LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD

LITTLE RED RIDDINGHOOD

-SANGHAMITRA GOGOI

MACJ

Its Monday morning and i have taken a break from the hustle-bustle of life. A cup of instant coffee and the tuning dew drop at my balcony soothes my mood perfectly. These are the ingrediants to drive my thoughts back in a time machine. Now this flashback of mine appeared not because surrounded by positive vibes but because i was reading a poem ‘the  Red Dress’ which had so much similarity in this girl who use to be my neighbour. This drove me into a roller coaster ride to those days when i would observe this young lady being dressed up beautifully for the sake of her own joy. She would sing the sing of her own glory, of her prince charming and not the least the freedom of life.

She was cheerful child until she was sold by her parents at the age of 15 year to a man who she never came across. She was married at an early age and this took  a turning point in her life when she was shut down by her own blood who she thought was her world.

Now, she is someone whose only identity is the word kitchen. She is confined to only one place that is her kitchen. But then the containers and the food which she prepares aren’t from her pocket. It is her husband who pays for the tummy. Even if she owns the kitchen, in reality she doesn’t possess the four wall of her house. She doesn’t have a word on any decision neither she has any identity. The world which she dreamt off was much better and lively than the present world in which she dwells. Where is that white coat which she thought would wear it one day, where is her stethoscope which she thought would treat people here is the surname Dr. Which she boastfully said would be hers one day. Everything literally everything has gone to dust and this she calls it hell.

Now her only job is to be inside the four wall and to look after her husband’s needs and desires. What more can we expect from a child whose age is to explore the universe? People call themselves educated when they acquire a high positional job but lack in basic humanity. We say that children are the future citizens of our country then why do we shun them in the name of marriage, dowry, foeticide etc. The red colour dress which was once the symbol of freedom and happiness to that young girl slowly turned out to be the symbol of danger, exploitation and sadness.