Multitasking-Woman|| Source:www.behance.net
“सृष्टि नहीं नारी बिना, यही जगत आधार
नारी के हर रूप की, महिमा बड़ी अपार”
“Srishiti nahi nari bina, yahi jagat aadhar
Nari ke har roop ki, Mahima badi apaar”
It translates to as following:
“No world exists without women. They are the foundation of the planet. Women in every incarnation embody immense glory.
Earlier, society had a very simple structure. Men and women were tied, chosen, or probably destined into different roles. Men assume responsibility for the world outside the home; women take care of the house. Women were bound by the four walls of the house with no world of their own. Kitchen, childbearing, and rearing were primary jobs in their lap. They looked upon the social status of their mother, grandmother with an eye of self-pity, helplessness, and disgrace. Household chores were looked upon with contemptuous eyes and so the doer. It was felt that there was no true existence of women. As I see around in my own vicinity on the situation of women, it pierces my heart.
Then women started looking at their situation inwardly which pushed them to fight for self-respect and slowly and steadily their horizon expanded. Gradually, women proved their mettle and left an imprint on every nook and corner of the country and society. They made their identity. Whether it is armed forces, politics, medicine, engineering, or space; no area remains untouched by women.
Women changed themselves; changed their roles at home and outside but could not change the attitude of society towards them! Even playing their role outside, household chores remained their own territory. No help, and no consideration….
Now the situation is as if they have become “Super Woman”. Women deemed like an avatar of goddess Durga, with 10 arms. May be that too falls short in describing the true situation. Everything almost started falling in their lap —- whether it is children’s education, preparation for marriage to death, taking care of guests, or be it elderly care.
These jobs were not at all new for women. They were doing from generation to generation; however, the dream of the corporate world which is a newly invented desire is crushing our life. The woman, who happened to be the embodiment of compassion and gentleness, is becoming a mechanized machine.
She is trying to be an ideal wife, dedicated mother, fashionable friend. She is cooking meal for the family, trying to be part of dance party, complying with trending fashion. She is dropping kids at school, attending meeting with school principal, attending board meeting. She is getting versed with price of stock to the price of vegetables. She became all-rounder.
It is often perceived as good, but, from the last few months, the thought has been bothering me that “I am capable of doing everything”. With that thinking, we are weighing ourselves with the burden of the insurmountable work. Constantly, we are trying to prove ourselves beyond our might. In the midst of this muddled thought, which is leading to reckless action, we have forgotten where the true joy lies. Women have started running the race with no endpoint in mind. They are trying to learn anything and everything without thinking: why?
Why am I doing gardening because someone else is doing; why am I pursuing paraphernalia of odd hobbies because someone else is good at? Why am I inflicting so much pain upon myself?
Why don’t we set the direction? As I give my examples: I, my family, my work, some of my hobbies… that’s all. I should stop there.
I am now firmly convinced that there is a need for a change in attitude towards women, not only from men or society but definitely from themselves. Until yesterday, both men and women were complementary to each other. They used to fill each other’s deficiencies. Their strengths were by complementing each other’s weaknesses. One comes forward to share the burden of others; however, today, we are competing against each other. We are putting ourselves in the murky struggle in which both are going to lose. We are pushing ourselves in a moment in which both are devoid. It is felt that we are leaving others alone but in reality, we are equally alone.