India is one of those countries where Devi (Godess) is worshipped in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and her various other reincarnations. We even refer our country as Matrbhoomi (Motherland) and Bharat Mata (Mother India). Infact we literally worship and pay obeisance to girls during the 9 day Navratra Festival every year, believing that Devi takes form of young girls.
The divine are extremely happy where women are respected; where they are not all actions are fruitless
The above shloka is from our Vedas which pretty much sum up importance of women during Vedic Period.
Our nation has produced great female icons who are revered across all age groups from Rani Lakshmi Bai to Kalpana Chawla, from Draupadi to Indira Gandhi, from Ahilya Bai Holkar to Razia Sultan, from Lata Mangeshkar to Sania Mirza, from Kiran Bedi to Indira Nooyi,from Priyanka Chopra to Mary Kom, from Nirbhaya to Dr Priyanka Reddy🥺…
Last sunday morning I woke up to this newspaper article:
A young innocent veterinarian was gang raped and then burnt to death in Hyderabad on 27th November 2019, a few days back. Since then there have been campaigns across social media, news reports demanding justice and capital punishment for the accused who committed such heinous crime. Its been 7 years since the Nirbhaya rape and murder case was first heard, alas we still hear amd read about many such Nirbhayas every day. The first thing that came across for many of us was why was she killed, why not just rape and leave??
Rapes have become so rampant that something of this degree only wakes up and shakes us!! Please read the newspaper cutting again, new such as these where minors have been raped by friends, relatives, neighbours, daughters raped by their own fathers have become so common that they are pushed and shoved to small boxes and that too on 10-12th page of a newspaper.
The last thing Dr Reddy mumbled to her sister on that fateful night was “I am scared”, my question is WHY?? Why was She the one who had to be scared?? Why are women always supposed to be scared when they are left alone on desserted, dark streets?? How did we became a nation from women worshippers to women molesters??? When did this hypocrisy seep into our minds??
The buzz word these days is Women Empowerment- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, do you think with a degree in her hands, a woman would feel much safer than had she been without one?? Is this really a legitimate and results bearing solution?? I don’t think so?? We will get back to this question later.
But first lets dicuss India’ history and treatment of women in ancient India. Some might say that women have always been second class citizens in our Indian society. That was not the case atleast initially during the pre Vedic period. Women were empowered, had rights to paternal assets, were included in decision making and she made her own choices. Vatsyayan created Kamasutra, the book on art of love making for the pleasure of BOTH men and women, girls selected their grooms through Swayamvara (self selection of husband), there were women Rishis/Gurus and were regarded with high esteem, and gender
discrimination was not apparent.
Gradually, caste system and ritualism led to Child Marriage and Sati traditions along with polyandry which further nutured gender discrimination and patriarchy gained dominance. With this the women were reduced to Son bearing house wives who would cook, serve and please their masters aka husbands. They were considered both physically and mentally inferior than males and their condition in society started to deteriorate.
With the advent of Colonialism in India, major reforms were undertaken and it was considered that Now women will gain an equal status. Alas! Even in the 21st century we are still discussing and demanding women empowerment and gender equality, running campaigns/processions/ dharnas for the same. Women still have to tow patriarchy and remain under its thumb. She is still SCARED when she finds herself alone in an open field, a desserted road, in a jungle, and even at her own home!
Every other day we come across such incidents where women are assaulted, tortured, raped,murdered, and you always might hear a voice which would blame Her- to be there, to wear such clothes, to behave inappropriately, to eat chowmein😳🙄 A woman is still blamed for her own rape!!!
Somebody argued that we are still better off than most other developed countries like US and Sweden where rapes are rampant. Really!! Should I be happy about it?? Say this to the mothers of Dr Reddy or Nirbhaya!!
Back to the earlier question whether women should be empowered, well its important, women should be empowered, educated for their own good, they should be aware of their rights, and be independent. But what is equally important is that men should also be educated and taught how to deal with such empowered women. We should teach our boys to respect womanhood. Fathers should lead by example and show their kids how the Woman of the House ia to be respected. Most importantly, sex education should be the norm and young adults should be taught and curiosities of their ever inquisitive brains should be tactfully dealt with.
I remember a scene from the movie Dil Dhadakne Do where character of Rahul Bose argues with character of Farhan Akhtar saying that position of women has improved, she is educated now and holds a professional life as well giving his wife’s example where his wife is managing work, a company on its own, given the fact the he has ALLOWED her to do so. Women can achieve professional heights, good education, an easy life only, if only her father or her husband allows to.
Until and unless this psyche is moulded which believes women are inferior and men are their Tamers, nothing much can be changed.
Even Lord Shiva is incomplete without Godess Parvati!!
Well written. Women in the country are always scared, it’s only when heinous crime takes place, the emotion comes to the limelight.
Unfortunately true….