Marriage- A Social Politics Or Not?

आप ने ऐसा बहुत लोगों को कहते हुए सुना हो गा, कि “हमने तो सब कुछ किया। इतना पैसा लगाया। फर भी नही चली।”  How do I say that this is the whole problem why it did not work. Not saying that आपका पैसा किसी काम का नही है। but yes it need not necessarily be as useful, as you think it is here in marriage.

Parents today are saving money for two big events in their life. This is at least what I have noticed and you would see how futile their effort is in doing so. First is marriage. Yes you all knew about this one. Some of you might even have started saving themselves according to kind of celebration you would want on that one big day. Which is cool by every means. As it is being planned by you much before time from your own salary. It is amusing that how every next relative including your parents would constantly say that getting married might improve your life, bring you good luck and would make you a better person, being specific a better man. As it is said mostly for men. It’s funny that how by saying this they probably mean that the only good that is to happen in one's life is through this other person who they will marry. It might also be said that those who are right now the part of his life are the reason he is spoiled, is not a good person and these same people are probably the bad luck. Funny... right? That how they are making a case against their own selves.

“Hahaha धीरे धीरे सब सीख जाये गा।”

“तुम्हे कुछ आता क्यों नही है, कुछ सीखा नही।”

I don't need to tell which of the above sentence is for whom. It is like a job for which you bribe to get it. And then work, without even getting paid. But the good news ladies, you get the title - of being a wife of xzy. In simple language, it is not the job we choose to do and are happy doing. You just need to get a job. Because shadi toh krni he pdti hai beta, agr is samaj me rhena hai toh. I am not trying to show the gender inequalities here. Rather just pointing towards the entire social politics.

All I am trying to say is that don't try to compensate the certain things with money. Money could only help when you yourself are mature to be in a relationship. And parents if you think that your child is mature, let him/her manage it. But if no then, don't force it upon them. As it makes no sense then. Things don't need to be done just because they need to done. Doing them only when you are ready is a better way. Get yourself the job you want to do. Just suggesting.

The second thing I mentioned above are the expenses of the coaching centers.

ON BEING TAUGHT.

Education amuses me. Yes you heard it right it is amusing me more and more with every passing day of my life. I clearly remember my primary classes when very often the topic for writing an article on examination seat was “importance of education”. Not just I but most of my friends too started the article with the line saying “education plays a very important role in our lives”. It is now that I know is clearly does so, however I cannot say so for my classmates who wrote the same line on examination sheet. Oh no wait if you are thinking that it is important because I am now in that list of literate people of this country and will hopefully get a job, then you are wrong. It has done much more. For example: it has taught me how to be a girl, rather a good one; how saying yes to what others want from me and in that process just ignore the voice of my own just like a hot guy would ignore a fat girl standing right in front of him; and the best of all how should I feel stupid for addressing the elephant in the room (jise hum “ye toh ese he hota hai” bol ke, bar bar vahi cheez dhorate hai).

Let me very bluntly say what I have finally thought of as a possible solution to the gender inequality around us. It has become so imbibed in our lives that we happen to now take it as the right way of living. Yes I know it that all this mess is because how we have being thinking about gender roles in our society. Ok so here is a joke- women have different compartment in metro and Indian railway, their seats are reserved in parliament, and also we have only girl’s school and colleges, we have different que at every counter. All these steps have been taken in order to make women feel safe and equal and all of that bullshit. My only question is that how is she supposed to survive in the world which is obviously not only female, by being in schools and colleges made for women. The metro ride she takes for few hours in women’s coach is in no way helping her to escape the creepy eyes on her once she is out of the coach. So it is like travel in metro women’s coach and then find yourself a women’s college or school. Similarly to the old notions of first living under the eyes of your father and then you husband. Sometimes, however your brother could also take care of you in their absence.

I have seen parents getting their daughters admitted in girls institute in order to punish her. I mean wow… who came up with this idea. It is like being in an institute for girls only, your eyes will turn blind to the males on this planet. Grow up people, this is the only possible thing I have to say to you. I am dead sure that you who is reading it, might think how I am jumping from one thought to another so quickly in this article. Even I am feeling so.  It is just that we all want to be good. And the notions of being good as we are taught in our education system are clashing badly with what we aspire to be, what makes us happy and in which we are comfortable. Let us just be uncomfortable for a bit. So that it is no more like that soon.

International Women's Day

Initially I had no plans to write this article today, but then I have been thinking about this since morning and have finally decide to put down my thoughts. This article from my point is important not because today is international women’s day but because it is a voice of many (50% population) like me. Though my aim is that it becomes the voice of the whole 100% population (which included both men and women). I believe that feminism is as much a concern of men as it is of women.

