24 June, 2014

Against Capital Punishment for Rape

A Hospital. The best one for parturition in Kolkata. I stand by at the stairs waiting. A doctor emerges. He looks at one of the expecting fathers.
‘Mubarak ho! ladka hua hai.’
I didn’t notice the fact that he never justified why the birth of the son was an occasion for congratulations – until my niece was born.
‘Lakshmi aayi hai! ladki hui hai.’
It was then I noticed. No Mubarak this time. Infact, the common language used at childbirth needed to justify the happiness on the birth of a girl – only at the birth of a girl. I might have ignored this had it not been for the frowning grandmother.

RMS Titanic. A constant echo of “women and children first” resonates in my ears. Is this maritime law? No. Then is this a cry to help the most vulnerable to leave the scene first? Or is this simple male chivalry? Who branded women as a vulnerable section of the society in the first place?

Property Settlement in Divorce.  In India, once the divorce is granted, a woman can move an application to get share in her ex-husband’s immovable residential property as a part of the settlement. It sends a message that if you remove the husband from the life of a woman, she is left with no means of survival. There’s no reverse provision in law, empowering the husband for the same. I ponder, should such discrimination be imbedded in law? What impact would it have on the society?

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013. “An act to provide protection against sexual harassment of WOMEN at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

Footwear. Across civilizations, women’s footwear was never intended for speed or efficiency. That trait was reserved for men. Women were (and still are) required to strain their ankles for a better posture, which translated into a better looking posterior. Where did society make such a distinction in the needs of men and women?

What are women? When born, they were humans. But echoes made them what they are. Implicit echoes, like “you’re just a birth machine.” Explicit echoes, like “girls don’t play cricket, they play with dolls,” “you are old now, do not wear shorts,” “don’t go to late night parties,” “learn to cook,” “no need to study so much,” “learn to suppress your needs,” “wear decent clothes,” “don’t hang out with boys,” “close your legs…”
It’s not that every boy ever born has teased a girl. But every living breathing girl has been teased by a boy. Try to think about that for a moment. Somehow, women have always been the one with whom the concept of virginity has been associated.
In a marriage, Indian law recognizes the refusal of sex by a woman as domestic violence. However, there’s no concept of marital rape in the law.

Consider a jungle. The lions rule as kings, protecting their territory for themselves. The territories are always marked, lest another might chance upon it. The lions however are never marked. There are also tigresses – deemed as queens only in title not in power. The aims of these two groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the lion is to remain where they are. The aim of the tigresses is to abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all shall be equal. Yet, this is a latent aim for it is an abiding characteristic of the tigresses that they are too much crushed by self-pity to be more than intermittently conscious of anything outside their daily lives.
The tigresses never revolted of their own accord, and they never revolted simply because they were oppressed. Indeed, as long as they were not permitted to have rights, they never even became aware that they were oppressed.
Some tigresses started seeing differently – and demanded equality. As if equality was the lions’ to give in the first place! Frankly, had it been the lions’ to impart, why would they? Equality was nothing tangible which the tigresses could take home. It was a mindset. A mindset induced by centuries of social practices, cultural beliefs, hospitals, quotations, laws and attires. It was not something the tigresses could demand or even snatch. The more tigresses demanded it, the more the lions’ believed that it was theirs to give. As the tigresses’ demand congealed, so did the lions’ power. Some tigresses saw this through and felt sick of their own kind. They started on their own accord, not uniting and demanding, but by living lives equal to that of the tigers. Such tigresses never fought for equality between the two species. Their actions simply said that they hunted as well, and were tigresses. There was a graceless beauty to them. While the others made noise which lions heard, these made noise which the lions felt firsthand.

So what does all this mean? How does it translate to the life of an ordinary woman who wishes to live her life with dignity? What does this mean for a simple girl who wishes to feel safe after sunset in the capital of the country? And why the hell am I writing this article? This article is in response to a petition I came across demanding DEATH for RAPE. The argument given, and I quote, is

“If they are still alive after trampling over my life
then this is the rape of the country and every woman.”

And I beg to differ.

For too long have we treated women like commodities and sex objects. This thought remains in our actions, celebrations, laws, literature, and most importantly – minds. I do not believe that raping a woman is trampling over her life. This petition puts another stone in the wall which says, “if a woman’s dignity is breached sexually, there is no value left to her life.”

This is confirmed by the society we live in, which makes life hell for the rape-victim to such an extent, that she’s asked not to even make a legal case, lest there be problems in her wedding thereafter. No one must know that her sexuality has been breached. She must suffer in silence, while the criminal, more confident with every new achievement, prowls for new preys.

