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Monday, September 27, 2010

Matrubhumi

She is the need, she is the desire, she is the faith, she is the passion- yet why is her life full of disdain!
Even today, most women are standing where they stood since decades. Talk about the 18 year old Roop kanwar who committed sati in 1987 to the 32 year old Babita who was ruthlessly beaten by her alcoholic husband, from Gauri Gupta who was burnt alive merely for the sake of money in April 2010 to a 16 year Maoist girl raped by other members for fleeing away- Country might have progressed but yet in most unfair play, it is the woman who has to pay the price.
You may say, we have Kiran Bedi’s and Barkha Dutt’s today, we are ruled by Pratibha Patil’s ……. But the above statement holds true... It holds true for the larger India… It holds true for Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo and hundred others; for women like Irom Sharmila, who fasted unto death to repeal “Armed Forces Special Power Act” in Manipur and Medha Pattkar, who has been arrested several times for demonstrating against the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
I was sitting in my hostel room when the she walked in with a bucket and broom. She asked with a tender voice, “Room Cleaning?” I nodded. She looked at me. A friendly smile was all that she had been waiting for. She shared. She talked and she shared. She talked about her life, her husband, her hopes….. She talked of how when she went back home with a few rupaiyas, her husband would spend it on alcohol rather than for their food, for their children’s education, for paying off the debts she had taken.  She was unhappy, full of despair, but she was afraid…afraid of taking any action…she was scared of doing something that is against the society, against her husband. I tried to show her a path of hope, where she could stand up for herself, where she could live with her kids a life of contentment, she looked at me, she smiled with tears in her eyes… she said,” Wouldn’t it be great? Is this possible?” I said, “It is up to you”… She thought and thought; her smile faded away. She picked up her bucket and looking down asked,” Can you lend me 50 rupees? If I don’t take money home he will beat me up! He can do anything, he is my husband and most importantly he is a man”!  It also holds true for her..!

3 comments:

  1. i just love the way you have written this... very different than the usual women oriented blogs..

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  2. Though, a woman has a man in her, she is destined to suffer. It can change. But certainly needs time. Indeed, more time. Hope is what we can have.

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