I observe the person almost every day taking the metro at a particular station and getting down at my stop. To be very honest I do not know how to address the man (or woman) - whether to use the pronoun ‘he’ or ‘she’ in reference. But by virtue of the fact that the person always boards the lady’s coach, respecting the decision, I decide to include her in the feminine gender.
She stands quietly by, neatly clad in a well starched saree with matching blouse ( a different one each day), her well-combed hair wound in a tight bun, her powdered face, her heavily kohled eyes, her glossy lips – every subtle and gross nuance about her indicate a desperate attempt to be feminine, she is ready and poised to join the work force for her daily grub.
Nobody looks at her. Have they forgotten to react? No, perhaps the boarders have accepted her as one of them. Just a bit of wishful thinking on my part! I wonder what will be their reaction if she comes to occupy the seat next to them. Will they cringe in disgust or be as indifferent as they are now with her standing tall amidst the gathering?
There is something poignant about the way she conducts herself. Pulling the saree over her ill proportioned body, a little self consciously, watching her fellow commuters openly, without guile or envy. She just stares at them lost in her own thoughts.
When she de-boards, she takes the route opposite mine towards the main road. I am sure she must be heading to the nearest traffic light. Hers must be the evening shift. Pleading and haggling with the drivers or vehicle owners for a few currency notes or coins. I wonder how much she must be earning a day.
These are my private musings as I watch her. I am sure others do too. I shall be glad if they do because somewhere behind these thoughts concern peeps and concern is the first step to change.
I wish she is treated with dignity like any other normal human being as long as she does not thrust her chest forward and puts her hands together in that inimical resounding clap, as long as she does not mouth a blessing or an abuse, as long as she does not compel the moving crowd at the traffic signal to part with a few penny for her imminent survival, as long as does not go back to the hell hole that is her life.....the list is quite long.
I am sure one day we shall all think a little differently and treat her not just as a detested piece of flesh and bones but merely as another specimen of the creed known as the homo-sapiens. One day, I am sure, we will accept her in our office, school, college, market, mall, showrooms. One day we shall raise our voice in unison against the prevalent separatism that makes us differentiate one from the rest and bestow her the much deserved honour of a breathing soul in our midst.
One day I am sure we shall wake up and value our fellow human beings irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, birth, colour, language and all other forms of divide, without grouse or hatred.
One day I am sure the sun will shine brighter on this soil and the moon beam shall embalm the aspirations, big or small, of the toiling masses.
One day I am sure our days and nights will be merrier with hope and care.
Till then lets pray for awakening, enlightenment and trust. Shall we?
