Maniya Zainab
8 – D, Study Hall School
Give a chance to this little girl,
and i will teah you how to love
Let my limits be the sky ,
and see how high i can fly .
Give a chance to this little girl
Reply
Monthly Archives: January 2013
निर्भया तुम्हें सलाम
Suman Diwedi
Study Hall School
निर्भया तुम्हें सलाम …….
रात थी घनेरी
सड़क थी अँधेरी
नहीं थी अकेली।
साथ था मित्र
बिलकुल सच्चरित्र
समझ कर हालात
बोला-ना डर
मै हूँ तेरे साथ
तभी आवाज़ आयी
बहन क्यों हो घबराई ?
तुम्हे जहाँ जाना है
हमें भी वहीँ जाना है।
वह बैठ गई विश्वास पर
स्वयं की ही लाश पर
उसमे थे दरिन्दे,
गिद्ध नुमा परिंदे ।
नियत थी उनकी खोटी
नोंचने लगे उसकी बोटी
उलझ रही थी सांसे
तार-तार थी पोशाके
अश्रु लहु ,लहु अश्रु,
जीवन की गुहार
ईश्वर से पुकार
मदद मदद
वह चिल्लाई-
कही से कोई आवाज़ न आई
सब थे गूंगे बहरे
साथ थी उसकी किस्मत
लुटी हुई अस्मत
केश थे खुले
अरमाँ थे मरे
धड़कन थी,पर चाह नहीं
जीवन था पर आत्मा नहीं
जो लड़ते- लड़ते मर गई
कह दिया शहीद हो गई
हे देश! कैसा है तेरा परिवेश?
जो जीना चाहता है,
वो लड़कर मर जाता है।
और मरकर भी नाम अमर कर जाता है!!
A belonging of someone else
Prachi
Class VII (Prerna School)
Even today after so much development in India people yearn for a male child to carry the family name forward and getting support in their hay days. Female child is considered to be the belonging of someone else as she has to get married and go to her in laws house. Though law of the land provides equal rights to a female and male in all regards, parental heir is always a male scion at home. The best facilities; be it education , food , clothes, leisure , entertainment , or freedom are for boys . a female child is always made to feel secondary to her brother and probably unwanted too.
When a girl is young, she is guided by her father , when she is older she is guided by her husband , when she is very old ,she is guided by her son.
The time a girl is born , hardly any body feels truly happy in the family .
This social malaise needs to be treated as national security issue at the highest levels of government , various action need to be taken to children who have been sexually and physically abused and to hold the police accountable action from courts and police will not suffice if the community remains defiantly opposed to change.
India has been a patriarchy for a long time , but it is time now to move forward , it is time to develop into a society that is neither male –dominated or female dominated , but where men and women are equal – socially politically and economically . This is not an impossible dream. We can do it.
An important change that can be implemented is to make a start in the schools. Mandatory child and women’s right to education should be included in the curriculum and the focus should be put on violence against women and children in all it’s forms instead of staying away from such taboo topics , teacher should deal with them in the class room . A nationwide teacher training program must be introduced to ensure that the subject is properly taught.
Society will help us , but it is up to us women to organize our strength , individually and collectively , it is up to us to reach –out and empower ourselves.
LIFE IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY
Jyotika Misra
From Class XI-D, Study Hall School
Sometimes I wonder what this world would be like without women? How would it look like without their presence, smile and calmness?
Today what is happening in our country has forced me to ask these questions to myself. Why are women being exploited across the globe? In our country where people worship goddesses like Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, etc, women are being treated like commodities in today’s date. Women are considered to be the weaker sex simply because they are physically weaker than men. All the wrong things are done with women and then the explanation given for it is that they are girls that is why this happened with them. Even though we claim to be very modern, we are still living in a male-dominant society, where mostly women are dependent upon their fathers, brothers or husbands in some way or the other. Women are always overpowered by the men in their family. They are forced to obey their husband or father. Why this attitude? Do the men also always obey their wives? No, then why is it only women who should listen to men? Many women face domestic violence in their families. Their husbands, sons or other relatives beat them up everyday behind closed doors in order to maintain their ‘superiority’. Inspite of all this, the women still do not step out of their house and tell the world about their husband’s wrongdoings because few don’t want their family name to be spoilt, others give excuse of their children and remain quiet and some feel that it’s their husband’s right to beat them up.
