Bare Hands!
‘Why aren’t you wearing anything in your hands? No bangles, No rings? You are married. You are supposed to wear bangles all the time. Keeping hands bare is a bad omen. For long life of husband, a wife should always wear sindoor, bangles, rings, anklets’……and the list wasn’t ending but Mishti’s mother-in-law just couldn’t stop talking.
Mishti was a software engineer and she had to work on laptop all the time in her office and she wasn’t habitual of wearing bangles while using laptop. It wasn’t that she wasn’t fond of wearing jewelry, she would wear it on special occasions or festivals or weddings. However, in the office and at home she didn’t like to wear anything. It made her feel bound. No hard feelings but that’s how she was. She was a free spirit. Her husband was a surgeon and worked in a multi-specialty hospital.
The day they both got engaged, they had exchanged their engagement rings. After the wedding, Mishti had to keep herself decked up, loaded with jewelry, heavy sari and what not. She missed her pajamas the most but alas that wasn’t allowed at the in-law's place. Only thing allowed to wear was either sari during the day and suit at night. After a month, Mishti resumed her job which was in Chandigarh. Mishti’s husband Mohit also had his job in Chandigarh. So, both of them rented a house and started living together. Mohit’s parents would visit them once or twice in a month and that time would be the most difficult time for Mishti as her mother-in-law would constantly taunt her for not dressing up like an ideal daughter in law.
Today was another day when she was commenting her on keeping bare hands and not wearing rings and bangles. Mishti had returned from office and didn’t knew that her in-laws were coming. When she entered the house, she wasn’t surprised to see them as she was used to their surprises. She didn’t mind their visit, but she hated the comments. She touched the feet of in-laws, greeted them and quickly went to freshen up. When she entered the kitchen, her mother-in-law had started the comments.
Mohit returned after two hours and went to freshen up. When he reached his room, he saw Mishti’s eyes moist, and her nose had also become a bit redder. Mishti looked at Mohit and smiled. She pretended to have a cough, but Mohit understood that something was bothering her.
He got freshened up and sat with his parents. As usual his mother started complaining about irresponsible behavior of Misthi and mentioned about the bare hands of Mishti. She further said ‘I don’t think she wants a long life of her husband. That is why she doesn’t follow any traditions.
Mohit knew her mother. She took her mother’s hands in his hands and said ‘Mom, the day I got engaged to Mishti, I had to perform a surgery in the evening in the hospital. I removed my engagement ring because I wasn’t used to wearing surgical gloves with ring in my hand. But did that make me a bad fiancé? Even today, I don’t have any ring in my hand. Does it make me a bad husband? Will I be considered untraditional? NO! Right?’
Mohit’s mother looked in shock at his face. Mohit further continued, ‘Mom! Every person has their own style of living, their own lifestyle choices. Those choices do not make them irresponsible or untraditional. Tell me, does Mishti ever disrespects you? Does she ever back answers you? Never! I have seen her silently crying in her room but never has she complained to me about you. Isn’t that enough?’
Mohit’s mother couldn’t say another word. His father was pretending to read the newspaper but was actually smiling behind it. He was proud of his son. Another person proud of him was Mishti who listened all the conversation from the kitchen. This time the tears in her eyes didn’t stop. These tears were the tears of happiness!
