The polishing of a soul: the journey of psychologist Maya Bohra
In the dark times, when there seems no way to succeed or be happy, it is then that a human being is tested, cut, and polished into an enlightened being. 49-year-old psychologist Maya Bohra is one such woman of substance, saving the lives of many children and motivating people to live life to the fullest.
"I grew up in a traditional Marwari family, where educating girls was a taboo that no one would dare overcome."
Battling the taboo and disability
Maya’s struggle wasn't just social; it was internal. "I have a learning disability, so I always struggled to learn or score marks—the highest I ever scored was 58 per cent," she confessed. After passing her tenth board with 42 per cent, her parents intended to keep her home to prepare her for marriage.
She fought for every inch of her education. To study further, she had to accept three strict conditions from her parents: manage all household chores, study privately, and marry whenever a groom was chosen. "I accepted all conditions as education was my only ray of hope," Maya shared.
The coconut engagement and the veil
The reality of her conditions hit home one morning before her final semester of Masters in English Literature. "A kid woke me up and told me that I am engaged because my dad had exchanged a coconut with a gentleman!" Maya said. She was married on December 16th; she had requested to give her final exam on December 19th.
Her husband agreed, but her mother-in-law was adamant: "You can make round chapattis and that is all the education a girl ever needs." For ten years, Maya lived as a traditional homemaker, covered by a veil and never allowed to leave the house unchaperoned. "I cannot explain in words the life that I lived for ten years, where I felt suffocated every day."
Finding a window to psychology
As her daughters grew, Maya found a small window. While her daughter was at preschool, she snuck away to complete a diploma in textile designing. She began teaching art to local children, which eventually led her to a deeper realization.
"I noticed that most parents were forcing kids to learn art. Trying to understand those parents, I found psychology," Maya said. Despite the bumps in the road, she persisted, eventually becoming a qualified and certified psychologist, turning her decade of suffocation into a lifetime of helping others breathe.