This is the story of two women from different countries, different cultures, two women who have never met, who have not shared the same fate, two women, the details of a different cultural experience gone wrong.
One of these women was not a woman, but a girl of eighteen. His name was Roop Kanwar, and lived in a village in Rajasthan, India. About 7 months after his marriage ended, her life when she was burned to death by force, according to witnesses at the stake of theirHusband. His death led to a controversy that has divided the nation into superstition and religious scriptures misquoted penetrated.
The other woman was just a year older than Roop, when it first came into contact with the country itself, the same people, same culture. Some years later he moved to India, where he currently lives in a village on the banks of the Ganges.
The other woman is me. I will never share the same fate Roop Kanwar, because I was born and raised in Australia.Some might say that my upbringing was devoid of real culture, and perhaps they are right. Others might say that I had to avoid the freedom of choice and the ability of the same fate Roop, and is correct. However, the fact remains that both cultures, East and West have something to offer, and somewhere between the decay and the supposed moral bankruptcy of the West, and the pseudo-spirituality of the East, is a truth that no one can leave . Even Roop Kanwar ...
I came across the storyRoop for the first time in 1998. I was living in Jaipur, and back and again in newspapers and magazines, his name would be. Five years later, I was a book called "Death By Fire" by Mala Sen is the story of Roop was given, and left me unsatisfied. That was not the fault of the author, was the same story. Most disturbing was the acceptance by most of the nation that this was somehow "okay", the burning of a beautiful young girl who was a With their purity and piety, and that she had received seven generations before and after a violent death and cruel. I concluded that only a twisted form of a philosophical culture rich and powerful as the Roop could tolerate such a barbaric act.
While Sen's book are references to parties other than the definitive study of sati, the practice of burning the widow of the outlawed by the British in the 18th century, "Sati: A Study of the widow> Burn in West Bengal, "by Sakuntala Narasimhan. At that time I was a resident of West Bengal was the theme of" local "has begun. I'm afraid to read the book with some Narasimhan. My concern is twofold, one point of view from both sides of the fence. First, I wondered how much study Narasimhan was a feminist who was the extreme position I see no solution to the problems that exist for women was developed in India, although it is an understandable reaction . Secondly,on the other side 's arguments, I was worried about Narasimhan like most of the book is good based on a real understanding of how the Scripture cited, "of those who are called spreading burning widows on the basis of some so-religious" and could therefore support the position number on a reasonable and logical, not religious in the melee that surrounds these issues drowned.
I found the book fascinating Narasimhan. He held a doctorate, was a published author and aestablished artists on tour in India, impressing the audience with her beautiful singing. She was an educated person with a concern on the issue, a beautiful woman who is not her's and women's sides were hardened in their desire injustice of the cultural context is distorted in a product. Your letter has been sound and based on a clear and unbiased understanding of the Scriptures, who were fighting against cited. Overall, the book is a pleasant and refreshing approach has been toa problem of old and ugly.
Narasimhan After reading the book, I realized that there is a crucial point, they had lost: a culture that seemed rooted in spiritual philosophy more complex and detailed available, no one has much sympathy for them, and certainly was not offered as a solution to the ills facing the country. Led me to ask what was this culture that followed the country, characterized, and I immediately realized there was something so off-trackof what originally. In fact, there seemed to be steering way out of control, the position with a foot on the specific direction of Mecca for the materialistic West, away from the spiritual roots that had tied up for so long.
What does the Western culture has to offer, which has its claim to "advanced" than the culture that underpin this Roop Kanwar, and why their country seem so desperate to find their solutions in the West? While women in Indiaan ancient culture such as the protection (and a reasonable time, it does), stories like this test Roop is that discrimination is widespread and even worse is that it is rooted in "culture" throughout the country, crossing all religious boundaries, make it a bona fide immediate granting of any religious sector in all social classes. The hypocrisy is extra hard to swallow: a country that apparently follows a stricter moral principle, perhaps every country in theThe planet suffers pass under the limitation of the human weaknesses. "Spiritual Forces" or, worse still, she is dressed like a sad case, Roop reflection of a culture that believes that a woman can not be enjoyed by her husband just as well to burn on his funeral pyre. The only option for the other neighbors that Roop has been living a life devoid of social status: shave your head, wear only white saris, eat fancy food (ie rice and Dahl for the rest of his life) notmarry and have children, do not participate in any religious festival or public event, in fact, that has never seen in public again, not even good draw water from the village, their presence would be disastrous as all over the country, the fact life that would be sufficient to reduce all the bad luck continued the villagers. In other words, even if they lived, they would be considered "dead." This conclusion appears difficult in the teachings of the fitcompassionate, spiritual culture, and you might think that Western civilization seemed to be awarded to more "advanced".
But people have shared experiences, regardless of the boundaries of culture, land and physical description. The environment may be different, but the pain is the same. The only difference between the situation of women in East and West, is that Westerners can with our independence and inbred notions of equality between the sexes, usually to escape. The RoopKanwar this world do not have this option.