Sexual assault has become very common in our country from past few years. Everyday we come across articles about girls being raped and then killed. Recently I read a newspaper article about a girl being raped in a moving train and then being hanged to death on a nearby tree. And obviously there’s the Delhi gangrape case which we are all aware of. This incident has forced the whole country to think and take some action before it gets too late. It’s because of the outrage of the whole nation and because the youth took to the streets that laws are being revised in our country and steps are being taken in order to have a proper implementation of these laws. What I’m talking about here is something that comes into public light through media but what about the sexual abuse which takes place within families? Many women, specially in rural areas are being raped everyday by their husbands and other relatives. In rural areas, women don’t even realize at times that raping is an offence, even if its the husband who is doing so. This is simply because of lack of awareness amongst women over there. Young girls who are 5-6 year old become victims of rape. Men do not think for a single second before committing such heinous crimes. I don’t think any girl feels safe while walking on a road alone. The thought of what might just happen to her the next minute scares her. And in case of being molested, girls don’t feel safe in going to the police station and lodging a complaint against the accused. In the past there have been cases where girls after being raped went to the police station where they were again raped by a policeman.
And why are girls blamed for these offences? We can’t blame women for all this and make statements like “girls wear provocative clothes, that’s why crime is increasing.” The girls have full right to wear what they wish to. A 2 year old does not get raped because of the kind of clothes she wears. We come across girls wearing salwar-kameez being raped, at the same time girls wearing one piece being raped. So the root cause of this is not westernization, it is rather our society’s decayed mentality.
Is there a problem with the kind of upbringing the children are getting that crime against women is increasing at a rapid rate? Our personality enhancement starts at home. So the parents should encourage equality in their family so that the son never feels that women are anywhere lesser than men and they can be dominated. The husband should treat his wife and other women in family with all respect because his son would learn from whatever he sees being practised around him. Proper education about law and rights should also be provided to women so that they are aware about the various offences and the punishments which exist for them.
Shouting slogans would not solely help in fighting against these crimes. Our thinking needs to undergo a change. People should be more proactive and think about the welfare of mankind. In the Nirbhaya case, no one came to help her while she lay on the road, naked for hours in the cold weather. On the busy road, definitely there would have been people who saw her lying at the corner of the road, but no one came to her rescue. That was probably due to the fear of getting engaged in police investigation or simply because no one bothered enough to help her. We need to do away with this attitude and start taking initiatives.
We should work together and do away with this patriarchal form of society which we are living in and take steps towards constructing an egalitarian one.
Servitude of a Chagrined Dove
Ekisha Narain
XI-D, Study Hall School
Near the city of Varanasi there is an Iron casting factory surrounded by small settlements of the workers. I dedicate this song to Meenaksi. A 48 year old woman who lives there and was being raped by her own husband almost every night. She thought it wasn’t considered as rape because he was her husband. Imagine. She tolerated this for more than 30 years! Until one day when her husband, drunk, invited his friends over for a night. After suffering for more than 5 hours when the sun peeked through the window as she laid alone. It dawned upon her. How wrong it was and how many other women might be going through all this in that area alone. She decided to stand up! She couldn’t take it anymore!
She talked to all the women of the area about the incident and they came together and formed a group against this injustice. At first they were criticized. Their husbands, fathers and brothers laughed at them and beat them for standing against their authority ! But they didn’t know the power of united women.
She talked to all the women of the area about the incident and they came together and formed a group against this injustice. At first they were criticized. Their husbands, fathers and brothers laughed at them and beat them for standing against their authority ! But they didn’t know the power of united women.
It’s been almost a year and they have acted against 14 men who were fired and sentenced to about two years in prison. Now that group has over 30-40 women and 10-15 men which they are trying to expand as much as possible.
Meenaksi. A 48 year old woman who lives there and was being raped by her own husband almost every night.
Exhausted
I continue my journey,
as the outnumbered,
the weakling.
No other choice
but to live with it.
Unconscious.
Not my memory.
