Yesterday, on my way back from the office in a bus, I saw a couple on a motorbike speeding past. The guy was dressed in loose Tees and a pair of jeans and the girl behind him in a traditional Indian ‘saree’. It is a common sight in most parts of the country even today and it somehow sparked a desire for me to look a little deeper to probe if there is anything about the society and culture that we can understand from this.
Sitting sideways is something which we would see in very few countries around the world and it gets necessitated most often because of the kind of garment which is worn. In this case the garment being a ‘saree’. Sitting in this position puts the woman into a world where she has to play a role of double balancing. The first: balancing herself on the seat in a direction perpendicular to the motion of the bike. The second: balancing herself with the bike itself which moves ahead on two wheels. Obviously, it is not an easy task and we have seen them struggle and juggle while in this position. However, most of them are able to perfect this skill – at times with a little help by holding the person in the front. The pros even manage to tuck one kid between the two seats and one on the lap. And, the great Indian family is all set in motion in no time.
What it forced me to think is as follows:
At one level, the ‘saree’ is a traditional Indian garment which has added to the overall sensuality and appeal of women. At a deeper level to me it appears like a rope which is used by the society to tie-up women multiple times, to restrict their movement and also punish them in a manner in which they are forced to perform under physically difficult conditions. Most young women struggle while wearing it and often take the help of others who are more adept at this skill – usually a mother, sister or friend. After wearing it, they find it difficult to walk around with it and also to manage the household chores and responsibilities. In one way, it limits their movement within a secured known boundary. History and family traditions have glorified the ‘saree’ to such an extent that women feel a sense of achievement on being able to carry out household work (however difficult the ‘saree’ makes it for them).
To understand the position of the motorcycle and the scooter in the history of the country is also important here. These vehicles opened up the world to common people who had traditionally been dependant on completely undependable means of public transport. However, what is interesting to note here is that this weapon towards extended geographic exploration and physical convenience had been limited to the men in the society. Women have usually been limited to occupying the rear seat either in the capacity of a daughter, sister or a wife. Whenever a girl was spotted as a pillion with anyone else, it would raise eyebrows and she would be given a lecture on socially acceptable behavior.
What is also interesting to observe here is that whenever the woman got a chance to sit in the pillion, she was expected to play a similar role which the ‘saree’ would make her play at home – that of balancing between the odds managing not only herself but also the family. While the woman struggled herself on this rear seat, there was usually a ‘Bittu’ who would be sitting between the couple and a ‘Guddi’ with a bottle of milk on her lap. She was expected not only to carry out the extreme acrobatic act of double balancing on the rear seat but also ensure the same for the kids. In a nutshell, she was expected to manage the family (‘meri family’ – a term commonly used by men to describe a collection which consisted of his wife and kids) rather than being able to enjoy the thrills of travel.
Today, with the society moving ahead and greater amount of sensitivity prevalent towards the needs and desires of women, there are several changes visible. One such phenomenon is the introduction of the mini-scooters aka ‘scootys’. The manner in which it impacts the society and the lives of women is multifold. It has removed the restriction of the wearing specific kinds of clothes which are required for driving. Women today drive ‘scootys’ even with ‘sarees’. This has also brought the women from the rear seat onto the front seat. It has not only provided them convenience and discovery, but also opened up a world of possibilities for them.
http://twitter.com/srahula
No comments:
Post a Comment