One day while I was driving to my workplace, I saw a middle aged sari clad woman cycling to her work in the burning heat, wearing a cap. I wished I had digital box with me at that moment to capture the scene. Nevertheless, I have the world’s finest camera with me; my mind. I have tried to recreate the picture here. She is the Quintessential Indian woman for me.
1. She is traditional.
2. She is hard working.
3. She can take pains for her family.
4. She can take up any work.
5. She is not afraid of the men’s world.
6. She is no longer imprisoned in her house.
is it all it takes to brand an entire demography as NEW or Quintessential???
ReplyDeleteyour point 1 is highly subjective...jus coz of her attire you are calling her traditional. Infact she is un-traditional for doin a chore dats generally not done by women.
Point 2,3,4, 5 and 6 are nothing new. they hold true since the most ancient civilizations known to mankind. Women were always considred to be strong and a gender who could bear greater pains for the better of her clan. Since centuries women were/are involved in a variety of vocations. Women played n still play an almost equitable role in agriculture.
She used to work OUTSIDE the house in the fields during all seasons. She still does.
INfact'home making' or' house wife' as a occupation is relatively new concept. IT is urbanisation and the things dat followed with it voz. migration, nuclear families etc. which resulted into this new domain called home making. And so say over last century the new jobs dat got created due to urbanisation and industrialisation; women did not get the chance to get involved in money generating activities...dat too is not a 100% universal phenomena. Der r industries/vocations which are predominantly women oriented.
Even in the role of a home maker the women has covered the above 6 points and much more than that.
With time everythin changes...men, somen, animals and every damn living or non living object changes....dat gradual change is evident in every thing....ders no great revolutionary significance or change dat u r talking about in the women gender as a whole.
Hence i do not see any NEWNESS in your observations. At best it could be an excitement due to a desire of you which might have got reflected in d visual that u saw.
Mihir...thanks for the comment...i'll be quite receptive here for your criticism...actually it was only to describe the feelings..i could feel things beyond my word limits...i was reminded of my mother at that moment..her love, sacrifices...
ReplyDeletei don't have the slightest intention to brag about any one Gender, Gender-role...
i have changed the heading though..i have removed "changing face" from it..
this title sounds much better!!!
ReplyDelete