Mithali Raj Rewrites History

10 years later 

Journalist to Kohli: “Who is your favourite female cricketer?”

Kohli retorts back: “How often do you ask this to a female cricketer?”

We have timeless times witnessed the chants of “Sachin…Sachin…Sachin” or “Dhoni...Dhoni…Dhoni”.

This time again there were chants at Lords, the Mecca of cricket, however they were different .It was “Mithali…Mithali…Mithali” all the way.

Mithali Raj, the captain of Indian women’s cricket team lead from the front throughout the world cup,being the highest rungetter.Her captaincy was spot on,making the right bowling changes bringing on Jhulan Goswami when Taylor and Sciver were stitching a threatening partnership for England in the finals.She did show leadership of backing her players when they were out of form unlike some other captain’s in recent times. 

Yes India did lose,and it was heartbreaking,but Mithali Raj’s Team had done their job. They have changed the course of Women’s cricket in India.Women’s cricket will never be the same again.

Mithali Raj,the Arjuna Ranatunga,of Indian cricket may not play in another world cup but she has definitely rewritten history.

I think women’s IPL would add a great proposition to take women’s cricket forward.

And yes the chants like “Mithali…Mithali…Mithali” will grow in the days to come.

Women Empowerment: Myth vs Reality

सत्यम् ब्रूयात् प्रियम् ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम् | 

प्रियम् नानृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्मः सनातनः ||

satyam bruyat priyam bruyat na bruyat satyam apriyam

priyam ca nanrutam bruyat esha dharmah sanatanah

Speak truth in such a way that it should be pleasing to others. Never speak truth, which is unpleasant to others. Never speak untruth, which might be pleasant. This is the path of eternal morality, sanatana dharma.

Real empowerment happens only by two ways

1.Devotion

2.Sense of Service

It is a well considered myth that only working women are more empowered than housewife’s.

A women who takes care of her husband and children with devotion are really more empowered to make correct decisions than a women who may be a chairperson of any organization but works without any devotion.

Real power does not come through authority,it comes through service.

Empowerment as per Hindu religious texts is not gained by holding any authorized position,it happens by sense of service that one offers.

In ancient India, even now in some places,it is the man who occupies the head of the family position and the  women is used to listening to him,this has often been misconstructed as slavery by the western historians who did come to India.Even in this so called bondage of the wife,it was received by her with an unsaid , untold joy and love,though the so called intellectuals of today have called it patriarchical, antiwomen and antisocial.

India has never been antiwomen since ancient ages.

It always respected women.Mathrudevobhava -  Treat your mother as god.This has been well reflected in the religious preaching’s of great saints like Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and Sankaracharya.  Though the western culture taught otherwise.

“Women need to be treated as children and protected” – this is what the Manusmriti, an ancient Hindu text states.

Today this is often misrepresented as lack of freedom,bondage,slavery by the so called intellectual,modern,westernized,liberal women activists.

P.S.- I am not a Hindu extremist.

India and its Ideals

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Meaning

Lead me from falsehood to truth,

Lead me from darkness lead me to light,

Lead me from death to the immortality

Om Peace,Peace,Peace.

India -A land from where spirituality and philosophy have again and again rushed out and deluged the world.A land of the greatest sages from where wisdom originated and spread its wings.

The land with the mighty snowcapped Himalayas at the top and rivers roaring like the oceans. The ideal of India is based on the ages of tapasya and sadhana of its Sages ,Rishis and Mahatma’s-their Renunciation ,not based on its filmstars,cricketors,or politicians.India has been blessed with numerous gems over a period of time-like Lord Krishna,Buddha,Shankara, Chaitanya,Ramakrishna Paramhamsa,Ramana Maharshi and Mata Amritanandamayi Devi to name a few.

Religion is instilled in the blood and veins of every Indian.And their religion is not about fanatism or convertions,their ideal of religion is based on –“Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu” meaning everyone in this world be happy and prosperous.

