Women’s Place

Where exactly is the women’s place in our society? In the event of increasing crimes against women in our country, it becomes essential to analyze root causes of the issue and factors that may help in improving the current grim picture.

It’s not that the crime against women didn't occur before in India but now, with greater connectivity and communication, crimes are getting registered and covered more extensively. Rapes are being talked about more, which didn't happen earlier because of the Taboo and shame factors associated with such crimes. But still, the fact remains that such acts are being increasingly committed despite an improving literacy level in our country. With development, a society should move forward but with India, the movement seems to be going in an opposite direction i.e. regression.

There are several factors which have brought us where we are today, in terms of the way we treat our women.

1> Celebration of Social backwardness

Thanks to our flawed political strategies, unemployment and inflation are rampant. With poor getting poorer, general hopelessness is prevailing in our lower as well as middle classes. In addition, utterly sinister policies like the Food security Bill glorify poverty rather than eradicating it. Paths to progress are scarce. Economic factors heavily affect social equations with the weaker section (Women) being at receiving end. In absence of employment and progress, criminalization of society is inevitable.

2>Portrayal of women in Bollywood

This is controversial and a lot of admirers of Bollywood claim that the Item songs and general depiction of women here do not instigate Rapes. Hello! You are talking about a country having extremely regressive values and largely illiterate population. How can you expect a relatively immature audience to enjoy your heavily sexed up Item numbers and movies and still not get affected by it? This is a country where fans are stupid enough to worship big stars like Gods. Go and apply terms like “Audience Discretion” in developed countries. Unfortunately, Bollywood is the biggest culprit in planting moronic ideas about women in minds of males.

3>Tapori culture

This factor is very much related to the previous factors. Influence of bollywood and unemployment has given rise to a uniquely Indian phenomenon called Taporiness. This is prevalent everywhere, be it trains, streets, buses, Hit movies (e.g. Salman Khan Movies). It is no longer a shame to abuse and harass people including women. If you are a shit person who commits violence, you won’t end up in Jail – you will be called a Bhai. Lawlessness and a weak judiciary are also vital for fuelling this phenomenon.

4> Male Worshiping -> Female Hatred

This is a deep rooted cultural trait of Indians which has given rise to many social evils such as dowry, female feticide, lower quality of life for females etc. We are a culture that believes in Black and White. If males are worshiped  females are hated. If Rama is worshiped  Ravan is burned. There are simply no grey areas and therefore, either you are an object of immense love, else, you are loathed. Ours is just not an egalitarian culture.

We have a long way to go when it comes to social democracy. Issues pertaining to 50% population of this hugely populated country cannot be neglected.

A Bore!

I don’t like to dance, I don’t like to booze

I don’t eat like a pig, I don’t gossip

I don’t like dumb leisure

Oh! I am such a Bore

I don’t pretend, I don’t cheat

I’m politically incorrect

I’m certainly not perfect

Oh! I am such a Bore

I’m not rich, I’m not trendy

I’m not famous, I’m not entertainer

I’m not popular; I’m not a charmer

Oh! I am such a Bore

All I own is Peace of Mind and Love

But I want you to know

I’m proud to be a Bore

As I am not obsessed with MORE

 

Vaibhavi

Distorted Definitions

I’m presenting my version of “Distorted Definitions” which you’ll not find in conventional Dictionaries. These new definitions are the result of my unique brand of humour :)

Movie buffs : I’d rather call these people “Forced Movie buffs”; means, since they have nothing else to do in their free time, they keep watching movies. It’s so easy! Just buy tickets, and sit in comfort for 2 hours. No effort and no creativity required. 90% of the movie buffs fall in this category except for the people actually involved in the movie business and the professional movie reviewers.
I don’t consider movie watching as a “hobby”. Hobby is an activity which teaches you something creative or valuable. For example, singing, dancing or even exercising. Movie watching is merely a pass time activity.

Women’s Magazines : Magazines with plentiful ads, in which, rich and anorexic women pose to sell international brands of lingerie, perfumes, and designer clothes. Editors of such magazines are under the assumption that apart from “What to eat”, “How to dress” and, “How to have sex”, women have no other business.

Movie Stars : People who manage to look beautiful with the help of cosmetic surgeries and heavy make-up; having inflated egos and excessive money; and have right “contacts”.

Non Resident Indian (NRI): A financially and morally poor person who has embraced “Dollar” or “Pound” as God and hates everything “Indian” including himself/herself. Generally, suffers from an identity crisis and inferiority complex. Cannot be and should not be trusted.


Socialite : An excessively rich person who has accidentally got plenty of money through inheritance, family connections or marriage. Generally found dumb and pompous.

Job Interview : Meeting where your lying abilities are tested.


