I am from a town in South India but was born and brought up in North. The place of my upbringing did shape the person I am today but it had absolutely zero impact on my parents or my brother.

I am 22 years old now and I have dreams and ambitions. Truth is I also know how to achieve them. What's stopping me then, you may ask? Well, the society. How? Here is the answer.

I wanted to go for higher studies. My mom said, "If you go for higher studies, we will have to look for an even more educated groom for you and the dowry will increase. We can't afford it." I fell in love, and she said, "He is not from our caste."

When I wanted to wear a dress, she said "Your friends have spoilt you." I wanted to go places and travel and explore who I am, for which she said, "Do it with your husband after you are married." They want me to get married next year and have children a few years after.

They want me to be married. Happy or not, doesn't matter. Just married. I tried explaining and she said, "If you don't get married, the society will blame us and call us names."

And now I am just a young girl with crushed dreams and shattered hopes and a broken heart, who puts up a smile just because she is lost and has given up on everything.

I am not myself anymore. I am just a person my parents think I should be. I've lost myself and everything in between.

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