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Geometry!

Ever since Maya was a child, geometry was her favourite subject. She was fascinated by the angles, lines and shapes that could create almost everything one would want to. As she grew up, she realized that the profession that she wanted to take up was Architecture. The way architects use shapes and angles to draw plans for residential, commercial and public spaces was nothing less than an art. The use of geometric principles to create symmetrical features in homes and commercial properties was a beautiful skill that she knew she was born with.

Born in a conservative family in Haryana, her mom had died in childbirth. Yet, Maya was the apple of her father's eye, who had not only faced flak for bringing up his daughter like a son, but had often went up in arms against his own parents and kin to let her be kept off from the house chores which were considered a woman's domain in their village. He wanted her to fulfill her dreams and was determined to help her all he could.

Maya's XII boards were just round the corner and there were already too many voices advising him to start looking for a groom and get her married soon after her exams. He was unusually quiet this time and Maya was worried. Would he give in this time?

That day he left for the city when Maya's grandmother said to him on a parting note, "Sheher jaa hi raha hai toh chhori ke liye ek achchhi se saree lete aana... Jo koi chhora dekhne aavega toh kaam aayegi." He smiled and nodded. Maya overheard her and hoped her father would ignore the suggestion. However, to Maya's horror, her father showed up with a saree box in the evening. The grandmother's face looked triumphant as he handed it over to Maya in front of her. There was an A4 size envelope too. Maya reluctantly opened the envelope first to check out a bunch of papers within.

"Je ka hai?" asked her grandmother.

Her father casually replied, "Isi liye to sheher gaya tha Amma... Entrance exam ke form hain. Ise architect banana hai naa... Uske paper bhi toh degi."

"Hain? Tu saree nahin laya ke?"

"Haan, laya hoon naa... Woh bhi laya hoon. Interview dene jayegi toh kaam aayegi."

With a flutter in her heart, Maya opened the saree box to find the most gorgeous rust red saree she had seen... Ajrakh with every conceivable geometric pattern printed on it. She looked up to see her father wink at her, just as her grandmother beat her head.


© Nishtha Khurana, 2019. All rights reserved. The text as well as the pictures are both subject to copyright and are the property of the author. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.



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