Tara's mother rushed through the morning chaos, her usual hurried self. After tying Tara's hair into a neat braid, she instructed, "Put your shoes on, wear the bindi, and leave. You're getting late!"
(A bindi is a small decorative mark worn on the forehead, typically in Indian traditions. The word "bindi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "bindu," meaning a point or dot. Traditionally red or maroon, modern bindis come in various colors, designs, and embellishments.)
Tara slipped on her shoes and glanced at the mirror. The bindi, still stuck to the edge of the mirror, caught her attention. She stared at it for a moment and left without putting it on.
Her grandmother noticed and erupted in fury. "Does she have no manners? A girl stepping out without a bindi? What kind of upbringing is this?" she scolded Tara's mother. The usual taunting was met with silence as Tara's mother ignored the rebuke.
Tara stepped out of the society gate, only to see five girls waiting for her. She acted like she hadn't noticed them and took the turn towards school. They followed, teasing and laughing at her all the way.
The bullying didn't stop there - it continued in the classroom, on the playground, and even in the girls' room. Everywhere she went, they made her the target of their cruel jokes. It was relentless, day after day.
One day, in last semester when exams were close enough, one of the girls pulled Tara's bag, and something inside her snapped. She grabbed the girl's arm and shoved her to the ground with all her strength. The girl retaliated, yanking Tara's hair, but Tara fought back fiercely, months of pent-up anger fuelling her. She didn't stop until others stepped in to break up the fight.
Not long after, the leader of the bully group met withan accident and had to move to another city. And just like that, the bullying stopped after a year of torment.
Much later, Tara learned from someone that the girl had written a letter to her group, that their behavior toward Tara had been wrong.
Years passed, and Tara grew up. Everything went back to normal, except that, she never wore a bindi again. She never complimented herself in front of anyone after that incident. She never forgot the year when she had complimented herself in front of them for the bindi she wore, feeling so good about it that she couldn't help but praise herself.
It was that fleeting moment of self-love that the bully couldn't tolerate. To them, her confidence seemed like arrogance. "What does she think she is? A queen And so, the torment began - not for days, not for weeks, but for an entire year.
No one knows where or when their self-esteem is being chipped away - or how deeply it can scar them.
(A bindi is a small decorative mark worn on the forehead, typically in Indian traditions. The word "bindi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "bindu," meaning a point or dot. Traditionally red or maroon, modern bindis come in various colors, designs, and embellishments.)
Tara slipped on her shoes and glanced at the mirror. The bindi, still stuck to the edge of the mirror, caught her attention. She stared at it for a moment and left without putting it on.
Her grandmother noticed and erupted in fury. "Does she have no manners? A girl stepping out without a bindi? What kind of upbringing is this?" she scolded Tara's mother. The usual taunting was met with silence as Tara's mother ignored the rebuke.
Tara stepped out of the society gate, only to see five girls waiting for her. She acted like she hadn't noticed them and took the turn towards school. They followed, teasing and laughing at her all the way.
The bullying didn't stop there - it continued in the classroom, on the playground, and even in the girls' room. Everywhere she went, they made her the target of their cruel jokes. It was relentless, day after day.
One day, in last semester when exams were close enough, one of the girls pulled Tara's bag, and something inside her snapped. She grabbed the girl's arm and shoved her to the ground with all her strength. The girl retaliated, yanking Tara's hair, but Tara fought back fiercely, months of pent-up anger fuelling her. She didn't stop until others stepped in to break up the fight.
Not long after, the leader of the bully group met withan accident and had to move to another city. And just like that, the bullying stopped after a year of torment.
Much later, Tara learned from someone that the girl had written a letter to her group, that their behavior toward Tara had been wrong.
Years passed, and Tara grew up. Everything went back to normal, except that, she never wore a bindi again. She never complimented herself in front of anyone after that incident. She never forgot the year when she had complimented herself in front of them for the bindi she wore, feeling so good about it that she couldn't help but praise herself.
It was that fleeting moment of self-love that the bully couldn't tolerate. To them, her confidence seemed like arrogance. "What does she think she is? A queen And so, the torment began - not for days, not for weeks, but for an entire year.
No one knows where or when their self-esteem is being chipped away - or how deeply it can scar them.
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