Understanding the Status of Women: The Myth and Reality

Everyone respects his or her mother. But he forgets the fact that his mother is a woman who at some point of time passed her life as a girl, sometimes as an adult girl, sometimes as someone’s wife, sister, and there are so many roles which a woman plays in different theatrical societies. This various kinds of respect to different facets of women by the males obviously differ in different situations. But the significant and at the same time unfortunate aspect for the women section is that they are the ones who have to suffer. From the boundaries of dark kitchen to the barriers of society they are the lone victim. Patriarchy dominates the whole proceedings of the entire life of women. Though it is not a new phenomenon yet oppression and deprivation of women by the so-called social stratification and the very presence of patriarchal form of dominance is still explicit in the present formation of society and this aspect should be seriously treated so as to find a minimum ground for the liberation of the women and also to provide a platform for them to demonstrate their existence. Though this is not unknown to all, yet the condition and status of women have been degraded with the passing of time. But thanks to some tremendous and brave efforts of some educated women, activists, and writers as well. Also thanks to the contribution of feminism which has been providing the helping hand to them in nurturing their hitherto non-existent identity and position. Along with those efforts, some courageous attempts of TV series should also be added at this juncture.

Now the question is- who to be blamed? The societal formation and structure which is always anti-women? Or patriarchy? Or Manu? Or Balmiki? Or Ved Vyas? Or women? Except the last one, others can be blamed undoubtedly. But what could be done if women involve themselves in the carnage of women in society? However, this aspect won’t be studied in this paper. Who is responsible for the demonstration of ultimate inhuman act when Draupadi was dragged into the hall by Dushashana, the brother of Duryodhana? Dushashana or Vyas? Or the patriarchal structure which might forced Vyasa to depict rather a deteriorated and perverted position of women in the form of Draupadi? The Balmiki Ramayana sings the same tune. Why was Sita asked to prove her purity? Did that act of Rama prove the inherent greatness of one of the great kings and also Gods of Hindu mythology? We can, to some extent, forget the scripts of mythology, but who are responsible for the fears of real world?


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References

Barman, Sivanath and et all 2002 ‘Asomiya Nari- Oitijya aru Uttaran’(in Assamese), Students’ Stores, Guwahati.
Balmiki Ramayana (translated versions in internet).
Tulasi Ramayana (translated versions in internet).
Heywood, Andrew 2000 ‘Key Concepts in Politics’ MacMillan
Borgohain, Alpana 2004 ‘Schools of Feminism: An Analysis’ Journal of Politics, Department of Political Science, Dibrugarh University.
Mahabharata, (translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguly).
Lerner, Gerda 1986 ‘The Creation of Patriarchy’ Oxford University Press.




                       By sasanka dhaval saikia
                       j.d.s.g. college, bokakhat