#karvachauth #includeeveryone #singlemothers #comingoutofthecloset #lonelywomen #womantrappedinmansbody #divorcee #widow #solahsingar #suhagan #StreeUjagarKar #poem #katha
#nayisoch I have my mom and daughters names on my hand”
While my girls are rejoicing the end of 1st term exams in school, they are oblivious to the fact that being born woman in itself is big exam, which they will have to appear for time and again, year on year to prove their acceptability and existence in the community.
Like today is the day for the so awaited ‘Pativrata Pariksha’ of the hindu women-‘The Karva Chauth’. I jumped into the bandwagon about 5 years ago when I saw about 50 women, adorned with ‘solah singaar’ from newly weds to old suhagan aunties, exchanging thalis in a huge circle, praying for the well being of their husbands. Our culture has always fascinated me and I have tried to follow many cultures and religions from tambrahm rituals, to observing jain paryushan to singing and reading sufi to attending church mass, to shabad gaan in gurdwaras. So Karva chauth was one more of these rituals I started. When I heard the katha my memories took me back to the ‘solah somvar’ fasts I used to observe as a teenager. The stories were very similar. I went back further in my memories and remembered the Kanjak systems in dasera.
Seems every community has conspired to find ways to twist mythology, to keep women below a ‘lakshman rekha(code of conduct)’, beyond which we are told the wreath of ‘Ravan(the ill fate of hardships)’ will be cast upon us, such as ‘agni pariksha(virginity test)’, ‘vanvas me prasav vedna(seclusion by society in pregnancy)’, ‘bhugarbh me sama jana (separated from family forever)’ and our beloved ‘Ram’ will be forced to watch you go and still remain ‘Maryada Purushottam’ for ages and ages.
I have all the love and affection for Ram and his body of work. I sing and teach all the ballads and folklore written on him. ‘Ram ka Naam’ has such strong vibrations that draws me to some high source of positive energy.
Then why is such suppression on women propagated. They were written by learned ‘Rishi Munis’ and rewritten in so many languages for its widespread impact . Women were worshipped as Durga Lakshmi Saraswati.
It’s time to reinterpret these stories. We have to pass on a strong ecosystem if culture and tradition to the younger generation. Religion should be inclusive evolving and empowering. Just like Kanjak is celebrating ‘Girl child’, Karva Chauth is celebrating of Womanhood, inding love, being in love – with a man, woman, child, nature and life.
With so many Single Mothers fighting a lonely battle in this man’s world, with so many Men ‘coming out of the closet’ and fighting a lonely battle of acceptance as a woman, so many Women who love Women, let’s not make it more difficult for them. Facebook has 71 gender status and over a dozen marital status type.
A STREE-A Woman has a womb, symbolic of creation, containment, nurturing and delivering a strong, healthy and robust lifeform that takes ahead a value system for ages to come.
“Apne Andar Ki Stree Ujagar Kar”
Ek Karva mai bhi hu layi
Ek katha mujhe bhi hai sunani
Sadiyon se jakdi bediyon ne Sanhaar kiya Rani bankar
Dasi bani tum iss jagat me
Kab tak moond rakhogi ankhe, iss yug me bhi Gandhari bankar
Is Chandrama ki sheet kiran se aaj bedi todkar
Tu Stree Ujagar Kar, Tu Stree Ujagar Kar
Samman ka sringaar kar, abhimaan ka sringar kar
Gyan ka sringar kar,
Jeevandaan ka sringar kar
Tu hi Durga Parvati, tu Shakti ka sringar kar,
Tu hi Meera Rukmini, tu Bhakti ka sringar kar
Vatsalya, Karuna, Prem, Mamta, Dharm ka sringar kar
Sukh Samridhi Shanti aur Vishwas ka sringar kar
Sringar ka sukh har stree ko hai
Chahe tum stree ho Janm se
ya Stree hui Jeevan se
Deh ki vipada ko taj, tu srijan ka sringar kar
Maun ki vedna ko taj, abhivyakti ka sringar kar
Har Stree Ka Sringar Kar
Tu Stree Ujagar Kar, Tu Stree Ujagar Kar
STREE UJAGAR KAR
justjayaa 