WOMAN/SHAKTI/EMPOWERMENT...!
Right
at the outset, I admit that I am not a staunch feminist, yet this presumption
doesn’t stop me whispering the truth of my inner voice. As someone said “say
the truth and run away”, I do not mean such assumption despite the fact that I,
a male, writing on such a significant phenomenon woman.
One
cannot but accept the significant role of a woman in building a family or a
society. Hence, we must appreciate woman’s contribution in nation building. Neither
the governments, nor the civil or church laws build families. Instead, it is a
woman who builds the family. If so, why there are rapes, domestic violence, and
female-foeticide, divorce and unjust wages? State or religion is no exception.
Hence, we must question the system, because if the system is corrupt what can we
hope for? Hindu, Islam, Judeo-christian systems and the Greek, Roman, Eastern
civilizations were all part of this inequality without being judgemental. Let
us now get into the heart of the matter.
sati saha gamana, child-marriages, dowry
system, devadaasi/temple
prostitution, unwanted girl child culture, domestic violence, abortions,
trafficking, legal-prostitution and sales/product-advertising. This reality has
its deep roots in history. “War to men, what maternity is to women” said
Aristotle. So much so that Greeks did not even consider women as equals, worse
still not as human beings but, as objects of satisfaction and gratification.
Ironically, their mythologies were full of feminine goddesses. Perhaps why
Anaximander, a Greek philosopher said “the world is made up of opposites.” The Indian
age old Hindu-traditions hold that women were impure and so were not allowed to
enter into the sanctuaries of the temples. But they propagated temple
prostitution and devadaasi systems despite,
having three crore dieties. The
Jewish culture and Islamic traditions were of no exception to this gender
inequality. Even today the Drawpathi story of Hindu Puranas is time and again
repeating in India. So much so, Delhi is now called as a rape and divorce
capital city of India. 
In this age, there are cases of teachers who abuse their
students; leaders mishandle public wealth and powerful grow at the cost of the
poor. The Priest, Pujari, Pandit or Peoples Representatives are no exception.
There are men who desire for a beautiful wife, but reject the girl child, desire
for a good mother but abuse the wives; happy to admire the latest actresses but
do not even care the sick and aged mothers. There is such a terrible disparity
in society due to knowledge gained without experience, insights without
reflection and lectures without ethics/morals. Thus a lot of traditional values
have become messy, confusing and compromising. A new culture of CCTVs, Security
Guards, Policing and Scheduled day time work hours, glassed windows and open
doors tell us how insecure and how threatening we are to our sisters and mothers.
It is strange but true!
As said above, if education does not educate the mind and
heart of the individuals, that education is meaningless. If not that education
is mere hypocrisy of the learned people. Once, Pharisees brought a prostitute
woman, caught in the very act of adultery to be stoned to death. Jesus, seeing
her helplessness and the darkened minds of the Pharisees, invites the one who
has not sinned. There prevails a dramatic scene, as the Pharisees withdrew one
by one. Jesus shuns their hard hearts, self-righteousness, arrogance,
judgmental attitudes and domination. He saves the woman from shame, fear,
guilt and death. This woman experienced such compassion and forgiveness of the
master. Here Jesus sets himself as an example to respect the dignity of the
personhood and shuns the sin. He sees the person not the sin. Hence that woman
who was so frightened, timid, helpless, but after experiencing forgiveness of
Jesus, picked up courage to enter into the house of a Pharisee and breaks all
social taboo and anoints the feet of Jesus with the costly oil. Thus, she was liberated
from the social taboo and gratefully gives to Jesus not merely the costly oil
but the richness of her heart. That is the power and the generosity of a woman
who was supported and accepted. Yet, there was a man who questions and doubts
her act of gratitude. Here Jesus gives a clarion call telling us, what matters
is the heart of gratitude. Therefore, it is not enough to study and win laurels
for one’s credit but must have a large heart to love and serve.
Unfortunately the system is always a challenge, because,
they are like the Statue of Liberty of America that stands for freedom, but
actually was robed from Africa and gifted by France to USA. In such a world
WOMEN must be like the Lotus that blooms despite dirty water. The challenge is
that every woman must stand for their rights. The challenge of Jesus “to be
light of the world and salt of the earth” must be made a reality. Light
penetrates and conquers darkness. Salt dilutes and adds taste to the food and
preserves it. In both the images there is an element of change. Everyone must
be like the catalyst and agents of change. Hence, Jesus invites particularly
the women to know the truth and stand for the truth and shine like the candle
lit and put on the stand.
