Feminnism is the flavour of the cup today.....
Despite the tremendous progress we have made in terms of ambitions and technology in religion and spiritual beliefs we remain tied to archaic rules. In India, the 9 day celebrations of the navratras - meaning new or nine nights are cause of much ado and celebrations.
The festivities have evoked some significant introspection into the deeper meanings that they mark. The navratras are celebrations devoted to Goddess Durga, that include strict fasting and then worship of the goddess's nine avtaras. Hindu religion pays due respect to the female form and states her worthy of worship, a belief that has long past seen deterioration evident in the increase in crime against women in the patriarch society that we are today. However our scriptures, ages ago when they were written described a significant role that the better half had to play in the creation and survival of the world.
"Yatra Nariyastu poojyante, ramente tatra devta"...."where ever women are worshipped, the gods reside there".
The tradition of acknowledging the female form or the "Adi shakti" and her 9 avtaras, each with a legend of her own still arouse respect from the devout followers.
But how hypocrite of the modern male to worship the goddess in his temple, enshirine her statue in his house and yet be disrespectful to her. Times could be changing, but we are yet to see a radical transformation of the Indian society in one that claims less of its females in fotecide, doesnot belie her existance by discrimination in all walks of life, give her career too an equal calling and let her find her wings.
