#Durgashakti 2022_First Page... Vinit Vartak ©

 #Durgashakti 2022_ First Page... Vinit Vartak ©

Women have always been given a secondary position in the male dominated culture of India. This turban still remains in many parts of society, villages and cities. A woman has always been looked upon as a commodity even today in the white society. Many women who use social media experience this on a daily basis. Every woman who is single, widowed, divorced or alone her own is available for everything. The same reflection can be seen in the inbox of every woman in the form of messages from men. That is why a single woman still feels vulnerable in society. Because at every moment her sixth sense is always predicting how bad the gaze falling on her heights can be and to what level it can go. This is the story of one such woman who, to protect herself and her daughter from society's lustful gaze, takes a decision that only a Durga Shakti can imagine.

The story starts from Katunayakkanpatti, a village in Tamil Nadu. S. who lives in this village. Petchiamal got married at the age of 20. A happy world began with a new journey. But destiny had something else in mind. Less than 15 days after the wedding, her husband died of a heart attack. But in these 15 days she had entered a new turning point. That was the turn of motherhood. After giving birth to a beautiful cute baby girl, she started working whatever she could to get rid of her delusion of having two meals a day. But in a patriarchal society, there were no less lustful eyes on a widowed woman. In that society there was no chance that anyone would appreciate the feelings of a widow. At the construction site, taking her daughter from the hotel to the tea stall, she was having two full meals while nursing her little girl while facing the lustful eyes of her breasts peeking out from that blouse. But one mother realized that those eyes could also fall on her fatherless daughter. There was only one solution in front of her to escape from all these eyes when she was delirious about food and not getting work or money.

Durga Shakti in S.Petchiamal woke up and directly reached Tiruchendur Murugan Temple. There she cut her hair. Changed your dress. S wearing a shirt and lungi. Petchiamal came out of the temple and became 'Muthu'. From there began a journey whose existence was known only to her daughter and a few close people. Becoming Muthu, she started doing whatever work she could. From Rangari to Kadia. After becoming a man, the society's view of her and her daughter changed completely. A look of lust turned to respect. Muthu was now respectfully called 'Annachi' by the people. After living as Muthu for the past 36 years, at the age of 57, when her body became too old to do labor work, she revealed her true identity to the world. To get a job through MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 or MNREGA), she had to identify herself as a real woman. In the last 36 years, her identity has been recorded as Muthu on all government documents like Aadhaar card, rationing card, election ID card. During this period, she educated her daughter and married her into a good family. Now her daughter lives happily in a luxurious house.

S. Petchiamal wants to live as Muthu till the last moment of his life. Even though her daughter is married today, she still hasn't forgotten the lustful eyes. That is why I personally feel that it is a big failure of our society that even today she does not dare to come back to her original form. Women still do not feel safe. Even today she has to take a form of Durga Shakti for her and her daughter's safety. Society has to show its place. In today's era, showing her reflection of the masculine social system, S. who has spent 36 years taking care of her daughter and giving her a dignified life, erasing her own existence, showing a different reflection of Durga Shakti. My biggest salute to Petchiamal. The nature of Durga Shakti shown by them is on the one hand to realize the female power, One is to show the struggle of a mother and on the other is to tear the veil of society. S. Petchiamal is therefore the front page headliner for this year's Durga Shakti.

Photo Search Courtesy :- Google

Notice :- Wording in this post is copyright.