gowthama, really glad you liked it 🙂
A good story Shweta.. It can be shot as a one minute movie 🙂
Thank you Roohi, that’s a great compliment 🙂
Hi Shweta
Superbly written,
I strongly feel that today’s parents should strictly teach their Boys about how to treat and respect a women, teach ur son how to behave and dont force ur girls how to,(girls know well)
The problem with our society is the “Thought process ” – the nuturing of male ego is the main problem, we need to change this .. and change starts from home espeically – fathers play very important role here !!!
Anyways fantastically written and as I always say u are a fantastic story teller !!!
Great going
have a wonderful day ahead
Thank you Bhavik and welcome to my blog 🙂 I know you read all the stories and are a constant motivation (positivity no bhandar as I say). I so agree, Indian culture or values have never considered women equal, its over time and in hypocritical ways that women started being treated differently and not allowed to do things men did.
Such a nice and heart touching post Shweta, it is in fact true that if kids get good education from their family (I would say it as parents) then they will get the right path in their life.
Thank you Alok, agree. In fact I have used some very strong statements however felt it as a need given the current state of our country when it comes to security of women.
Excellent writing. To me this is one of your most effective work of fiction. Shows the emotions of a women and a mother. The title of the post “The Verdict” seems so relevant as reader reads the last paragraph. Compelling and thought provoking. A meaningful post.
Wow…I would have surely treated you for your favorite (veg) food if I were in India 🙂 Well, jokes apart, thank you so much for this great feedback Vishal 🙂 It surely motivates me to do better. Really happy you liked it 🙂
Bold writing. Mother destroying her creation.
I know it’s hard to accept of a mother…taking her her own son’s life, but my portrayal is of a creator destroying the evil.
The last sentence was truly a bolt from the blue, a good verdict which is really not possible for a mother to give. Hats off Shweta, good imagination.
It’s a fiction, not sure if a mother would do that in real, my message was two fold. One the trauma a woman goes through because of her own blood getting evil and second when there is no change expected…a helpless mother gave her verdict.
Nice story. Reminds me of a movie starring Esha Deol and Jaya Bachchan. Don’t now if people can actually take such a stand.
Haven’t seen the movie Somali, glad you liked it.
oh my god!!! I actually re-read the last line…
Powerfull….
It indeed is 🙂
Great!
Thank you Aditya.
I really loved the verdict the mother gave her son,faster verdict than the courts! But i actually hope no mother has to go through so much agony.
I pray no human has to take such decisions too. Glad you liked it.
this one is so beautifully written Shweta! No words! *applause*
Thank you Divsi 🙂
Great twist Shweta. Loved it!
Thank you Sunaina.
Beauty of words flowed with emotions in it. Seriously Shweta, I have no words for praise for the lovely fiction and real topic 🙂
Thank you for acknowledging it as a fiction, happy you liked it.
the mother India of our times, nicely written
Much needed, not for taking these drastic steps but atleast to raise her voice and give the right values to her children.
“And all I pray God today is may you be born as a woman the next birth.” I read the post several times especially this line. I couldn’t understand what does it trying to say? Is being born as woman a curse? Are men by born rapist?
“have you wondered you spoiled a young girl’s life? The media has exposed her name…newspapers are running stories on her like an autobiography. Where would she get work, who would marry her?”
What the media is doing – some sort of TRP game? I wonder why the movies of Bollywood in 80s have sister in them – to be raped by villains? What is the need of rape scene in almost every 2nd 0r 3rd movie during that period?
Why would she not get any work? Why would no one marry her? We, so called sensitive & responsible humans, can only organise candle march, write sympathetic blog and comments on that blog; can’t anyone of us provide job opportunity for her or marry her?
Can only giving capital punishment to culprit complete our responsibility of being a sensitive human? Does poisoning his son restore the dignity of that girl?
Long time ago, on “HangTheRapist” prompt of Indiblogger Indispire, I wrote a post to discuss these issues, “Could There Be Any Justice For Rape Victim?” I’d like to share its link here as my reply to this post. http://rvsh.in/indispire23
I would like to reiterate that the above a purely a work of fiction with this disclaimer All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
However this time I would defy my vulnerability and lack of confidence and try to give you a logical justification.
Firstly, lets not mix movies (of 80’s or any genre) and reality. Movies again have the same disclaimer as I provided above.
Now coming to the copied sentences of my fictional story “may you be born as a woman next birth” – well its your perception that she cursed him. For me she wanted her son to be born a woman to fit into those shoes and feel what A WOMAN IN INDIA FEELS.
It feels great to talk of women empowerment, cut the crap, women in India are not safe in a womb keep aside on the road. Some issues that you may not be aware of is female infanticide, expectation of a male child, rape, sexual abuse and molestation.
