6:15 A.M.: The alarm goes off. She shuts it on the first ring. Without turning on the lights she tiptoes out of the room and heads to the kitchen. The day starts with the pressure cooker on the flame while she expertly chops vegetables. Poha is soaking on the side for breakfast later. It’s as if she has goddess-like several arms multitasking through rolling rotis, adding tadka to the dal, preparing the vegetable, seasoning the salad and boiling rice! Within minutes the hot meals were packed in tiffin boxes for her daughter and husband.
Then starts the breakfast preparation. Quickly freshly made poha goes into the casserole, fruits are cut and ready and masala chai is brewing. She pours half of it into the kettle and the other half in her cup. As she sits with her cup to read the morning paper, she hears the husband getting out of bed, going straight to the bathroom. She glances at the clock, it’s time to wake her daughter up and get her ready for school.
7:15 A.M.: Her teacup is covered and she’s back in action – nudging her daughter to finish bath and breakfast in time to make it to the gate for the school bus.
The husband is ready and at the breakfast table, reading the paper and watching the news at the same time. The hot chai, poha and fruit is served. The sound of the TV news falls upon her ears. The beautiful news anchor is wishing her co-anchor a ‘Happy Women’s Day’.
She glances at the clock again, time for the bus. Grabbing an empty cloth bag, she leaves with her daughter for the gate. Once the daughter boards the bus, she walks to the wet market and then the store for the daily groceries.
8:15 A.M.: The tea is reheated. She has a few minutes before the maid arrives… Both the women get into the day’s chores from making the beds, laundry, dishes, bathrooms etc.
Her day, like all other days, carries on as usual. Fetching her daughter from the bus drop off point, getting homework done, dinner with the family, next day’s preparations and winding up before bedtime.
9:15 P.M.: The maid and she are putting the dishes back in the cabinets. She looks at her and says, “Today is Women’s Day.”
The maid responds, “Means? What do we have to do today?”
Editor’s Note: “For some women, today is just another day. I’d like to wish you all a very happy Women’s Day. And share the thought, that let’s own the day. Not just today but every single day. We all have responsibilities but let’s give ourselves a part of our own day. A time that is just ours. It can be a simple was with a friend, a yoga session if you like, reading a book, watching a daily show or just leisurely having your hot cup of tea while reading the newspaper. And just like that, every day can be Women’s Day.”
