I have always been a rebel. Not a black brigade, school bunking, roughing up type of rebel, an assertive rebel. My mother used to give up on me trying to explain the age old traditions and biases which Indian society has so willfully embraced. I was only ten at that time. I was given the tag of “Child with Bookish wisdom” by friends and teachers but that did not stop me from reading. This all started with a poetry competetion in my fourth grade. We were told to write few lines on our environment. Students were fretting over this assignment while it opened several unknown doors for me. I had no clue how to write poetry but it gave me a rush. The poem I wrote on Pollution (प्रदूषण), won me the competition and made it on the school’s annual magazine. That was my first reward and made me realise the reach of a good piece of writing.
I still refer to several magazines and jot down quotes that I find amusing. It’s cathartic. I have been tagged a feminist in my circles because of the pieces I write and I am proud of it.
Everyone should write, in my opinion. Writing for me is about ideas, it reaches out to people and believe me, I have seen people changing their views over a well crafted writeup. I want to bring a change because only a change can bring light to this world. We are scared of changes which hold us back. Writing opens up that avenue for me as a writer and others as readers. An idea which you find mundane today might prove a game changer for someone, sitting far away, looking for help. Be that change, be that help!!
Ankita Sharma
reach me on : Feminspirational.wordpress.com