THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

Living in this modern era BOLD obviously means to BARE and BEAUTIFUL is the ‘H’ word ( HOT !!!!) ; but to me the phrase has a different connotation. It depicts a courageous lady who is bold enough to expose the corruption around. She is clad in a simple saree which is not meant to attract anyone yet is beautiful enough to pull the entire crowd like the Pied Piper Of Hamelin. Yes she is beautiful. It is her simplicity, her honesty, her will power and her wish to be herself without being influenced or maligned by insignificant things or people around that talks about an aura in her. She is beautiful as she has always respected her identity. How many of us can remain the way we wish to be. At young age there is peer pressure. Even if we wish to live with dignity and integrity our friends feel we are ‘MISFITS ‘. It is very rare that people ignore such demands of the society and preserve the pristine outlook one yearns to maintain. There was a time when many fingers were directed towards Mamata Banerjee for her unparliamentary dressing sense as I may frame it as in todays world her simplicity is a matter of mockery and a standing joke. Many a times I tell my students what beauty is. Beauty is not the fair and lovely skin, beauty is not in having a string of affairs and get the MOST WANTED tag. Beauty is the self esteem, the self confidence , the grit, the forbearance and the perseverance that makes you glow in the altar you create for yourself. If all this is beauty then Mamata Banerjee is beautiful. Today she has proved to the world that our true mettle lies in our honest dealings. The path of honesty however is as always full of gravels. She crossed every hurdle with a burning desire of not the throne but to prove to herself that she had to pick up the cudgels against inhumanity at riot. Today the throne automatically is hers. She has been crowned the CHIEF MINISTER OF BENGAL and it isn’t just her victory. It is an hour of triumph for every individual who has suffered because of ones principles, idealism and righteousness. She is the torch bearer of truth setting an example to the entire world that nothing can come to the weak. One has to be strong and the strength is not our physical prowess but our determination and passion to live upto our values- come what may.

Eighteen years back Mamata Banerjee was thrown out of the Writers' Building and she wept at the insane behavior that was meted out to her. Yet it is said whoever insults will be insulted someday. Mamata Banerjee was choked with humiliation. Life at that time was a haunting spectre of nothingness for her but she held on to the helm. Although she went through a crushing stasis with politically correct people calling her names she refused to stoop to the debased world and lead a measly existence. For her life is a continuum as she always is fortified with the greatest weapon – HONESTY.She took a pledge that she would come back to the WRITERS' building with her head held high. Today I watched her entering the same place as CHIEF MINISTER OF BENGAL.

20th May 2011 is a turning point in the history of Bengal. It will be etched in my mind for aeons to come. As I was glued to the television I saw a sea of crowd united in the canopy of a leader with a patriotic fervour, a crowd that seemed like the unending stretch of ants but one that had the serenity which reflects how dependable ‘DIDI’ is. The crowd wore a look of relief and calm. I have never seen such pomp and grandeur on any swearing –in ceremony and ‘DIDI’ has proved it to us that true pelf and power lies in ones popularity. She swerved through the huge gathering and walked fearlessly from Raj Bhavan to the Writers' building oblivious to the fact that a bullet from the opposition might strike her. A lady par excellence, undaunted in her spirits walked amidst the crowd just like any ordinary man and earned the pedestal of an extra ordinary woman.

Mamata Banerjee’s rise to power comes as a message for us. We shouldn’t belittle ourselves when people insult us and we shouldn’t lose hope when there is no ray of hope. We should believe in ourselves and have intimate confessional talks with GOD. No one should be able to change our subtle qualities and we should have the courage to be BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL in the true sense.