NIRBHAYA

Upholding her pious dignity
she strides through the darkest alley
shrouding her anxiousness
she looks firm and determined
though she stumbles a bit in her restlessness.
The apparition of her past
lurks by her side
it seems it has resided
in the deepest corner of her mind
She was once devoured by her fears
her immense grief dripped in the form of her tears.
She was gripped in the paws of malicious life
ripped apart, left unhealed
she thought to live in obscurity
or simply die;
her fortitude falling short,
to stand against the masses' infidelity.
Thousands of haunting stares
hundreds of spiteful words
what not she bore?

There wasn't a single benefactor who cared.
With the extreme shades of life
she has already been painted
Now she has walked out to strive
for the counted days of her wounded life.
Her will craves for summer
she couldn't let her emotions freeze
in the frenzied cold of her life's winters.
She has to protect her soul
seal the engulfing hole
that has sucked away her integrity.
As she strides through the darkest alley
She has long unbraided hair
her lashes wet
her eyes red

Now she has finally respired her discomposure.

She strolls like a tigress
to hunt the scum of mankind
No one can stop her
She is fearless
She is NIRBHAYA!

Women in India are subjected to this heinous crime which is a blot to the existence of humanity. Even the
current education system and the government laws are not able to make a significant difference in the rape
counts. The 2012 Gang rape of 23 year old physical therapy student in the bus questioned the very
existence of the roots of our Indian culture, the values we inherit from our forefathers. In the land where the
Lady Goddess is worshipped for intellect and wealth, people choose to tread the path of Demons and
debase the moral principles which are the building blocks of their religion.
Over the years many female welfare associations have been working for the upliftment of the rape victims
and have acted as a beacon of hope in their hard time. These non-profit organisations have been
successful in spreading the awareness among the masses. But does the flow of a thought that preaches

the way one should behave in his or her life enough? Do the random words spoken by a set of staunch
supporters of feminism trigger the fundamental change in the personality of people? No, right?
It is high time when we should embrace the concept of gender equality, where girls are not looked upon as
objects but as beings who have their own opinions and stand. They are not the liabilities to their families
whose only motive in life is to satisfy the lust of his man and bear his children. In whatever way they
behave or act, is not always an invitation to a man. There is no ‘Yes’ in their ‘No’. A demeaning Bollywood
track does not define any woman in this world!
As simple and sweet as it sounds, adore your girl child. Love her as she can turn out to be the most
beautiful part of your existence. Make the boys in your family respect the women. Let them know how
vindictive it is to think wrong about a woman, to think her as their key to pleasure. One no longer has to
teach a girl how to conduct herself, act and dress in front of boys rather one should teach the other gender
how to behave and stay close to their morals.
It is time for every woman to break the boundaries and accept the change, to stand for herself and for her
rights, to not be afraid of the male dominated society which attempts to crush her dreams at every point
and to not consider herself as vulnerable and weak. Every woman is strong and she will raise the voice
against the wrong. As rightly said in the last line of the poem-“She is fearless, she is Nirbhaya!”