Cindrella- An Untold Story
This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 32; the thirty-second edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for the month is 'An Untold Story'
Ding dong! The clock struck 12 and Cinderella ran out of the ballroom, leaving her crystal sandals behind on a tall staircase. Fairy Godmother's words "Return before 12" were ringing in her ears. By the time she reached her house, things started turning back to their original form- her lovely gown into her usual rags, the horses back into mice and the cart back into a pumpkin. She jumped back into the ground and had a quick save. Phew, so much for partying and dancing with the young prince. Or maybe true love she sighed.
Legend has the prince longing for his lady love who danced in his arms a night before and left without a trace, came looking out for her the next morning, with her shoe in his hand. He went door to door with her shoe in hand and her yearning in his heart. Little did he know that the beautiful princess who he fancies is a poor girl staying in back town doing dishes and mopping floors.
Nevertheless, shoe size matched (surprisingly, leaving all other damsels in town with foot sizes any but hers). The prince married cinder-leila and they lived happily ever after. Errrrrrr twist in the tale
Love is blind and marriage is an opener. Cliche? Well, they lived happily ever after itself is such a big cliche. All of us have read one fable or another as part of our growing up and seen them ending on a note of "They lived happily ever after". What we do not know is what happens after and that is our- "Untold Story".
... Cinderella moves in with Prince Charming to his royal palace bidding good riddance to her evil stepmother and her even more evil step sister, dreaming about a new life in the luxury and comfort of the palaces. She reached the front door of the palace. No horses, no elephants, and no troops to welcome her. She reached the main entrance and in the hall with no sight of anyone. Maybe my prince loves privacy or maybe today is the romantic day, and we are all by ourselves. Love struck she followed her prince whom she briefly met a night hitherto. Little did the poor girl realize what lay ahead of her. The prince was nothing sort of romantic he seemed to be. Rather he had a habit of drinking and losing out. Gradually she was introduced to the other members of the house- A fashionista mother-in-law (adulterous &, gluttonous brother in law (high on gambling) and a vamp of sister-in-law (haughty, scheming and greedy). The only lovable person she found in the home was his wheelchair-bound grandmother who dressed in white silk and pearls. To cut the story short, this is what TV soaps are largely made of. The family left no stone unturned to make the naive little Cinderella feel miserable and her husband's heavy dependence on his mother queen brings no good to her.
Love flew out of the window gradually and poor Cinderella was tortured for money (dowry) every day. She was taunted for being poor and ridiculed for marrying the prince. They called her a cheat for she hadn't disclosed her true state while at the ball and fooled the prince for being the most elegant princess in the hall. To make matters worse, the prince moved away from the town and started spending his other damsels in a nearby county, in the wake of a re-marriage. Cinderella slogged hard in the palace, doing all the household work. In return, she got only deprivations, starvation, taunts, and ill-treatment. So much so that, one day she almost escaped a tryst wherein the family members tried to burn her to get the prince married to the rich princess of a province from another continent.
****
Well, Cinderella was an imaginary creature from a fairy tale. She inspired many girls in India and other parts of Asia and other continents, who dreamt of nothing less but a fairy tale wedding, a husband like Prince Charming, and a life "live happily ever after". Alas! not many of them are as lucky as she originally was. The untold story here depicts the life of many such women who are lured by a fairy tale wedding to only see them end in a nightmare. Daily many women are beaten, harassed, and even burnt for dowry. Some girls are lured into matrimony merely for dowry and money so that they can fund their flirtatious husband's education/ job abroad, meet the scooter, car, and jewelry greeds of her in-laws, and still being treated worse than maids even after. Fairy tales have cheated their innocent childhoods and the institution of marriage raped their youth and loneliness eating away their old ages. Their prince is charming fades in to mean bundle of a living vulture, dreams of a happy family roll into the hall of monsters, and their children are either victims of this disgrace or not allowed to be born. They are known as the ones who make food, clean the house, wash clothes, and run all sundry while at night beam like an object of affection and satisfaction for their chauvinistic husbands or for that matter any other adulterous member of the family. They bring jewels into the house but their bodies are adorned with burn or beaten marks- black & blue. A lot of them get transformed into great makeup artists, camouflaging all injuries behind colors of cosmetics, glasses & scarves.
