Humane eyes and Open hearts !

6 AM in the morning. Purna Chandra, is waiting at the gate of a public park where he jogs everyday. Watchman opens the gate wishing good morning. Enjoying the early morning serenity in the park filled with fog and mist, Chandra starts his exercise. After sometime, jogging on the track, he observes that the park is empty except for one sitting on a bench. He continues jogging. In his third lap, while Chandra was passing by, the lady says “Good morning, Mr. Purna Chandra !” He stops with a puzzled expression on his face and says , “Excuse me, do I know you?”. She answers, “You don’t know me but I know you. I watched the plays directed by you and read your books. I like some of them”.

Chandra, a budding theatre director and writer, is overwhelmed by the fact that he is recognized by a stranger because of his work. He quickly completes his jog and sits on the bench where that lady is sitting. She says “I shall tell you my experience. You please listen.” Chandra says “One moment, Madam! I do not even know your name. It will be any good for you to share your experience”. She says “Not knowing my name doesn’t really matter to you! But what I share with you will certainly matter to me.” Clarity of her thought and confidence in her words make Chandra say “Okay, please tell me!” She says “I have a condition. You should not ask for any more details than I that I provide you with”.

She says “Four beasts in the form of drunken men picked me from a bus stop one night while I was waiting for transport. I can understand what you think. I was not there because of any late night party. I went to visit my colleague’s mother at hospital. While coming back, bus was missed as I had to stop to buy medicine for my asthma. I do not want to recollect what happened afterwards. But I remember the faces of those men. I hope you can imagine what was done to me. I was on a hospital bed” Chandra, shocked by her words, asks “Did you file a police complaint?” She says “Yes! My father, an upright and rational man encouraged me to file a complaint. I did so.” Chandra says “then?”

She continues “Then, police nabbed the accused and they were remanded after I identified them. When I was in hospital in critical condition, my father told that media and many organizations were protesting for severe punishment for the culprits. As I slowly started recovering physically and psychologically, I was allowed to meet people. I saw so many kinds of people that my perceptions on life changed afterwards.” Chandra asks “Like? I could not get what you mean.”

She says “I shall explain”

• When I was asked to re-identify those culprits, I had to face them again. They were wearing glasses coated with same cruelty and brutality. Humanity should bow her down head for their shameless nature.
• People wearing glasses coated with khaki coloured suspicion came.  In their view, as a woman on road at night, I am the culprit.
• People dealing with law came wearing glasses coated in black. They can not see anything if it gets dark. There should be some proof under the light.
• Media people came with glasses fitted with cameras. Just like corruption, FDI, cricket and films, I am another subject of discussion for them.
• Then came people wearing glasses coated in saffron colour. They were more interested in knowing about relations, my dressing . They said they were the guards of culture and values.
• There was a group of women wearing glasses coloured in red. In a loud and shrill voice, their leader shouted that this is just another case of inhuman women suppression by men.

I did not want to visit anyone else. But I had some unexpected visitors, meeting whom was a life changing experience. They wore no glasses. Their eyes were plain, humane and words were selfless. They were an old couple whose daughter faced a situation similar to mine sometime back. But the saddest part was that she had lost her life in a battle. 

The old man said with tears in his eyes his dearest daughter went out one day in the night time. When the boy friend of one of her friends left that girl on road in drunken state, that girl called his daughter and started crying. His daughter, in state of emotion and immaturity, went out without letting him know. Then, a gang led by a politician’s son took advantage of the situation and molested both. This girl, while resisting their effort was inhumanly beaten and her lost life. 

He added that initially there was a public rage, media coverage and with time everything vanished. After that, only the couple was fighting the case legally and the justice was still far away. That old man, said only one thing to me “It is your life. Damage was done to you. Fight! Fight, until you get justice! Never lose hope! Never lose hope!” I asked him “Uncle, what should I fight for?” Then his wife repeated “It is your life. Fight ! Fight, until you get justice! Never lose hope! Never lose hope!” Both slowly started disappearing in front of eyes because of medicine effect on me. 

I understood what they meant. With the help of my family and rational like-minded human beings, I have been fighting for such a severe punishment to the accused that no other girl should suffer like me.

She pauses briefly and says “This is my experience. Now see if you can pass the message to people through your medium and ..” He looks at her confusedly and asks “but why me?”. She says, “In all your works, there lies an underlying concept. Open your heart and see the world through the eyes of humanity. So you should do this.”Chandra asks “What message should I give?” She replies “It is up to you. But please include a warning to society from my side.” “What is that?” Chandra questions. 

She replies “Only a woman can feel motherhood but no man can feel the same. So, any man humiliating a woman is just humiliating his mother and ultimately his birth. Also, let the parents raise children, irrespective of gender, as humans with values and let the society not turn them into cruel beasts or immoral creatures. Let all of us remove filters from eyes and look at each other with open hearts! ” 

Telling this, she suddenly disappears. Chandra starts searching for her and stumbles upon the ground.

When he looks at the surroundings, he was on his bed in his room and alarm was buzzing at 5:30 AM !!