I’m not young,
nor fair.
But does it matter?
Not to them.
To him.
I blame God,
I know not why.
Eyes closed
I’m ready to die
Silence,
Pain,
Anger,
Powerless I lie.
Numb.
Guilty.
Is it my fault?
Yes.
For reticent i stay
hiding the embarrassment.
Fearing the forcible.
Every night.
Every night….
But not today!
Today i fly
I’ve had enough
You will not haunt us
Together we stand
against your type
You shall fear us!
Our rage now hype!
Standing tall
We’ll fight!
We’ll fight!
Who will hear Our Voice?
Priyanka Chatterjee
Digital Study Hall
I would like to share an experience from my work life, an experience which countless working women face every day when they leave their houses. I was visiting District Institute of Educational Training (DIET) Chitrakoot and Kaushambi, I got late and boarded a bus at Allahabad for Lucknow. It was 4 in the afternoon, I was certain that I would reach home in four hours. As luck would have it engine of the bus broke down, we got delayed by more than 3 hours. When I boarded the bus there were 25 men and 3 women onboard. As as time went by I was the only women left on the bus. It was then that I started feeling scared. I could feel many men staring at me; I could smell the drunken men at the back of the bus. Though I consider myself to be a strong and independent woman that night I felt very vulnerable. As I arrived at Lucknow I called my husband with a breath of sigh and he picked me up at half past midnight from the deserted bus station.
I still asked myself – I am an educated & independent woman and ironically working for empowerment of women, so why was I scared? I remember a little girl from KGBV Ghorawal at Sonbhadra district who said “We are scared, and we do not raise our voice” but that day in the bus I understood what she meant. It was not just about raising her voice. It is the fact that there is no one that will hear and understand. That day even if I had raised my voice, there was no one who I could expect to respond. This is where I feel that no matter how brave we are, we still need the a lawful state, We need government to take hold of administration and make our railways, our buses, roads and public places safe for women.
I AM A GIRL CHILD
Vanshika Rastogi
X-C, Study Hall School
I am a girl child,
feel my agony .
listen to my plight.
I too have a heart that beats like yours
Ten fingers and ten toes
I too have a mind that thinks like yours
And feels joy and sorrow too
When I was born,
no one was happy ,
no one rejoiced.
Parents considered me as a burden
which they had to carry all their life.
Growing up I tried to fulfill every expectations of others,
crushing all expectations of mine.
Why then do you think I don’t deserve a chance?
Why am I considered worthless?
Why do you believe I don’t deserve to live …
and give me death when I’m helpless?
I too yearn for a life someday
Belong to a family, make friends and play
Grow up, fall in love and have a child or two
Have a wonderful life just like you
Don’t kill me, don’t let me die .
Even you know your life is not complete
without me.
The mythology says girl is a form of goddess
only to be treated with love respect n reverence,
but no one even treats me nice
guess that’s the hypocrisy of mankind.
Don’t treat me below nor treat me above,
Just treat me equal.
Empower me n let me bloom like a rose in the bouquet of life.
Today I Feel Ashamed To Be A Man
Dharm Pravartak
Student, Study Hall School
Why do we care if a girl was brutally raped and was left for dead in Delhi. For every protest movement that takes place in the country there are about 30 rapes taking place in India. Not even a month into 2013 and we already have 27 cases reported in the country . I ask the men of my nation, have you no shame, have you no conscious, have you no heart? Why are you raping women, they are not just objects of sex. They are the ones who give you life. they are the ones who make you the man you are. they are the ones who have raised you from puny thumb sucking babies to the full grown man that you have become, you do not feel one tinge of shame and disgust when you commit such heinous crimes. Now i ask those men who stay quite when they see such a crime happen, has the chivalry and bravery in you died? where does that chivalry go to when a girl needs your help. why does it only come when you have to abuse someone or beat up your wife or daughter or mother. We very loudly shout that “Babri Masjid” was made on the land where Lord Rama was born and we should remove the Mosque and build a temple. We are the followers of Lord Rama but may i ask you all a question that do you really even understand the meaning of the title “Maryada Purushottam”. It means a Gentleman Beyond Question or Doubt, a man of the highest morals and ethics. my dear men what do we do we rape women in the name of that great GOD/Person we kill women, rape them and have riots which then become communal. sometimes i wonder that do these riots really take place for the purpose they are supposedly taking place or just for feasting on women and young girls. Men if you so badly want sex then go to a brothel and satisfy yourselves there are thousands of them all across the country but please stop raping and molesting women on the streets, stop making them feel vulnerable and weak all the time. just imagine how you would like it if it was your mother being raped or your sister or daughter. For heavens sakes stop it India has had enough of this, don’t bring more shame to MANHOOD, men should be known as protectors, providers, safe keepers and not as rapists, molesters, butchers. Please stop doing such things that other MEN FEEL ASHAMED TO BE MEN!
