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Only people like Bebi aunty can stop this divide, teaching us the true essence of being Indian.
At a time when politicians belonging to different parties are busy trying to draw a line of demarcation between Hindus and Muslims, I know a mother, who is the embodiment of affection and love, with a beautiful, large heart, (that can shelter anyone, without any distinction of caste, creed and religion). She has the ability to laugh at the ugly faces of politicians of our country, who ironically determine our collective fate.
This, I guess, might appear to you like an exaggerated statement, perhaps being made by a son for his mother. I guess it’s natural for you to feel that way, considering the presence of such mothers is significantly rare in the current Indian society. The game “Hindu – Muslim” has perhaps compelled mothers to treat ‘sons’ with distinction. This attitude of mothers gives rise to hatred for each other, so much so that it ultimately ends up providing sustenance to the popular “Hindu – Muslim” game, which keeps getting consolidated further.
She is the mother of one of our classmates. On being invited by her to a ‘chai party’ at her house, we agreed right away. To be honest, I was a bit nervous initially as usual. I remember, during my school days, mothers of my friends were terribly reluctant to even touch me, for that could leave them ‘impure’. This is an ugly form of untouchability. I have experienced it multiple times. These scars are still fresh in my mind, for being treated like that leads to an inferiority complex. Anyone who has witnessed it closely would certainly be able to understand this better than those who have not experienced it at all.
But after reaching Bebi Aunty’s home, my fear was gone in no time. Bebi aunty welcomed us with such warmth, that it felt like she had known us for a decade. Her benign, pure smile melted away my insecurities.
We (most of us were Muslims) sat on the bed. Puffed rice with sweets and hot tea came in. We talked a lot, laughed a lot. The sound of the laughter and chit – chat filled the room with warmth, true affection, love and belief.
People like Bebi aunty are the need of the hour in these very crucial current times. The whole nation is being polarised on the basis of religion. Only people like Bebi aunty can stop this divide, teaching us the true essence of being Indian.
Image source: Unsplash
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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