I wrote this sometime in 2015 as a 17-year-old.
Pink dress, pink toys, pink room, Barbie? Congratulations sir, it’s a girl! Oh so happy I am, the luckiest one! My daughter shall be a princess of her husband’s house My daughter shall be a perfect example of a wife, mother, sister And of course a daughter! Oh so happy I am, the luckiest one!
Dearest one, no no, do not play in the mud! You will get dirty! Do not run, jump, play, talk, eat, swim And shouting? That is not for you! Waging my tail; oops! no nodding, am I not loyal like a dog, daddy?
Dearest one, go change! Those are men’s clothes, your brother’s clothes! Dearest one, go change! Such short skirts! Taubaa taubaa Dearest one, eat no pickle! Dearest one, no touching them either! Hahaha! Dearest one, you wanna play football? No no, Bharatnatyam is the right thing for you Dearest one, go help your mother in the kitchen, and You Rohan, come with me to the store. Cooking is not for you Dearest one, movies? With friends? I am your best friend, come with me! A family that goes to movies together, Sticks together! No friends.
A party? For a girl? What is that? Do you know all the Gayatri Mantras? Oh dearest one, you want to learn theatre? That’s for people with no respect, My loving obedient daughter your education is what happens at your husband’s home, which shall be yours too, one day; But daddy, I love acting, I am good at it too; Don’t you see? I have been doing it all my life?
Oh dearest daddy, you’re controlling me! Do you hate it as much as I do? Dearest daddy, you are not proud but scared Scared of what people might say and think when they see you But what about when I see myself? Dearest daddy, Rohan wants to be a chef He wants to go to Italy, learn from the best; And I, I want to… Run, jump, play, talk, eat, swim, act shout and fly Won’t you still be proud of us?
Dearest daddy, periods are biological, no big deal. Period. Dearest daddy, by the way, do you know what that gunda son of your oh-so-mighty sister does? He gambles, drinks, smokes, sleeps and And calls me names, inappropriate names daddy. Sometimes touches me, too, touches me where he is “not supposed to” And you love him? How daddy, how could you be so blind?
I know, I know you love us no less You will give me all the jewels in the world if I ask for; The best husband, too. But. I won’t ask for them. I don’t want to ask for them I rather want you to still love me, Care for me When I break all the untold rules When I make mistakes Maybe adopt some too? I also ask you let Rohan… Let Rohan just be; Why blues and pinks When there can be purples too?