Queen: A Powerful Short Story of Womanhood by Nadella Anuradha – English Translation of క్వీన్ – Part II

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Continued from Part I

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Madhuri fell silent. Was this really the same child who, until recently, would come running to them for everything, calling out “Amma, Nanna,” and shadowing their every move? Something about this moment felt different, as if a quiet chasm had evolved between her daughter and her.  She struggled to recognize this version of her daughter, unable to make sense of this shift in Shweta’s demeanor.

Madhuri is well read and regularly keeps up with the news. She’s in touch with her friends and hears them constantly complain about the many problems they have with their kids. She’s well versed with the current societal changes. Yet, somehow she was not able to quite accept what her daughter said – that the idea of marriage was something to be strongly opposed.

“Amma, let me give you an example to help you see the world from a perspective different from the one you’re used to. You remember Preeti, right? She fell in love with Tilak and married him. Neither of their parents approved of it. Actually, they didn’t openly oppose the idea nor did they embrace their decision. Inspite of all that, both she and her husband are doing just fine now.”

“Lately, Tilak has been frequently traveling abroad for work. But he can’t take Preeti and their daughter with him. And here, Preeti is overwhelmed, juggling her job and also taking care of their child. She has us friends to support her, yes, but the fact that she cannot visit her mother’s or her mother-in-law’s place whenever she wants to because they still don’t welcome her is taking a toll on her. She says her daughter, who is starting to become aware of things, is growing up alone, even when she has a family that she could be surrounded with.

Recently, she had to admit her daughter to the hospital because of high fever. We all helped out however we could. Our colleague had Sreenath stayed with her in the hospital and supported her a lot through those days. But, apparently Tilak didn’t like that. Preeti says that Tilak couldn’t see him as a friend or a well-wisher, but only as another man. She’s struggling to make sense of it all, and it’s become a source of tension between them. It’s still causing fights between the two of them and it’s unclear how far this will go.”

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As Shweta finished speaking, Madhuri let out a long, deep sigh.

“Yes, Tilak may have misunderstood the situation, and I agree he shouldn’t have seen it that way. But if that’s making you question the entire institution of marriage, I can’t agree with that. Look around yourself, there are so many kids your age in our own family, and none of them have said no to marriage like you have. All this while, you said you just needed more time. And now, suddenly, you’re saying you don’t want to get married at all. Shweta, please don’t say things that hurt me like this. If there’s someone you’re interested in, just tell me. That’s all I’m asking. But please, don’t talk like this.”

“I just don’t know how to explain it to you. Don’t assume I’ll do something just because you want me to – especially when I don’t believe in it and don’t feel it’s necessary.”

“Will you stay alone for the rest of your life? Don’t you feel like having a companion? You are all we have. Don’t you understand that we wish to see you married and see you settle down with your own family? What about our wishes for you as the ones who have given birth and raised you? Besides, it’s not so unnatural for someone of your age to want marriage, to want a life partner.”

“Amma, wanting companionship doesn’t mean I have to get married. When I find someone I genuinely connect with, simply living together feels complete. That in itself can be enough. I don’t need to bind myself with the shackles of marriage. And there’s no need to be anxious about children either – if they come along, they will come along. Companionship lasts as long as it’s meant to and sometimes, each of us might continue on our own paths. There’s nothing to grieve over that either.”

Madhuri looked at her daughter strangely. What is this? She had never heard these kinds of thoughts before!

Her mind drifted back to what her younger sister Rukmini had said last year while arranging her own daughter’s marriage.

“Akka, Lasya is younger than Shweta. I know you mentioned that Shweta isn’t ready for marriage yet. We’ve received a good proposal for Lasya from a family we know well and Lasya too didn’t raise any objections. Ideally, since Shweta is older, it would’ve been better if her marriage happened first. But now things have turned out this way,” she said, as though she was confessing to a mutiny of one.

Madhuri had simply laughed it off at the time, saying, “Don’t worry about such things.” The wedding had gone ahead as planned.