Indian history also practically validates this argument ,that India has never attacked any other country-it has never believed in the use of force  to get more land or show supremacy though it is the same India which has withstood the shock of centuries,of hundreds of foriegn invasions.It is the same land which stands firmer than any rock in the world with its undying vigour and indestructible life.

Women form a soul in this holy land.Matrudevo bhava –meaning be one for whom the Mother is God.Every women is looked upon as mothers ,there is no question of lust or any carnal desire- that is the ideal of this ancient land unlike the west where women are observed a mere objects for sensory satisfaction.The highest ideal of a wife is purity and being chaste unlike the west.

Here it is very interesting to note that the western media ,asks India to take care of its women-to a country that taught the world how to look upon its women.

In India ,women is the embodiment of sacrifice, from the time of her birth ,to her family , to her husband and then to her children-she sacrifices.In India if father is the breadwinner, mother is the soul of the family .

Indian culture instill values of Atithidevo bhava meaning be one for whom the guest is god.It has been generous and magnanimous in giving back to the world be it knowledge,spirituality,wisdom,yoga or Ayurveda,or the architecture and design of its temples-it never charges.

The values of Indians are rooted in purity ,compassion and truth.

False rape cases on a high…

Strengthen the muscles of your heart not the muscles of your hand-Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

In 2012 India as a whole was shook by the Delhi rape case.And there were lot of outrage shown by media and society to deal sternly with the accused. As a part of a civilized society I take great pride in appreciating the actions of the people of my country,be it activitists,media ,politicians or the judges.

But what is alarming is that such uproar and havoc had been created of the right reasons but the after effects have been gruesome, cruel and harmful.

There has been an increase in the number of false rape cases being reported by women to settle personal scores.

Two of my friends have been at the receiving end of this law .(both different cases).

Under  law of IPC section 376(1),stating ---raping after promising marriage,he was arrested.

And on what basis do they arrest the person ,just on the basis of single police complaint by the girl.No verification,no history of the women is taken in to account.

In an age of live in relationships and premarital stands ,a literate city girl easily misuses this law to get back at the guy ,whom she had physical intimacy with consensually at a time when they were in a relationship. The guy has the full right to say that they were in a mutual relationship and after finding each others differences and attitude had moved on. 

My friends life’s have been shattered, their family have a social stigma attached to them.They have difficulty in seeing what the future would be. The parents face social humiliation everyday. I wonder what is their fault?And what is his?I know the courts would acquit him,but the damage has already been done."Its difffcuilt to walk on the streets outside …people look at me as I am a rapist”—he says."I ask him to tell them to fu*k off”.

The girl on her part has no such baggage,she is not forced to have feel any humialiation,she is full of political vendetta. Her family is not facing any social stigma.And above all if the case which she files goes against her she has nothing to lose.Neither will she have to face any criminal proceedings, neither is any compensation penalty imposed on her.

I call upon all activists,media , lawmakers , law implementers and society to shown the same alertness in dealing with this rising menace of false rape cases  in order to sustain the harmony in a civilized society.

Media so called fourth pillar of democracy plays an important role in creating awareness about provisions of law and consequences of filing false rape cases against innocent alleged accused .It is important to mention the observations of Fast Track Court Judge while acquitting the alleged accused and highlighted the role of media in following words:

“I hope and trust that the media, which is an important pillar of our democratic set up, would strive to highlight the plight of rape accused after their acquittal by courts in the same way in which they report filing of rape cases.” [Para 12]

Court further observed that “Be that as it may, the accused herein is acquitted. This is all what this court can do in his favour. Rest is upon the society in general and media in particular how they would treat the accused hereafter.” [Para 13]

I have written a few posts on my blog on women empowerment,I believe in it completely that women have to be empowered---empowered in the heart rather than in the head,as my spiritual guru Mata Amritanandamyi Devi puts it clearly “Strengthen the  muscles of your heart not the muscles of your hand.”---only then true empowerment happens.

This post on Quora does provide an insight

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https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-cases-stories-where-some-women-have-misused-the-Indian-laws-that-were-made-to-protect-women