They are Free? Not Really!!

Most of the Indian women till the recent times – were the ones considered the compromising ends of family. They served in the form of wives, mothers and 'bahus' (daughters-in-law) who were supposed to abide by the family regulations and 'be within the limits'. In the financially challenged families they were bound to be the 'poor little thing' sacrificing their studies for the sake of their younger brothers, who in the long run would become the proud recipients of heavy dowry. Girls were in fact considered 'burden' to the family, who would have their fathers pay dowry for them, at the time of their marriage. There have been numerous other restrictions on girls like in their dressing and timings outside the house and what not. They have been the pitiable sex for the many said and unsaid reasons.

That was one time. For the rural areas, today the situation is still the same, even worse at places. But with education and westernization, urban lot has opened up to radical and noble thoughts. Women now have learned to take responsibilities other than household works too and they have started coming out of unnecessary rituals. They are now more learned and informed. Men too have learned to respect their female counterparts and they have also started understanding the many challenges faced by the women of all age groups. The mothers-in-law are now more cooperative and empathise with the challenges their bahus face. The 'kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi' concept has started taking shape already!

But howsoever cool that sounds, the crude fact is, even the urban women are bereft of the full freedom men enjoy. There would be no exception to the case that a woman would not have suffered an unwelcomed stare by the stray men on streets. Men on the other hand are blessed gender in this case. The women, whichever class they belong, are still the victim of unwanted comments or indecent looks by some cheap men on streets.

This is indeed sad, as few men have still not come over the barbaric nature within. Education has no doubt uplifted the mass, but there is way more to happen. For a nation to become independent of such handcuffs, education in the form of enligtenment is the need of the hour. First education of child starts at home. So the parents have the utmost responsibility to build a nation free of such blots in future. There is no such law that forbids men from staring at a woman's dress and making her uncomfortable. The sense has to come from the concsious within.

With that said its time now to get things done. This was a small article to cover the scenario of the urban ladies only, who are not that free as they seem. Non-urban women need a bigger space to be covered, shall do that in another blog. Hope for a much beautiful society is up and running.