#InternationalWomensDay2022 #BreaktheBias

Freedom – The Forbidden Fruit!

Is it easy to break biases or when you grow up in a certain way, things become a kind of smoother for you or you just need to have it in you – to stand up, raise your voice, be heard, be seen and work your way out, out of prejudices, breaking free of biases and scripting your life the way you want to! Could I write my life the way I wanted to? Not exactly maybe, and yes my achievements are nothing to write home about, yet I could set my stage, script my lines, stand where I am and I believe to begin with if women can break these beginners’ biases, they would have a long way to go!

I was barely a child, when my working Pishi (Bua) moved my heart, though my mom, grandma all were homemakers like many women around me, Pishi with her single bunch of friends, giggling, chilling out, going out for work or fun was something unique! Not being tied at home with unending chores and not depending on any man was something so alluring. I guess that was how I tasted the forbidden fruit of freedom first! There wasn’t any ambition or a penchant for success, it was this mad desire to taste the forbidden fruit! To have a job, earn on your own, hang out with friends, chat about the day to mom, there was a bigger world beckoning and the first bias I broke was – I yearned for freedom!

As a child of the early eighties, I had enough freedom than I could handle, there weren’t any sermons about what women should do or what they should not. Books were gifted, thoughts were broadened, education was encouraged, no coaxing to go to the kitchen for help, though I believe I should have been, at least some load would have been let off from mom! Nature beckoned me with her arms and books lured me into different worlds, moulded me into characters I love!

I was never the flamboyant or outspoken or the smartest one around, yet I had to learn to savor the taste of freedom. That I guess was the first bias I broke… weaving dreams and with little confidence, I had mustered to feel that the stage was mine! Yes, to the world I was a nobody but to myself, I was the world and I had to script my destiny!

Yes, I believe my family paved the way for me, with books, indulgence and rest I sneaked in from life. Well, I wasn’t right always, most of the time I was naive and outright foolish. As my husband says, I had been lucky not to be dragged in something dangerous! Might be I had been lucky; with the little risks, I have taken with absolutely no idea what I got myself into! I had clean shaves more than once, but if one asks me to get your eyes and ears open, watch out for signals, it’s all right to be vigilant but nothing’s worth giving up on the forbidden fruit of freedom. The road is insecure, deserted at times but the freedom to script your destiny is one of the luxuries not to be given up ever!

You learn to love your freedom and life to a great extent just might dance on your tunes! One bias we need to break, of prejudices and insecurities and bask in the glory of oneself! In my case it was my Pishi who fanned the flames of freedom, it blazed and burnt within me! I believe many like her would show us the path less trodden, to shatter the biases and live on our terms!

Soma Bhattacharjee

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