Ashtami: Matriarchy and Patriarchy the Indian Conversations

Ashtami prayers bring forward memories of childhood days of prayers as part of Navaratri, the Navratri food was special, however as kids the end was with the special prayers was on Ashtami or Navami pooja where nine young girls would be prayed to and fed; we the young unruly brats prostrated in front of them for blessings. We saw our dads bow in prayer and we followed suit and the young girls blessed us as embodiment of the goddess. They were the same girls who would play around us in the neighbourhood but on this day they were special. It was a ritual but did it leave an impression on our minds and souls. Nowadays, it all has probably toned down as we are lesser prone to prostrating in front of even gods and hence bowing to little Durgas would need a major ego cleansing effort. Have we evolved or moved back in evolution? I am not too sure. 

India’s richness is in its diversity and unity despite the diversity. The diversity has nurtured both patriarchy and matriarchy in various parts of the sub-continent. The millennium may think women empowerment is something new but fact is equality of sexes has been a long debated and practiced social interplay. The epics have women as the main protagonists who were also concurrently victims of patriarchy, most got their revenge when wronged. We grow on the tales of pain of Amba, the courage and the evil of Kakiye, the misfortune of Sita as consort of Ram, the insult of Draupadi leading to Mahabharat, the dilemma of Kunti of Pandavas, the self-imposed blind Gandhari, the Satyawati extracting the Bhishm vows, Yashodara of Gautam Buddha the less told story, the bhakti of the royal child Meera; all embodied in the Durga or the nine Durgas who enter our homes and lives during the Navratri. These tales have colors which are told, retold and reinterpreted all the time by poets and philosophers. The women are protagonists, philosophers and the intra-society question drivers. They are important parts of our shared moorings. 

We also grew on stories of Razia Sultan, Padmawati, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, Rani Laxmi Bai, Sarojni Naidu, Kalpana Chawla and of course the current president Droupadi Murmu as we come to the current age. May the spirit abound as we move towards a more equal world. 

24 Oct 23

@Mehtaroopesh