--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from January 21, 2007


Women Pundits for Hindu Pujas and Hindu Marriage Ceremonies

Conservatives might find it hard to digest but young women in India are choosing it as a profession and are becoming Hindu pundits ....sorry…. punditai. Soon you will find women solemnizing marriages. Women performing religious ceremonies are becoming a common scene in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The number of women pundits is still negligible in India . But with more and more women candidates queuing up for the Functional Sanskrit course in universities in India the number is sure to increase. Hindustan Times reports Dr Asha rai, D.Litt in Dharmashastra, who teaches the subject in Lucknow University feels that the field should no longer be a male domain and gender bias must end. "Touching a woman purohits feet should not be considered an insult. In ancient times women used to perform rituals and various types of poojas." As expected, male pundits have already expressed their reservations on women performing pujas. But people who have hired wom

The Draupadi Phenomenon – A oddisi dance drama on women’s rights

The Draupadi Phenomenon – an Oddisi composition – by noted dancer Sanchita Bhattacharya makes use of mythology to discuss the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2006. The composition represents modern day woman and urges the society to let women live their lives with freedom and dignity. The dance drama uses Draupadi of Mahabharata as story teller to enlighten the audience about the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2006. The Hindustan Times reports " The Draupadi Phenomenon is something close to my heart. The 3,000-year-old Odissi dance and the 5,000-year-old Draupadi character from Mahabharata have culminated to tell the story to remind everyone that it's high time women got their rights to live by their own choices. Women should be allowed to live their lives on their own terms. Stop deciding for them," said Sanchita. The character of Draupadi in Mahabharata is that of one of the most wilful woman in literar