Management Graduate (MBA) : A self-proclaimed over achiever, having unreasonably high opinion of himself/herself and yet, having expertise in no particular area. Basically; no substance, all pretense.


Spouse : A trophy used for displaying in Facebook profile pictures.


Facebook Profile : A display of your life which you wish was true but is actually a desperate cover up for your sad existence!

And last but but not the least;


Pregnancy : A social stamp of potency of the involved man.


:)

Vaibhavi

Caste

The world is vast, moving so fast

Inventions amaze me, never failing to daze me

I too dared to envision           

My uniqueness gave me my mission

I thought the world was my playground

But, my hierarchy made me deeply confound

I was in a box of which I was unaware

My identity was damaged beyond repair

My caste is my label

They do not care if I’m capable

My caste is my custom

There is no way to evade this dictum

I too crave for a heart filled with love

But, my caste is put all above

My human spirit is aghast

I’m just my caste

What it is to be a “Nobody”

Being a Nobody is highly common, but yet, extremely unpopular in this country. Nobody is a person who does not have fame, excessive money, excessive success; means does not have a name for himself/herself. A popular term for such person is “Aam Aadmi”. In a democracy, majoritarianism calls shots but even in a democratic country, being a part of “majority” does not necessarily means holding power. In fact, it’s the opposite. Majority and minority are tools, often termed as Vote Banks which come in picture only during elections.


So, how is it to be the opposite of Nobody? Being an opposite of Nobody means either you are a powerful person or related to one. In this scenario, your life will be smooth. You’ll have less struggles, and your path will be pretty much set. You’ll get what you want with relative ease. You’ll be judged less harshly and you’ll have more options in life. You’ll be admitted in elite schools and colleges, either in India or abroad where you’ll be polished. After you finish your “education”, you’ll get plenty of time to “figure out” what you want in life. Of course, in this break, you can have lots of overseas vacations to introspect. Once you decide what you want, you’ll ultimately join your powerful family profession. Your family goodwill will help you immensely and success for you will be just a matter of time.


The same pattern will work in your personal life as well. Members of the opposite sex will be eager to date/marry you and judging you as a human will be a non-requirement for them. Just your “name” will be enough to attract mates as well as friends. People will pretty much be oblivious to your real personality because that’s dispensable. However glaring vices you might have, it could be drug addiction, alcoholism, various other addictions and personality issues; you’ll still be regarded as a “good person”.


Now come to the other side of fence.

You are a Nobody in this country so you’ll have to be a fighter in a literal sense. You’ll struggle all your life so you’ll need to get tough. You’ll need to get street smart, argumentative, manipulative to get your work done. Right from school donations, to the prestigious colleges, you’ll have to compete with lakhs of others just to get an admission. Even after the admissions, life will not be simple. You’ll need to keep performing, keep getting high grades to prove yourself. You’ll keep working hard to graduate with high grades. When you do graduate, the bigger struggle starts. You’ll feel that a post graduation will increase your chances to stand out and so you impart your struggle for couple of more years. After post-graduation, you’ll realize that jobs are still difficult as there are lakhs of post graduates as well! You’ll get the job somehow with a descent salary. But wait, it’s not the happy ending. The bigger struggle will wait for you at office. You’ll have to constantly perform and compete at work; else your job will be in danger!

Your personal life will be in a mess most of the time. If you are single, you’ll have to face overly judgmental potential mates who’ll find everything about you wrong. Attracting and retaining mates will be harder. If you are married, your married life will be in a mess due to professional and social pressures. You’ll not be able to run away because of the ghostly scary EMIs. You’ll eventually turn religious and start making donations to religious establishments in a hope that the amount will be returned in your next pay hike! God will be your only saviour :)


Vaibhavi

Defeat

Defeat is not so evil, dear

It is a way of life that we bear

You can be safe once you surrender

The happiness will eventually render

Why take pain in creation

What you need is in abundance

Submission will fetch you accordance

Contentment will be your sentence

I try, make my way and yet comply

But the slave is what they crave

The universe is my shelter

And my spirit is my mentor

I gift your defeat to you

May your pleasures renew

My struggle is my ally

Your rules do not apply

Vaibhavi

The Poison

This is my attempt at poetry!

Here is a condition, that you will hold this notion

You will not retreat, not even cheat

Your loyalty will be rewarded

And the approval shall be awarded

We are the ones who made you and fed you

We are the ones who shielded you

The big bad world would have hounded you

The freedom will lure but with us, you are secure

Stay away from Alien, we will provide you Familiar

Familiar poison will suit you, alien bliss will cut you

The poison will grow in your vein, we will get our reign

We will protect you and disconnect your Soul

Our poison is your reality now, you’ll never know how

Your soul has dissolved and your blood is frozen

Do not worry, your future is chosen

You belong to your own poison

Vaibhavi