THE RIPPLES OF RIO

I am delighted to dedicate this piece 
of flash fiction to the glory 

of girls of India.

Here is my humorous take on the Rio Olympics, where Indian boys drew a blistering blank and girls put up a glittering show.  Sindhu’s silver in badminton and Sakshi’s bronze in wrestling, while proving to be a soothing oasis in a desolate desert, shook up several social traditions and beliefs.  From an imaginary plane I could see the mind-set of the people of the country undergoing a lightning transformation. Showcased below are some awesome developments!

In lighter vein

INCREDIBLE GIRLS OF INDIA
(Breezy thoughts of Subbaram Danda)

Almost overnight Indian women became very assertive.  Time was in their favour.  They wanted to strike when it was hot.

Girls of marriageable age took a wow to demand dowry from boys.  Why not?  It was their turn now.  They would not rest there.  They would also fling more conditions.  They would insist that their would-be husbands should agree to take care of all household chores from 4:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. when they would go for sports training. 

One girl declared that her lifetime partner should be shorter than her.  Another wanted her husband to take over the responsibility of changing the diaper of their baby every night.

Recently-married couple made a beeline to family counsellors and sought advice on how to beget a girl child.  These specialists hiked their fees from Rs.100 to Rs.2,500 per consultation.  Some became millionaires overnight.

Almost all the girls born in a week after the Olympic saga in a particular nursing home were named either Sindhu or Sakshi depending on the new-born's constitution.  Taller girls were called Sindhu and brawny ones Sakshi. Elsewhere, girls with the name Bindu changed it to Sindhu.   

School and college girls signed a declaration swearing that they would not go anywhere near an ice cream parlour in the third week of August every year in honour of Sindhu, who had abstained from tasting the softy delight for a few months before the Olympics.  This was their way of paying a tribute to the greatness of the triumphant girl of South India.   Boys welcomed the idea with a glee!

Women organized marches demanding “reservations for men” in all fields of activity.   It was a sign of expressing their sympathy for men.  Trains ran with “men only” compartments.  Buses too had “men’s specials”during peak hours. 

Girls were seen giggling at boys and ragging them in buses, at bus stops and metro stations. At other places, they chased boys, who ran for cover.

On a directive from the Government, schools and colleges introduced special classes in badminton and wrestling for girls.   Boys were not left behind.  They had to compulsorily attend exclusive classes in cookery!!  

  

August 24, 2016