Celebrating Women's day??Who are they kidding?

World celebrated women's day a couple of days back.As usual nothing grandeur about the celebration. Although it made me wonder how many women might have got raped on the day, how many might have got beaten up by their husband , how many girl children were killed or how many women delivered their baby on the cold cement floors of the hospital unattended by hospital staffs since their pocket was empty . Or did they get a relaxation for that one day just because the world celebrated their existence , were they spared of the atrocities they face everyday, did it bring a smile on their faces or were they run down and stripped off in the name of culture for celebrating the day. But I know all of my wishful thinking is futile if i can draw a conclusion from the simple fact that my mailbox was not flooded with women's day wishes barring some from my women friends, none from my male friends unlike other more glamorous days like the valentines day. The world sure has not waken up to celebrating women's day .

I only have to look in and around my family to know that women of today live in different worlds.There are women who enjoy the highest benefits of the society ,status obtained through education and work,respect obtained by being an earning member of the family or lucky enough to be around good people, there are also women treated like shit even though they solely support the family.Two such person I know is my mom and Kamala ,our maid of fifteen years .My mom showed the courage of standing against and breaking off from an abusive marriage.She was strong enough to find a job ,raise me and regain her self respect needless to say life was still hard on her.She to me is the brave face of women.And then there is the dark,lean beautiful kamala. She has an horrendous story to tell , story of a women being vexed by both her husband and her twenty something boy.She gives me a sad smile every time I ask her how are things at home and I do not have anything cathartic to offer her although I wish one day I do.There are thousands of other Kamalas around us, probably the one sitting in the other cube at work or the one who sat beside us in bus today .We will never hear of their stories for most of them do not wash their dirty linen in public or simply because we do not care.

For all these millions of women who seek liberation and happiness , even a heartful laugh is a distant dream for We are not man enough to promise the Kamalas of the world a shimmering light at the end of the tunnel.