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To The Boys Who Stopped Their Scooty And Harassed Me In The Name of Holi, Thank You

( words)
*For representational purpose only.

This is to the boys who harassed me in the name of "Holi",

Hi, my name is Riya, you probably don't know me and would never know about this message. I am a little girl who was just having a normal day until I saw you five following me.

I was walking down a lonely street and then one of you parked a scooty in front of me just to block my way. Yes, I was wearing a white shirt when you started throwing balloons at me just to see my shirt wet. You were enjoying it, weren't you?

The five of you were standing in a circle around me leaving no possible way for me to leave. Yes, you could see through my shirt after throwing 5-7 balloons at me. I also spotted your phone clicking pictures of me with the flashlight on. I knew your intentions really well and I begged you to stop. I was even on my knees but you still continued. You knew I wasn't enjoying it but still I prayed that no one harasses your sister or your mother in the name of "Holi".

I hope you lock your sister inside the house on Holi so that she doesn't encounter a guy like yourself.

Just because I didn't fight back, it doesn't mean that I was weak, I was just feeling really helpless at that moment. Your laughs are haunting me now and all I recall is flashlights from your phones, water balloons and the whole scene just plays in my head over and over again, thinking about all of it really disturbs me. Congratulations, you succeeded in making me feel like I am not a person but just a toy you enjoyed playing with.

HOLI, a festival of colours. We all just love celebrating this festival of happiness. My Holi? Well it's colourless now, but I still hope your sister is protected inside the four walls with no guy creeping her out on this auspicious day.

"Bura na mano, Holi hai": you said this with a smile on your face and got away with what you did.

I still hope that one day you'll change and won't make your mother regret giving birth to you. I get nightmares whenever I hear the word 'Holi' and all the credit goes to you.

I was crying in a dark corner of my house and could see my world tumbling down piece by piece and although I tried my best, there was nothing I could do. Then I realised that you didn't break me completely as I always knew that I was given this life because I was strong enough to live it. I can pick the fallen pieces back up and continue enjoying my life.

I believe in karma and it'll surely do justice to me but I'll still advice you to not buy a white shirt for your sister. Thank you for making me realise the importance of my voice. Bura naa mano Holi hai?

This post was submitted by Riya Dadhwal.

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