Last couple of weeks have been pretty hectic for me. Initially, I was busy settling in my new organization. Then all of a sudden, I had to go to Hyderabad for an official trip. But no complains as I always like a busy life.
Anyways, this post has been long due. Wanted to write something on this topic since long. But don’t know why, something stopped me from sharing my views.
From the time I grew up, I had been hearing the myth called '21st century girls'.
Girls, who are independent. Girls who are excelling in almost every field. Girls who can take care of not only their family but also are a force to reckon in the professional world. Honestly speaking, all that seems a BIG LIE now. Why?? Because the way the things are happening these days make me wonder are we really living in the 21st century.
Every morning when I go through the newspaper, I come across more articles on atrocities against women than any other topic. Young innocent girls being raped, being harassed by in laws for dowry and if not anything else eve teased.
I really at times feel that it’s a curse to be born as a girl in India. Forget the girls belonging to the lower strata of society, I have seen so many middle class families where girls are married off as soon as they complete their graduation and at times even before that. Very few of them get the privilege of going for a post graduation.
I have seen so many well educated girls whose only aim is to get married to a well off guy.
I really wonder how many girls dream of becoming an Indra Nooyi or Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. I am very sure most of them have not even heard these names.
But who is responsible for such a pathetic state in our country. I believe it’s no one but we ourselves. Our so called value system. We all are very hypocritical people. We believe something, we say something else and we end up doing something else.
On one hand we have guys celebrating rakhee with their sisters, promising to protect them throughout their life. On the other hand, we have the same guys making fun of other girls, treating them as objects.
On one hand we have girls talking about women liberty, advancement, progress. On the other hand we have the same women passing comments on girls who drink and smoke.
On one hand we have parents giving good education to their daughters. On the other hand we have the same parents giving dowry in their daughter's marriage.
I know well educated guys, pass out of India's leading colleges who use abusive language against their girlfriends and wives.
I know well educated girls who consider giving dowry is part of Indian culture and its foolish to say NO to a deserving guy just because his family is asking for dowry.
All this really makes me think, where have we gone wrong. Our education system teaches us to respect women. It teaches all of us irrespective of a girl or a guy to become independent. Then from where does this hypocrisy come into picture.
Thinking about all this makes me very feel very sad and angry at the same time. I consider myself very lucky to have parents like mine. Both my sister and I have always been encouraged to be independent in life. We have always been encouraged to dream big and follow our passion no matter how unconventional it might be to others. I also have few friends who are as lucky as I am. But I just wish we had more parents like that.
I like to make it very clear that I am not a feminist. I am not here to blame the guys for the condition of women in our society. I feel women in our country are equally responsible. I have friends (read guys) who respect and love women.
Anyways, being born in a country which itself is called Baharat Ma, its feels very sad seeing the plight of women. However, there is a very famous dialogue from Rang de Basanti "Koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota, use perfect banana padta hain". I just hope we Indians change our outlook and make our country a better place to live. :)
PS: I usually don’t write such serious posts. Its just that I have been reading Chetan Bhagat's What Young India Want these days and I felt that this is one subject, he should have written on.
