Vers Libre

Vichitra stood near the window watching the kids of her age playing hide and seek. She very much wanted to be there. How much she craved for the moments of freedom and enjoyment? She was denied these simple things now a days. She saw her friend Anitha hiding behind a tree near her window. She called her and Anitha shooed her away, asking her to be quiet. Her friend Ramya was counting 1,2,3 ....with her eyes closed.

She felt tears swelling out of her eyes. She wanted to go out. She looked around .Seeing no one around, she tip toed to the back door and tried to open it gently. Her father came from nowhere and stopped her. He yelled,” Vichitra, where are you going?” and held her by her arm. She screamed and wailed ,”I want to play appa. Leave me.” She tried to pull herself out of his grip, but he lifted her up and took her in.

Her mother came running to see what was wrong. She made her sit and wiped her tears and said, ”No Vichitra, you should not go out .You will fall sick. Then you cannot perform well”. Vichitra was left to sob in a corner of the room. She was angry with her parents . She did not want to perform . She hated singing. Even her friend Ragini stopped visiting her, as she did not attend her birthday party.

When Ragini invited her for the birthday party, she was excited. But her parents did not allow her to go. They told ,”Vichitra, you are a talented girl. If you eat those cakes , ice creams or cool drinks ,you will fall sick. You should attain your goal.” ’Goal” Vichitra sniffed,” whose goal? This is not my goal. Why are my parents so adamant? Ragini, Vandhana and Anitha have a good time in school and at home.” Ragini had stopped talking to her as she did not attend the party.

She was pulled back to reality, when her mom announced the arrival of her tuition teacher. This was another thing she hated. She had to miss her classes, on the days of audition and performance.

She hated her tution teacher and her parents. She wanted to sit with all the children in school, wear uniform, play during breaks, fight and gossip. But she had to sit all alone with her teacher and learn.

She had been having this ordeal for the past two years. She enjoyed her school life until her sixth standard .Her mom always admonished ” Vichitra, you are not a baby. You are eleven years old. These small joys are not important. You are gifted with a golden voice. Practise the songs I have taught you, instead of cribbing over stupid things. You need to understand and work for your goal.”

Vichitra told herself,” what small joys. Why don’t people understand? I have also heard from my grandmother that father was a naughty boy and he was always out in the sun playing and playing. Why doesn’t he understand about my feelings? My mom also had gone out with her friends to buy glass bangles and clips, to the temple, to the park when she was of my age. Why do they want me to be different?”

She knew that if she started rebelling, she would be made to shut her mouth with a slap on her back .She had decided to stay silent - a puppet in the hands of her parents. What is the use of complaining, when they weren’t ready to hear her? Her teacher yelled at her, “Vichitra, you aren’t attentive. Write this test.” She did it without much interest. The teacher scolded her being careless and made her write an imposition.

She stowed the books away in the shelf after the teacher left. She took out the photo album and opened the page which held her fifth standard group photo. She remembered each moment she had enjoyed. “Vichitraaaa”...her father’s voice brought her back to reality. The tailor had come to stitch a dress for her. She was to wear it for her performance which was to decide the winner. The tailor showed a variety of designs from a booklet. Her mother selected one. Then came the fancy stores aunty who lived down their street. She showed a variety of designer bangles, chains and studs. Her parents discussed and discussed .She got very bored. They made her try each one and finally decided on a particular set and let her free.

She was hungry. She sat down to eat her lunch. She wanted some pickle and her father refused saying, ”No Vichitra, your throat will get bad. We have the performance in two days.”She asked for a piece of chocolate after lunch. Her mom rebuked saying that she can eat all the sweets in the world after the performance. “At least” Vichitra thought,” I will be free after that. May be they will send me back to school. They will allow me to play and party.” After lunch, she wanted to play with her doll but her mom and dad sat beside her and made her sing again and again .

The big day arrived and her parents were tense. Vichitra was happy that she will be giving this last performance and then she will be a free bird. She was dressed up, made up , decorated with jewels and was taken to the hall where the programme was conducted. The television cameras were blinking and sending out flashes of light that heated the whole room. There along with her sat two finalists and the children who had been selected in top ten.

She saw Santosh who was also seated a chair after hers. He was younger than her but they both shared the same views. He was also one of the finalists. She smiled at him. He switched the seat with Ravi and came near her. Ravi was a very moody boy. He never talked to anyone. Vichitra saw Santosh and said,” I am very happy. After this we will all be free to do anything we like.”

Santosh smiled sadly,”No Vichitra , if we win, they aren’t going to leave us and if we lose ,they are going to make us practise and enter into the next junior singer competition. This was what my dad was telling my mom.”

”Oh! I never knew this. What are you going to do? I don’t want to sing again. I hate it.” Vichitra was almost in tears. Santosh replied, ”I am going to run away, Vichitra.”

“Where ?” Vichitra asked opening her eyes wide.

Santosh whispered,” Somewhere, away from my parents, away from these stupid programmes...”

“Wow, this sounds beautiful. I will come with you. Can I come with you? We can play, play and play in the sand, with the stones, in the water ,in the rain and eat ice creams and cool drinks. We can go to school .I will come with you.”

Santosh said, ”I will take you too.”

They both were now happy that they can be free after the event .They waited patiently for the programme to commence and end. Vichitra’s mother came near her and said, ”Don’t keep talking, you will strain your throat. You have to achieve.”She smiled secretly at Santosh.

The announcers were talking something about the event. They introduced the chief guest who was a famous poet. He talked about his childhood days, about his dream and the way he turned successful. He said that he had run away from his parents to achieve his dream. Vichitra was happy. She felt that she too will be able to live her dreams. Every one applauded and she too joined the crowd.

The announcer called out Ravi’s name first. He sang a song from an old movie which had been released even before his birth .Everyone appreciated him but felt that he did not bring out the emotions of the song properly.

Santosh ran to the stage and sang. Everyone there gave a standing ovation. He bowed like a robot and walked down the stage. Santosh’s parents jumped and danced in joy. Vichitra was beckoned to the stage. She walked like an angel and stood on the stage before the mike. She was introduced by the anchor.

Vichitra thought, ”What if I don’t sing now? Let me stay mum.” They asked her to start. She stayed silent for a few seconds. She saw her parents.

They waved at her frantically. One of the judges came near her and said, “Don’t worry, baby, just sing. Don’t be afraid.”

She started and sang, exactly the way she was taught, just like a clockwork toy and finished. She also received a standing ovation.

Then for a long time, the judges were talking about their experience, then they made the top tens sing and finally called Santosh’s name.

The chief guest along with the judges came to the stage and announced the winner. Santosh and Vichitra shared the first prize. Ravi came second. The anchor asked her parents to speak a few words. Vichitra’s and Santosh’s parents gave them a hug and kiss .

After all the parents were all so happy about the flat and the 5 lakhs cash that was to be the prize. Santosh told Vichitra, ”I don’t know ,what is great about a house and so much money?.”

Vichitra too agreed. One judge who was a music director said that he was going to make Santosh and Vichitra sing in his movie and they were to meet him the next day. The chief guest presented the cheque and the key to the flat.

Vichitra had tears in her eyes. She could see nothing. It wasn’t tears of joy, it was out of sorrow, that she was never going to be free. She is a bonded labourer. She was too young to express her feelings .She wanted to request everyone , to beg, to ask the children, if they enjoyed these events, if they enjoyed to be the puppets of the parents but.................