GOD KNOWS whether it was a purple patch of mood or simply nursing of a broken heart, when Bob Marley created the classic “No Woman No Cry.” The point is the world will never quite be THE WORLD without women! Come to think of it, we are all in this world thanks to a woman (fine, man contributes too!) but a woman nurtures us in herself, I guess that’s the reason why psychiatrists believe there’s a woman in every man; even religious texts refer to ardhanarishwar.

 

“A woman’s heart is the deepest ocean,” said Rose in Titanic. It is this intriguing aspect of women that prompts me to ‘pen’ this article. Women can be caring and yet they can be crafty; they can be strong and yet they can be weak; they can be tender and yet they can be treacherous; they can be soft and yet they can be scrupulous; you don’t find such a varied mix of traits in one man. Is it any wonder then, there’s no consensus on observing International Men’s Day? That’s quite unlike the universal acceptance of International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8. Here’s my homage to some of the most influential women in my life:

 

Sudha: The 1st woman in my life, my mother. A lady of steely grit, determination and composure, she is probably the inspiration that fires the imagination of writers to write ‘Mother India’. Call it a coincidence or whatever, the other two from the set of ‘first women’ in my life, a doctor and a nurse, were also called Sudha!

 

Sushila: Coincidence galore! Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers share the name Sushila. They meticulously shaped the skills that came in handy during my career; taught me the fine art of story-telling.

 

Shefali: My first and probably the last ‘woman’ boss. She taught me the most important dynamics of work. To think, approach and execute from a woman’s perspective too. If my work appears fuller and better presented, it’s all thanks to the finer nuances she taught me about writing.

 

Shaili: First and probably the last love. I still remember a close friend falling in love. After the bitter, year-long breakup, he spelt woman as wo(e)man! I just couldn’t understand. How can such a ‘happening’ man be so consumed by a woman? After meeting Shaili I got the answer. There is no logic. It is plain destiny. There were a few women before her, there have been a few women after her, but the high I got just by holding her hands or by looking into her eyes is still unmatched.

 

Sarina: At 21, she has the kind of maturity that is rare even after a life span. A fiercely independent and unconventional soul, she has imbibed the spirit of, probably, a Rani of Jhansi or a Joan of Arc. She gave me the guru-mantra to happiness – ‘Have no expectations and you will always be happy’. It was a tough call, but when I put it in practice, her words turned prophetic. Though we have nothing in common, except for our love to travel, explore the unexplored and meet new people, it is the ‘no-expectation’ from each other that bonds us firmly.

 

Shruti: One of my friends told me “whenever you hit the dance floor you bowl over at-least one of the maidens.” I met Shruti on one such occasion (my best friends’ wedding) and was keen on proposing to her. However, the plans changed when I got to know she was only 18; yet the camaraderie we share is amazing. The dignity with which she conducts herself, qualifies her for the title, ‘woman of substance’.

 

Shruti: My sister-in-law, who despite being a topper in law, is very efficiently juggling her duty as a model daughter-in-law with being a loving wife and a doting mother to my nephew Vedant. She is the perfect blend of a young, modern woman rooted in traditional family ethics.

 

By the way, did you notice that all the women who shaped my life had names starting with the alphabet ‘S’? I guess that’s God’s way of telling “Honey, I have bestowed on you women who are simply superb.” I sincerely apologise to all the women I know, who couldn’t make it to the list. But as of now, I really feel like writing an article.