"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
“Hey, Ram! Do you remember me? Your Sita!”
“Sita who?”
“Come on! You can’t forget me so quickly! You, Lord Ram, the greatest king ever and the noblest man to have walked on earth, have you forgotten your obedient and subservient wife, an insignificant and dispensable being, the dirt under your feet?”
“Oh yes! It is indeed you, Sita! My queen, my love, my life! But why do I sense a hint of sarcasm in your voice? I thought you would be delighted. You’ve gained so much through our marriage: wealth, respect, status, motherhood, and even divinity! But you seem to be complaining?”
“Yes, my Swami, you are so right. I was really blessed to have you as my husband. I enjoyed the status of a maharani and a goddess. But what about my rights as your wife? What about my identity and dignity? What about my sufferings through indictment and banishment without even a trial? What about the sufferings of our sons who had to live like the destitute?”
Thus explodes the volcano simmering inside the wife’s heart. However, she maintains her dignity as she bares her soul and confronts the system, lawmakers and guardians, leaving her mighty husband tight-lipped and speechless.
A heart wrenching story of Sita seeking justice for herself and her sons, as she tries to surmise her identity and place in her family and society. A work of fictional poetry by Pushpa Bansal as she takes her first steps into the world of English literature.
Pushpa Bansal
Pushpa Bansal is well reputed in the world of Hindi literature. Her research is focused on Kaavya-Shastra (poetics). She has written six books on this subject and has won the Haryana Sahitya Akademi award for her treatise on Sanskrit kaavya-shaastra. She has also authored five story collections, five books on criticism, two biographies and Prativaad Parva (her acclaimed work of Hindi Nayee Kavita). She has even contributed forewords to numerous Hindi works of criticism and kaavya-shaastra. This is her first publication in the English language.
Being the daughter of a judge, and having studied law herself, forceful arguments and standing for the underdog come naturally to her. All her writings echo her personality. Although she supports the empowerment of women, she does not consider herself to be a feminist. Women’s empowerment, in her opinion, can only be achieved if the society extends its support and understanding towards women’s needs while treating them with respect and dignity in all their pursuits and responsibilities. Her works showcase an exceptional comprehension of the male psyche and her female characters demand to be respected.
After serving as a Hindi professor and a Dean in the Faculty of Humanities at MD University, Rohtak, Haryana, she retired to Hyderabad with her children and grandchildren.
Contact details:
Whatsapp: (+91) 9392414240
Email: pushy.1936@gmail.com
