Acharya Tulsi
There is a culture of education life. There is a marked refinement in lifestyle and change in thought through this. Irrespective of gender, education is expected equally from males and females. Educated women set up their lives, looked after the well being of their families, contributed to the nation and society. Contrary to this, those women who were deprived of education, had no approach into knowledge and science, and remained uneducated, did not lead fulfilling lives. Education does not imply just literacy. Literacy is the beginning of education. Words lead us on a great journey. Whatever we acquire through words, unless it penetrates into life, the true objective of education and its gains will remain in question.
Social Obstacles
Even after four decades of Indian independence, India's female population in the rural areas still bears the brunt of illiteracy. The grip of illiteracy, superstition and societal restrictions is so strong and they are unable to come out of that and shape their lives. Even in this atomic and space age, it is surrounded by a thin red line that keeps its women away from making any progress. A woman brought up in the city culture, when she enters the work sphere of eminent and accomplished personalities in her field, she is subjected to and surrounded by lot of scepticism, a woman who works with men or work as a man, for them it is called - that woman is a man. What is the meaning of this proverb? For a woman on the development path who manages two - four steps of development, to get back from there is the aim then it is a different issue. When educated women seek to excel in a new work sphere, what is wrong with that?
Men and women both share an important role in the development of society. Being a woman is not a sign of inferiority. However, in an environment where the woman has no identity, where being born as a woman is considered a tragedy, the mindset and traditions of such an environment damage the self-confidence of women. Sensitive women's personalities are stunted. How can a stunted woman contribute to any great achievement? It is impossible to do so.
Patch of Stigma
Woman has many forms. One of them is a mother, her child is her world. A mother's love is unconditional, irrespective of a boy or a girl; both get equal attention and affection from her. Any physical or mental deficiency in her child does not diminish a mother's affection. It is also observed that the attachment is more in this case and the mother showers more affection and attention to her child, who is weak and powerless.
On one hand, we have a mother's boundless affection and on the other, a societal tradition that encourages female foeticide and infanticide. In a recent debate in the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha, the alarming rise in numbers in female foeticide worried several members of the house. It is a shameful trend in a country like India. Only a change in the mindset of the women can bring about progress, without which it is impossible to initiate change. Till then, society will have to bear the burden of this stigma. Whichever person or group has committed the crime of spreading this malaise will never be pardoned.
A Glaring Problem
This society which calls itself civilized and modern, is rapidly adopting family planning as a part of life. We are not against of family planning, but our faith is in control. Use of artificial means is a direct incentive to free sexuality. Many posterior problems can be resolved; If Indians understand the value of restraint and solve the problem of increasing population with abstinence.
Two or three children are considered in a planned family. The humanities environment can be mathematically balanced if the ratio is of a boy and a girl kept up in two children. But in three children, if the proportion of two boys and a girl is placed then the possibility of the girl famine at any time in the twenty-first century and it cannot be rejected. At the time when this possibility will prevail, the female feticide, killing newborn girl and dowry-related murders will be condemned as the madness of society is not so surprising.
The person or society who believes in karma theory, he knows that such brutal slaughter of sensible creatures would leave him no where? The matter of religion-karma is accepted or not, but no one can deny the human values. In the country of Mahavira, Buddha and Gandhiji, the problem of safe and secure living is standing in so aggressive posture in front of the women race that it requires immediate intensive effort. The generous talk of social reform from the podium of religion, society or politics will be meaningful only when the innocent newborn girls and female foetuses would not be killed.
