A misogynist jaagran

The December 16 gang-rape shook India’s conscience and evoked mass outrage. A barrage of analyses following the incident focused on the legal and preventive mechanisms rather than looking at the social, cultural and religious dimensions that spawn and reinforce such misogynistic attitudes. Pedagogy, parenting, schools, peers, teachers, and community and religious gatherings contribute largely to shaping one’s mindset.

I witnessed a similar community gathering, a jaagran (religious musical night), usually held in remembrance of a departed soul, in a village in Churu district, Rajasthan. The grieving family invited three hymn-singers from Jodhpur.

Villagers arrived in tractors, jeeps, autorickshaws and camel-carts.

The audience of 500 people included housewives, school-children (who were enamoured by the Jodhpuri vocalists), farmers and a few government employees. While the turbaned men sat in front of the dais, veiled women settled backstage on a green mat.

Anti-woman narrative

The performance centred on the importance of the guru (teacher), devotion to God for salvation, and respect and love for parents — all explained through folklore. So far, so good. What was shocking , though, were the references to patriarchy and subordination of women. The chief vocaliststarted off by giving the example of Sati as a yardstick to measure the wife’s purity and sacred allegiance to her husband. Furthermore the other vocalists took turns to propound baseless prejudices and perception towards women. “A father is consigned to hell if his daughter remains unmarried,” one of them thundered.

“To wriggle out of his household work one man used to recite Hare Krishna and Hare Ram whenever his wife asked him to do the dishes or cook. So you too can recite some ‘mantra’ to evade unmanly household work,” he advised the men. “Wives should eat after their husbands as a mark of respect and love,” chanted the third singer. He went on to justify the ‘son preference’ as, without a son “a household is devoid of vigour and reduced to a desolate place.”

Such religious events imbue a misogynistic attitude in vulnerable school-children and young people, and they are the first casualty here. Another point which needs mentioning is the complete lack of women’s empowerment. It is not uncommon that they have little or no say in the family’s decision-making process. By being continuously exposed to such narratives, women internalise the whole patriarchy concept.

Very often, not only men, but also some women put the blame for sexual assault on the victim. The latter signifies that patriarchy and its fallout have been internalised by conformist women, making their agency hostage to the dominant narrative.

Awakening

An low sex ratio (928), female literacy rate (47.76 per cent) and girl’s age at marriage (one-fourth of the girls are married below 18) speak volumes about the condition of women in Rajasthan. The media have a crucial role play to help society break free from gender stereotypes. In addition, the need of the hour is social and religious reform — as witnessed in the 19th century — and strong leaders in these spheres who can stem this rot.

The onus is also on the educated classes in villages to lay down strict guidelines for such events. It is up to them to ensure that religious assemblies are transformed into forums that speak up for women’s rights rather than dismissing them entirely.

(The writer studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. )

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