Titli....

There sits the little child,

Imaginative, wide eyed......

Proudly telling her friend,

"You wait and watch Rani,

Its just the best in class now....

There will be a day

When I'll fly high,

And dance in the skies......

My voice will do wonders,

And stupefy those people.....

My feet will sprinkle magic,

And they will make me the best!

Such dreams weaves she,

A doe-eyed girl of nine,

So aptly named Titli......

With wings of fantasies

Taking her so high,

That the blazing reality,

Does not graze her little mind....

And smack! Lands a slap

On her rosy cheek

"Don't you have any shame girl?

Talking of obscenities like that?

You need to marry,

And build your life

And not dream of dances divine!

Tears of horror fill Titli's eyes,

As she hears the sentence for life.....

"No Ma! Its not bad!

It is my deepest desire,

My passion! My life!

But the prejudices of convention,

Closed the doors of the mother's heart.....

As she walks away disgusted,

Leaving the child to cry.......

Days come and go,

As nature showers beauty,

Of body, mind and soul

On Titli, the bright faced angel of eleven,

With the power of dancing,

That stuns people around...

And the gift of a voice,

That makes them oblivious,

To any other sound....

As she binds tales of melancholy,

In her soft notes of purity,

Father comes in thundering

"You unfortunate wretch!

How dare you whine so loud??

People are talking and wondering,

Of what are you so proud?

Get ready in a day!

Thanks to the Devi,

Your groom is on his way."

Titli sat aghast.....

Was this song her last?

Not a word came out in shock,

As her mother dressed her in red........

Too terrified was little Titli,

To find out where her fate led....

The next morning he was there,

A haggard of thirty-forty...

A golden tooth shining among the brown,

And eyes red with toddy.....

"Where is my queen?" he demanded

As he threw a wad of money,

There came Titli, shivering, astounded

"No rituals will be done now,

I'm in a hurry," said he

And grabbed Titli, by her wrist

Taking her away from her family.....

A cry of helplessness echoed that day,

And so Titli was never heard of again......

Today she sits in that corner,

At the end of forbidden streets...

Painted with artificiality,

That covers her soulless face.....

No purpose has she left,

She cackles when called a "disgrace".....

Did destiny need to be so harsh?

She pondered day and night........

What sin had she committed?

That brought her to this plight?

And then there was a day,

In the dungeons of her life....

When she became a mother,

And gave birth to a girl child......

That day swore Titli,

That her doll would not be her.....

This new Titli was born to fulfil,

The broken dreams of her mother....

And there she allows her child to fly,

Never look back, just soar high.....

Ringing the bells of happiness in her ears........

Rekindling the hope of living in her eyes......