Grandiose plans

The guide pointed his tubby finger to the idol. It was an idol wrought out of a single rock - a dancing lady standing akimbo. Rani's interest was piqued by the intricate details of the idol. The guide further explained that the idol represented a famous classical dancer known as Shantala, a beautiful queen of Hoysala dynasty. Tired by the day, he disconsolately showed them the dais on which she used to dance and the God to whom her dance was offered, as mentioned in the scriptures. Nevertheless, Rani's face brightened as her imagination flew far and high when she pictured an antique temple filled with audience, music and flowers. Rani, being a dancer, reveled in her thoughts of an enchanting dance performance. Dance was her passion.

As the day broke chilly and dark, she returned to her hotel with her family. As they sat together for dinner, she asked her mother, "Maa, what if I want to give up my software profession and take up dance full time? I am aspiring to be a professional dancer."

Her mother winced. "What is wrong with you? We are going to look for a groom for your marriage in a few days and now you say this! Do you want us to be alive or dead? Do you think any good family will respect you if you are a dancer? You will be looked upon as an object of entertainment." A typical mother brought up with rigid and orthodox school of thought reacted. 

Though Rani never understood the connection of her being a dancer with her mother being alive or dead, she knew her mother was going to lay down an emotional ruse to ruin her plans. She remained quiet and finished her dinner, as usual. 

On her return from the trip to temple, Rani recalled that night, as she did in many lonely moments. A night that could have changed the course of her life; a night that could have made her a dancer on whom rhapsodies could be written; a night that would have given her what was truthfully hers, her life.

Snapping out to reality, she heard her son cry out. She wiped her tears and bared her chest to feed her baby. She was married with a child to a family that despised dancing. What could she possibly placate herself with? Dance was her life's fountainhead.

My favourite books are "The Guide" by R.K. Narayan and "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. This week's WOW prompt is ‘Books and Titles'.