It was in the late 80s, Navaratri onset. I was living in Patna, and living a teenagers life. Our family was a part of the migrant South Indian canvas, and though Tamil, we were members of most Malayali associations too. It was the first day of the Tamizh Golu, a celebration of Hindu goddesses with dolls, artistically and tastefully decorated, with daily worship. I was witness to a scene, where, in a traditional Tamil family that kept Golu, on Mahaprathami day, the first visitor was a widowed old Tamil woman, living a few blocks away. To my total astonishment and horror, I saw the Golu lady curtly ask the widow to go back and come another day. Initially, I thought some fight had happened. Later, the lady told me that she asked the widowed lady to go back because it is inauspicious to have a husband-less woman to come on such occasions! And, to boot, she actually insulted that old lady, saying given your age, you should have known better than come here at this hour... Indeed, a woman is the worst enemy of another woman, in the Indian culture. But of course, it is the deep conditioning, being brought up in an orthodox, rigid male-dominated society.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 15:30:33 +0000
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