Listing link of 17th Book

Hello readers, 

Sharing listing link of my 17th book , published by American Publisher. My 4 short stories have been honoured by being the first stories

Book launch at Kolkata Literary Carnival KLC 24 January 13,2024 

Stories from India Season IV - Volume 1

Availability in all formats: https://www.ukiyotoindia.com/product-page/stories-from-india-season-iv-volume-i

https://www.ukiyotoindia.com/product-page/stories-from-india-season-iv-volume-i

Audiobook will be launched soon.

Love, 

Juju 

An open letter by daughter in-law

Sharing a short story from my collection, which is selected as the first story to be published, Book Launch, January 13th 2024 KLC 24 (Kolkata Literary Carnival 2024). 

Marriage or scrutiny under a scanner 24 x 7

An open letter by daughter in-law to her mother in-law

 

Dear mother in-law,

(This is not a grievance letter. It’s my attempt to help you understand our new relation)

Hope this finds you in good health and a happy state of mind. Ever since I have got married to your son, I have noticed a change in your attitude and behavior. Earlier you seemed very welcoming and happy but now I sense a feel of insecurity. Do you see me as a threat? I feel so. You seem to be critical about whatever I do or say especially in relation to your son who is now my husband.

We both have a great thing in common and that is love for the same man. I am not here to break ties of a son from his mother. A son you have given birth to and raised him with your heart and soul. I am here to make my own space as a wife and his life partner. We are not opposite party and it’s not like a war situation where my intention is to over throw you and capture the throne. Where is the throne? Rather who is the throne? Do you consider your son as an object? Please do not burden him like this. I have many aspirations and look forward to a peaceful, harmonious married life. You leave no stone unturned in creating differences. You twist my words and feed negativity about me. A mother has a big heart. All I am requesting is to give me space and time to adjust in your family. I have come from an entirely different background and culture. All this is new and very different. I need time to unlearn and relearn.

Another request is to please stop comparing me with your daughters. They are great as sister in-laws. Let me build up a relation with them on one to one basis. Everything need not be through you. You should be a secure, loving women (with everything in your name.)  Then, why this insecurity? Please do not feed negative stories about me to my husband. Most of the times, I never come to know why he is upset with me? I do have noticed this pattern that after spending time with you and his siblings, he always comes back disempowered with a volatile temperament

Please stop comparing me with other daughter in-laws in your friend’s circle. Each human being is different. This alliance happened because of mutual consent between the girl, the boy and their respective families. Then why I am perceived as a villain on mission to break this home!

Remember how you felt when you got married. The onus is always on elders to make the house environment comfortable for the new bride person. We need to work together to make this work.

I have come as an adult in your life unlike your children whom you have raised up.  I don’t wish to be a daughter to you neither do I want you to be my mother. Let’s respect this beautiful relation of mother in-law and daughter in-law and work towards maintaining its sanctity.

Please communicate if you disapprove of some actions or ways. If you don’t then how will I come to know? We need to keep this communication gates open.

Lets pledge to contribute and please do not compete with me.

Yours,

Daughter in-law

(Dignity & pride of household)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reset Humanity! What every mother should teach her son.

Sharing a short story from my collection, which is selected as the first story to be published in a book to be launched at upcoming KLC 24 (Kolkata Literary Carnival 2024, Kolkata)

Reset Humanity!

What every mother should teach her son.

Woman is the most powerful person on this planet Earth. The one with the womb is God’s favourite and rules the planet. In raising children, boys are seldom involved in household chores. A child should be brought up like a child and not son or daughter.

Every parent should remember to inculcate basic moral values in both daughter and son.

A son should be taught to respect woman as a human being. Woman should not be objectified. A daughter should be taught to take a stand for her own self. Parents play the vital role. I am highlighting two scenarios of two houses.

 

Case Scenario 1

Typical patriarchal family, where man dominates and woman is expected to be submissive. The father hurls abuse at his wife, shouts, screams, disrespects and even raises his hand on her. The roles are distinctly divided. Cooking, washing, cleaning, looking after the house, in-laws, aged parents etc are wife’s duty. The man goes out to earn. That’s all! When he returns home, he expects to be pampered with love and care and does not contribute in the household work.

Children of such parents passively learn this. This has been happening since ages and women are made to work like animals for free in the name of looking after the household. His wife silently bears this torture.

In such a scenario, these parents are sending a strong message to their children. To their son, the message is loud and clear –that it’s perfectly ok to ill treat and disrespect woman. And to their daughter, the message is – in a married life, a woman is expected to do as her man says and should happily bear the torture and abuse at all levels – mental, physical and emotional.

Usually, in her defence, the woman sums up by saying, “The abuse of her husband is like prasad from God.”

 

Case Scenario 2

Educated family where both husband and wife live and work like partners. They contribute in running the household. They have all the chores divided. There is nothing like a man’s job or a women’s job. Children of such parents have seen their father doing cleaning, cooking, washing utensils, doing laundry helping their mother at all levels. Since, childhood, their mindset is tuned to respect each other as human beings and to contribute.

In such a scenario, these parents are sending a strong message to their children regarding marriage as an institution which is built by both partners in a loving, caring way. The woman as such is never objectified. To their children, the message is loud and clear. Running a household is duty of both partners. One should contribute in this as the goal is same to build a happy, harmonious place to live and enjoy. Children of such households are usually balanced and respect their partners.

Problem usually happens when children from one scenario find themselves in another. 

As a rule of thumb, the mother should cultivate the habit of respecting girls and women in her son. The disrespect should never be ignored or justified. Be it with his sister, helper or mother herself. Care at such basic level ensures proper instillation of moral values in the son.

If each parent, especially mother pledges this, humanity can be reset in a very short span of time.

 Happy festival vibes!

Love,

Juju