Shubha gasped for breath as she broomed the floor of the Iyer household. Heavy work coupled with inadequate diet had led to her failing health. The Iyers who paid her the highest salary among the five employers were famous for mistreating people of her class.
Shubha looked at Mrs. Iyer offering sweets to the deities. Shubha felt her stomach crying out for some food. Her alcoholic husband had run away with all her savings last night. She had barely managed to feed the kids and had to sleep without a morsel of food.
Photo courtesy – Yinglan
In another corner of the house, Iyer’s toddler son was emulating his mother’s actions. The deities had been replaced by his favorite toy called poochie – a dog made out of clay. The little one placed poochie on top of his favorite donut urging it to eat.
“Please let me be born as a toy dog in my next birth. In our world, an inanimate object gets better treatment than people like me,” she spoke to her God with tears in her eyes.
Who am I?
An erstwhile banker turned blogger/writer/author.
Any qualifications?
A Post-Graduate degree in Chemistry followed by a second Post-Graduate Diploma in Management. I completed a one-year MFA in creative writing course from the Writer's Village University, U.S. in Dec 2020. Though I must admit that I am still trying to figure out how and when I can connect all these dots.
Have I done any real work?
If two years in market research, six years in banking as a branch head, three-plus years of blogging, writing, and publishing a book can be considered as real work, then yes!
Where do I live?
After spending life like a nomad for sixteen years in Delhi, Bangalore & Mysore, I am back to where it all started from - Kolkata.
My favorite things -
Books, coffee, travel, food, and my five-year-old son.
What is this blog about?
Through Sonia's musings, I intend to explore writing in various genres, create social awareness, spread laughter, and give words to emotions.
Anything for readers?
You can check out my book 'Deal of Death' on Amazon Kindle. If you like fast-paced thrillers, this Detective fiction introducing the woman sleuth, Raya Ray could turn out to be your perfect weekend read.
View all posts by Sonia Chatterjee
27 thoughts on “The value of human life in the society”
That’s heartbreaking, deities and toys being treated with food which they never have use of while starving humans are forced to carry on their work with no morsel of food! Powerful story, Sonia!
What a shame. Poverty and hunger….. But even if you aren’t hungry, you would find it hard to see a toy being fed…of course some mom’s would find that cute.
Unfortunately that’s still such a harsh reality in our society. Inanimate objects gain more importance as compared to a human life. Thanks for reading.
Hi Sonia. This post is based on a very deep topic of our society. It really saddens me to see the inequality that is rampant around us. What is the use of the worship that does not incite empathy within us?
soniasmusings 
This a powerful story. Poverty is a scourge,
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Thank you for reading.
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I’m glad that you think it is a powerful story.
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Just brilliant
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U have wonderfully penned down the feeling of haves and havenots in south of 200 words! gr8.
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Thank you for reading.
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A beautiful story. How badly we treat people that work in our home.
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Unfortunately that’s the harsh reality in many houses even today. Thanks for reading.
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Lovely fiction Sonia . You are a born writer
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Thank you Monika. You’re too kind.
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Lucky dog. 🙂
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As a society there are many examples of our priorities being wrong – the way wealth is spread is a prime example. Nice one.
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You are so right. Thanks for reading.
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That is so sad. Poverty is sad. I’m glad she was able to feed her kids, at least. Great story!
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Very true. The society can be so harsh at times. Thanks for reading
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this is so sad that how people turn blind eye to the fellow person’s hunger. Nice flash fiction Sonia.
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Very true. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
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That’s heartbreaking, deities and toys being treated with food which they never have use of while starving humans are forced to carry on their work with no morsel of food! Powerful story, Sonia!
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The harsh discrimination by the society. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
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What a shame. Poverty and hunger….. But even if you aren’t hungry, you would find it hard to see a toy being fed…of course some mom’s would find that cute.
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Unfortunately that’s still such a harsh reality in our society. Inanimate objects gain more importance as compared to a human life. Thanks for reading.
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Oh my!! 😦
So very well written! Lovely narration! 🙂
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Thank you for reading. Glad you liked it.
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My pleasure, Sonia! 🙂
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That’s quite sad and a good depiction of how people with too much money sometimes don’t know how to use their money.
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Very true. I wish we valued people for their nature instead of discriminating them based on financial status. Thanks for reading.
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Hi Sonia. This post is based on a very deep topic of our society. It really saddens me to see the inequality that is rampant around us. What is the use of the worship that does not incite empathy within us?
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