Saturday, March 08, 2008

women's day and....

Today is International Women's Day. A day when a woman is supposed to feel liberated, and experience freedom. Mother declared that she had planned not to enter the kitchen today. Well, i argued that, i too am a woman. She then, told me, a lady is transformed into a woman only after she bears a child. I do not agree with this. And i did tell her this. Nevertheless, we didn't discuss on this issue.

I'm reminded of Rudaali. It is a story written by Mahasweta Devi. It as staged and later made into a movie by Kalpana Lazmi. The music by Bhupen Hazarika is mind-blowing. Especially, the song: Ganga. What lyrics!!

I guess, i read it, when i was in high school and saw the movie a couple of years later. I was shocked. It was the story of two women, a mother daughter duo, who cries at funerals to earn a living. The conditions are dire. A meal a day is manna. It's pathetic, the scenes where they beat their breasts out. Accompanied by loud wails. It disturbs a sensitive mind.

A country where female foeticide/infanticide is rampant. On the other hand, we have a new-world woman, who thinks broad. Independent and strong-willed. Imagine, how vibrant the world will be. When each and every girl is provided a life.

Happy Women's Day!

2 comments:

praneshachar said...

really good one and I agree with you in toto mouna. I was told in tamilnade in some communities they hire people to cry on such occassions what pity and pathetic but it gives some people their bread
belated Happy Womens day to Mouna and all readers of this blog.
happy days ahead for you all

pranesh

mouna said...

pranesh sir,
it's astonishing that there are various ways by which one earn's her/his bread.