Capital Punishment takes from a man his right to live. Punishment must suit the crime. The criminal here has not made the woman’s life valueless – it is a mindset which the society continues to persist with. The criminal has violated a woman’s privacy and dignity by forcing his genitals upon hers. The only appropriate punishment is Chemical Castration.

Castration. Where the man can feel what it means to have one’s privacy, dignity and pride violated. It’s not the lack of conscience which causes rapes. It’s the lack of consequences. Some fool may even justify having one pleasurable day before being tossed away in a cell to spend the rest of his miserable years where he’ll be taken care of at the taxpayer’s expense. If we want women to feel safe on the road, the punishment must match the crime. Her dignity has to be valued as much as a man’s. And the society has to realize that there’s more value to a woman’s life than her private parts.

We are living in a time when RESPECT has become something to be SHOWN. The mere act of sharing your time with someone and valuing theirs as much as your own does not translate into respect if it does not adhere to the society’s norms of respect. Till we are unclear regarding our notions about what kind of a world we wish to live in, the society awaits its inevitable doom.

12 June, 2014

Angel Gates

-           1          -

She lay on silk
empty eyes, looking up for meaning
Hands, still as mountains
lips, frail as leaves

He lays a finger on her navel,
remembering, each moment of pleasure
A tear falls on her, glistening on her body
He sees it for a long time, he knows the time has come

Flashes of memories go by his eyes
flashes, were all there had been
Never taking time, to savor a moment
Always, saving his precious time for future

Today, he felt no need to rush
clocks turned away, deceiving time
Clocks, which once his eyes scrounged for
had their backs turned in shame

He touched her lips with his, trying to remember
Love, which was always his, which he never embraced as his own
He ran his hand up to her throat, which words had abandoned
Now she lay, breathing, heart beating, blood running, alive

He did not move till his eyes blurred
the boundaries of her being with the world
He did not care to wipe the tears, he knew where his blade lay
Minutes, hours, maybe days before he lay his hand on steel

The shallow breaths stopped
He heard heartbeats; he knew they were not hers
The blade took her, but not without any pain
He cried himself to death

-           2          -

The ceiling felt like a part of her
She knew each layer, dent and texture
She knew he was not a coward
She knew he loved her enough

Yet, he took a long haul
One haul, was all she had asked for
before she left, he had conceded
She felt the touch of his hands, just before she had to leave

A brilliant light entered her eyes
Yet, it was unable to blind
She was not lying anymore, nor was she a stand
But she knew it mattered not, for the gates were now open

She did not walk, but simply entered
It weren’t clouds beneath her, but nor was it ground
She knew she’d broken the cycle, and now was the time to rest
In her final hours, she received the final blessing
Love

Vishal Gupta
September 13th, 2013
Friday

02 June, 2014

Vishwakriti – Part 4/4

-           9          -

 

You cannot see me till you see within yourself

go deep and see yourself with your inner eye

You shall find me

 

I look within myself, going deeper than I ever have been

filled with faith I try to find, the divine form of the voice within

I see countless faces, and eyes as many as stars

Many different types of forms, many forms of gems and charms

 

Countless weapons I see, and I see countless books

garlands, clothes all are deitic, deitic are smells too

Amazing and eternal vision,

where I see the face of God

 

Such light is here, a hundred Suns may conjure

I see the world in all times in that one vision

I am amazed, astonished, excited seeing it all

my head bends with the weight of my knowledge

I fold my hands, to respect what I see

 

I see the past, the Gods and the snakes

I see the origin of time and space

I see sages too and the secrets of the body

I see the eternal unending expanse of divinity

 

I cannot see the beginning, middle or end

I see your crown placed well, your form great

I see what is as difficult to see as the Sun

I realize you indestructible

 

You are the supreme solution of the world

you are immortal, savior of truth

You are the ideal man, you are God

you have immeasurable power

 

The Sun and the Moon are your eyes,

the world scorches in your light

All directions between land and sky find meaning in you

all 3 worlds are scared of seeing you as I do

 

Some stand in fear, Gods enter you

all offerings come to you

I see all Gods, all great men in their grandeur

I see many hands, legs, eyes, bellies, thighs, arms, teeth

 

All are anxious on seeing this form

I too am scared to see you like this

Your teeth are fierce; your face is destruction and fire

Yet I find peace in this holy endeavor

 

I see all my actions within you

and all flow to you like a river

all are burnt in your fire

all fly in you like kites

 

You swallow them with ease

your radiance has lightened all realms

Who are you tell me I bow to you

I want to know you because I neither know your behavior nor objective

 

I am time and action, here to do all deeds

they will be done even if you don’t do them

So either do them yourselves and earn fame and wealth

Because I have done it all, I just ask you to become the means

All actions have been performed, you just come and win

 

Your vision has shown me all and has disseminated my demons

you are much greater than the cosmos themselves

you are 100 Gods together, how can I not worship you?

