Ugh! Why are traditions forced upon us!

I’m in a lot of pain this week as my parents had forced me to pierced my nose last week. I had tried to dodge this question of marriage and piercing nose due to spiritual benefits such as reduced menstrual pain and the left nostril would only need to be pierced and what not.

I gave in. I was afraid of piercings since I’m hypersensitive and have alergic reactions. I’ve never worn earrings for a very long time due to my time to time infections and me being extra itchy to make things worse. I got my ears pierced a year back as that was required of me and now fast forward, my nostril also. The piercing experience was a bit painful as the priest came to our home and did it with his bare hands which were a bit dirty. I’ve told my mom that I feel uncomfortable in it and can’t avoid feeling the nostril being itchy. I personally think piercings look cute on me and I like wearing my jewellery but they should be done as and when I like it, not forced on me. I’m not even allowed to change the stud as it’s a tradition to wear my mother’s old floral stud.

My father is very strict and he would ask me much before this and keep pestering. One day I put a bhindi on my nose and showed him. He didn’t believe me and even looked inside my nostril to see and then eventually forced me to pierce it, doing all this ceremony and all in the name of enforcing it. I don’t know what’s the future. But I certainly don’t want to get married and sent off to heed to my in laws demands. Who knows, my future in laws would have already been chosen and he was the one who requested this ritual? Parents wouldn’t tell me anything. I’m trying to move to a different city but at the same time think about my parents getting old. I think that they are just too conservative and cannot change an age old mindset!