Navratri - The Reality Check

10 Oct 2021

With the onset of Navratri, there is a thought that is lingering in my mind.
We celebrate and pray 9 different avatars of Godesses, which is by ritual or by tradition.
Do we celebrate the real life 9 avatars of women or are we too quick to judge them or we sheepishly
join the herd to criticise them? Does that in anyway make us eligible to celebrate Navratri then?
Goddesses that are prayed during this 9 day elaborative festival are some or the other form of woman,
not every woman would be courageous enough to voice out her opinion or violent enough to kill the devils around them,
but that does not make them less eligible to be celebrated!
Knowingly or unknowingly, we all judge women as per their social status,
physical appearance, choice of clothes, decisions they take in life and the list is endless!
But today, with this article I am trying to bring a change in mindset by throwing a little light on the other side of story!

𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛

We ourselves educate our daughters, with loads of efforts and dedication,
they excel in their choice of field. When they invest years to achieve a degree,
tolerate every ounce of pain that comes with it, and later if they wish to make a mark in their sector,
why are they labelled SELFISH? Upon hammering that label a 100 times on them, they still continue to do what they wish.
The simplest thing to understand here is they are headstrong to decide the life they wish to live,
and matured enough to ignore labels, overcome any other obstacle or hurdle that comes their way!

𝗔 𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗧.

Marriage, as seen from times unknown is considered to be a series of adjustments
and compromises being done by the woman, not always, but most of the times! With changing times,
women have started voicing their opinions and choices out, they refrain from being quiet.
If they cannot see a future or a life in that relationship instead of stretching
it at the cost of their sacrifices they choose to move on in their lives.
Let's not judge it to be a woman's mistake always in very first place.
She has lived it and been through it,
she wanted to make it work, if she has decided to leave that means she already have had enough of it.


𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧
𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡.

Motherhood when embraced by choice brings the best out of it.
And if any woman chooses not become one, she isn't any less of woman.
It's a woman's body alone that goes through all of it,
which NO ONE will ever understand.
If she is not ready for it, NO ONE has the right to force her.
Rather her decision should be appreciated,
she very well knows what's coming with it and is not ready to accept to go through it.
Reproducing is not the only purpose of women's existence, they are not baby making machines.


𝗔 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗔 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗗.

A woman who is either forced or herself chooses to stay at home,
does not automatically becomee responsible for everything that does or does not happen at home.
When it's a family, it's like a team and everyone is equally responsible for anything that happens inside.
Just because the woman stays at home, does not mean she is taken for granted by everyone in the family.
Yes she takes care of everyone and in retrun she needs love, respect and attention too.


𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗔 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗕𝗬 𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥.

Looks and appearance may be deceptive. A girl who is plumpy not necessarily eats a lot,
one who is skinny does not starve always, one with tattoo goes to temple too, one who is active on social
media is genuine and real too, one with minis and micros would
posses the most tender heart, the list again would be endless. However before passing a comment about her,
try having a casual chat with her once atleast. She may not be what you are thinking her to be!


𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥.

Character of a woman is very sensitive topic.
Just because she progresses and gets promotions in career does not mean she sleeps around to get it done.
Woman with male friends is not there to woo them. May be she is more comfortable around men,
it's her nature to smile and be good to everyone.

𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗕𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘.

It is so convinient to make girls choose an easy career option at young age.
She may be willing to become next Kalpana Chawla, PV Sindhu,
Smriti Mandhana or Sushmita Sen for that matter. Do not try to force her to mediocrity when all she wants to do is add an EXTRA to her ORDINARY life.
It may be easy for you as parents or family, but imagine her joy of living her life at her own terms, following her passion!


𝗗𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗟𝗔𝗪 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗟𝗔𝗪.

A daughter in law leaves her maternal home, her maiden name to join the new family.
If she is made felt like an outsider, she will continue to remain outsider only.
Like law does not discriminate, be impartial to her as well.
Do not see her any less than your son (her husband) or your daughter ( her sister in law) When she finds inclusivity,
she will end up giving whatever it takes to keep the house sound and safe!


𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗔 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗘!

When a man chooses to do love marriage, its cool. When a girl chooses the same,
it's a different story. The worst I have heard about is honor killings.
When did caste, creed and religion grow above love, humanity and living beings themselves.
If it does not fit in your rule book, you may choose to leave the couple lead a peaceful life,
but killing them to feed own egos is pure sin and utterly atrocious act.
These are 9 traits we should ideally normalize because we are living in 2021.
Dashera marks victory of good over evil,
and hence with rising domestic violence cases,
I only hope and pray, every single woman facing domestic violence,
finds courage to speak up and get over it this Dashera!