I was born and raised in a small village. I attended nursery, school, and college within the village. Luckily I got a job in another city a bigger one, a really big one. I never saw women driving vehicles and if ever women drove then they were looked upon with anxiety and awe by the native villagers. Our village didn’t see many working women. In the city I found myself amidst women wearing all kind of attires, driving all kinds of vehicles: bikes, scooty, cars, jeeps. You name it and there would be a women behind the wheels. It took me a while to get accustomed to these sights.
During my stay in the city, my mind played black and white memory visuals about my village. I remembered Simon uncle our stationery shopkeeper, Murali uncle the post-man who delivered the weekly popular kids magazine ‘Balarama’, Augustine uncle the rich man from Gulf who sponsored all the local clubs sports equipment. I remembered so many other villagers who played an important part of my life. One night it struck me that my memories were filled with men. Women were never part of my memories or rather were in the background. Women were always associated with a man. So they would be Mr. X’s mother, or Mr. Y’s wife or Mr. Z’s sister. The movies I watched always portrayed men in better and higher light and respect. And so I thought it was really normal to address women in relation to some man. I grew up with this feeling of being superior that someday my mother would be referred with my name. Some day when I’m married my wife would use my name. All my friends knew my sister but none of them really knew her name, she was always referred as my sister.
But why is it that the society decided that men were superior over women. Was it because physically we were more muscular? Yes we were built stronger, but that’s so we could take up a lot of physical work. Did that give us the right to be superior over women? Men were treated and celebrated like strikers who score stunning goals for the team and women who played in the back – building defensive walls against opposition’s attacks, initiating counter attacks, were faded off.
My granny gave birth to 12 kids and that in itself was a feat. Does that make her ordinary? Does that make her inferior? She strived hard to stand her ground to ensure all her children got education. She ensured anyone who came home never went without a cup of tea or snack or lunch. I know about so many women who help their husbands in paddy fields. And yet when the crop was good the man took all the credit. My sister traveled so many places to do jobs which payed better just to be able to support all of us back home.
Women form the backbone of our homes and yet we feel superior over them. Is our thinking correct? Shouldn’t we recheck our values and give the right place to our women. Isn’t it time we give the right amount of appreciation to them. Isn’t it right that we support them and let them grow with us? It’s time we change our attitude towards them and give them an equal opportunity like the men. It’s time we teach our boys that they are not superior but are equal to the girls. It’s time we tell them that our mothers are as important as our fathers. It’s time we teach them that our sisters can also drive vehicles and do a lot many activities just like the brothers. We can change the way we think to make a difference in society.
Let us give a standing ovation to all the “Home Makers” who left the ground unnoticed playing for their families.
Salute to our home makers who do their jobs without any appreciation!!
Similar Posts
-
Superwoman even during pandemic – Sudha Nair
This pandemic has had very conflicting outcomes on our personal lives. While it brought all members
-
Ever vanishing values – Sudha Nair
Trust is something which is so rare to find among humans today. As children we were told to respect
-
Have we really done enough for woman empowerment? – Harshvardhan
God made man and woman and I don’t think he made one superior over another. But even in today’s age
-
Hell or Heaven – Aditi Bajaj
Waking up at seven looking at the news “Eight killed, five injured, in an elaborate kidnapping ruse.
-
Helping unknown family – Mahi
(Another page from my father’s life) My father was an idealist and had no hesitation in helping anyo
The Plaint of a Homemaker - Snails and Oaks
[…] at the home. There was a one point in time when I used to feel – ‘how easy it would be for a homemaker, no hurry-burry, no time constraints – such a relaxed life!’ I remember my friends were envious […]
The Local Fellow
@cool
Let’s hope that more people will realize and appreciate their efforts.
Cool
Yes. I agree with the writer. We all have to know the value of the homemaker and it’s not an easy job. They were really fantastic. Even though we knew the value of them we are giving the respect to them. Those are the ones who standing behind our lives and letting us go. We have to give respect to them and if we can give them freedom and time they will be happy. The mother is the one who carries our pain and the wife is the one who carries our emotions and the sister is the one who understands us better than the other and keep us move forward. I always respect women as I knew value of them and hopefully expecting same to be happen from all of us. Why don’t we take a chance and think of it.
Varalakshmi
Yes. As writer said, this is the correct time to teach everyone not only for boy’s, And this is our responsibility. Girls can do anything but all they need is opportunity. We all should fight for Gender Equality. Parents should teach their sons, how to respect the girls.If you don’t know how encourage the them,please be calm but don’t discourage them. Don’t restrict them let them allow to full fill their dreams.
The Local Fellow
Thank you Varalakshmi. Teaching our kids to respect women and their effort is really important.
I can understand the pain of girls being criticized, but we want to form a generation of girls who are determined and who are not willing to give up.
Balaji
Good article. We know the importance of our mother in the family but yet she goes unnoticed most times. This will not change overnight because its been followed centuries. Only generation by generation we can change. I feel now women are getting recognized and it will change coming days. He mentioned women are defenders and men are strikers in family. As a football fan I know the value of defenders. Strikers win you games but defence win your tropies.
The Local Fellow
Thank you Balaji for the appreciation and comment. It makes me feel good to know what people can relate to what is written.
Of course
‘ Strikers win you games, defence win you trophies’.. Both of them are equally important in making up a good team
Sebastian
I salute the thinking of the writer… and happy notice the slow pace understanding though it is very rare – about the role of ladies. The main reason for pushing the female gender back is religion. In India everything is read though the eyes of story books of religion. Hence the mind set is set so. No bar to any religion. Scientific temper and rational thinking are the keys to open the door of gender equality. It is interesting to notice, that Scandinavian countries, which are less or zero religious far more positive to gender equality.
The Local Fellow
Thank you, Sebastian. I am very happy to see that our articles are read by people with such enlightened perspectives. Well, to be honest, I had no idea that gender discrimination is related to religion. Together, we can make a positive change.
Leena Dhakad
Well written article!
If the services by homemaker would count into GDP there would be a dramatic change in calculations.
Nevertheless kind of respect these silent workers receive should increase for sure.
The Local Fellow
Thank you, Leena. I just wrote this from my heart. Their efforts should be respected properly.
Paul
The women in our lives don’t always get the recognition they deserve and your thoughts felt honest with nice personal touch. Cheers to all the special women in the world that are the tent poles of thier families and societies.
The Local Fellow
Thank you, Paul. Cheers to those girls from Snails and Oaks team as well.