To all the wonderful ladies out there, my very best wishes on the occasion of International Women’s Day. It has always been my belief that whatever men can do, women do equally well, if not better. The quotes below sum up beautifully the qualities and capabilities of women –

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” – Marilyn Monroe

“Whatever glory belongs to the race for a development unprecedented in history for the given length of time, a full share belongs to the womanhood of the race.” – Mary Jane McLeod Bethune

“A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Women have always been courageous… They are always fearless when protecting their children and in the last century they have been fearless in the fight for their rights.” – Isabel Allende

“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” –  Hillary Clinton

Unfortunately, we live in a society where women are not given their due place and respect, and crimes against women continue to spiral. The need of the hour is a change of mindsets. The mindsets that do not allow equal rights to women.The mindsets that create insecurity in society. The mindsets that lead to atrocities against women. This must change.

In 2013, I had posted about the Nirbhaya Case, and I continue to hold my views on this issue, which are best summed up in this excerpt from the post that I am referring to.

Today, I am reminded of a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore, which used to be the prayer recited in our school assembly for all the years that I spent there –

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

The poem is perhaps more relevant now than ever before. However, In addition to this, I would like to add the following wishes in my prayer for all of us:

Where humanity is not dead

Where people are sensitive and tolerant towards each other

Where people are responsible

Where women are respected and can live freely

Where there is no terror on the streets

Where the common man feels safe

Where the government is responsive

Where there is law and order

Where there is hope…

Those are my wishes for everyone. Let us hope and pray that the coming year 2013 is more peaceful and safe for everyone.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”