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. Only a woman can
ensure that she raises her children, care for her family and be a perfect wife
while fighting towards her success in those dark times.
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Such a strong and
inspiring woman of substance is 49-year-old psychologist Maya Bohra,
who is saving lives of many children and motivating people to live life to the
fullest.
Starting from her
childhood, Maya said, “I grew up in a traditional Marwari family, where
educating girls was a taboo that no one would dare overcome.” While she knew
that studying was a battle, her skills did not help her either.
“I have learning disability,
so I always struggled to learn or score marks, I mean the highest I have scored
is 58 per cent,” Maya confessed. While she worked hard and passed class tenth
board with 42 per cent with hopes to become a doctor, her parents had plans to
keep her home and prepare her to be a perfect bride.
“Somehow, I convinced my
teachers and even got biology, but could not clear the examination and ended up
sitting at home for eight months as my education was stopped,” Maya said.
Taking her friend’s advice, she studied privately.
“I cajoled my parents and
indirectly found ways to convince them, as we could not talk directly to our
father and graduated in arts,” Maya said. While her parents felt that she was
overqualified by graduating, she wanted to study further and learn about
various subjects.
“My parents kept three
conditions for me to study further, 1. I had to take up all household
responsibilities, 2. Study privately and, 3. I had to marry as and when my
parents find the right groom,” Maya shared. She accepted all conditions as
education was her only ray of hope.
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On one morning before her
final semester of masters in English Literature, she was told about her
engagement. “A kid woke me up and told me that I am engaged as my dad had
exchanged a coconut with a gentleman!” Maya said.
Her shock did not fail and
she was forced to accept her marriage. “I spoke to my husband about giving my
final examination from Dec 19, as I got married to him on Dec 16,” Maya said.
Though her husband had
agreed to her idea, things did not pan out the same way. “My mother-in-law
quoted, ‘You can make round chapattis and that is all the education a girl ever
needs’,” Maya shared.
Broken-hearted, she became
traditional homemaker covered with a veil and not allowed to get out her house
without being chaperoned. “I cannot explain in words the life that I lived for
ten years, where I felt suffocated every day,” Maya said.
As her daughters grew up,
she found a window to her life. “My daughter went to preschool and I felt drawn
to art,” Maya said.
Sneaking away and fighting
her family bonds, she did a diploma in textile designing during her daughter’s
school timings. “I started teaching sketching and drawing at home to little
kids after those two years,” Maya said.
While teaching children,
she noticed that most parents are forcing kids to learn art. “Trying to
understand those parents, I found psychology,” Maya said.
From then on, her life took
pretty turns and she slowly with lots of bumps in the road became a qualified
and certified psychologist.