A lot of them are either killed, commit suicide, go into depression, are sold into brothels, or continue to live in the same hell, waiting for their unseen state to be seen, unheard voices to be heard and untold stories to be told.
*******
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Untold sufferings for Indian women.
ReplyDeleteWell that was a quick reply. Yes!
DeleteIt's an eye opener but the problem is we don't keep our eyes opened for long
DeleteWell Upasana, you can't afford to keep the close for long either :)
DeleteYes, fiction always produces the happily ever after moments. Thats a rare commodity, considering the fact that nothing is ever completely perfect in life. There's a lot of suffering to be dealt with as well.
ReplyDeleteNicely written post Ekta :)
Keep it up
Regards,
Jay
http://road-to-sanitarium.blogspot.in/
Thanks Jay!!
DeleteOff late marriages are just turning upto wedding and that to mere a social function of big show-sha...somewhere institution of marriage suffers a big blow and seriously seeking redress.
Well, it takes some time to understand that life goes on after a happily-ever-after. The only 'The end' that will come in your life will be when you die.
ReplyDeleteWell written.
Thanks Amit. Though life goes on till end, its not the fairy tale we are brought up to...Understand that there would be ups and downs but extremes are just soooo avoidable..no?
DeleteThe last segment of the story is nothing but the truth! It is definitely untold and the irony is despite talking about it to friends and family women choose to keep mum as well.
ReplyDeleteAll the best for BAT 32 :)
Regards,
Megha.
Thanks Megha,
DeleteHave you participated too?
Yes :)
DeleteLoved your imagination and agree that it is the fate of myriad Indian women but I still love to wander in a imaginary world where everything ends up like "Happily ever after"... may be until I face the same.. All the very best.. :)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, our thoughts becomes our lives and following that you too have a fairy tale life....Enjoy every moment and never give up.
DeleteATB to you too, Ayushi! :)
Interesting writing and an interesting picture too.And i have to agree that women in India are all Cinderallas too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks soo much Uma...yes, we all girls fancies to be like princesses from fables, to be woed by a prince charming! :)
DeleteDo vote for me on BAT :)
Your take on the topic is brilliant-what a slant you have given to this fable.And this line below is a powerful quote!
ReplyDeleteLove is blind and marriage is eye opener!!
Thanks sooo much Induji :)
DeleteHaving your comments on my blog, makes my day!!!
Beautifully written, Numero...:))
ReplyDeleteWe see many Cinderellas around us, facing life without hope, feeling isolated, humiliated even in this century! Everything looks so crazy. Let's hope for a better tomorrow!
Loved this..I liked the way you weaved the original fable of Cinderella..:)
Thanks Panchali!
DeleteTumi comments bolchi, amaake onek bhalo lag che :)
Yes, such Cinderellas are aplenty, hoping for a better today, a better tomorrow!!
Thanks soo much for your kind words...pl keep visiting :)
Great move of linking up the fairy tale to reality!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Roshni! Seeing u first time here...keep visiting :)
Delete..a sorely touching untold story! Very well written Ekta! All the best:)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Amit! Pl do vote for me in BAT if you liked my post :)
DeleteHi! this was outstanding...very well written. This is my first to your blog and it was an amazing visit....keep the write ups coming. Am sharing this if you do not mind.
ReplyDeleteHey Viraj,
DeleteWelcome to my blog!!! Lemme know where u sharing. As long as you share it on my name, am ok :)
its actually an untold story sad but true -superb ekta kudos !!
ReplyDeleteThanks sooooo much Vinisha!!!
DeleteYou have a wonderful blog and I just loved your poem. Left my remarks there, hope you liked it :)
Remarkable issues here. I’m very satisfied to peer your article. Thank you so much and I amhaving a look forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?
ReplyDeletewhats' this all about?????????
DeleteReality told in a very different way,liked it .Nice post. :)
ReplyDeleteAll the Best :)
Do check my blog.
Thanks Arjun!
DeleteYes I did checked your post too and left my feedback too :)
Loved this version of Cinderella, bare truth & nothing but the truth...ATB for BAT :)
ReplyDeleteThanks soooo much Rinaya...loved your line- bare truth & nothing but the truth!...