Now to your question on what is media doing some sort of TRP game – yes Media does that. I am surprised you being in India are not aware of it. Well some of these links may help enlighten http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/world/asia/29iht-letter29.html?_r=0 and http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/27/opinion/gupta-india-rape-culture/
There are cases where police refuse to note a FIR. Plus innumerable cases where the victim is threatened for life and even loses her life. these links will help enlighten you http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mother-of-india-rape-victim-beaten-for-refusing-to-withdraw-complaint-1.2659188 and http://lightbox.time.com/2014/06/04/the-story-behind-a-shocking-image-of-india-rape-victims/#1
By the time I read your surprise on picking up a senetence “who will marry her” I was kind of sure you are not kind of aware of the Indian psyche. Well these two videos will surely throw some light http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-would-you-marry-a-rape-victim-the-answers-these-indians-give-will-shock-you-2007843 and http://www.india.com/stream/will-you-marry-a-rape-victim-watch-appalling-reactions-of-indian-men-110901/
Now with a deep sigh I come to your last question Does poisoning her son restore the dignity of that girl – of course not my friend, but I think the verdict is of a fictional emotional mother and not of a judiciary who is in full control to think and make laws. It was an emotional outburst.
Lastly, I reiterate its pure a work of fiction and if fiction were true then we surely would have UFOs revolving around us or may be wolverine who knows.
Well, Dear, it doesn’t matter whether its a piece of fiction or a real event; the only thing matters is what message it is giving.
I quoted the example of 80s movies only to support my point that media is writing these only for TRP. I wrote previous comment in sarcastic manner. “We, so called sensitive & responsible humans, can only organise candle march, write sympathetic blog and comments on that blog; can’t anyone of us provide job opportunity for her or marry her?” Anyway……
I completely agree with all what you are saying. I could feel the pain but complaining is not solution, nor capital punishment. No law can restore her dignity but our mentality. We should focus our efforts and thoughts on how to restore her dignity in society instead of shouting for capital punishment of culprit. We have to shift the discussion from culprit to victim.
that’s what i tried explaining through my response, I am not trying to give any message…it’s just a story – a piece of fiction. By referring to what the fictional mother did as capital punishment is completely wrong. It was an emotional outburst where as
Capital punishment or the death penalty is a legal process whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. The judicial decree that someone be punished in this manner is a death sentence, while the actual enforcement is an execution.
Lets not mix the two. And you are making it a social cause by saying shift of discussion from culprit to victim. Over analysis is paralysis. Let it be a story rather than twisting it into a discussion forum of how and what needs to be done for a rape victim in India.
Liked it really… specially the way you portrayed the son- careless ,smug saying ‘ Good she will now never try it again’ .. nauseating ..
Yes, I agree with the mother’s last line. Don’t even want to think what she went through ….
yes it will not bring back the girl’s dignity but earth will be at least minus one arrogant ,rotten brain, scoundrel ….
Thanks babe, that’s exactly what I have tried to portray, an emotional outburst of a woman…playing a role of a mother in the fictional piece. Feel good you echoed or could relate to the thought behind it.
I read it twice dear, heart touching and great post.. 🙂
Thank you Arpita.
I have no words to say 🙁
there is one I wrote too..
http://thesparkunseen.blogspot.in/2014/07/i-never-thought-that-ill-be-writing.html
I read the poem and left a comment Sankeerth, its touching indeed.
Oh my! all kinds of thoughts on this, eh?!
That was a powerful story; one that will remain in one’s mind long after reading it and commenting on it.
Shweta — I get it. That could be that mother who feels bad for what ‘her own’ has done. A kind of guilt.
The ending is a bit controversial so the discussion babe 🙂 Exactly the mother could not contain what her son did and thus that was her outburst.
Somehow I guessed the contents of the Kheer, Soul-sis 🙂
Serves him right. Hope Mom’s curse comes true.
But, how’ll she escape the police?
oh no Soul-sis, why cant I create suspense for you….no!
Well on how will she escape police, a mother who loses her son at her own hands..would barely have any great desire left.
We think alike, remember? 🙂
Truly, the mom must be so upset & would have no intention to live.
She’s like ‘Mother India’ movie’s Nargis who kills her own son…
Umar bhar Ghalib, yehi bhul karta raha,
Dhool Chehre pe thi, aur main aaina saaf karta raha.
Umar bhar Ghalib, yehi bhul karta raha,
Dhool Chehre pe thi, aur main aaina saaf karta raha.
Very well written.. 🙂
Thanks Vartika 🙂
Really strong writing … commendable post!
Thanks Shubham 🙂
Oh…that’s a startling story…so powerful! Great writing, Shweta!
Thank you Moon, happy you liked it.
Kudos! That was fantastic…
Thank you Prateek.
It’s a powerful story. And you’ve done justice to it by making it short and crisp… very well done dear… (y)…
Thanks babe..the few times when I use few words 🙂