 It has been 7mins since I have been trying to figure out from where to start talking about the issues concerning women. But clearly I do not know which one to put first. Because they are so many in number. From their health to hygiene, education to equality, freedom of speech to voting rights, and many more. Referring to manu-smiriti, it says that ‘drum, donkey, illiterate, women, animals and untouchables deserve to be physically punished’. I have no idea what logic explains such statements, where a women and an untouchable is placed equal to animals and are considered worth physical punishment. You must be wondering why on earth am I bringing this thing up, this is an age old custom. I feel very sad to point out that these practise still exist and the worst part is that the people in big cities who are educated enough are a part of this culture. Even today a large number of FIRs are registered against domestic violence and I am sure there is no count of the ones not registered.

I feel tremendous happiness seeing women achieving high positions in different sectors. But if we notice these are very few (can be counted on your fingers). There are hardly any women representatives in the parliament. A woman prime minister is a rare view. But if by chance a woman reaches a point as high as men have been achieving, she will be more appreciated for her looks and nurturing habits rather than the hard work she does every day at her job. A woman wearing short is not at all acceptable. It leads to all sorts of gossips and talks. On the other hand it is absolutely fine for a guy to move around in shorts and vest, showing off his nipples. Have you ever thought that they might also arouse women sexually, by such dress code? No. because women are by birth considered pure. They don’t have hormones and neither do they have sexual desires. They are considered nothing more than sex toys.

If you recall what I said in the beginning of this article that these issues are not just women issues, because when we are defining what a women should be like, we automatically imply that this is not how a man should be like. So guys, let us just try and make this world equally comfortable for both the sexes.

ADDRESS TO ALL THE CRIMINALS

What I am going to talk about right now will surely be helping Indian police. I am sure all of us are very proud of India. Its culture. Its piousness. Its unity in diversity. It is also referred to as a land of god. And not just one but many. I doubt if the population census of Gods in India takes place, it might outnumber the population of its citizens: p

Everyone has assigned themselves one God each. But some prefer to pray all others too. Dude this is complete lack of trust in the one God you chose. So forget that you will be protected by any one. With every coming festival there is a new murti in our house temples. If it is done to show respect and equality to all the Gods whether male or female, why do then the living human beings not given respect and equality despite their caste, colour, gender, ……   . It has been years since this debate of everyone is equal and brother and sister. But still when it comes to inter-caste marriage or girls being out at 6pm, the answer is always NO. kabadi vala’s even today are called with names such as – abee, oo, oyee, and many more. There identity is being completely denied. When a girl is out at night, she is asked – don’t you know you should not go out, it is not safe. The point is when you clearly know because of whom it is not safe outside, then why do not you restrict and work upon the ones who are creating the unsafe situations for girls. While praying Goddess Saraswati, kali and Druga; we give the responsibility of our protection in the hands of a female authority. Then why are the real living female population considered not capable to make decisions and protect themselves. Why is there so much concern of female protection, are males all shielded from every danger? Do men never fall or die? If you want to protect, then protect human kind.

For this concept of protection we have various ways out in Indian society. Rakshabandhan for the protection of sisters and karvachauth for the protection of husbands. In a way almost the entire population is covered. Those who do not have sisters do struggle hard and manage to find one (at times more than one as they are so deliberate to protect. Clearly the danger is high). And the ones who are not yet a husband to somebody, do happen to be somebody’s love interest and have them to pray for his long age. Whereas girls are still molested, raped, kidnapped. Men are still dying at a very early age.

So ladies and gentlemen the only point I wanted to make is that, clearly neither rakhi’s nor fast’s are working at all. Next time a girl feels unsafe outside or inside home, the person responsible is the brother. Not the one who will make her unsafe. Similarly when a death of a husband occurs, the cause should be the wife. Because it is her prayer which did not work.

Mein Bharat Ka Samvidhan Hun .....

The Romantic Age (1798-1824)

Like many other literary movements, it developed in reaction to the dominant style of the preceding period.

Imagination became the source of knowledge.

The romantic age is marked by three important historical events:

·         The American revolution (1775-1783)

·         The French revolution(1789-1799)

·         The Napoleonic war(1796-1815)

The beginning of romantic age is marked by the publication of “lyrical ballads” by words worth and Coleridge. It can be termed as one of the most fruitful period in English literature.

Romantics opposed classical school. They used simple and natural diction. Their work shifted from artificial town life to the life in the woods. It was the age of poetry.

All the poets of the time had different views on all the subjects unlike neo- classical poets.

Major poets of the time were: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley and Keats.

