Its 'the day' of her life. The very special day of which all dream of. Yes, its the day Ayesha is getting married. Allz done and its the time for her to dress as the most beautiful looking lady today. Today is the day when she could enjoy what only a princess could. The luxury of being pampered and having a number of beauticians around to make her look the best and most outstanding today. Her red bridal lenga was lying on her bed and she sat in front of the big mirror getting her make up done. She had nothing to worry about, she had nothing to take care of today, but yet she felt as if she's missing something. She could feel the start of the big change that was about to come in her life.

She knew the man she was getting married to for quite some years now, but still she felt like he was a stranger. She had started to miss, what she always have had till now. Her family. She had never even imagined a day without them. She was lost in the thoughts of the past, of the times she had with her mom, sis, bro and her dearest dad. Among all these thoughts she didn't realize when she was ready. The bride was ready. And then Ayesha was left alone as it was important to other ladies to look good as well. For them it was an occasion when they could look their best. Her sister came barging in the room and asked “Di where are those pink sandals that you bought last month, I wanna wear them. Its a perfect match with my dress.” Ayesha no longer pestered if her sis wanted some of her things to use. She was lost in the thoughts of her past. Days that are not coming back.

Sitting all alone, she saw her laptop lying in the corner, she had two now, but this was extremely precious to her, being her first one, gifted by her Dad when she went to college. She opened it, the wallpaper was the same from few months. A picture clicked with her dad. Tears welled in her beautiful kajal lined eyes. She wanted to write all that she was thinking of. It felt as if words will fall short. From the window of her room,from her misty eyes, she could see her father busy looking after everything to be perfect. She saw her brother suddenly being so much responsible and running around the place, shouting at the decorators and caterers and all those others involved. She started to write down.

Dear Papa,
I want to say so much to you today, yet I have no words. Suddenly it feels like why time cannot run backwards. I miss all those times that we had together. When you were teaching me to make tea for the first time, when you taught me to ride a cycle, and then to drive a motorbike. You always saw a son in me, but yet let me stay a daughter to you. When I look back I realize all that I have with me today is because of you. I remember how you used to let me give opinions on all possible matters so that I can develop the decision making skills one day. How we would sit and discuss for long hours on different topics as if I was some grown up. You would always want to talk to me about the things happening in you office. I felt like a friend to you. All these days I have always been a daughter first, but today it feels that I am not going to stay that. I'll become someone's wife, daughter-in-law etc etc. It feels I am being taken away from you. I have always wanted to say this to you papa. I love you. You have been my ideal, my inspiration for all my life and whatever the society may say, I will always be your daughter first.

Love you
yours
Ayeshu.


Ayesha wrote all that she could, but she did not feel any lighter. She wanted to write more, but just then the baraat arrived and a few ladies came in and started doing last minute touch-ups before escorting her out. Ayesha couldn't even send what she had written. The laptop was left like that on her bed. Well the wedding went well and it now time for her to leave. She saw her dad standing next to the car in which she was to leave with her husband now. He would be last one, whom she would say goodbye. She felt like sitting with him again and talking her heart out, like old days. She reached him and hugged him tight and cried like she had never cried before. All that her dad said was, “Ayeshu you don't start something good by crying, keep a smile on you face. And you know beta, I love you too and you'll always be my daughter first.” with this he let her in the car and bid her good bye. He stood there, the car was out of sight and she kept looking at him till he was visible.

Recently I came across the term surrogacy, not knowing the exact meaning of it made me do a little research. What it came out to be was a bit annoying and a bit shocking for me. Surrogacy means to rent out one's womb to carry someone else's child. But how can a woman do that. How can she carry a child for someone she doesn't even know.

Before I put my views any further, I'll make it clear what exactly is the process. When a couple, by whatever reasons (other than impotency) are not able to give birth to a child, they look for another womb where the fetus can grow and then be delivered. The woman who agrees to carry that child becomes the surrogate mother. The egg and the sperm from the intended parents are taken, fertilized in a test tube and then planted inside the surrogate mother's womb.

Couples mostly from US, UK, France and some other European countries are more towards having a surrogate child and look for women from India to do so. This has many reasons, and its not that here it is safer or more hygienic. Its just the cost of it. In India its about fifth of the cost back in US or UK. But the question still lies, why does a woman want to do so? The answer is simple and yet complicated. Simple as it goes, the mere need of money makes them agree to do such a thing. I said its complicated because, our country is the one which has so much of money in it but still one part of the population has to take up such things to earn a living. Ours is not a poor country, but the pity is that the money is concentrated only in the richer section of the society and not equally divided. The flow is such that the rich becomes richer and the poor continues to be poor.

Dr. Nayna Patel, runs a clinic in the small city of Anand in Gujarat. She helps the lower and lower middle class women to earn some money through this. But this is becoming a profession for women who agree to be surrogate mothers. Its not once or twice they have done this, but its a number of times and they continue to deliver babies for different couples one after the other. They don’t realize what could be effect on their bodies as who would be looking after their nutrition and that there could be complications in getting pregnant so many time. For the money they would get, the women are ready to risk their lives. Leaving all moral values aside, woman are now out in the market renting their wombs.

Being a mother, having a baby is a gift from God, but even he would be regretting it now. If you are so unable to get pregnant, go ahead, adopt a child....There are so many small children who are living their lives in orphanages, just in the hope that someday a childless couple would come and take one of them along. That they too will have parents someday and lead a life with the joys of a family. The whole concept of surrogacy is crushing their dreams. After all, its a child developed in another woman's womb in any case. Then why not give a life to the ones who are born and are alone, rather than bringing new lives to this Earth!!!!