Subhechcha Ganguly 
The burst of early morning rays gently squeezed its way through the small ripples of creaks, inevitably created by the winds choreographed swaying bamboo blinds that covered the large window above my headrest. As my dreamscape lullabied droopy eyelids slowly yet forcefully stretched itself open, the deluge of golden sun burst flooded the entirety of my night immersed retina awakening me from the slumber lazed mind and body. Wrapped under the cozy intricacies of carefully layered silk & cotton woven quilt, I was fighting the urging temptations of snoozing off a little longer celebrating the weekend that had just begun after a long exhaustive week of auditing of my clinic. Whilst basking in the ambiance of the newly broken dawn, I couldn’t resist watching the soft rays shoot out of the glass barrier. As they shot down over my exposed arms, I witnessed a humbling scene, unexplainable by mere words. The rays had a surreal power of its own, forming a magical track from the meagre windowsill to the suntanned brown skin that covered my entire physique, bringing life to about everything it touched, from the near negligible dust particle that floated across the air right up-to the epidermal cells that lined my body. Accompanied by melodious symphonic orchestration of sparrow chirps and hyperactive squirrel chatters, it was overwhelmingly amazing to watch the nearly invisible flickering dance of sunlit nature.
Springing out of bed, I hurriedly swirled the controlling strings of the bamboo blinds as it snapped open to the whisking movement of my wrist. Out of gluttony, I wanted every inch of my abode to be immersed in her glorious rays. Whipping up a hot cuppa coffee, I stepped out onto my small balcony that overlooked the magnanimous hills and enveloping lush greenery that surrounded this isolated campground. The morning dew that blanketed the carpets of grass & moss that adorned the barren land beneath began to slowly rise and dissipate into the air as the sunlight gently touched them. Even during final moments of their momentary departure, these beautiful water droplets gracefully accepted the radiant warmth by emitting small bursts of rainbow prisms before evaporating back into nature. Amongst many of the amazing miracles of life, often neglected and forgotten by most. The intricate weaving of Nature binding us all together, proving that we are all a speckle in her majestic magnanimity. Such are the benevolence of Mother Nature to us all, with no discrimination amongst her children as she treats us all equally in love and abundance. Her nurturing eminently embodies motherhood from every single aspect.
As I stood there in awe of the beauty around me, my blaring alarm sucked me back into the oblivious abyss of reality. It was a long weekend whereby the Sunday was clumped by an overlapping public holiday resulting on the following day being declared a public holiday. Anticipating the bad stream of standstill traffic of numerous travellers on the road, I decided to postpone my drive back home towards the fallen dusk that day. Besides,I had an assignment due for submission, an article encapsulating womanhood, liberally from any point of view. Pulling out my old, recycled note pad & freshly sharpened wooden pencil, I slumped down onto the cold, polished tiles that was abutted by the sunlit hillside & clear blue canvas of a sky. I didn’t want to end up writing about what was often spoken about women and the modern world.
Travelling down time tunnel, back to centuries old, women have grown & evolved in more ways than we can ever imagine. Sprouting their wings into prospective fields barely imaginable by people of the respective eras, we have many pioneering women who paved out most of the roads untaken for their prodigy to come. Elizabeth Blackwell, Raymond ade Laroche, Enheduanna, Laura Bassi, Anandi Doshi, Kalpana Chawla, Frida Kahlo, Anne Frank, Maya Angelou, Mother Theresa, Sushmitha Sen, Nadeera Vasu, Dagmar Nissen Munn, Malala, Muniba Mazari, Chef Fatima Ali are amongst many of the sheroes who went down the road of history, bringing colours of liberation by breaking the weight bearing handcuffs of gender deterministic streams starting way back before B.C till this day. Coming from a family lineage of strong women myself, led by my Amumma, my Mom, my Cheru & my sisters & equally brought up by men like my Dad, my Apuppa, my Mama & Papa who respected women as equals rather than subordinates, it was easier for me to understand the importance & impact of women in this multifaceted era.
Instead of the glaring obviousness, I was hoping to embody the essence of womanhood through subtlety emulating perspectives. Touché! Starting off so ambitious and the time ticking down, I was sitting there drowned in my own pool of thoughts as I had wastefully done nothing but scribble the word “woman” on my blank pad. How conveniently cliché it felt having all the blame put on writer’s block at this moment?
Battling the tempting urge to continue my writing for another time, I began begging Mother Nature to give me a spark to ignite the synapses in my cerebral cortex. Hey, wait a minute! Why are you called Mother Nature instead of Father? Across the face of the planet, why is every city, country, continent and even the planet itself referred by the pronoun being “her”? Coming to think of it, time after time, “she” is the ultimate point of reference for the vastness surrounding us. It is undeniable that from the most inanimate of an object being powerful engines right up-to the anger whiplashing catastrophes of Nature are all named after women.
Trying to process this rambunctious train of thoughts that wrecked through my brain, I caught the glimpse of yet another understated miracle of the universe. There in the bleak of white painted stone wall, a chrysalis hung down carefully from one of the age cracked cement creak. It was an actively transforming chrysalis that had a young Monarch butterfly fighting its way through to break free from the drowning clenches of pupae fluids and protective exoskeleton. It was very similar to the act of pure laborious love of a birthing mother. The metamorphosis of the butterfly breaking out of its chrysalis amidst the harsh odds and edgy rocks is emblematic of woman empowerment whilst striding through the various obstacles & hurdles. Another living exemplary of a fighter, proving time after time that monumental agility coexists within fragility. The struggles represented with such striking elegance & strength; she is never subdued by the sheer duress faced head on, only finding ways to realising her dreams.
Considering all pragmatic, technological progress of modernity, it is scientifically verified that even at the conception of a new life, the birth of girl is symbolic of Nature’s true choice of evolution.Having to juggle the multiple roles life throws in at her, women are the living proof of quintessential exuberance & keen observation of life. Carrying the very womb of life in softness, she simultaneously stands tall in herself made armour & shield facing daily hurdles & challenges in the battlefield of life with such agility. Despite the number of times she hits hard rock bottom, she poses these scars of valour with such poignancy & grace. Each woman is an enigmatic emblem of life, a true balance between delicate fragility & tough agility…Every story is a spark to another enraging flame, both inspiring & aspiring. She is the very force of nature, a force to be reckoned with… She need not be searched to be found for She is every one of us.
She exists everywhere, every day and in every moment, from the very creation of life force, its sustenance right upto the destruction point, being the very essence of every breath, we take and every beat we live.
It did not take me long to realise that I too was an incarnation of Mother Nature herself. A goddess in her endless forms, her bold pursuit for freedom & imperfections is a beautiful portrayal of inclusiveness itself. Despite coming from various walks of life, with varying skin tones and sizes, each woman is a precious gem of her own, personifying her authenticity in everything she endeavours. Although I dedicate everything I am indefinitely to my beloved family & loved ones, I am a representation of womanhood as well. Probably that is one of the attributing reasons to why I could still stand tall despite the many obstacles I often encounter. I believe that the crux of every lady’s strength comes from the unparalleled power and natural potentials of being born a woman itself.
So, yes, it is a gift of penance to be born as a woman and a blessing to have lived as one.
Go look at that reflection that looks back at you in the mirror day in and out.
She deserves it all.
Praise hails to her for she is truly a warrior, an unsung hero, an unstoppable queen.
It might be neologism speaking but every woman is not a hero, but a Shero!!!
