Raise Your Voice

She wept herself to sleep every night, writhing in pain, wishing tomorrow would be a better day. Little did she realize her life, her hopes ,her dreams were about to be shattered, for her predator laid its eyes upon her, the very instant she opened hers, joyfully welcoming herself into this pitiful world. A world rotting in filth deeply encrusted with misery. She belonged to a family, like any ordinary individual, and was expected to fit in, and embrace the socially accepted norms, which were always designed to slaughter her happiness, her rights as a human being and most importantly her freedom. ‘Maya is there anything you wish to tell me,’ would ask the spectacled man sincerely hoping for an answer. ’SSShhhh, it knows’, replied Maya distracting herself yet again, by pouring him some more coffee.

Indeed, it was aware of her presence, her desires and hence, stealthily made its move, one step at a time, savoring every moment groaning ‘Mayaaaaa’. Life wasn’t the same for Maya, for she no longer knew right from wrong. She could no longer anticipate what lay ahead of her, whether or not she would rise from the ashes, whether or not her predator would cease to exist, putting an end to all her misery and misfortune. Am I Bad? She thought as tears streamed down her innocent eyes, for she realized for the first time in her life, she had lost her own identity.

“Maya, you are responsible for what happens to you”, it would tell her every day and make her repeat it often, so she wouldn’t dare forget.
She waited, once upon a time , everyday on the roof for its arrival, when the sun went down, eagerly anticipating, what’s in store for her tonight, Will it tell her tales of cheetahs and tigers or sing her to sleep? ”I know you, Maya, more than you think I would”, said the predator.

Until one day, she bled from her heart, her soul, for this was the night where no stories were told, no cheers were heard, and no voice escaped her throat, the night when her mom said,

“Maya, beta your chacha wants to tell you stories on the roof, now run along, get wiser.”

The night, when the predator had its prey.
She was no longer the Maya, she knew, for the, nights of no tales, continued to haunt her every night for the rest of her life as she wept herself to sleep …

This is the story of every 10 yr old, with a trustworthy uncle/servant/man in her life, who knows everything about her, who understands her well, makes her happy and shatters her hopes and dreams by committing such atrocious acts. This is the story of an ordinary Chotu uncle/Ram Singh/man who befriends the young one, sharing his knowledge and wisdom and eventually making her pay for it. ”Let us play a game, where I will be the eagle and you my prey,” said chotu uncle. And boy did he love to play this game every night.

Giving up in despair is the best Maya could do, for the fear of being blamed or sabotaged by her family, vanquished the hope in her for a better life, leading to depression and ultimately death. It is a well known fact that women, who raise their voice against crimes, are silenced forever, for they are nothing but a menace to the society and a disgrace to humanity in general. Wake up !!! Pay attention to your MAYA. Protect her from evil. For your home may no longer be the safest place in the world for your child.

“I ll be watching you MAYAaaaa ….”


STOP CHILD ABUSE.RAISE YOUR VOICE.
Dedicated to a MAYA in you and me.