The dawn of the ‘new woman’

THIS refers to Belu Maheshwari’s article: "Mere housewife" (September 18). There has been a shift in the preception of women’s role in the society. Many women choose to work because of economic compulsions. But they do not relinquish their responsibilities at home.

Another factor which may be responsible for this change in the role of women in society is that more and more girls are opting for higher professional education and seeking career. But even if they come to hold responsible jobs, they are unable to escape from their fundamental duties of a housewife. It is quite obvious that if the scope of a woman’s role is widened, she will be unable to cope with the additional responsibilities and will have to neglect either her duties as a housewife or her duties at the workplace. She will need the full cooperation of her husband to fulfil her dual role.

Those who are heralding the new woman as a phenomenon who can juggle many jobs are not her true well-wishers. I also do not support those who tend to belittle the role of a housewife by describing it as a mere housewife’s role.

ONKAR CHOPRA
Ludhiana

II

Should a non-working woman be labelled a ‘mere’ housewife? Is she somehow inferior to her professional counterparts?

The working woman no doubt, steals the limelight wherever she goes, but a housewife is also in possession of the ability to work wonders. The working woman is found to be calmer, more tolerant and intuitive. She has the inherent gift to first gauge a person and then talk to him in his language, at his level. The working woman knows how to combine her family life and her professional life.

Even a housewife can prove her mettle by being innovative. She can try her hard at some home-based careers.

There is no denying the fact that a professional woman is more aware, than the ‘mere’ housewife. But there are a few exceptions where we find a housewife with the same disposition.

A housewife is not a ‘mere’ housewife, if she is adept in making a home out of house and maintaining its dignity instead of being lethargic and squandering away her time in front of the TV or indulging in frivolous chit-chat with her neighbours.

Margaret Thatcher rightly says, "If you want anything said, ask a man: If you want anything done, ask a woman."

VANDANA
Nakodar

Whom to blame?

Apropos Reeta Sharma’s article on "Disillusioned with the state of affairs" (September 18) there is no denying the fact that a nation’s progress is gauged by its capacity to provide food, clothing, housing and employment to its citizens. It has become our habit to blame the state for all the shortcomings and inadequacies in the country. Should we not apportion the blame to those who have not been able to attain these basic facilities owing to their own lethargy and lack of effort?

SURINDER KUMAR MARWAHA
New Delhi

Courting success

Apropos of Antarpreet Singh’s article "As you think, so shall you be" (September 18), determination, tenacity and honesty, are essential for success.

The main causes of failures are — lack of a well - defined purpose in life, insufficient education, lack of self-discipline, unfavourable environmental influences during childhood, lack of persistence, indecisiveness, egotism and vanity, lack of enthusiasm, inability to cooperate with others and intolerance. To achieve success, we must analyse our behaviour and try to remove the causes of failure. Someone has said: "Success is not the result of chance or luck. No one has ever fallen into success. It is not gained by tricks and schemes. It is the result of sticking to a problem until it is solved. It is the result of such a careful discharge of every duty that a clear conscience makes days happy and nights restful".

O.P. SHARMA
Faridabad

II

It is rightly said, "How a person masters his fate is more important than what his fate is." One must make efforts to achieve and enjoy the glory of one’s success. If a person advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will be successful. ost dangerous of human errors is forgetting what one is trying to achieve. harbouring the misconception that chance or fate will help us. If opportunity doesn’t knock, one must build a door.

One has to seize an opportunity when there is one and create it when there is none. Ideas have to be formed in our mind and then have to be executed.

The ideals in our minds should be lofty. Only then we can achieve success. If our dreams and aspirations are unassuming, how can we expect success?

VIKAS ARORA
S.A.S. Nagar

Gandhiji on elections

Apropos of ‘What Gandhiji said about elections’ by K.R.N. Swamy (September 11), the Mahatma felt that franchise should not be based upon any religion.

In the Harijan dated Aug 9,1942, he wrote "Free India will be no Hindu raj, it will be an Indian raj based not upon the majority of any religious sect or community but on the representatives of the whole people without distinction of religion..."

He continued, "They (i.e. candidates) would be elected for their record of services and merits. Religion is a personal matter which should have no place in politics".

ROSHNI JOHAR
Shimla