I met my first husband at age 19 and married soon after. I do not know why it is so quick to hell, how did it go, but I remember the first time. I thought it was a commonplace that people use when they said that "saw stars before his eyes" when she was hit. It is not. The content of the head was swimming in a dark, thick black, shooting stars exploded before my eyes, my movements and slowed to a pace surreal. This was the first time brokemy nose was not the last. We had a gun in the house, and I woke up one morning just knowing in my heart that I was there to use it, and if I do the job properly, had to use it on me. I decided that it is not worth the time in prison, and was certainly not worth dying for, so I left. I've never seen.
It 'was a night, but was surrounded in so pure terror, it is difficult for me to experience. So I do not repeat it as observers. E 'Someone seems to have happened, and somehow it did. I'm not the girl who has gone through this, but in Roop Kanwar I've seen it all over again.
I can not remember the details of how it happened. I just remember going home alone, so did my husband, where she was, because to do so, somehow, he could not talk to me so. It was not long before he followed, but this time I thought I was ready for him. The house was locked, but he is more angry. When he smashedthe window by the front door and reached for the release of the bolt, I packed my bag and keys and fled out the back door before he saw me. I have met along the road and hid in the bushes. I still remember the horror of hearing his voice calling me, without the neighbors and the late hour, shouting that he did it to me if he influenced me. As I crouched in the bushes, trembling with fear, I would find, too scared to breathe, I knew he meant, and I knew that if Iwanted to live, I could not return home. I sat down and prayed. It 'was all I could do. Finally, put the anger, and left the house, walked down the street and disappeared into the night.
I did not hesitate. I ran to the house, quickly unlocked and opened the trunk of the car and ran into many of my belongings as I could gather. I locked my suitcase is full, hit the cover, filled the back seat, and secured from the disk. I drove for 2 hours to the nearest town. Iwas thousands of miles away from my family, alone in a city where I knew no one. But I am. I had a car, I had money, I need a way to save me, and this is much more than most women in India. According to the "culture" in India, I am a lost woman. But at least I'm alive.
There is not much difference between my situation and Roop. If I had been thrown on a fire? Certainly not, but that does not negate the principle that women live in fear for their livesin each country, that those who serve to maintain a force of culture, their needs are just as dangerous as any open-minded, materialistic country apparently without foundation. What kind of education or inspiration, and hope that Western women result from such a culture? There is something positive, it can offer women in the West?
Roop Kanwar home state, Rajasthan, has been and is a state of "purdah" or veil recognize. Women are still coveredtimes with a veil, and were rarely, if ever, seen in public. Their living conditions were separated from the men and their lives were based on a closed community of women. The last reigning queen of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi, was a very busy woman who graced the cover of Vogue, on top of the list of "most beautiful women in the world, rubbed shoulders with British royalty and American society, and that John F . Kennedy has been told his entry into politics, "the woman with the mostMost disconcerting that no one ever a choice, "one of the Guinness Book of Records insured deserved exposure. Originally, when a princess from the state of Bengal, Cooch Behar, married into the royal family of Jaipur as the third wife of the reigning monarch, Sawat Man Singh , the world known as Jai Singh;. He was a brave, beautiful, romantic figure repeated at a creative title, polo-playing Maharajah of Jaipur, whose team defeated the British, and the world isby storm with its social and sporting escapades in London, Paris, Rome and Monte Carlo. When Gayatri Devi Jai married, has already had two wives, both fully observed purdah. Gayatri women wanted to lead, he felt, a depressing situation, and have dedicated their lives to the emancipation of women across India. Although his life was only slightly affected by purdah, had this to say in support of them:
"It 's difficult for Westerners to understand why women ...completely satisfied with what looks like from the outside, a life hopelessly boring and claustrophobic. In reality, her life in purdah were much larger and more active than you might initially think. Apart from the execution of a large family, a woman was with a large group of children, grandchildren and relatives of the focal point of the whole family. As a girl in her home, would be taught the basic results are deemed necessary for any cooking Hindu girls, sewing, care of children.Later, as a young bride, would increase the possibility of her husband's family, and eventually learn, as a mother and grandmother, their authority and their responsibilities would be. Perhaps most important of all, would never alone, and she would always need. life Zenana [quarters of women], with all its limitations, compensation had deep and strong, too. "
Gayatri Devi makes a strong statement about the development of the inner community of women. This feminineThe trust is a part of the culture of Indian origin, known Vedic culture, and there are more positive reports on his performance as negative as most feminist women. Women find the balance in a strong support group of friends and advisers to rely on, such as women grew up in India, and in some parts yet. This support network is also used to relieve the people of a free-places that stress is the sole supplier of all that is really justa trite cliché. Those who pursue it, or are willing to pay to be inevitably disappointed. Of course, this in no way intended to denigrate the guy. It 's just a fact that their ability to be everything that a woman is a legend in Hollywood always necessary in all media propagated. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the world is weaned in these myths, our conditioning runs and impact of our responses, our decisions. There are products of our education, withoutDoubt.
For Roop Kanwar for all of us the past is irretrievable, for those who suffer in a similar way, the future can not be bleached, are to the west or east. I do not have solutions, perhaps none of us do. Some things are said as the Indians are simply karma.
I can not help but think that the whole planet, from the high streets of London in central Sydney, India has the flavor of the campaign have been for a long time. I'm sure that in our pursuit of allIndian things, there might be a little 'closer not only with the wealth of materials and the interior, but the finer elements of their ancient culture. Somehow I think Roop, a positive attitude to appreciate.
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