“Poet is a creator like god. Objects are brought to life by poets” said- Coleridge

“Poetry is the expression of imagination” said- Shelley

Romantic poetry for present-day readers has become almost synonymous with “nature poetry.”  Romantic poems habitually endow the landscape with human life, passion, and expressiveness.  Wordsworth’s aim was to shatter the lethargy of custom to renew our sense of wonder in the everyday.  Coleridge, by contrast, achieved wonder by the frank violation of natural laws, impressing upon readers a sense of occult powers and unknown modes of being.  The pervasiveness of nature poetry in the period can be linked to the idealization of the natural scene as a site where the individual could find freedom from social laws.

It is also termed as the romantic revival, because all these characteristics- the liberty of the writer to choose the theme and form of his literary production, the importance give to imagination and human emotions, and a broad and catholic outlook on life in all its manifestations in towns, villages, mountains, rivers, etc. belonged to the literature of the Elizabethan age which can be called the first romantic age.

The poets of this age were classified into three groups:

1. The lake school- words worth, Coleridge, Southey

2. The scoot group- Cambell, Moore

3. Byron, Shelley, Keats

18th century Literature

18^th century is the longest period in English literature history. It has has number of events happening at that time.

Three major events took place in 18^th century:

1.       American revolution      

2.       French revolution

3.       Industrial revolution ( age of enlightenment)

Among all the three revolutions Industrial revolution holds the maximum importance in the characterisation of this century.  The Eighteenth Century in England is called by different names such as: the Classical Age or the Augustan Age in literature and also called the Age of Good Sense or the Age of Reason.

The Eighteenth Century is called the Classical Age in English literature on account of three reasons:

In the first place, the term ‘classic’, refers in general, applies to writers of the highest rank in any nation. This term was first applied to the works of the great Greek and Roman writers, like Homer and Virgil. As the writers of the eighteenth century in England tried to follow the simple and noble methods of the great ancient writers, they began to be called Classical writers.

 In the second place, in every national literature there is a period when a large number of writers produce works of great merit; such a period is often called the Classical Period or Age. For example, the reign of Augustus is called the Classical Age of Rome; and the Age of Dante is called the Classical Age of Italian literature. As during the eighteenth century in England there was an abundance of literary productions, the critics named it the Classical Age in English literature.

 In the third place, during this period the English writers rebelled against the exaggerated and fantastic style of writing prevalent during the Elizabethan and Puritan ages, and they demanded that poetry, drama and prose should follow exact rules. In this they were influenced by French writers, especially by Boileau and Rapin, who insisted on precise methods of writing poetry, and who professed to have discovered their rules in the classics of Horace and Aristotle.

As the term Classical Age is, therefore, too dignified for writers of the eighteenth century in England, who imitated only the outward trapping of the ancient classical writers, and could not get at their inner spirit, this age is preferably called the Augustan Age. This term was chosen by the writers of the eighteenth century themselves, who saw in Pope, Addison, Swift, Johnson and Burke the modern parallels to Horace, Virgil, Cicero, and other brilliant writers who made Roman literature famous during the reign of Emperor Augustus.

The eighteenth century is also called the Age of Reason or the Age of Good Sense, because the people thought that they could stand on their own legs and be guided in the conduct of their affairs by the light of their own reason unclouded by respect for Ancient precedent. They began to think that undue respect for authority of the Ancients was a great source of error, and therefore in every matter man should apply his own reason and common sense. Every man becomes his own philosopher. In 18th century not many people went to church.

In the previous ages which we have dealt with, it were the poetical works which were given prominence. Now, for the first time in the history of English literature, prose occupies the front position. As it was the age of social, political religious and literary controversies in which the prominent writers took an active part, and a large number of pamphlets, journals and magazines were brought out in order to cater to the growing need of the masses who had begun to read and take interest in these controversial matters, poetry was considered inadequate for such a task, and hence there was a rapid development of prose.

The two main characteristics of the Restoration period—Realism and Precision—were carried to further perfection during the eighteenth century. They are found in their excellent form in the poetry of Pope, who perfected the heroic couplet, and in the prose of Addison who developed it into a clear, precise and elegant form of expression.

 Another characteristic of this age was the development of satire as a form of literature, which resulted from the unfortunate union of politics with literature. The wings and the Tories—members of two important political parties which were constantly contending to control the government of the country—used and rewarded the writers for satirising their enemies and undermining their reputation. Moreover, as a satire is concerned mainly with finding fault with the opponents.

  Another important feature of this age was the origin and development of the novel. This new literary form, which gained great popularity in the succeeding ages, and which at present holds the prominent place, was fed and nourished by great masters like Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Smollet and others who laid its secure foundations. The realism of the age and the development of an excellent prose style greatly helped in the evolution of the novel during the eighteenth century. Also first English dictionary by Samuel jhonsons came in 1755.