Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
To hell with traditions. Instead of a priest, ask ask your parents or well-wishers to bless a special occasion. It'll be from the heart, not for money!
As an atheist I have rejected all religions and the traditions associated with them!
Over the years the world has developed enormously with technology and research. Even India has developed and many people are getting educated but the most important things like patriarchy, religion, caste, marriage systems and traditions associated with all these haven’t changed.
Even the men who talk rationalism are forgetting about the oppression women face in their own households. These rationalists talk about caste, religion and even marriage customs, but not against patriarchy.
When I said I am an atheist and I don’t believe in any religion and the traditions associated with it there was a huge backlash from friends and family, but eventually they accepted it.
Since society is constructed around all these traditions, breaking out really difficult. For example, whenever we start something or buy something, we call a priest to legitimize it. Like when someone buys a home, they look for vastu, astrology and after buying, a pooja has to be done. On top of that there is a hefty payment for all this. For everything, we need someone from outside to bless us or permit us to do things. And people are so much into it that they would spend lots of money on these poojas even though they can’t afford it.
When I bought my first bike, I told my parents that I don’t want to do pooja, they insisted that I should or else it won’t be safe to ride.
If we get married we would have to undergo a list of customs. I have seen atheists undergo all these traditions even though they don’t believe in them, just to satisfy the family and friends. These traditions are demeaning to women. They are asked to fall at the feet of husband and fast and do poojas for the long life of husbands. Why not make the husband do the same? These customs are also demeaning to lower caste people…as they are not allowed to learn or perform them.
In Tamil Nadu, for people who don’t want to follow these traditions there is an act called self-respect marriage act. This act legalizes the marriage without all these regular traditions but most families and society don’t accept that.
We cannot be called rationalist or feminist if we follow all these traditions, and I know it’s difficult even when I am writing this. I cannot assure you that I will be able to break all these but I will most definitely try. And everyone should, because why should we need someone to bless us or permit us to do the things? Why do I need someone to permit me to buy something? I am earning, I am buying a house it’s my blood and sweat that bought that house. It doesn’t require someone to come and do pooja so that I can be happy.
We also end up paying heavy money, and all for what? To hell with all these traditions. If you really want someone to bless the occasion, ask your parents or friends or well-wishers. That will be better, as they won’t do it for money, so it will be from their heart. We need to break all these traditions and not shame the people who are not following it!
Image source: Still from Piku
A Research Scholar, ardent book lover, and amateur writer who wants to write about the injustice in society in the name of religion and tradition and wants to break all the stereotypes. read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address