“My Life, My Rules. Nobody Can Force Me to Say or Do Things We Don’t Want…”
According to Indian constitution, every Indian citizen has the right to take all important decisions pertaining to his life. No person or authority, whether parents, family, society, Panchayat or governing authorities has the right to force their decisions on an individual. Despite this, the patriarchal society of India made provisions to restrict and control women within four walls of their home. Even today, women are being affected by the ill-practices of society, such as Sati Pratha (self emollition), rapes, homicides and child marriages. But, it won’t happen anymore! Rajasthan daughters have braced up to raise voice against social evils. They’ve already ignited the fight against child marriages in Rajasthan.
This is the tale of brave daughters in Kharolia village (Banera Tehsil, Bheelwada), who rebelled against impractical, unwanted, forced social evils. They didn’t just rebel against the traditional, patriarchal values of society, but also boycotted family and friends who believed in such values.
We’re talking about Vaishnav—a strong and independent woman from Banera Tehsil. About forty seven years ago, when she was just a teen, the parents fixed her marriage with a 15-year old guy from Bordea village. Vaishnav, who wanted to study and build up a solid career refused to get married at such a delicate age. Though her father initially opposed her decision, he gave in to his daughter’s demand. It took her two months to convince her family.
Seeing her ambitions, the family decided to support her but Vaishnav’s obstinate nature agitated the Khap Panchayat. The Panchayat members of her village imposed a penalty of Rs 11,000 on her family and asked her to abide by her ‘culture’. However, Vaishnav was not a lady to back down from her decisions. She filed a complaint against the Panchayat members in the police station.
After intense legal battle, the Panchayat had to withdraw their decisions. Thrilled by this success, Vaishnav completed her education. She also motivated other girls around her to pursue their ambitions. Today, after a gap of nearly four decades, Vaishnav is a self-dependent woman, happily married to the boy of her dreams.
Irrespective of their humble origins, women like Vaishnav are a source of inspiration for modern women. They inspire us to take up formidable challenges in life and never give up. Today, hundreds of other women in Rajasthan have joined Vaishnav’s cause. They’ve come together against child marriages, Jauhar and Sati Pratha—social traditions that not just hamper an individual’s right, but also affect our country’s progress.
