Monday, July 21, 2014

Feeling Meh



"According to Chanakya Pandita, women are generally not very intelligent and therefore not trustworthy." (Bhagavad-gita 1.40, Purport)

Not just this.. Something about women being prone to be unchaste and stuff like that and how it is upon the men of a family to take care that a woman does not go astray?
What are we cattle?
And who made man the king of the world? Like he is so pure and free of vice.
Remember the ever so controversial verse from Tulsidas ‘'Dhol,Gawar,Shudra ,Pashu aur Nari' ,Ye sab tadan ke adhikari.”
And also what about women of other families? They should be allowed to go ‘astray’?
Then there was Manu, the Indian law giver, with his much celebrated recitation of law, ‘manu smriti’. He was not a big fan of us women either.
Do you know how deeply that is embedded in our society to this date?
No wonder, women are treated like they are in this country.
I was going through a bit of a rough spot and someone close to me suggested that I should read Bhagvad Gita, and was kind enough to lend me his own copy.
I happily obliged.
And while there is some absolute wisdom in Shrimad Bhgvad Gita, it is these so called scholars who piss me off. After centuries of blindly following their word, can we seriously expect the society to suddenly take a u-turn and start viewing women in a different light? You know as fully independent individuals who are more than capable of taking care of themselves.
In a country like ours where ‘smart’ girl is considered more of a derogatory comment than praise, sometimes I wonder where exactly are we headed.
There is more to women than simple child bearing. I know that, some of you know that but when is it that all of us will know this – and not just on paper.
So many legislations in place for women reform but let me tell you something we can never legislate for reform, REFORM COMES FROM WITHIN.
Next time you sit next to an unknown woman on a bus – try earning her respect.  You don’t have to do much, just not staring will suffice. And if you see some one else doing it – please for once don’t mind your own business, speak up. And just because I mentioned a bus doesn’t mean that those who don’t use a bus are off the hook.
Go to the fanciest of the gyms in town and you’d know what I am talking about.
Ill behavior has nothing to do with class, age or even gender for that matter. But as the generation next if we don’t start putting things in perspective beginning right now, who knows what our children may face when they grow up.