DeleteWhat you have written here is such a true reflection of what happens after the prince and princess are together.! Its all around us. Its sad that what was called a cynics point of view earlier, is now the reality.
ReplyDeleteP.S : One reads posts on the situation of women in our world.But the fact that you used a very known fairy tale to speak your mind, makes it stand out!
My world, my thoughts, my musings...
Thanks Upasana, your words are as beautiful as you and am soooo touched. I really appreciate the fact that you liked my blog and my post regardless of few flaws that I noticed later after posting.
DeleteFully agree that there is nothing called happily ever live after. I didn't wanted to brag or talk gyaan here hence clubbed with whatever that came to my mind first and am glad that you liked it :)
That was an interesting twist and yet so realistic. My first visit here and really liked it.
ReplyDeleteThanks ilakshee...keep visiting...thanks for your encouragement too :)
Deletekeep writing!
Came for the first time...n feels gr8 after reading the Ekta Khatan Blog :)
ReplyDeleteVery well written! M ur fan now :)
Two fans meet and say- howdy! :)
DeleteBTW, I am Khetan not khatan..hee hee
Great concept. The fairytale seamlessly merges into brutal reality of everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton for your positive feedback Sandeep. Am glad that you liked it :)
DeleteWonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice at the same time as you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a applicable deal I have been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast provided shiny transparent concept.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell?
DeleteHi Ekta
ReplyDeleteI love your cover photo. pls tell me where was this shot? Is this place a store? I want to buy one of those mirrors.
Hi Shagun,
DeleteThanks. I shot this at KOD in Gurgaon. I am not sure whether they sell the mirrors or not but you can definitely find one at any furniture store. Lemme know what you buy :)
KOD...Ok ok...what a fab picture. I will definitely show you what to buy!
DeleteSure :)
DeleteLiked it very much Ekta..Last minute efforts always produce awesome outputs..didn't I say you?
ReplyDeleteThanks sooo much Tomz...Moreover thank you for motivating me to write this one even till the last hour. I am glad you lied it as well :)
DeleteYour harmless spelling errors create fantastic changes in the meaning..Do you think I lied you?
DeleteOoops....sorry....Its actually "liked" :)
DeleteA very sad reality. I am glad you decided to dedicate your post to these harsh grim realities! Even though a lot of Indian women face these, its not limited to Indians. I hope wish and pray that women worldwide (and men too if they're caught in abusive relationships, trust me, happens the other way round too, just not that common) get strength to find a better way and life for themselves.
ReplyDeleteAmen!!!
DeleteThanks Deepa...good wishes never goes wrong. For hands those bless others, gets lots of blessings in return! :)
Hi Ekta,
ReplyDeleteThis was so true ... and you have narrated it strong and powerful. Hats off to you.
I am following your blog now. You write superb !!!
Hi Green Speck,
DeleteThanks a ton for your feedback. I am glad you liked it. If you get time, pl do vote for met at- http://www.blogaton.in/2012/10/its-voting-time-whats-best-untold-story.html
Sure ... I will :-)
DeleteUnfortunately, I guess I won't be able to vote ... only those who participated can vote :-(
DeleteOoops :(
DeleteVery powerful...
ReplyDeleteGreat read!
Thanks Indrani!
DeleteNow, this is what I call thinking out of cinderallas shoes ! :) :) :) Good one :)
ReplyDeleteThanks sooo much!!! :)
DeleteLived happily ever after is never the end. Briliantly potrayed the harsh realities. Amazing post :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ash!
Deletethought provoking...eye opener
ReplyDeleteATB for BAT :)
Thank so much! If you r participating, ATB to you too...Also, do vote for me :)
DeleteThese stories are sometimes told . But they form just the tip of the iceberg . Most of the horrible truths lie hidden behind the made up faces as u mentioned .
ReplyDeleteTrue...completely agree with you!
DeleteI really don't know how to praise you for such an eye opening story. In this way, many lives today are heart-breaking. Hope things change and girls and boys take life decisions with greater maturity.
ReplyDeleteThat's very flattering Aativas...many a thanks. I am glad that you too agree with same and the fact that how v r so daunted by our fairy tale beliefs that we forget the hard hitting truth.
DeleteThis is certainly an untold story of many cindrella. Thanks for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteSomeone is Special
Thanks and am glad you liked it :)
Delete