Navratri fasts began yesterday.
We worship Goddess Durga in Hinduism and keep away from all physical and sensual pleasures for NINE days. For religious followers, there are restrictions even in food. For instance, they avoid garlic, flesh, alcohol, egg etc. It's the period where even thoughts should be pure. A married couple also abstains from carnal diversion. At the end of Navratri, on Ashtami, small girls are worshipped, as our culture bespeaks of this tradition.
In the wake of series of gang rape across India, how true is the celebration of purity? This religious rendering to women is sheer hypocrisy. Are women being respected even in their households, let alone being worshipped? Why abstain from sex only for this period and pounce on them on other days? Aren't women pure then?
Festivals are gentle reminder of human values which bind our society as a larger unit. Navratri is no different. These nine nights reminds us that women should be given a fair treatment all days.
Navratri tells me that hypocrisy always has a last laugh. And modesty of women dies a slow death.
Happy ALLRATRI to all of you !
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