The seed for this post was sown into my head while having a chit-chat with one of our blogger friends, on the day before “Women’s day”. Coming back after a long hiatus, it all started with a formal hi.. how do you do.. whats new with blogosphere.. and stuff. As we were heading towards the conclusion of our conversation, like any other good natured friend, he wished me “Happy Women’s day”. For courtesy sake, I could only muster a non-hearted “Thank you”.
Please do not get me wrong while I say, “Non-Hearted”, I am very much proud to be a woman and also to be who I am as a person. No amount of persuasion will make me change anything that has happened to me so far for being a woman. So what could be wrong with a pleasant wish for “Women’s day”. We have eminent personalities like Kiran Bedi, Kiran Mazumdar, Ekta Kapoor (Queen of Megaserials), Indria Noyi, Barkha Dutt.. and many more who are absent from the media glare.
A Little introspection threw light on the actual cause of my “Non-Heartedness”. It’s not the “women’s day” that put me off, in fact it’s the “logic of day” that irritated me more. On a religious significance, I have grown up watching the “Full moon day” and the “No moon day”, with its religious overtones, and the “Children’s day” and the “Teacher’s day” (where as a high-schooler we used to dress up as teachers and trot to kindergarten class to teach… oh !..booy!!!… that was fun). Then there was the “college day”, “Sports day”, Annual day” which was more like a “family” affair with the school / college. Nothing national or international about it.
Then slowly other days started invading the calendar. “Valentine day”, “Friendship day”, Mother’s day”, Father’s day”, “Aids awareness day”, “The Golden day” (also known as the “Akshaya Thritiya”..where its considererdd auspicious if you purchase gold on the particular day) .. and others… sheesh… I cant even keep track of their names any more. My guess is , these days were supposed to be observed as reminders for the purpose they represent. How many of us can cross our heart and solemnly say that “we remember the purpose all along, and salute to the spirit of it in this day”. Barring a few who can be counted at fingertips, I am sure most of us forget all about “these day’s” purpose in the battle of our everyday existence.
All that remains in the end of the day is, “A feel good factor for the end of the day”, and then wait till the next “day” arrives to feel good again. Why doesn’t these days stay memorable or linger in our thoughts? Does the importance for which “These Days” stand for, is to make us “Feel Good”…. Is that all ???. How many us are capable of writing pages and pages on “Aids Awareness”, yet when a calling comes towards “Demand a health certificate” before finalising a wedding, all of us chicken out (I am not exception..I still chicken out while asking others, but nevertheless I got myslf tested).Yet I wish back a “Non-Hearted” some-day
The tension-out-of-home takes its toll on the “lady of the house”, be it the Mother, or the wife, irrespective of one’s gender or age. Yet everyone is sugar and honey on “Mother’s day” and “valentine day”. Does one day of “excessive niceness” compensate for the year long grunt and brunt, or should that be taken as a consolation for the same. Yet I wish back a “Non-Hearted” some-day.
I no longer see the spirit of the day on the days they were supposed to be. This makes me feel sad for all those people who have put in their heart and soul towards the cause it represents. I, myself, is not making one iota of contribution towards any of the cause, Yet I somehow manage a “Non-Hearted” some day wishes.
Its easy to say “philosophically”, everyday is special and has to be lived that way, May be for those with surplus funds in their kitty, can afford the luxury of sit-back-and-revel, while for all others, it’s a matter of everyday existence in their own sense of the world, be it Ambani or the Aaam aadmi.
Wonderful flow and well writtem Deepa. Though it was started as working women’s day, The International Women’s Day in due course has developed into a day to celebrate womanhood and pay gratitude to her. I agree to your point that everyday should be a celebration and making it special is another hypocritic way to express gratitude, but centuries of subjugation has left her far behind men. Though things have changed in the last 2 decades, there still exists irrefutable maladies hindering her freedom. A day to realize her divinity and to show the right gratitude.
It’s an irony that, when we say celebrate, people end-up in parties and all the marketing fluff. There is a need to think beyond and really celebrate and not indulge.
/Does one day of “excessive niceness” compensate for the year long grunt and brunt, or should that be taken as a consolation for the same./
‘No’ to both parts of the question.One day of ‘wishing’ is just an occasion created by certain segments for their selfish purposes. They will be after all such series of days…so they can have ‘their own day’ on most days of the year.
When the spirit goes missing, the wish becomes shallow.
Great post, written well.