Wonderful poem couched in beautiful words with rhyme and rhythm. Congrats to the little girl who has spoken her mind so vividly. What she has conveyed in 100% true.She desrves all blessings and appreciations. Sometime back soon after Nirbaya's case , I wrote an article for a magazine.The article was in similar lines.Placed below is the article. Naaree, tu Narayani ------------------------------ The doctor is scrutinizing the scan. “It is a baby girl” she says. I jump with joy. I imagine myself as a plump little girl with puffy cheeks fondled and cuddled by one and all in the family. Even this imaginary happiness is shortlived. My mother’s face grows dim and dark and she starts lamenting aloud on the outcome of the scan. There is a visible threat. Yes, the battle has started with myself still in the womb. Whenever my mother and grandma talk about terminating me, I, the foetus, tremble with fear. I know for sure that the agony and anxiety will be a part of my life throughout. My mother may refuse to nurse me. Who knows she may dripple a few drops of oleander sap in my mouth for setting a death trap. Now everything is very clear. Survival of a female child in a patriarchal society is a challenge. It is considered as the beginning of financial ruin.Everyone says that twists and turns are parts of life. But the entire life of a woman from womb to tomb is nothing but a bundle of twists and turns, toils and turmoils. The modern woman is expected to be smart and humble, strong but feminine, tough yet yielding, assertive and docile, well earning but financially dependent, educated and unauthoritative. For the past few years ‘rape’has become as common as’skipping rope’ Is it a force of dominance? Is it a force of baser instinct? Is it the insensitivity of the Government? Is it the lacuna in judiciary? Intellectuals are analysing and analysing. Why such a fear in a foetus? The treacherous eyes that follow the skirt when the girl is 13. Every single day the girl is stripped visually,has her bottom pinched,has a hand brushed against her chest, or an endearing hit on the back in a crowded bus.One should consider herself very fortunate if she is not affected by acid throw or gang rape. The countless whispers in the office corridors when a girl is promoted that it was just because she was FRIENDLY with officers( We know what it means!) This is the experience of ninety percent of women.Is it not a stinking culture that there is no hesitation to indulge in female infanticide?Very sad to note that even the lady doctors dealing with’pre -sex determination’ prefer to have male children only. A proud declaration of ‘bharatheeya Naree‘ is a myth. It is true that women were held in high esteem in Vedic era and were/are deified. How is it that this ‘Naree tu Narayani’, turned out to be slaves in the hands of her counterparts? It is true that women were held in high esteem in Vedic era and were/are deified. How is it that this ‘Naree tu Narayani’,turned out to be slaves in the hands of her counterndset was moulded and she started considering herself as a frail creature succumbed to her fate?The beauty of it, many women started nurturing patriarchal values-and that continues till date as the tug of war between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, branded as the Woman-Hitler,( a popular anagram), a title some women are proud to possess,thanks to the patriarchal values that are deep rooted in women. Is it not a hypocrisy that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world?Whenever her dominance is exhibited ,it just results in undermining many of her cherished values. The mindset of men as well as ‘women’ need to change and only then the celebration of International Women’s Day could acquire some significance. when I was born,a woman was there to hold me-Mother. When I grew up as a child, a woman was there to care and play-Sister When I went to school,a woman helped me to learn-Teacher. When I needed compatibility,company and love, there was-MY Wife. When I became tuff,there was another woman to melt and mould –My Daughter When I will die,a woman will be there to absorb-My motherland’ Very nice to receive greetings with such gold quoted words. Amidst all, let us acknowledge the Greetings extended to us on International Women’s Day .Let us continue our journey with will and determination to mitigate our patriarchal mindset first before pointing out fingers at men. After all journey with all its adventures ,experiences and lessons are more significant than destination. You need not be a Narayani,but never lose the status of ’Naree’ Vathsala Jayaraman-