Today’s woman is breaking stereotypes

Morning walks are always refreshing and rejuvenating as the mighty and magnificent sun rises in the horizon and the musical flight of chirping birds fills purity in thought and spirituality in heart. But the chill has forced me to shift my morning walk routine to early evening in a nearby park.

The other day as I entered the park, I came across women in colourful attire and welcoming smiles indulging in varied activities. I saw a group strolling, another chatting on the lush grass, still another on benches chatting and elderly women chanting hymns. They looked charged up and full of energy.

Every day I look forward to my evening walks as it gives me an opportunity to explore the universe of homemakers. I find them discussing innovative hairstyles, tattoos, bubble bath to distress and detoxify. A few movie buffs like dwelling on mushy Bollywood love stories as one of them announced how she celebrated her birthday by watching Tumhari Sulu all by herself as she wanted to defy stereotypes.

Online shopping was another topic that made the women go gaga over the range of apparels, handbags, footwear and accessories that the digital world offered. There was talk of how tricky it was to get children to carry a healthy tiffin, while some exchanged novel recipes. Much of the conversation focused on which spices and oil should be used and how the yoga and walk regimen must be followed with diligence and discipline.

I wonder aren’t there women like them in every locality in the country, breaking the mould, set upon them since the beginning of civilisation to be confined to the four walls of home? Women these days are enterprising, charming, cool, confident, educated, liberal minded and raised on the principle of being self-reliant. They understand the need of connecting with one another to deal with stress and strains of rough patches of domestic life. Physically, this quality of friendship or bonding time helps them to create more serotonin, a neuro-transmitter that helps combat depression and creates a general feeling of well-being.

As I became friendly with these women, they all made me a part of their awareness programmes regarding child sexual abuse and breast cancer awareness campaign for which they have been conducting workshops in the park itself. Most of them being housewives, they were contributing their best to social causes. Their zeal and delight infused me with peace and positivity. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes.

The walks in the park have now become an enlivening and enlightening experience as I carry with me their gleeful gait and ringing laughter. These are inherently happy people who take pride in running homes and have the ability to solve problems effortlessly.

I’m sure Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “Where the mind is without fear…” for all citizens of India. Feminism is not about whether you don’t keep or keep your last name, it is about celebrating being yourself. As I left today, they planned to order dinner online, believing that exercise is pivotal but a cheat day is allowed to soothe the taste buds. Laughingly, I sang with them, “I rise because I believe in my essence, grit and determination are wings of my affluence!”

THESE DAYS WOMEN ARE ENTERPRISING, CHARMING, COOL, CONFIDENT, EDUCATED, LIBERAL MINDED AND RAISED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF BEING SELFRELIANT