“Happy Independence Day!” says almost everyone I meet on this day. I wonder what they mean. Is it a mockery of the oh-so-dependent person I am, or is it a reminder of what I should've been?
Independence. What a sophisticated term for something that is inherent in all of us! As the entire nation celebrates 70 years of freedom from colonialism, I fret over the minuscule reasons of my ‘Colonized’ existence.
In the two decades of my life so far, my definition of freedom has always been defined by the society. The society has always shaped me—and billions of girls like me—into conforming, ‘well behaved’ women. And we, like the well bred daughters we are, unquestioningly accepted the ideals laid down by a completely patriarchal society.
Freedom, to be honest, means the freedom to go out and to study and to vote. But when it comes to expression, we'd better keep our mouths shut, right?
True, women like Taslima Nasreen have expressed their views, refusing to compromise with freedom of expression. But has the society spared them?
My point is, we need to wage a freedom struggle against the societal system—to break free of the subtle captivity we all are suffering from time immemorial.
Let's break free of the stereotypical image of the ‘Bhartiya Naari’. When we succeed in breaking free from all these invisible shackles, then will India ever awaken into a heaven of freedom.
Jai Hind.
No comments:
Post a Comment