MIND SPACE (Reading for inspiration)

 EMANICIPATION FROM INTELLECTUAL SLAVERY

-       Bagampiriyal

 

Looking back to history Sarojini Naidu was a proponent of civil rights and fought for emancipation of women. In the early 1917 she spoke about the importance of women empowerment and five ways to achieve women’s right in this country. She asserted the right of widow remarriage and rehabilitation measures such as education for widows. She raised her voice for right to vote and soon after independence in 1950 universal adult suffrage was granted to women and the first General election were held between 1951 October to February 1952.Sarojini Naidu asserted that freedom would be reached only with equality for woman. She also achieved her dream of appointing woman as members of legislation by nomination. She also campaigned for the right to divorce. She asserted that to seek any for any form of preferential treatment would be to violate the integrity of the universal demand of Indian woman for absolute equality of political states. 

It took a long way to achieve women’s right in this country. The government in this country has taken various steps to improve the status of women but we need to break the intellectual slavery of Indian mind. This requires a lot of conscious effort on the part of both men and women. This human consciousness should be manifested especially in thought, perception and emotions. Many Indian woman sitting inside their homes as caged birds having good education and better ideas loathing themselves inside their households.

Imitating the west in wearing western outfits does not mean emancipation but there is still a long way to go to understand themselves - understanding the skills perceiving the talents and pursuing the career of their choice. I still doubt how many girls in India are able to do this. Technology and other means are important for helping woman to know the world and look for better opportunities but they are only instruments and they cannot replace human minds.

It is riskier to transform women into self-respecting robots making more slaves. It is quite clear that no one else can see this. Women should learn to think with a goal in mind. Change is only a thought away. Be the change you want to see……….