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Though many experts
have concluded that India is essentially a patriarchal nation,
with the men at the helm of things, where the home is concerned,
this may seem far from the actual reality. Yes, the man of the
house is considered the decision maker, but he too always seeks
advice from his wife when in private.
The wife is supposed
to be the jeevan saathi (meaning life partner). Husband and wife
are supposed to walk together through life, not one ahead of the
other. Thus, the country cannot really be termed as either
patriarchal or matriarchal.
In fact, women in India have been given an important place in
society. .. |
On the surface it may seem otherwise
because they have not been allowed to exercise power, but within the
four walls, their family and home has always been in their control. Love
and reverence has been ingrained in the Indian culture. Women are
considered to be the harbingers of wealth, as they are believed to be
incarnations of the Goddess of Wealth – Lakshmi.
While she may hold an important position in her family, yet there are
cases where she is faced with adverse situations. It is for this reason
that the Constitution of India has a separate Act that contains the
womens rights in India.
While most may feel that the urban woman faces a better position in
society, but the fact is that the rural women in India are given far
more respect by their family. The man of the house never forgets the
role she plays in rearing the family and taking care of all his needs.
Over the last few decades the role of women in India is ever-expanding.
She is all the more free to rub shoulder with the male counter parts and
find her place of glory in the corporate world, as well as otherwise.
She is allowed to pursue a career and stand up independently. She is not
born to be married and bear children, but to live her own life. She has
more freedom today.
While her role is increasing running towards betterment, yet the
conditions for women in India cannot be claimed to be the best. This is
because of the blend of new with the traditional. There are still a lot
of traditionally thinking people who believe that women should be kept
at home. However, the girl-child is being loved and educated so that she
can grow up to have her own identity and fulfill her dreams. Nobody can
forget that this is the country that had a woman Prime Minister, Indira
Gandhi. This is a rare accomplishment for any other nations.
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