However, today morning, I read this status message from my cousin on FB: "Satyamev Jayate - making money of others miseries?". I respect Aamir, and this negative message (along with the responses to it) made me curious. I found a link to the entire episode on YouTube and decided to watch it when hubby n kiddo were happily taking their afternoon nap :).
Well - I loved the show. It touched on a subject (female feticide and infanticide) that I feel very strongly about. I have blogged about it here earlier. I loved the three women that were chosen to share their story with the country. The statistics, the sting operation in Rajasthan, the input from the lawyer, the other issues that crop up years later because of this core issue - the whole case, I feel, was presented in a very beautiful way.
My mom has seven sisters - they are a total of 8 sisters. No brothers. My mom's mom passed away soon after giving birth to her 8th (and last daughter). I'm sure my mom's dad had a hell of a time raising 8 daughters. But he took care of all of them very well. The younger ones even went to college (the older ones were pushed to study but dropped out of school at various points). I see the bond between my mom and her siblings, and its so amazing. They are always there for each other, no matter what. Recently, when my mom met with an accident, her sisters came and took care of her even before she asked for help. Had these been 8 brothers, there would be many more fights in the family and much more disharmony.
My dad's mom - my grandma - loved daughters too. My sister and I were always favored over our cousins who were boys. Females in my family are respected, and treasured. My sister and I were raised no less than boys - we played sports, we did extra-curricular activities, we excelled in studies. Our parents invested everything they had into our nurturing and education. I remember many relatives raising eyebrows when my parents (especially my mom) agreed to let me come to the US to pursue higher education.
Having grown up in such an environment, I never realized for the longest time how bad things can be for girls or their parents. My first-hand experience happened when I got pregnant with my daughter and found out that I was having a girl. I was over-the-moon, but the responses of certain Indian people were disgusting, to say the least. Aborting a fetus just because it's a girl is the biggest crime you can commit. You are not only killing a life, you are damaging that woman for life. And you have no idea of the extent of damage that has been done. Repercussions last a lifetime.
I could go on for hours on this subject, but readers of this blog don't need my lecture. However, about the show, I feel Aamir is doing the right thing. I don't care how much money he makes from the show, or how his wife was treated by her ex (there are messages floating around attacking his personal life too). I applaud him for bringing such crucial issues to the nation's attention, and raising much-needed awareness about them. I am sure actions will be taken, and things will improve - slowly, steadily, and surely. I will support him in whatever way I can - the first thing I did was sent my support to the letter he is writing for a fast-track court to adjudicate all the crime cases in Rajasthan.
Even if one doctor is put behind the bars for illegally aborting female fetuses, even if one woman who watches the show finds the courage to prevent an unwilling abortion, even if one girl child who is not treated equally and fairly in her family starts receiving equal love, then this show has succeeded in its mission.
Another very important point that one of the ladies on the show made was: "Atyachaar karna hi nahi, sehna bhi paap hai"! I cannot stress enough on this point - we are always 50% responsible if something untoward happens to us. But for women to find the courage to speak up, to run away from abusers, to stop getting pregnant again and again - they need to start being self-sufficient, and stop being dependent. My mom always told me - Never be dependent on your spouse financially. She quit her job once she got married, and even though my dad is not one of those men who treated her poorly (it was quite the opposite and I vouch for that), she feels she should have continued working at least part time, or gone back to work after we were older. She drilled it into our heads to always work hard, and not only be independent, but also contribute financially towards running a household, and be equal in all respects. My sister and I took her advice to heart and followed it.
I treasure my daughter. Look at her smile - so so adorable! And the sparkle in her eyes - so precious!
.JPG)
.JPG)
Did you watch the show? What are your thoughts? Do share.
