Longing: To Be Free, To Be Loved, To Be Seen, To Be Understood, For Motherhood & To Belong By Tanvi Pathak

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Longing is no new word in society. It has existed for ages and yugas - in Urmila as she waited for her husband to return from exile with his older brother; in Pandavas to be accepted as rightful heirs of Hastinapur; in Ahalya to be forgiven for an adultery of which she was the victim; in Mirabai to get a glimpse of her beloved, to whom she betrothed herself as a child bride while everyone thought it was just a phase; in bhaktas who have been penancing for don’t know how many years just to get a glimpse of their God.

Longing is also not an obsolete emotion. It is still there today - in the eldest child longing from freedom responsibilities they never asked for; in a child who wants to tell their parents that they were molested by the bad uncle in the family without any judgement; in a woman who longs for emotional attachment of any form, even it comes with more pain; in a man who wants to be free from debts and lead a peaceful life; in a mentally exhausted human who has seen it all and wants attention, validation, and guidance; in a trans who doesn’t want to be disowned by their parents once they come out; in a homosexual person who doesn’t want to be laughingstock after coming out of the closet. 


Longing is not a new concept. Each one of us has longed for even a small opening from where we can be seen, heard, understood and taken care of. We all love independence, yes, we do. But there are days we long for emotional dependency, a safe space to collapse knowing somebody would be there to help us pick the pieces. The notion of longing has changed with times, with lifestyle changes, with emotional changes, with awareness about what is right and what is wrong, and with understanding about how society really works. 


Story of Pushpa: An Infertile Woman Who Still Became a Woman Despite Being Thrown into Prostitution

I remember watching Amar Prem (a 1972 film starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna), a story of a woman named Pushpa who longed to be a mother but was infertile. She was thrown into prostitution by a known person from her village. She found motherhood in a little boy, Nandu, living near her kotha with his father and stepmother but still longed for a maa. The two eventually completed each other’s longing as Nandu grew up and took old Pushpa home with him after finding out that she was an ill-treated housemaid. 



However, is it possible to get your longings answered in real time? Can a wife who longs for her husband's emotional presence feel fulfilled? Can a man who was hurt to the core in childhood and longs for a strong woman feel safe? Can husband and wife with different longings ever feel fulfilled? Can longings ever be fulfilled? Or will they continue to remain longing as time passes? 


Longing to accept,

Longing to belong, 

Longing to be free, 

Longing to be loved, 

They stand in their spots, 

Not one moving towards another. 

Will the longings be ever fulfilled?

 

Urmila’s longing turned into a dreamy reunion, 

Yuddhishtar did sit on the throne once he fought for, 

Ahalya attained moksha as God forgave her and called her Maa,

Mirabai merged into her Kanha at the right time, 

Bhaktas started getting Their signs.

But will human longings be ever fulfilled?


The answer remains as open as this pieced, 

As I leave you to think about it in peace

And comes to terms with longing and its fruits – good or bad. 


Tanvi Pathak is a writer who spends her days immersed in questions of longing, belonging, and the quiet struggles of human life. She can be reached at: pathaktanvi26@gmail.com




Comments

  1. Himani Bhatia8 September 2025 at 06:24


    A soulful and thought-provoking piece that beautifully explores human longing, blending reflection with timeless depth. The author weaves together personal reflection, mythological references, and timeless questions, leaving the reader contemplative yet comforted.

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