Identity!

I always had a special interest in folklore and I have always been a fan of puppet shows. So, when after two years, I had a chance to spend my summers in India, I took this as an opportunity to enjoy puppet shows. Isn't it amazing to see something tied with strings and dancing and acting on the command of these strings? So I bought a whole season ticket of Puppet shows organized by Rajasthan Kala Kendra. Owing to my strong imagination or blame it to the time of these shows, which used to be immediately after lunch, I had an excuse to day dream during the shows. Puppets and lots of puppets talking to me about their dreams and asking me about mine. One such puppet was Shah Bahadur Khan, a prisoner puppet trying to escape, though failing in every single attempt, it made, became closest to me. One day Shah Bahadur Khan asked me, " Are you a free man?" I said,'Yes, I am'. The puppet smiled sheepishly. I felt like its puppet way of asking me to free it. Puppet wanted to be free, it doesn't wanted to dance anymore on puppeteer will. So that day after the show was over, I stayed a bit longer, till the curtain curls down and everybody leaves. Immediately afterwards I went backstage, cut the first string and went for the second one. Though the puppet was not free. The first string was still attached! Then I noticed a knot in it. The puppet reattached itself. 

"What are you doing?” I asked.

"What are you doing?” Shah Bahadur replied firmly.

I am setting you free, my friend. You don't have to act anymore. You can be yourself now, looking into his big eyes, I replied.

But I am myself. I want to be a free, outside the prison, but within this play, on this stage. This is who I am. The strings, hold me as who I am. These strings bring life to a puppet like me. Do you realize a puppet won't be a puppet without these strings?

I thought you wanted to be like me. Shah Bahadur gave a sharp smile and said, "We are exactly the same. The difference between my strings and yours is that mine are visible and yours are not!"

I felt a jerk on the old broken chair in the Rajasthan Kala Kendra bhavan, and I came out of my own personal show. The show and  the season were both over.