Freedom you gotta give what you take!

(This article was written on Independence Day 2014. But, as the International Women's Day 2015 passed by, I thought of reposting it here.)

On this occasion of independence day, I ask myself " What does freedom mean to me?" Does it mean doing, talking anything that I like? No, it doesn't. It means doing something within my own boundaries. And, everyone has their own.

For long, women in our country have been deprived of many things, be it the right to take birth, to get educated, to choose a partner of their choice, to give birth to a baby girl and many rights are denied on a day to day basis. Today, our PM Modi has rightly said that when a women goes out of house, she is asked a thousand of questions vis-a-vis a man. What has happened to the society that being a women, we have unnecessary limits set on us? The everyday crimes against women leaves us appalled. I have heard many of my friends say why was I born a women and why doesn't it happen to men right from from their puberty days to their days as a grown up when they witness,hear, feel once or more the eve teasing, the rapes and what not!

While God can't be cursed for making us a women (it is a blessing in fact), men and even women in our world , definitely should be blamed for creating such havocs in our minds. On one hand, on ashtmi or navmi of the Navratri, the little girls are being symbolised as Devis and on the other hand, day after day, we hear of the heinous crimes committed against us. On a personal front also, women do witness one or other men playing Mr. Dominant role in their lives and most of the times, they are their own family members. Now, when they only do not give a chance to lead at least their own lives, how will women come out of their small chambers to speak of any wrong that has happened to them. Be it men or women, the stigma attached to even a small sexual assault is much.

Ours is a regressive society where discrimination has just become a culture, in fact, a habit. This has even led to a war of women against women.Once, while travelling in a train, a women told my friend (a girl) that girls shouldn't laugh that loud. She said nothing to boys. Ours is a collective society and mind you, suggestions come here for free whether you ask them or not. So, once, I was told to tie my hair by a lady to the the surprise of many young girls standing with me in the ladies coach of Delhi Metro. Now, when this is a scene in a cosmopolitan city, I wonder about the dismal stature of our rural and semi-urban areas.

While we call for feminism in our society, this emancipation of women has to be carefully cherished. Being equal, doesn't mean we too become dominant. In the name of equal rights, we should not compete in useless arguments to let men know that we are better. If we are being asked questions about our where abouts and told to be careful and to follow some kind of code of conduct, it is because we are being cared for. It shouldn't be taken as a restriction. Thus, freedom with boundaries should be okay for us.

In our society, men/ women right from their childhood should know about the other gender well. The communication between men and women should be much so as to in built the respect for the other sex. And, for all women, in the end, I would say, never indulge in useless thoughts of "Why me?" Enjoy your womanhood. God has blessed you with a warm and caring nature. So, love it! "Happy Independence Day."

PS: The author on this day of re-publishing this article has moved on from feminism. This is because she feels what we need at present is a level of righteousness as most women in the world are being denied even the basic rights. So, what do you think about it? Please post your comments.