“A perspective on roles of Indian Women”.

“A perspective on roles of Indian Women”.

I have always been proud to be a woman from my birth and never really thought that I had a different role to play in this world rather than my brothers. But as time passed and I saw and felt how different were the treatment meted out by the world in general to me in relation to my brothers that I started believing that I was something different from my brothers. I knew girls become mothers and boys, father but both the roles, appeared to my young mind, more or less similar . I have seen many fathers to be more affectionate and attached to their children and attentive to their needs and mothers, who were more detached and more socialite than motherly. And of course the other way round too. I think parents, whether mother or father, both should share childcare equally, seriously, so as to make this world a better place to live, with happy children growing up to be good human beings , the future of a society. In the work place also, according to me, a male and a female employee have absolutely no different contributions to make. They can both contribute and be treated at par in any part of a job. Of course, nature created men, stronger physically but, there is no doubt in mind that women are much stronger mentally and can put up with a lot more pain with ease. So men and women, like nature, balance each other.
To me the role that a woman should take upon herself, is the role to lift the weaker section of the people in this world. It is common knowledge that in most societies, especially in the third world countries, physical power takes over to control and dominate the weak, the womenfolk, to be precise. I have always been condemned as outspoken, querulous, quick to reply back , which are considered to be unwomanly qualities, and would always protest, whether in school, against a partial and callous teacher, or against the offending men in a public place or in office alike. And I have realized that unless we stand for our right no one is going to hand it over on a platter to us.
I consider myself lucky to be born in an educated and enlightened family and would considere it my sacred duty , if given a chance, to fight for those downtrodden women , who have no one to protect, no one to listen to, no one to educate and no one to sympathize. In our society, the lower the cast, the poorer the family, the less fortunate are the women folk. The female child are aborted even in their foetus and they are luckier than those who are given birth to and left on the road to die. Still more pathetic are the lives of the girls who grow up, without education and proper nourishment, just to tend to the men folk in the family and latter in life sold to the brothel for a pittance or given in marriage to work like a slave for the rest of their lives. Girls are condemned for giving birth to girl child, while it is common knowledge that the gender of the child is determined by the father’s sperm count. Drunken husbands bit and ill-treat their wives with impunity, and the thought make my blood boil. For me the ideal role of a woman would be a saviour for her less fortunate counterparts in the society. No one knows better the woes and pains of a woman than a woman herself. Women are generally made of softer material and they have a natural way of consoling and empathizing with people. It may not be out of place to mention that my idols in life are Mother Teresa and Rani Lakhsmibai, the queen of Jhansi. And the ideal role of a woman, to my mind, should be a mixture of these two wonderful ladies .

Dreams impossible

Give me light give me sun on my night of grief,
Give me moon to
Drench me cool on my hardest day,
Make me dare take baby steps
To cross the limit in my humble way,
.
I keep my song closed inside
Humming the local tune,
And they pass me by happily ever,
There goes a homely woman

The pain inside,
The weight and the cry ,
My heart keeps concealed and hidden,
The waves of ocean,
Keep flooding my eyes ,
And wolves are there to
Lick my wounds.

I want to hold the world
In my humble palm,
And I want the success story
Mirrored on my nail .

All dreams impossible
Like my desire for
The passion
That was in me till
It died with you
Forever yesterday.

Distance

Look at her, she is smart,
She is innocent and cute;
The day I saw her otherside,
I became cold like an icebox,
and I prayed to God
Please mute the play
That went inside her closed door,
Only the vibrations
That came out
Were enough to kill my love
For soft toys, for lollipops,
For raindrops and dews,

I could tell her what was true,
I could tell her I saw her through,
But I felt it was not worth the trouble,
As I felt the ties loosening
And I knew,
Only distance was her due.

Her Phone, Her life, Her friends

My phone started ringing and I thought who could it be! My phone was new, slick and smart and so new, most of my friends did not know of it, which I wanted desperately to show, though I knew too well that they would only laugh at me for being still fond of showing off new things at this age. I stopped short of taking it out of my bag, as a very catchy tune started as a ringtone and the girl standing next to me on the zebra crossing, waiting for the light to turn green picked it up hurriedly and started talking animatedly. Poor girl, I thought, she is so engrossed , that she did not notice she was almost shouting at the caller and before I could restrain her she started moving forward even with the light being still red. I saw a minibus approaching and just caught hold of her dopatta and tried to pull her back, but she did not even seem to notice my move and the the approaching vehicle and the next thing I saw the young body being flown past me and hitting the footpath, bloody and dead.



I wonder why these young people do not think twice before putting their lives at risk. I have travelled almost two thirds of my life and still I value my life, I treasure my life as a special gift of God. I know I have been given once chance in life, which I would live to the full, enjoying and savouring every second of it. But look at these young ones, they just throw caution to the winds for the sake of staying connected to their friends and family at all odd hours at all odd places. It seems, they think nothing else exists, while they are on call.

What is the use of having a mobile and a host of near and dear one, if you are not there to hold it in your hand and stay connected.

I wish there was a smart phone which would flash the word CAUTION or cry out LOOK OUT/STOP if its owner is crossing a busy road, is on the friving seat or at any such position that requires attention.
Is anybody listenting!!