Comments for A Journo's Diary

Comment on Are we all a burden? by spriha

spriha — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:03:01 +0000

Thanks for the comment Michael,
You are right in quoting the figure with respect to the rural population and I completely stand by your arguement on that. But my issue was with the generalisation that Dr. D’Souza made with respect to women in India. She painted a rather bleak picture saying that a women’s life is completely controlled by a man – a father, brother, husband or son. Or to say that the time a girl child is born parents start thinking of dowry and invest less in her career. This is true in the rural areas but to generalise it and say it happens everywhere is not the right thing to do. It would have been better if she would have said that such things happen in large numbers in the villages, along with qouting some facts and figures, since she is a doctor. And then moved on to say that “however things have improved to an extent in the cities where a girl child is treated equally with the boy child.” This would have just added some hope and balanced out the entire story. As of now, a person coming out of the move hall will feel that women in India are treated no better than dogs. And that is something which I cannot accept, especially after having spent my entire life in the country.

Comment on Are we all a burden? by Michael Lawson

Michael Lawson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:52:38 +0000

Thank you for this thoughtful review of our film. It may help to mention the report by Action Aid India called untouchability in rural India. The report concluded that untouchability, shockingly, is substantially practised in 84% of India’s villages. This means that the attitudes to female births is the same as mentioned by Dr D’Souza. We have seen this to be true all over India. It’s quite true that cities offer a different approach to caste and untouchability, but rural India is the greater part that is relevant in this dreadful situation.

Comment on India-Africa Partnership Conference by Thabi

Thabi — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:04:33 +0000

hey Spriya

Just stumbled upon your webblog, realyl cool. So excited for the wor you’re doing and thank you for all the great reports you’re sending form India for Voxafrica. Hope to speak soon.

Warm hugs from London,

Thabi

Comment on Food and gupshup at Southall by Prashant Shrivastava

Prashant Shrivastava — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:15:47 +0000

Stumbled upon your article thanks to one Application on Net passing on to the other one. Your way of writing is fantastic, any one can relate to it and fell emotionally touched by this article. Kudos.

Comment on Food and gupshup at Southall by Harsha

Harsha — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:02:12 +0000

Hey.. nice blog.
I’ve been to southall too(mostly for the pani puri), n had a similar experience.

Comment on US President Barack Obama has accepted his Nobel Prize by Jamie Holts

Jamie Holts — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:04:09 +0000

I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Comment on Kanyadaan? by Spriha Srivastava

Spriha Srivastava — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 19:58:00 +0000

Kamikaze,

I am not saying that this tradition should not be allowed. I think you are not getting my point. What i want to say that the term “kanyadaan” is nto justified. I eman “daan” is related to donation. In the earlier times, the basic belief was that the groom is brahman and bride is given to him as a daan. That is where i have a problem. I want to do away with the term “Kanyadaan”

Comment on Kanyadaan? by Kamikaze

Kamikaze — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 01:50:00 +0000

I see your point. You are saying that Kanyadaan as a tradition shoudl not be followed. The ceremony is not about ‘donating’ teh girl. Its about the girl’s parents making sure that their daughter is being taken care of. They are not handing over the ‘girl’ but the responsibility!

Comment on Is Gender Equality a Myth? by shetty

shetty — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:23:00 +0000

and megha…what is your idea about gender equality??….is it to get the men gang raped and tortured by ugly women??!! or to get the men sleep with their bosses for promotion??!!

lady…you need to have a positive outlook…why not talk about stopping the atrocities on women..rather than hoping that men also recieve the same treatment?? even an extreme feminist will not have any problems with the matrimonial columns or the advertisements…what is it that you want??…half naked men selling hand towels or hair gels?? is this your version of equality??

Comment on Is Gender Equality a Myth? by shetty

shetty — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:08:00 +0000

"Only when i can proudly walk on the streets without having anyone to look at me with eyes of greed can i say my deep desire is fulfilled."

well spriha...this is something which really needs a lot of dissection. going by what the science has taught us,females are made attractive...to attract males of their species. and males are blessed/cursed (whatever you consider it as) with the sex harmones which make sure this happens.

if you have to walk on streets without attracting anyone...either you have to be terribly ugly, or all the men should disappear from earth! i am sure you wont be happy if you are given these choices.

effectively speaking..to fulfill your deepest desire, you have to wait for a time when natural evolution will enable individual specific attraction between male and female(rather than species specific which now exists).