It was a bright beautiful Monday morning. My wife, my two kids and I were getting ready to school. We, the parents are teachers working in different departments of the same school where my two kids are studying. Everything was going on smoothly until I felt a lightning passing through my body. It was the aftereffect of a stupid act by a forty seven year old man, embarrassingly it was me to lift a teak table in the corner of the room as if I was superman trying to show-off to my family of my super human strength.
However, the table did not budge and I was standing like a statue not knowing what to do. However, my wife looked at me in shock, disbelief and sympathy in her eyes. Nevertheless, I was sure that she was thinking how foolish her husband is to do such a stupid act. I thought that the teak table is going to fly towards me any time now by the furious woman who was standing in front of me. Though angry, I could see a ray of sympathy in her eyes towards the injured super hero.
She tried to lie down the statue of superman on the cot and stood there wondering what to do. We both knew that it was a very important day for her as the chemistry exam was starting and she has to be present in school at any cost. I assured her that I will be okay and she may proceed to the school which was just a stone through away. Hesitantly, my better half got up and proceeded to move. Suddenly there was a voice from behind. It was none other than the angel of the house.
My daughter, My beautiful princes, a student of seventh grade who is one of the brightest in her class and who will never take leave even if she is not well was volunteering to take care of her father who had crash landed. My heart was filled with emotions that I was not able to express. Blessed I am to have such a daughter. I said to myself looking at the heaven. Blessed are all the people of the world who are having daughters. As I was lying down with emotions watching the young woman boiling water for me to put on my back to ooze my pain, my thoughts were wandering about the role of woman in our lives. Their role as daughter, mother, sister and wife for bringing all the blessings in our lives. The sacrifices they make for us of the hardships we give them. They cook for us, they take care of our house, and they do everything possible for us. In addition, what do we do in return for them? Many of them are treated like slaves. In addition, irrespective of both mentally and physically tortured they accept all their emotions and tears behind a smile, which is the most beautiful thing in this whole world.
What should we do for their welfare? Thought lots of words are beings said very little has succeeded. Why did it not happen? We should ask this question ourselves. Woman empowerment has been an issue of immense discussion across the world for centuries. The status and role of woman and related issues have attracted the attention of human rights activists, political thinkers, social scientists in both developing and developed countries. Since it is widely, accepted truth that a society built on inequality of men and women involves wastage of human resources, which no country can afford.
Over the years in our nation, woman has made considerable progress but even today, they continue to be subject of social perception. It is ironical that for a nation, which became the first Asian country to accomplish its mars mission in the first attempt, is positioned at a dismal 95 the rank among 129 nations based on Gender equality index issued by United Nations development programme. Though our Government is introducing various programmes for the development of woman, it seems to be is still a long way to achieve the same, as the mind- set of the majority of our population is that our country is a male dominated one. Empowering women does not mean empowering them economically. It should be based on the very idea of gender discrimination, which is firmly rooted in the societal mind-set of our society that has to be changed.
I came back into reality as breeze of cool air touched my forehead. “Appa how are you?” I heard a whisper in my ears and as I turned, I saw my angel with an aura around her smiling at me. My lips felt salty as tears were flowing down my cheek and my little girl looked concerned. “Nothing my dear”, I said kissing her forehead promising myself that I will do everything to make her happy, make my child strong and successful in her life and make sure that she succeeds in all her future endeavours. And I signoff as a proud father of a beautiful and intelligent daughter.
Sarathkumar A Kaimal
PGT- Commerce
SKV VIDHYAASHRAM SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
7WHR+5RW, Tiruchengode – Paramathy Road, M.Kandampalayam, Tiruchengode, SH 86, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu 637201, India
