I grew up in a small town tarapur
in a central government colony. My colony had a siren kinda of system. There
was a loud siren ringing twice a day. One at 7 in the morning and the other at
7 in the evening. I don't know for what purpose it was meant. But the evening
siren was a barometer for the kids to reach home by 7; after the evening play
or from tuition or other classes. It was a ritual to be followed at home; to
be back at 7. To be safe. It's been more than 10 years I have been staying
outside home. Today also that siren rings in my mind. To reach home safely. To
reach station safely when gotta catch a late train. With those crossword games
played in mind. Isn't that auto guy looking lil scary? While returning from the
airport from a late flight; the mind toggles whether to take a cab or airport
bus. Which would be much safer? Should I walk down this dark lane? Those
stares; they are not only scary. They symbolize you as some filthy object.
Someone touching your body without your permission. That feeling. You cannot
put it in words. If you are thinking that I am being lil pessimistic; then you
are wrong. This is the story of every other women in this country. They play
those crosswords in their mind while travelling. That fear rumbles on their
mind. To reach home safely; it's like a luxury in a country like India. She
knows that the lethargic law and the hypocrite society ain't gonna protect her.
And that she has to play her own game.
They say India is a land of great
culture and great mythology. What culture they are talking about; where we are
celebrating the 67th Independence Day, while women in the country cannot move
independently without that fear. Where an innocent girl going home after
watching a movie becomes victim of ruthless beasts. Being raped to become
martyr; so that media can sensationalize it in their
own way, so that political parties can use it for their purpose. The
kinda of culture which gave the world all those chapters of kamasutra but
didn't emphasize upon the fact that each human being need to take the consent
of other human being before touching him/her. Shouldn't Lord Ram have taken that
Dhobi to task for asking Sita to take the Agnipariksha;
thereby setting an epitome that whosoever behaves that way with women will not
be spared. If Lord Krishna was so powerful, shouldn't he be killing Duryodhan, for Draupadi vastraharan in front of the
assembly thereby setting an example in the history; whosoever touches another
human being without his/her consent will be awarded death penalty? Why he
waited for Bhim to take the oath of killing duryodhan in the battle field. In
that case Draupadi waited till the battle for her justice. I always make it
point to end my posts and poems with an optimistic note; but not this time. India ain’t a nation for women. Ain’t a nation for daughters. Ain’t a nation
for baby girls. There ain’t any silver
lining. There ain’t any light at the end of the tunnel.