A Woman's Cry !!

A married woman set ablaze by her husband and in-laws…. A woman raped, harassed and killed….
A woman stripped and paraded naked in front of villagers….
A baby girl killed at birth….
Husband beats up his wife to death….

Does this sound familiar? Or are these just myths borne out of my vivid imagination?

I am not a feminist or an Atheist, but why am I sometimes forced to question the existence of god? Why am I forced to feel misery, pain and empathy for my fellow women? This is one of the ironies of life.

Women have been subjects of undue oppression, be it in the pre-historic times like the Mahabharatha or the Ramayana where Draupadi and Sita were made the victims of man’s insatiable greed to now when we hear horrendous stories of women being subject to misery every other day.

It is not just the Indian or the Afgan Society that has not yet woken up to women, the Western Culture is not a free society for women either, no one, not even stringent laws or a broadminded society can prevent a woman being harassed mentally and physically abused.

Female Infanticide has been an omen that has been rampant for long, particularly in the third world countries like India and China. It is by far one of the most brutal and arguably the most appalling of anti-female bias that pervades our societies. Mothers killing their new born daughters on the pretext that she is a liability to the family is no uncommon scenario. The statistics of such death is equally shocking. When demographic statistics were first collected in the nineteenth century, it was discovered that in "some villages, no girl babies were found at all; in a total of thirty others, there were 343 boys to 54 girls….! In Bombay, the number of girls alive in 1834 was 603’.

Dowry deaths and killing of women according to an article in Time magazine, have increased 15-fold since the mid-1980s from 400 a year to around 5,800 a year by the middle of the 1990s. Killing women or domestic torture for dowry and the like is by far the most questionable of all evils. My only question that comes out of this is…. Are women mere objects of Trade between the Father and Husband or are they assured of an identity of their own?

Rape and molestation of women is one more of the evils that plaques our society today.
Not one woman can be confidant of herself even in today’s free and broadminded society. Using force on a woman is not an act of showing a man’s prowess but dastardly behavior of an absolute loser who cannot call himself a man!!!

Irrespective of being educated, good looking, having a strong position in society, women are being subject to all forms of violence within the four walls of her home, she is reduced to a victim status not very different from women not so well provided for as her. Why do women tolerate the intolerable? Why is it that baring a couple of them, none have the voice to raise against the society, the system and the world that takes women as lesser beings. The reasons are far too many and complex. But even if this has an answer, the reasons why men hit and abuse their wives is something for which there can never be a reasonable explanation or a generalized answer.

If a woman wants to raise her voice ……what are her options? Will the law come to her aid? Before 1983, there was no specific law dealing with domestic violence. Women were expected to produce witnesses to prove that they were the victims of abuse. Between 1983 and 1986, several amendments were made to the Indian Penal Code such as the introduction of Section 304B where the death of a woman from unnatural causes within seven years of marriage had to be investigated as a dowry-related death. What is funny is does the woman have to die before she gets JUSTICE???

There might be arguments that ‘Todays Woman’ has all her rights and is getting her due recognition. But one cannot deny or ignore the fact that this is but a pure myth.

A woman’s innate physical weakness has become her biggest enemy. Her spirit, her compassionate heart, the love that she is capable of giving and her clear soul is no bargain for the brutal strength men are endowed with. Men of integrity and men who are secure of themselves will only be able to understand the beauty in the soul of a woman. A woman is made not to be the slave but the companion of a man. She resides not at the feet but the heart of a man. She is a mother, a daughter, a wife and a sister, and she deserves her due respect.

There is a change that is required to be made, and that is in the mindset.
Will that be possible?!?

Not a movie.... but Sheer Brilliance!!!

