Guest Post: The Social Structure of India

“So when I started Lost Reality, I always wanted to invite guest contributions. Not necessarily in the field to which I restrict myself but contributors who would cover much varied aspects of life and reality. I am happy to announce the first of such contributors. Her name is Srishti Dogra, a 15 year old school student whom I had the opportunity to meet at one of my overnight sky observations. She came across as a girl with exceptional intellectual maturity and a clear sense of right and wrong. This is a true account of an experience she had recently.” – Nikhil

India is a country that people believe has a great and golden history. Its culture and customs are thought to be great by its people. But here, I stand alone shouting the real truth about this ridiculous society. A society where even after so much development people consider women to be backward. As someone who should be kept inside the house for doing household work. What else can we expect from a country where the leader says that women are born to work inside the houses, raise children and serve their husbands. A tied creature that deserves no freedom. This is the social structure of India.

Though I am only 15 I can still see the effects of men exploiting women and the discrimination against them. Today I was playing with my friends. We were 6 girls and a boy. Playing and doing nothing wrong. Then suddenly an old beast came and started beating that innocent guy. All other girls kept quiet except for me because I could not tolerate something wrong. I was shouting at him, trying to explain to him that he was wrong and I was right. But he shot back at me with abusive language and scolded the boy who respects me. Is this called justice? That a man using his powers of incorrect experience and “elderism”. Is this what is called right? I, who was shouting the truth, made him feel wrong and guilty inside and that made him shout back at me. Bingo! Here is where he stood weak and I and stood strong.

So tell me was he correct or was I. Women are no backward class now a days who should be forced to play only with girls or sit back at home. Rather they are birds who should be freed after captivating them for so long. I know if I speak this truth I will be criticized by this shameless society where women are themselves responsible for their condition. But I don’t care because if this is the society then I don’t want to be a part of it.

- Srishti Dogra

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A Comment:

Such incidents are rather common in India. Authoritative, discriminatory, orthodox and irrational treatment of children by their own family is unfortunately a fairly dominant trait in our society. Since the time I received this article from Srishti, I heard of three more girls being subjected to irrational and authoritative demands by their parents. By their mothers in two cases incidentally. These three girls are all adults and they all have the right to vote and to own a drivers’ license. But not to live their own life apparently. That right is owned by their family.

Such restrictions are imposed on all children not just girls, though the percentages may vary. In most cases parents and other family members take a stand of ‘I-said-it-and-hence-its-right’. Often it is a slight variation to ‘Because-I-Said-So’. Can it get any more absurd! I am not arguing against parents and family members having a say in the decisions of their children. But these have to be explained logically, for which they must have a reason. Dictatorship is not the answer. And when their children start demanding reasons for their actions and stop being slaves, they pray to god asking what has come over their child and why he is rebelling. They may call it a rebellion, Rand would have called it Atlas Shrugged.

- Nikhil

Tags: India, irrationality, Life, society, women