Essay on Status of Women in India In English
If one thinks that Smt. Indira Gandhi, Susmita sen, Aishwarya Rai are good representatives of Indian women, the person must be either ignorant or blind, which won't be called a bliss. They are only a handful of exceptions and 'exceptions make bad laws.'
in india, where society is mostly maie-dominated, a common woman has always occupied a secondary and an insecured position in may aspects since quite a long past. They have always been counted as a weaker section in family and society.
Her independant existance, personality, talent and other capacities are very easily forgotten. She is expected to be always humble and meek. She is kept no choice and voice of her own even though she is oppressed and tortured. If at all she raises her voice, she is abandoned or threatened to divorce, if married.
The columns of daily newspapers speak volumes for the misery and tragedy of life of an Indian woman. She is married at a raw age. She is abandoned on the doubt of her character. Her husband is not in good speaking terms with her due to some kind of dissatisfaction.
Occasionally he may beat her. But she grins and bears it. If her husband is greedy, he demands more money from her parents. Her protest results in her sad demise and we get to read the leader in a newspaper Newly wed burned for dowary It is a very gloomy and pathetic plight of an Indian woman.
Its another version is seen in villages. Women there are almost illiterate, superstitious and backward. They spend their days in monotonous household work and in bearing and rearing children. They do not spare themselves while working in the house or in the field as a woman-labourer. Her husband drags her earnings to quench his thirst of liquer.
He goes in tantrums and beats her. She bears and forebears. 'She bears and forebears' is common because she is expected to do that. But a question arises as to how and when this stock of humbleness and meekness comes to her?
It is because we Indians very proudly and at the top of our voice proclaim the antient and rich vedic civilization. When there were talented and scholary woman like Gargi, Maitreyi, women were held in high esteem.
So how this totally opposite picture appeared ? Yes, it can be traced. Highly respectful social position of women was pushed in background during the 'Brahmin Age' and with the onset of Moghul rule they completely lost their glory.
A woman was totally cut off from the main stream of life by inflicting many social rules and customs upon her. It was customary in India till the onset of twentieth century that a widow had to cut down her hair, keep bald and wear a red or white saree.
She was a social taboo. Some social reformers like Raja Rajarammohan Roy, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, took fruitful efforts to emancipate an Indian woman from the hell-like agonies of her life.
This darkness in the life of an Indian woman began to change when she actively participated in the struggle for independence of India. She proved her talent, courage, capacities and brought them to the notice of the orthodox society.
India got freedom. It made its constitution and granted full equality, individuality and dignity to woman by law and set her upliftment. Many woman-welfare foundations or associations were founded. Many movements of woman liberation were commenced. Government also took substantial steps to give woman a fair deal.
It changed the face of womanhood of an Indian woman. Today she is given full facilities of education. She is made aware of her rights and previleges. Woman talent is coming forth from rural and backward areas.
She is given full opportunities to develop her talent and individuality. She has become confident. Good jobs and dignified posts are reserved for her. Woman are now mayors, ministers and ambassadors, scientists and engineers, police officers and judges.
They capably stand in competition with men. An employed woman easily manages on both the fronts - her household and her career. She is fully supported and encouraged by the other members of her family.
This bright picture of an Indian woman or oday forces us to look upon her as a backbone of future progress of India. If India is our home and if woman is home', then she will make heavens of our home India.
But this movement of progress of Indian women is still in the upper crust of the society. Its light has not yet reached the lower rank. This makes the position of Indian woman a two-sided coin. The darker side is getting those brighter aspects at a snail's pace.
Full progress of Indian woman from all social set-ups seems a hard nut to crack. She will have to watch her time. But its an ambitious plan and a dreamy aim which once accomplished will make every home a sight for sore eyes.
शब्दार्थ :- male-dominated (मेल डॉमिनेटेड) - पुरुष प्रधान; humble someone (नॉट टु बी इन स्पीकिंग टर्मस् विथ समवन) - एखाद्याशी (भांडण वा कशामुळे) बोलाचाली नसणे; to grin and bear (टु ग्रिन अॅण्ड बेअर) - हसून सहन करणे; greedy (ग्रिडी) - लोभी, हावरट, to protest (टु प्रोटेस्ट) - प्रतिकार करणे; demise (डिमाइस) - मृत्यू; dowary (डावरी) - हुंडा; pathetic (पॅथेटिक) कारुण्यपूर्ण, करुण, gloomy (ग्लूमी) - उदास, a plight (अ प्लाइट) - दुरवस्था ; to bear (टु बेअर) - धारण करणे, जन्म देणे; to rear (टु रिअर) - संगोपण करणे; ill-nourished (इल नरिश्ड) - कुपोषित; to be out of sorts (टु बी आऊट ऑफ सॉर्टस्) - प्रकृती बरी नसणे; not to spare oneself (नॉट टु स्पेअर वनसेल्फ) - अंगचोरपणा न करणे, अंग मोडून कष्ट करणे; to quench one's thirst (टु क्वेन्च वन्स थट) - तहान भागवणे; a tantrum (अ टॅण्ट्रम) - झटका; to bear and forebear (टु बोअर अॅण्ड फोर्बेअर) - फक्त सहन करीत राहणे, to push into background (टु पुश इण्टु बॅग्राऊंड) - पार्श्वभूमीवर टाकणे, मागे टाकणे; Social rules and customs (सोशल रुल्स अॅण्ड कस्टम्स) - सामाजिक नियम व रूढी; a struggle (अ स्ट्रगल) - संघर्ष, a talent (टॅलण्ट) - प्रज्ञा, बुद्धिमत्ता; courage (करेज) - धाडस; capacity (कपॅसिटी) - क्षमता; to bring to the notice of (टु बिंग टु द नोटीस ऑफ) - च्या निदर्शनास आणून देणे, orthodox (ऑर्थोडॉक्स) - सनातनी; upliftment (अप्लिफ्टमेण्ट) - उन्नयन; privilege (प्रिविलेज) - हक्क; a degnified post (अ डिग्निफाइड पोस्ट) - प्रतिष्ठेचे पद, a backbone (अ बैंकबोन) - कणा; upper crust of society (अप्पर क्रस्ट ऑफ सोसायटी) - समाजाचा उच्च स्तर; at a snail's pace (अॅट अ स्नेल्स् पेस) - गोगलगायीच्या वेगाने, संथ गतीने, to watch one's time (टु वॉच वन्स् टाइम) - योग्य वेळेची वाट पाहणे; a hard nut to crack (अ हार्ड नट टु फेंक) - समस्या ; a sight for sore eyes