The Myth Of Momentous Moments: A Study

By Paridhi Kalotara Aggarwal

The Thesis: There are no momentous moments in the lives of an ant, a moth, dirt, dust and iron rust.

A questionnaire examining the thesis:
(Please pick the most appropriate answer)

Question 1: What was the most momentous moment in the life of a 5 months pregnant woman who was gang raped in riots?
Options:
A.  The moment she was converted into a corpse that could not be cremated.
B.  Seeing her 3 years old daughter being smashed to death.
C.   Watching her whole family being killed and/or raped including a 2 days old.
D.   Witnessing the perpetrators walk free to welcoming garlands on the 75th Independence day of her country.

Question 2:  What was the most momentous moment in the short life of the PhD scholar who committed suicide in the campus of the University that did not release his stipend?
Options:
A. Denial of the stipend, his only means of survival.
B.  His research on the symbiosis of technology and social science.
C. The fatal accident of his birth.
D.  As per his suicide note, the fact that man was never considered a glorious thing made up of star dust.

Observations: There are humans who are not considered humans, they are ants, moths, dirt, dust and iron dust. I am them.

The Antithesis: There are many momentous moments in the lives of an ant, a moth, dirt, dust and Iron rust.

A questionnaire examining the Anti-Thesis:
(Please pick the most appropriate answer)

Question 1: What is the most momentous moment in my life?
Options:
A.  Every time I am asked my full name and my surname is questioned.
B. The moment I found love in law school and love broke the barriers of hierarchy.
C.  The  moment I was not lynched despite a marriage that made me quite lynchable.
D.  The moment marriage added another name to my moth identity.

Question 2: What was the most momentous moment in the life of my Grand Father?
Options:
A.  Every time he had to carry his own water.
B.  The moment he realized that the water he carried was not oxygen and hydrogen but his ancestors' blood, sweat and indignation.
C. The moment he sipped insult when thirsty and when hungry, he ate humiliation.
D. The moment he graduated in law from the Lahore University in the 1930s

A comparative analysis of my grandfather's life and mine:
Between our momentous law degrees, his in 1930 and mine in 2012, historic changes had happened in the nation,
for instance: Independence and Constitution
and unlike him, I could drink from a public source in a public location.

Insights and Declarations:
My name is Paridhi Kalotara Aggarwal,
Paridhi is not paid attention to,
Aggarwal is embraced, accepted and appreciated,
While Kalotara continues to be quizzed, inspected and dissected,
but I am grateful, I am grateful to each and everyone who demeaned my mother for not having a son,
Thanks to patriarchy, my child will not have to carry the burden of a name that is constantly questioned.

The Synthesis: My son's life will be replete with momentous moments. He will be considered human. He will not have to be an ant, a moth, dirt, dust and Iron rust.
This was the The Myth Of Momentous Moments: A Study.