Not just a movie…. but an experience for life … not just entertainment but lessons of Courage and Integrity….!! … sums up ‘The Scent of a Woman’ ….! 13 yrs after the movie won critical acclaim and ofcourse the 'Best Actor Oscar' for long deserved Al Pacino’s brilliant performance and impeccable portrayal of a blind retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, I am forced to instigate everyone to watch and experience what the movie has to offer. It is not the storyline…. It the essence of the character and the flamboyance of the movie that has made it one of my favorites….! My only regret is that I shouldn’t have given it a miss before.

You might be reminded of Pacino’s towering achievements in the Godfather, Skarface and others… but ‘Scent of a Woman’ is once again a reminder of the good old days when actors displayed their charismatic screen persona. The movie revolves around two seemingly different men, Lt. Colonel Frank Slade (Pacino) a wounded belligerent warrior with refined taste for cuisine, chauffeured limos, and beautiful women, and Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell) who is a poor, fatherless scholarship student at a boarding school.

Proud and irascible, Pacino does not let anyone feel sorry for him; he is out on a quest of fun and passion. His enigmatic and bizarre personality is woven together with finesse like never before. His honest and passionate description of women, his zest for life, the sound of his voice, the music, the mystery leaves you gasping for more….! In each progressing scene, we get to know another facet of Slade's multi-shaded personality, another element of his past. Pacino is, without doubt, the best thing in the movie, always keeping it afloat. He brings to the role a mixture of strong presence and light self-mockery that helps set the film's bitter-sweet mood. It is the kind of role that would win the Oscars and this one sure did.

It shows that the feelings can be much sharper when one is missing, in this case the lack of sight, shows that Frank developed a new way of living and that way goes deeper into the hearts of the ones he lets come by himself. Teaches how we can look deeper into a woman and understand that there is a lot more than what we see.

Charlie (O’Donnell) is brilliant in his innocent portrayal of a school boy who goes on a journey that changes two lives, his sheer innocence leaves you charmed. I wouldn’t want to ruin your experience of the movie so I shall go no further…..!

Just that….. it is 2.5 hrs of pure beauty and magic through the feelings of a human heart about everything it surrounds.

It teaches you to love….and give and exchange love, because that gives you a reason to LIVE and move on….

A must watch if your ever doubt yourself for being a woman, if you need that push to move on….The Scent of a Woman will get you right where it should !!

Musings of A dejected MiND......!

....I still remember that evening when i sat by the window of my room, and watched the leaves dancing and rejoicing at the glory of the rain and mocking at my very existence. With eyes drenched i watched the birds fly to the cosy protection of of their little nests. In the air i smelt the sweet dampness of mud, yet felt the pain deep within me choking me to death. I felt like my dreams were shattered, my wishes sacrificed and my aspirations burnt and crying out faintly in the loud din!!!

But, i raised my head and saw the sun setting on the horizon. Suddenly, i felt a chord strike my heart, resulting in a faint music playing in the vicinity. I realised there is more to life. I let go of all the inhibitions that were binding my purpose of achieving my goal. I understood that I had the right to dream, toil and conquer.

I learnt that it is more rewarding to meet life on my own, to drink in every cup life has to offer - not to confine myself to the good and socially acceptable. i had to widen my horizons, move beyond society - experience the best and the worst of life, the trouble, pain and joy! Experience EVERYTHING life has to offer.

'Life' is a serious affair and talking life seriously is better than having fun all along. The former is to have a serious affair with life, becoming more involved, wading in it, drinking in it; while the latter is a casual one night stand.

I have to be me under all circumstances and forge ahead and envisage everything, all ventures life has to offer.Suddenly the chord stopped, but the music still played in the ambience, in every drop of water, the fresh air, the grey clouds passing by and my life. The edifice of fear built in my mind fell and perished. I found a new meaning to life. 'Life is Beautiful'.

I have to live it the way it comes. Thorns are meant to prick, but it dare not come in the way of a conqueror - A conqueror of his dreams.
I learnt to recognize success and failures from its own unique point of view. I had to live life by my own rules, and that in all situations, i was the only one who would be with myself all through, and i has to always remain the one and only.......!!