FINDING MAGIC IN THE MUNDANE

Ritika Yadav

They say life gets busier when you grow up. It is true but does that mean one should forget their passions and interests in this hustle-bustle of life? Amrita Mishra, 43, doesn’t believe so. Married at the age of fourteen, Amrita was always interested in art. Her mind always found amusement in colours and her hands in creating crafts. But it’s not easy to follow your heart. She works as a security guard at the University of Hyderabad. She wakes up at 3 am in the morning, cooks food, completes the household chores and goes for her 8hour shift at the university. Though her hectic schedule gives her little time for herself, she says, “ Work is neverending. But we have to take out time to do what we like”. After completing everyday chores, she paints every night

She believes that it is a therapeutic activity that keeps her mind calm. For her, art is more than just a piece of drawing. It is freedom and control. Being a free-spirited, independent woman, she also likes taking out some time for herself during the day when she can do whatever she wants to. On some days, she paints, on others, she watches a movie.

Amrita’s firm juggling between making a living and following her passion is not just her struggle but that of every Indian married woman who finds it difficult to give time to her hobbies. But what keeps them going is the desire to follow their hearts. It is this little time that they get to spend on their hobbies that reminds them who they are and what they are capable of