Where personal narratives of survivors mingle amongst each other to hopefullyhelp participants connect the dots and find their way through. ASHA – Adult Survivors Healing Association against Child Sexual Abuse is your safe space. We have created this space for people who have survived Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and their friends, family, partners or other allies. At ASHA, we are your fellow survivors who aim to create a strong support system and network of adult survivors of CSA.
Sometime back, I made a stupid, rather aggressive, list in my head. It basically had everything that people told me was too 'absurd', 'weird' and 'impossible' to achieve all at once. And for once, I believed them. But I kept going. I remember wanting to colour my hair blonde and letting go of whoever found it too weird, even if it had to be my best friend. I remember dreaming of scoring over 95% and dreaming of Lady Shri Ram College For Women. And I also remember crying my way through my board exams and sleeping more than I studied
"It's a story. It's life. Yours and mine." Like the backdrop of a book that we hold in our hands while shuffling our way through the unsuspecting crowd, is our life any less than a story in progress? If you believe in stories, then this is for you. We bring to you 'Story Hour', a monthly rendezvous space for storytellers, writers, and enthusiasts, where the fiction, reality, and the grey area in between these two worlds collide to create the stories that are us.
Stay, because I heard it somewhere, Stay, because it sounded shinier Stay, because someone looked at me Stay, as it was supposed to be better Stay.... Freeze, because I am not better Freeze, because I am more of the matter Freeze, because I think I should be fixed Freeze, as I fail to speak
" ‘आटे बाटे चने चबा के,कोकलिया के कान कटा के’ , कोमल सी हथेली पुचकारते हुए 'ये बिल्ली का चौका' ,बच्चे का अंगूठा हिलाकर 'ये गैया का खूँटा' , बड़ी से छोटी उंगलिया पकड़ते हुए " ये अम्मा की, ये बाबा की, ये पापा की , ये मम्मी की , ये मेरी ,नोनू की बछिया खो गई ..खो गई .... खो गई ......, (फिर उंगलिया नाज़ुक सी कलाई से ऊपर धीरे धीरे बगल की तरफ जाती), पा गई... पा गई... पा गई .. और फिर एक बड़ी ही निश्छल ठहाकेदार हँसी पूरे घर को अपनी मासूमियत से महका देती है । मैं जब भी अपने घर जाता तो मेरी भतीजी मेरे पास आकर कहती ' चाचा , आटे बाटे करो ना " और मैं हर बार उसकी इस बचकानी चाहत को पूरा कर देता।