You are the first God, ancient man, foremost solution

 

You are wise, you are the creator, you are all elements

I bow to you again and again

I bow to you from all sides, you are inaction, you are everything

I apologise to ignore you for so long

 

I am sorry if I paid less heed to you so far

You are a part of me, you are the father of the world

you are revered you are the teacher

none will ever be as great as you are

 

Saying this I come out, still startled by the view I saw

I continue talking to it

I wonder all I have ever wanted

was always waiting to be found within me

 

No divine eye is needed to see this form

no special radiance or blessing needed

All one needs is a clear heart

and faith and courage to see all there is

 

You need the courage, to forgive yourself

like friends forgives friend,

like father forgives son

like God forgives devotee

 

There is no place for forgiveness between friend and friend,

father and son, God and devotee

The life of these relations is love, faith and worship

 

-           10        -

 

The one who is my devotee, who thinks of me and keeps me in his mind

one who is obsessed by me and who worships me with all his faith

he is the ideal Yogi

So devotion to me is the best, my devotees are never confused by the world

 

This world is a Fig free,

whose roots are towards the sky and branches towards the ground

Knowledge is the leaves of this tree

One who knows this also knows the meaning of knowledge

This tree has branches everywhere

which have been provided for by all 3 qualities of nature

Light, fire and darkness

These roots are spread in human society in great depth

it is impossible to realize this tree in this world

because no one can see where is the beginning, middle and root of this tree

But man can cut this tree with the axe of renunciation

and attain the highest place from where he won’t have to return again

 

Renunciation is the name of the abandonment of selfishness

so if you wish to think, then think of me

if you want to worship then worship me

dedicate yourself to me

take refuge in me

I’ll free you of all sins

 

Think of me, be my devotee; and bow to me

If you do so then I promise, you will attain me in all means

Renounce all faiths, and come to me

I will free you from all sins

so do not feel sorrow

 

I am the core symbol and supreme aim

of action, Yog, devotion and knowledge

so act like a Yogi and act selflessly

Do not worry, believe in me

Take responsibility, and fight

 

I am not a man who can surrender

I do not like words of refuge

Perhaps, I do not believe in what I hear

but I know, this is my inner voice

asking me to believe in it

to surrender myself to myself

To dedicate all my actions to myself

and to act in inaction

Perhaps what this voice says is not true

but it gives me strength

It does not help me shed my fears

but it gives me the strength to face them

And so, I open my eyes in resolve

and decide to act with my eyes fixed on my target

 

I would like to tell you my tale in greater detail

of which demon I slayed first

these demons too, look eager to attack

for this is their duty, too which they cannot forgo

I wonder if they have listened to my voice too

but they have not, this was knowledge to a chosen few

My demons now look hesitant to attack

as if they wish me to spill blood first

but I would not allow that to happen

for this is what is the Yog of knowledge

This war is no longer between me and my dilemmas

it’s between right and wrong

justice and injustice, inaction and bad action

I no longer wish to run away,

though my demons do seem to have those desires

yet they won’t, because facing me is their chosen path of action

It is my final battle with my confusions

my decisive battle

I no longer care for causalities or hearts broken

for I am but a messenger of righteousness

even if countless hearts are broken, I shall stand if I am just

and I shall take upon myself all harm which comes to me in my action

and this, is the only ethics correct

 

But let’s leave that for another day

My demons seem scared, and I know the result of my battle

so my narration would not last too long

For the problems have been resolved

so no need for any more dialogue

 

The advice has not ended,

and to tell you is my duty

so if you wish to leave me you may,

but I ask a bit more time from you to stay

 

I ask you to look within yourselves and try to find your inner voice

you shall be fortunate to experience this feeling, to gain this knowledge

only great times and great people bring this knowledge

Be it an ancient God and his disciple in between of a battlefield

or be it you and your soul in the modern day

It is your fortune, to gain such priceless instruction

If you can search within yourself and find a single word from your soul

then it shall be worth all fruits of all your endeavors

You live in great times, when mankind has been given this knowledge

you are lucky to be born human, to read this path to salvation

As time proceeds, your time goes by

use it well, life is too precious to be wasted

 

And with these words, I pull my chariot of words back

leaving you in your crossroads and your battlefield

to fight your demons, to deal with your confusion

I give to you, the words of Vishwakriti