Rihaee

One television serial which has had a deep impact on me is Rihaee. Aired by Sony, the serial deals with crime against woman and a fight put up by a social organisation against it. Face it, women still are suppressed in this society. Be it a village, small town or metros, they are still falling prey to the ugly thoughts and actions of innumerable men (and other women of course in some cases). From money laundering by relatives (even your own kin), education/career opportunities lost to molestation and rape on the more darker side, such incidents keep happpening and if not all, I am sure a person can identify with at least a few cases.

I think such serials can really act as eye openers for everyone especially teenage girls, who may be easy targets for such prowlers. Some cases are set in the urban backdrop like a case of fake beauty pageants where the girls land up being forced to entertain international clients or guys wooing girls into their love trap ending up with a life in mess. Men in power misusing their position to humble a woman's dignity and misuse of technology are some more examples. Cases with a rural backdrop like female infanticide are also shown. I am sure you must have come across such incidents in newspapers but one episode really left me wondering.

In this specific story, the sole bread winner of the family is the eldest daughter. With sheer hard work, the daughter has not only taken care of the entire family of 6 but also managed to buy a house on loan. Fearing that the family income will stop after the daughters marriage, her own father spread rumours of his daughters ill mental health. The story takes this girl through emotional ups and downs since she can no more find a husband for her while providing money for the marriage of her younger siblings. The family members fake signatures and get the house transferred in their name. Every episode ends with the organisation helping the victim out of the situation. The story hit me hard, very hard.......because my mother told me that she knows a woman who has gone through such a situation. Can you believe that....your own parents!!!

I do not belong to the mahila mukti gang but nevertheless I feel for the subject. This has to stop and in my humble opinion keeping a woman veiled is not an answer to this. Instead of keeping the daughters home, I'd rather say that the sons in the house should be taught to respect every girl. That just leaves me with one question...Can this ever change?