But now, why was Shweta thinking this way? Was there something missing in her upbringing? Had Madhuri failed to pass on the right values about marriage and family? Where had she gone wrong?

A sense of inadequacy washed over Madhuri. Had she failed in her duties as a mother? What would her husband say if she confided in him? Would he take their daughter’s side?

After all, wasn’t it he who for all these years sided with his daughter and let them keep postponing the topic of marriage? Would Shweta dare to repeat to her father what she had just said to her? 

What was she supposed to do now?

That Sunday night after Shweta had gone, Madhuri lay restless in bed, tossing and turning all night. Even the soft moonlight spilling inside through her bedroom window couldn’t quieten her uneasy mind.

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The next morning, as Shyam was getting ready to head to work, Madhuri asked if he could drop her off at Malathi’s clinic.

When they arrived at her clinic, it looked like Malathi had walked in – she was by herself, just settling in for the day. Madhuri didn’t waste any time. She sat down and let her heart spill out.

After listening quietly, Malathi said, “Honestly Madhu, I’m not surprised by what Swetha said. This is exactly how the younger generation thinks these days. I hear versions of the same thing all the time, from the kids who come in and from their parents. Trust me, your story isn’t unusual.

This societal change feels inevitable. In our mothers’ time, joint families were the norm. They never had to leave their hometowns even for work or marriage. But with our generation, in the name of jobs, we left behind our hometowns and our loved ones and moved to distant places. We thought of it all as a natural progression. But we never really paid attention to the thoughts and feelings of those who were left behind. Did we?

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the environment we were raised in. Within that strong family foundation, it wasn’t just our mothers who shaped us. Our aunts and our uncles, our grandparents from both sides were always beside us. Together, they formed the backdrop of our childhood, quietly yet powerfully anchoring our sense of belonging. They weren’t just extended family for us, they were an integral part of our upbringing.

Over the years, our way of life has undergone significant change. We grew comfortable with smaller families, happy with settling down with one or two children, and the traditional joint family gave way to more nuclear ones.

In our generation, there were some brave souls who crossed boundaries of caste, religion, and social norms to choose their life partners. Even though they faced intense resistance from society, their commitment to marriage and to making their own choices guided their lives forward in a meaningful way.

Today, in the name of jobs, people are scattered across towns, states, and even countries. Even small families of two or three are finding themselves living apart. Because of work demands or children’s education, couples are often living apart. Households are now surviving in two or three pieces thanks to all these unavoidable commitments…”

Before Malathi could finish, Madhuri interrupted, her voice wrapped in worry.

“I don’t know, Malathi… hearing all this makes me uneasy. What’s happening to our society? Who’s behind all these changes?”

Malathi gently took Madhuri’s hands in hers, speaking with quiet conviction.

“Oh Madhu, don’t be afraid of change, it’s inevitable, it’s a part of our life. The thing is, you’ve been so immersed in your family that you haven’t really noticed how much the world around us has been shifting. But who do you think is changing society? It’s not some outsider. It’s us and it’s our children. Every generation reshapes the world in ways that make sense to them. Come to think of it, our grandmothers might not even recognize the clothes our children are wearing. Now, it’s our turn to be the elders, and yes, to feel a little rattled. But this is how it’s always been.

When everyone is going through some problem or another, who has the time to think for others?

There’s truth in what your daughter said. She expressed her opinion so clearly. In fact, she seems to have no confusion about her thoughts and her plans for her own life.

Today’s youth face some practical challenges that we might not be completely aware of. So, they might be making choices that are convenient and suitable for them. And you mentioned that your daughter needs counseling, right? She’s not the one in need of counseling. You do, just a little bit,” Malathi said with a smile, finishing what she wanted to say.

“Mala, you’re brushing off my concerns as if they don’t matter. Wanting to see my daughter married and feeling the weight of that responsibility – isn’t that a valid desire?” Madhuri’s face showed a hint of hurt.

