THE ROLE of women in society has become significant and has started getting recognition. We, living in the 21st century, see that women are moving shoulder to shoulder with men and coming forward and progressing in all key areas and fields. Still, there are certain people who believe that women can never be equal to men and it is still the man who dominates throughout life.

 

This write up is just to draw your attention and to garner your views about where women actually stand today. To my surprise I have seen newly wedded women suffering because of this false belief that women should not have an individualistic approach to life and should do what the in-law’s desire. They say that the battle on the in-law’s side is half won if the woman has her husband’s support. So what about those who don’t ever get this support which they long for? The moment a girl gets married she is forced to change overnight to a ’bahu’. She is told to forget whatever she did all these years when she was at her parents place and to start following what this new relation has to offer.

 

Every one immediately occupies a post - the post of mother in-law, father in-law and husband, telling her the do’s and don’ts of the new house. But what about the girl who doesn’t even know the rules and regulations of the new house. What about her? Wear this, eat this, talk like this, go to places where the in-laws want, but what about the girl turned bride? Is she not allowed to live a life of her own or has to suppress her desires and serve the rest of the people.

 
Some people feel this suppression of thoughts and views is a way of showing respect to people in the in-laws side. Some women serve and stay happy throughout but there are some who are miserable with this change after marriage and go in for divorce.

 

Now with the new wave in the media, highlighting women’s achievements and some awards and recognition to women in society, my question to you is -- is this change in women’s growth appreciated or is it just to prove that we are progressing, women in India are progressing where we talk about women’s literacy rate increasing and do not talk about ground realities that know matter how highly one is educated a woman has to spend the rest of her life under the thumb of men folk and their family heads.