On Womens Day, this is joyous news for Indian women and society too, for the behenji — tightly constricted, lacking individualism, aspirations, rights — symbolised an older India itself. Our countrys feudalistic socialism gifted a behenji to the world, a nation that abjured the flashy West, purportedly happy with its modest lot, but its veil covering much to be worried by. Reforms shook that veil, making the behenji look out. From the 1990s, two economic determinants pushed India to modernity or becoming mod. First, jobs — with reforms, several industries, aviation to advertising, banking to back processing, hospitality to management, boomed. Suddenly, jobs extended beyond male-dominated engineering and medicine. Alongside, Indias bazaars burst with consumerist delights. Scooters to soaps, computers to creams, a plethora of goods emerged for the enjoyment of one and all. The impact on aspirations — especially those of young women — was huge. Suddenly, it wasnt enough to tailor ones trousseau and await domestic purgatory. Life looked better driving against the wind on a scooter, money tucked into a well-stitched bag. This money was ones own, earned by a job rewarding merit or talent. Thus, in the 1990s, the behenji began breaking bounds. School statistics show young women smashing the earlier years academic records. Marketing graphs show growing female consumers spending more. Every new cultural space — malls, pubs, gyms — shows young women loving fresh freedoms. Remarkably, families supported girls. Id guess this had roots in the 1980s when the tremendous tragedy of dowry deaths, with thousands of young women murdered, starkly illuminated how tradition wasnt always grand. Secondly, as joint families broke and nuclear ones emerged, many realised daughters would care for them even if sons turned away. Both notions moulded a powerful emotional change, parents now wanting more opportunities for their girls. This was mirrored in Bollywoods heroines changing, from 1957s suffering ma-behen Mother India to 1989s glamorous career girl Chandni. Alongside, Kiran Bedi, Arundhati Roy, Aishwarya Rai, Sania Mirza and others encouraged girls to think of themselves as individuals, meriting dignity and care. Today, look at any young woman awaiting transport on an Indian street. Shes smartly dressed — usually, better than surrounding men — but more than her looks, her look stands out. Amidst the male throng, she stands with palpable dignity, recalling Frantz Fanon describing a modern Algerian woman who literally forged a new place by her sheer strength, where mens words were no longer law and women no longer silent. Reforms led Indian women to their new place, economic desire fusing with empowerment, spawning new consciousness and support. This happened with relatively little — a 2012 McKinsey report shows less than 40% Indian women between 25-54 years are economically active. China records 82%. Yet, between limitations and opportunities, Indian women have energetically chosen the latter today.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 03:45:37 +0000
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