Although there are struggles lurking in every corner of the
society, there were women who faced difficulties and yet not succumbed. St. Mother
Teresa, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Medha Patkar and all Good Mothers are outstanding
examples. It is said that “if you want to protect a generation plant trees but
if you want to protect thousand generations educate women.” It is very true, if
the man is the head of the family, woman is the heart of the family; and we
know the important role of the heart. Therefore, invariably there is a woman
behind everyman’s success. From the womb to the grave...the mother is the
starting point of one’s arrival. In Indian terms, woman is synonymously
identified as shakti and power. They
inherit such a grace that every woman is a symbol of endurance, peace,
gentleness, love and patience. No wonder why mother/woman is considered as
God/divine personified in human form. Every woman therefore, is intrinsically a
divine extension. Why then do we talk about empowerment, emancipation or
liberation of women, when they are empowerment by their very nature. In this
context, feminism is not a movement fighting for the rights rather is the
source of power and vision. This source must not be an agitation but is an inspiration
that would bring out heroic models of women leaders in the society.
Women are known as Aadi
Shakthi; meaning they are power emanating from the divine. Therefore, they
are like the lotus in the pond that blooms even in muddy water. The mud and
dirt do not diminish the essence of the lotus. For, the lotus penetrates the
mud and blooms. Likewise, women are immensely blessed with such charisma,
potentiality and determination. As a result every good man is the fruit of every
good woman who nurtured the child to man. These courage women contribute much
to the nation building. For an instance, Mother Teresa the saint of the poor
contributed to the least of the nation from rags to the riches. Mrs. Indhira
Gandhi changed the political scenario of the nation with such power and
progress. Medha Patkar committed her life to become the voice of the voice less
as an NGO and a Journalist. Therefore, when we educate a woman we actually
educate a generation and more. No doubt, women have an extraordinary power and
responsibility in bringing up the family and the society at large.
Today India is moving on a high pace for bullet trains,
tale-communication and for Nuclear Energy. To be frank this is not the need of
the hour. Instead, India must start a social revolution of respect for all. This
I believe is real education, culture and civilization. However, women are the
real nation builders, subtle yet profound. Yes, a woman is the heart of the
nation, perhaps why our freedom fighters called our country Mother India. In India
family is the best social system where a woman plays a significant role. Today
India is witnessing the soft changes as women contribute in science,
technology, medicine, politics, religion, education and administration. If
India had such leaders like M. Gandhi, B.R Ambedkar, Tagoore and A.P.J Kalam, I
believe, the credit certainly goes to their mothers, who nurtured them from
cries of the cradle to the crown of glory. India had the first woman Prime Minister
Mrs. Indira Gandhi and the first woman President Mrs. Pratibha Patil and today
P.V. Sindu, Saina Nehwal, Mitali Raj and Deepika are new source and force of
inspiration for Indian.
It is said “where women are respected God’s make their
dwelling.” In India the Earth is worship as mother, water as life and
interestingly many rivers in India bare feminine names. Thus women were treated
always high in Vedic and Golden Age. Unfortunately, this attitude declined
during the Colonial and Moghals invasion. Thus, the need to protect women arose
and today it is an urgent need like that of the freedom fight. But we must
admit the fact that there are women who swam against the current and set an
example for change and difference. The task of Media is to bring up such success
stories of women who changed the status quo in sports, education,
administration and service sectors. I am glad about the Bollywood movies of Queen,
Meri Khom and MOM with a female leading role against the stereotyped stories. I
wish we will have more of such courageous women stories soon. We must bring out
the unsung women heroes to the front line of this male dominated territory. The
truth of our nations’ economy is much contributed by the house hold savings of
women in terms of wealth, gold and jewellery. Hence, it is not a surprise if we
say that the Development is intrinsically linked to the empowerment and
education of women. Because, they are true game changers of family, society and
the nation building as power, shakti.
Let us remember the words of the St Teresa of Kolkata, “Though
you think that the work that you do is just a drop in a vast ocean then
remember that the ocean will be incomplete without that particular drop”. Blessed are those women who make ripple effect
in Indian sub-continent.
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