Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
I find it shocking and disturbing that a woman was so easily replaced. Her life, her presence, her absence meant nothing to those around her.
Every year, the 8th of March is celebrated as International Women’s Day. A day to honour women. A day to celebrate womanhood.
All through her life, a woman plays many roles. Daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother… these are just a few of the many caps we women wear.
We might wear the same caps and play the same roles, but our experiences are different.
My blood boils as I write this… there are a few women whose lives are cheaper than a packet of peanuts. Cheaper than dirt. Cheaper than the cheapest thing you ever imagined.
A shocking incident that happened in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, proves this harsh reality of life.
A young bride died of a heart attack during the wedding rituals.
The hall was decked like a bride, but the joyous moments that had enveloped the place died a sudden death too. It was cloaked underneath the veil of tears and sorrow.
Hetal, the young bride’s journey ended when she was about to begin a new chapter of her life.
I can’t imagine the shock and trauma her parents, sister, and the rest of her family would have faced.
The bereaved family, however, instead of mourning the shocking death, REPLACED her with her younger sister. Yes! You read it right!
Loving and concerned relatives suggested this alternative plan to “ensure the celebrations continued”!
And immediately, the family decided to marry Hetal’s younger sister to the guy who was to have wed her sister at the very same mandap.
While the ceremonies and celebrations continued, poor Hetal’s body was stored in cold storage.
I find it shocking and disturbing that a woman was so easily replaced. Her life. Her presence. Her absence meant nothing to those around her.
How could her parents proceed with such heartless actions? Is it even humanly possible to turn such a shattering incident into a happy one?
Marriage is a bond based on love and respect. What was the groom thinking when he agreed? Was the younger sister’s consent taken into consideration? I wonder if this bride and groom ever find it in their forced relationship.
This incident is a time for us to introspect on the kind of society are we living in. Today’s society is dead. It has lost its conscience and righteousness.
I still can’t fathom such things happening to women every day. Dedicating a day to celebrate a woman’s life is a meaningless gesture unless women are celebrated in reality. Unless their lives matter. Unless they are felt, heard, and seen.
Isn’t a woman’s life worth anything?
Image source: By Bodhisattva Dasgupta – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
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