The Garden Was Open to All, but Not Equal for All.

Yesterday, I went to the garden with my husband and my one-year-old daughter.

I was quite excited to spend time with my baby out in the open since it had been a long time. I was sure that she would enjoy herself thoroughly. It was sure that I would be able to take some genuine pictures of her through my lens. I was so excited that I took my Canon camera along as well.

We braved the heat and left for the garden.

On reaching there, we found signboards that said, “No plastics allowed” and another one that said, “No pets allowed.”

For us, it didn’t matter much since we had neither plastic nor pets with us.

We proceeded inside.

That’s when two security staff seated near the entrance called us over. We knew it was a free park and that we didn’t need tickets. Curious, we went over to them.

One of them said he wanted to check my baby bag.

I knew it contained food for my daughter, her milk, water, and on top of everything, my camera.

He took the camera bag and asked me if it was a tiffin box.

I said, “No.”

Then he asked if it was a camera. When I said yes, he immediately replied that cameras were not allowed inside.

I was really disappointed because it was after a long time that I had dusted off my Canon camera and was looking forward to taking a few pictures.

So I asked him if there was any ticket or fee through which I could take it inside.

He said, “No.”

Again, it was a closed-ended answer that left no room for conversation.

I told him, “See, I’m ready to pay if there is a fee involved, but please allow me to take the camera inside.”

To this, he rudely replied, “No.”

At that point, my husband and I felt we had no option but to go back and leave the camera in the car.

So we did.

Once inside, we walked for some distance. I spotted a peacock in all its glory and instantly wished I had my camera with me. Of course, I only wanted to photograph it without disturbing it.

Then I spotted another beautiful bird.

Again, I wished I had my camera.

My husband comforted me and said, “Leave it. It’s okay.”

As we moved further, I noticed another man carrying equipment far more sophisticated than mine. He even had a drone and was busy taking pictures.

We were surprised to see him enjoying a privilege that had been denied to us.

Anyway, we moved on.

Then I saw a couple having a professional photoshoot inside the garden.

I didn’t lose time taking pictures on my mobile phone.

Until then, I had been holding back. But at that moment, I decided I should at least let the staff know my displeasure.

I thought to myself, “What makes me different from them?”

After all, it was a garden open to all. We were the same citizens, visiting the same place. Then why were the rules different for some people?

I was genuinely agitated.

I approached the security staff.

My husband and I asked them why we were not allowed to take a camera inside when there were people freely taking photographs inside the garden.

The staff member who had stopped us earlier stood stunned. He did not say a single word.

Instead, another staff member who had joined later responded.

“Photography is not allowed,” he said.

I asked him, “Then what about those people inside?”

He replied, “They have special permission.”

I asked, “Then why were we not informed that such permission was available when I specifically asked if there was a way to take the camera inside?”

He responded with a few vague excuses.

So I asked him, “Okay, where do we get this permission from?”

His answer was, “The District Magistrate’s office.”

At that point, I honestly wondered how much more they expected people to believe.

A District Magistrate sitting and issuing permissions for couples to take romantic photographs inside a garden?

I told him that I had photographs showing people using cameras inside.

His spontaneous response was, “Okay, then go ahead and register a complaint.”

That response told me everything I needed to know.

Whether the problem was corruption at the top or at the ground level, I do not know.

But what I do know is this:

A garden that is free for all should not have different rules for different people.

As we walked out, I told my husband that educated people notice these things, understand what is happening, and question them.

But I was not willing to waste my time chasing after this issue.

I have better things to do in life.

A garden that I liked very much ended up leaving behind bitter memories.