All from one origin ‘ A Mother ‘
Jyotiranjan Nayak,
Class-VIII-A,
Study Hall
My view point on the brutal Delhi gang rape case that took place on 16th December, 2012 is that, we should be really ashamed of the fact that we call ourselves the largest democracy in the whole world where the women aren’t even safe to move around in their own country. This incident really shook me from inside and a question was raised in my mind that, Are women safe in India? Obviously not, but why? Women are now becoming the target of men who do not hesitate to make them feel vulnerable, and, worse, attack their dignity.
A recent study states that India is the worst country for women among the G20 nations. The report suggests that Indian women are not free from violence. The National Crime Reports Bureau 2011 shows that Bangalore comes second in the country for crimes committed against women. According to the report, Bangalore has 1,890 cases, which accounts for 5.6%, after New Delhi (13.3%). Why do Indian men use sexual violence to rob a woman’s security? A recent survey revealed that Indian women are the most stressed out in the world: 87% of our women feel stressed out most of the time. This statistic alone has caused me to stress out. Even in workaholic America, only 53% women feel stressed. Sexual Harassment in other cities
Delhi 4,489 cases (13.3%)
Hyderabad 1,860 cases (5.5%)
Vijayawada 1,797 cases (5.3%)
Sex crime against women in Bangalore
Cruelty by Husband: 398 to 458
Molestation: 308 to 250
Rape: 65 to 97
Dowry deaths: 52 to 53
Sexual harassment: 40 to 50
There are many India’s at present. It’s difficult for a socio-economically and sexually repressed India to live with the modern, independent India. Backward ideas about gender and sexuality overpower the India in which women want to live on their own. Indian society has always prided itself on a strong masculine figure. News Agencies say that our Indian Army is the second largest army in the whole world. An army is present to protect the nation, but what’s the worth of having such a huge force at our borders when women aren’t safe in their houses itself. We are guided by weak laws, slow judiciary system and a very ignorant policing system where there is no justice and no one even bothers. And neither women are given enough support in their family to come out and talk about it. So, women face the worst of both worlds.
Aren’t we all sons, brother, fathers, all from one origin,’ a mother ‘ isn’t it. So shouldn’t we protect them and also should look forward to support our sisters, daughters, mothers, and friends and make them feel secure that they are living in a safe India where no one would harm them.
बिटिया की कलम से
Suman Diwedi
Study Hall School
बिटिया की कलम से
स्वप्न यूँ बिखर गए,
अश्रु बनकर बह गए ,
हम राह देखते रहे,
वे मौन व्रत लिए रहे ।
कोई ना था पास तब,
जीने की मुझमे चाह तक,
वस्त्र तार -तार हो गए ,
हम जार -जार रो पड़े ।
साँसों में भी तब जान थी ,
धड़कन की उसमे आस थी,
मोमबत्तियाँ हैरान थी,
जलने की उनमे चाह थी।
जो पिघल-पिघल कह गई
दास्ताने-जुर्म की,
आवाम ने आवाज़ दी ,
अब और नहीं! और नहीं !
होगा शहीद इस तरह,
मिल करके आज ये कहे,
बेटी है गौरव देश की,
पत्नी और जननी वही,
जीने का उसे अधिकार दो!
उसे उसका संसार दो!
यहाँ मान को सम्मान दो!
अब राह,देखेंगे नहीं ।
तुम मौन व्रत लिए रहो।
हम साथ देंगे नहीं !!!!!
Volunteer
Work With Us
