“A though of life…. and it’s painful”…

My painting dedicated to 2012 Delhi Gang Rape Case depicting the pain of the girl who was gang raped in a public bus and then brutally murdered. I am ashamed of the act and I cannot call myself a proud Indian. It’s been a decade to the incident and I still don’t believe that any human being would do such an act on a fellow human being. This was a brutality to the core. The girl was named as ‘Nirbhaya’ which means ‘fearless’ as she turned out to be a fighter for life. Nirbhaya also symbolises woman’s resistance to rape and enforces ‘No means NO’. The canvas is filled with the bloodshed, creating an angry fire within a victim depicting the endless pain and sufferings.

I come from a land where domestic violence is very common and is known as a “rapist’s country”. I have seen my aunties being beaten by my uncles, my sister being tortured by her husband and my mother being dominated by my father for every single aspect of life. The physical violence is a norm in married couples and many a times it is also called as an ‘expression of love’ by the male-dominated society. The women in my life have suffered, they tried to heal silently and I though that’s how it is and will always be! I never wanted to be a woman but I didn’t know what I can do about it.

This particular incident shook me, inspired me to be a change and prepared me to not accept anything which can challenge my self-respect. People need to know the concept of ‘consent’ and there’s an ever-increasing need of sexual education. Stricter laws need to be made to prevent such crimes, to protect victims and to punish offenders. Each one of us need to grow, educate each other and be a change that we want to see in the world!