“I’m not making light of your feelings Madhu. You’re seeing it yourself, divorce rates are increasing in our society. The pace of life, work stress, and the uncertainty of the future in this competitive world are overwhelming today’s generation. Taking care of themselves, their inner struggles – these have become the main problems in life now. Marriage and children feel like added burdens they no longer have the bandwidth to tolerate. This isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about recognizing what they’re up against and meeting them with understanding.

And about this idea of ‘getting your daughter married’ as a duty, honestly, it’s time we let go of that mindset. It just doesn’t fit anymore in today’s world. Children bring us joy when they’re young, yes. But raising them is our responsibility, not a contract for lifelong control. Once they’re grown, their life is their own, we have no claim over it. What we can do is be their safe harbor, quietly present, unwavering, available when they need us. That’s what truly matters.”

“So what then?” Madhuri spoke softly as if she was thinking aloud. “Will families and marriage just disappear? Will society become a crowd of lonely, disconnected individuals?”

“Why would they disappear? Among this generation, along with people like Shweta who think differently, there will also be those who support your way of thinking, right? Marriages will continue to happen. But divorces and the breakdown of families will also continue to increase. When there is no willingness to think for the other person, no space for compromise, this becomes inevitable.

The solitary lives you speak of – perhaps after a few years, this might leave people yearning for new kinds of connections. Then maybe there will be fresh efforts to restore some sort of stability in society! Maybe then people will once again deeply long for the institution of marriage! Let’s see…”

Before Malathi could finish her words, the door to her office room opened and someone walked in. Madhuri rose quickly, saying they’d talk again soon.

As she walked back home, her thoughts swirled endlessly. Madhuri felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. Even Malathi, whom she believed understood her, had bluntly stated that Madhuri’s way of thinking didn’t quite belong to this time.

Madhuri couldn’t come to terms with the idea that – despite having taken a step ahead of her mother’s generation by pursuing a degree, by gaining some exposure to the world – she was now at a stage where she couldn’t understand her own daughter’s perspectives. Are the differences between generations really impossible to overcome?

That evening, with the weight of it all pressing on her heart, Madhuri poured everything out to her husband.

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Although the movie was interesting, thoughts about his wife kept Shyam restless in his seat.

“The heroine shaped her life on her own terms,” Swetha said as they stepped out of the theatre into the night air. “She started off looking weak and timid when facing her circumstances, but once she stepped into the outside world, she gained the maturity to decide what she really wanted. True to the movie’s name and her role, she took charge of her life like a Queen! How was it dad, did you like it?” Swetha turned to her father as they walked to their car.

Shyam nodded, genuinely moved – not just by the film, but by his daughter’s insight into the underlying message of the movie. Swetha went on to tell him that Kangana Ranaut had won a National Award for her performance.

Yes, Queen is the child of this generation. She can decide what she wants for herself and her life. 

The next day, as Shyam travelled back to his hometown, the quiet night stretching ahead seemed to mirror the clarity in his heart. He closed his eyes, the road humming beneath him, and with a growing sense of calm decided to talk to Madhuri. He would tell her about the decision their daughter had made to live her life fully – like a river carving its way through an unpredictable landscape, bold, graceful and free.

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Glossary of Telugu words: 

Jantikalu – A traditional South Indian savory snack made from rice flour and spices, deep-fried into crunchy spirals or coils. Similar to murukku or chakli in other Indian cuisines.

Akka – Elder sister. A respectful and affectionate way to refer to one’s older sister.

Amma – Mother. Also used as a term of endearment for any older woman or as a loving way to address women in general.

Nanna – Father.

Chinni – A term of endearment meaning “little one” or “dear one.” Often used for young children or loved ones, similar to “sweetie” or “baby” in English.

– The End – 

Read The Original Story: క్వీన్ ~ అనూరాధ నాదెళ్ళ (జనవరి, 2016, సారంగ వెబ్ మ్యాగజైన్)

Translated By: Rachana Somayajula

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Praise For Queen Story And Translation On Muse India

On Life, Love And Desires In Fiction

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