The last decade or so has seen a significant evolution in the concept of the Indian woman from a docile,subservient stereotype to a confident,fiercely independent. She has come a long way; in India,the changes are more pronounced in the bigger cities and need to percolate to the grassroots. I am single,I chose not to marry once I was 30. I adopted two lovely daughters Indya (seven years old and,incidentally,its her birthday on Womens Day) and Maaya (three -and-a-half-years old). Frankly,it wasnt that I always wanted to be single. In my 20s,I thought that I will get married some day. My knight in shining amour,however,took his own sweet time and,by the time I was 30,my career became my focus. But I knew that I would adopt. During my college days,I spent time with children in an orphanage and decided that,irrespective of marriage,I will adopt. So I went ahead with my decision. My family was supportive about adoption. Frankly,I cared only about my immediate family. And the rest didnt bother me. Both my children know that I am their Mama and Papa. They call me Papa at times and I am expected to answer them. They know that some children have both,Mama and Papa and some have only one. Womens Day is just another day,except that it helps in showcasing unconventional lifestyles and schools of thought and encouraging more women to take the plunge to follow their hearts. If you feel good about yourself,then all days are good and if you dont love yourself then the most-celebrated day can make you miserable. I love the feminine side of my personality and nurture it,my maternal instinct is very much present (almost omnipresent) and I am the universal mother hen. I take on everybodys problems and try to fix them,whether it is financial,physical or emotional. Of course,frustration surfaces when others expect me to fit into the stereotype of a woman. The Indian man is more or less where he was years ago,but the woman has evolved by leaps and bounds. The man feels inadequate and,at times,has an inferiority complex. I feel,its time to internalise that both genders are equal with their own strengths and weaknesses. The concept of marriage is overrated,I feel. We need to understand that to be happy is the most important thing in life and if following your heart makes you different,dont hesitate.
