Look Inside
#47: A 100-word story on where to look when anger strikes +
Look Inside
Raju happily married off his daughter Shaili. He missed her dearly. Shaili seemed happy at first but within months became forlorn. One day when she visited him, Raju noticed bruises on her arms.
Against everyone’s advice, Raju confronted Shaili’s husband.
The husband scoffed. “And so? You should have disciplined her better growing up!”
Raju said, “I smacked Shaili once. She was five. An old woman who witnessed it, berated me. I never did it again.”
“What did the woman say?”
“She asked me what weakness made me resort to violence? Or was I just too stupid to communicate with words?”
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reena | 06.28.24
In this tiny tale, based on an incident from real life, I don’t know if Shaili’s husband had the same capacity for inner reflection that Shaili’s young father did, and if the words of the old woman made him pause as well.
What do you think?
The story makes a simple point—against domestic violence. Perhaps so simple that it’s cliched. But I also thought about it more broadly.
Pick up a newspaper (or click on any news site) and look at the state of the world. Despite most philosophies and religions preaching a peaceful path, I’m dumbfounded by calls for violence everywhere—often by those who claim they’re for compassion. Ironically in this age where politics is our raging new religion, this affliction seems even more acute.
What’s (become) so ugly inside of us that could make this call so easy—even in a personal interaction?
Continued…
In my previous post about India’s 1947 Partition I talked about the book “10,000 Memories” that’s been launched by the 1947 Partition Archive, an organization that I’ve been working with since 2011. We launched the book on August 15th.
It’s a beautifully hand-embossed and printed, 500 page coffee table book that you can order here: “10,000 Memories”. If you have friends and/or family with any association, connection or interest in this history, please consider buying copies for them. All monies from these purchases go back to the Archive for their continued work. More about this book:
Based on the first and the largest pan-South Asian oral history survey ever conducted, 10,000 Memories tells the story of Partition, World War II and Independence in the mid-20th century Indian subcontinent through hundreds of individual experiences. Book 1, the inaugural volume of the 10,000 Memories series, draws on stories from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east, and Kashmir in the north to Kerala in the south, to provide vivid insights into this defining moment in world history unlike any previously written. 10,000 Memories combines stunning visuals, featuring over 1,000 photographs, with poignant quotes on each page for the casual browser, while longer oral history summaries (stories) on each page help satiate curiosities of the voracious reader. The stories are evocative and bring history to life. You may cry, you may find yourself laughing uncontrollably or simply find yourself spellbound.
And here’s yours truly speaking at the book launch event about the work and people behind it—and my personal journey with this work.
A little B-R-E-A-K for moi…
I’m giving this Substack a break for a few weeks and will be back in October!
Until then…Happy climes and times. Ciao!
Thought provoking and I really feel for Shaili.
I really was struck by how you tell so much about her but without ever addressing her directly, alway in the context of the men that impact on her life. And in that there is so much said toward the imbalance that she suffers, the men that decide her world and life.
Not to distract from the important message of your piece here. But i do very much find your skill to me so impressive, achieving so much in so few words.
Powerful last question!