Very recently, I came across a play by Manjula Padmanabhan
called Lights Out. An extremely disturbing play, it shows a group of middle class people coming across a gang rape in progress and doing nothing to intervene. In the first half of the play, the characters go out of their way to ignore the heinous crime; the next half, pretending that it does not concern them. In fact, one of the characters suggest that they take a picture of the crime because its not often that one comes across photos of "authentic gang rape".
As the play ends, we are informed that it is a dramatization of a real incident which occurred in Santa Cruz, Mumbai in 1982. The entire reading leaves a deep impression on the readers, but the final revelation gives you goosebumps. It suddenly makes you feel unsafe even in your own home!
This play was written 31 yrs ago. Lots of things have changed since then. But has anything really changed for women? We can all answer unanimously. NO.
We talk about empowerment, women having successful careers, women establishing their own identities, reaching the pinnacle of success in every field. But how does all this matter when a woman cannot step out of her house and feel safe? I was born and brought up in Kolkata. One would think that I know the streets, know how to commute and can do so confidently. True, but not the whole truth. For every girl that travels through the streets of this city, its an uphill battle everyday.
Padmanabhan's Play, Harassment, Women's safety in India, Violence against women
called Lights Out. An extremely disturbing play, it shows a group of middle class people coming across a gang rape in progress and doing nothing to intervene. In the first half of the play, the characters go out of their way to ignore the heinous crime; the next half, pretending that it does not concern them. In fact, one of the characters suggest that they take a picture of the crime because its not often that one comes across photos of "authentic gang rape".
As the play ends, we are informed that it is a dramatization of a real incident which occurred in Santa Cruz, Mumbai in 1982. The entire reading leaves a deep impression on the readers, but the final revelation gives you goosebumps. It suddenly makes you feel unsafe even in your own home!
This play was written 31 yrs ago. Lots of things have changed since then. But has anything really changed for women? We can all answer unanimously. NO.
We talk about empowerment, women having successful careers, women establishing their own identities, reaching the pinnacle of success in every field. But how does all this matter when a woman cannot step out of her house and feel safe? I was born and brought up in Kolkata. One would think that I know the streets, know how to commute and can do so confidently. True, but not the whole truth. For every girl that travels through the streets of this city, its an uphill battle everyday.
- You can always feel the the vulgar stares lingering on you when you walk down the road, no matter what you wear.
- For those who wait for public transport everyday, you would think that once you get an auto-rickshaw or a bus, your troubles are over. But not for us. For girls, its just the beginning. In a crowded bus or a metro, you can always feel people leaning towards you. If you protest, they blame the crowd. Then suddenly you feel a hand brush against you, feeling you up. You try to move to some place safer but the stares and grins follow wherever you go. Finally you get off at your destination and heave a sigh of relief.
- For those who travel by auto, the nightmare is different. When you are sitting in front, some drivers move away from you, allowing you to sit comfortably, their elbows tucked in so that it doesn't make you uncomfortable. But most do the opposite. Elbows tucked out touching you inappropriately, leaning toward you every chance they get under the pretext of steering and making you want to jump out of the moving vehicle.
- Don't, even for once, think that the girls who manage to sit at the back of the autos get off easier because some passengers have the same tricks up their sleeve.
Padmanabhan's Play, Harassment, Women's safety in India, Violence against women
I was driving along a state highway about a month back. Had barely crossed 200mts from a Police check post than my dad started pointing out and saying something angrily. I looked to see a man standing with a bike near the shrubberies lining the road. There was a meek looking woman, possibly his wife, handing him a lunchbox. The man said something and suddenly slapped her across the face. Then came 3-4 more slaps. She bowed down her face and stood the torture without a word of protest. Cars were passing by. She was being humiliated in front of the whole world. I don't know what her crime was, but I can imagine what she has to go through behind the closed doors of her home. All I could do at that moment was shout out from the window. I am sure the man heard me. Someone in the backseat just said, " Don't stop the car and protest. The woman will end up backing her husband.."
ReplyDeleteThe problem at hand is multifaceted. To speak of India, 70% of the country is still made up of villages. Rural women have this inherited mindset that their well-being lies in that of their families. A lack of independence, domestic violence, rape - nothing seems to get in the way of their goal. As for women in the cities, you have depicted the story quite exhaustively in a nutshell. I agree with you. There is need for a strong MORAL MOVEMENT.
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yes. Agreed. Its high time now!
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