Apt portrayal of woman in her myriad avatars

‘Odyssey – A Journey of Woman’ organised by students of PVP Siddhartha Institute of Technology was thought-provoking

March 07, 2013 11:36 am | Updated 11:36 am IST - VIJAYAWADA:

A child marriage effectively portrayed ‘Odyssey — A Journey of a Woman’, at PVP Siddhartha Institute of Technology, in Vijayawada on Wednesday. Photo: V. Raju

A child marriage effectively portrayed ‘Odyssey — A Journey of a Woman’, at PVP Siddhartha Institute of Technology, in Vijayawada on Wednesday. Photo: V. Raju

Bane of social evils like child marriage, domestic violence, pardah system and ill-treatment of widows were effectively brought to the fore by girls of PVP Siddhartha Institute of Technology at ‘Odyssey – A Journey of Woman’.

The exhibition, organised on the sidelines of a seminar to mark International Women’s Day, at the college auditorium on Wednesday, depicted the myriad hues of Indian woman. The montage illustrating Indian woman in her several roles was an instant hit.

There can be no dispute over the fact that a woman is an emblem of beauty; an enigma that harbours myriad thoughts and emotions within the crucible of privacy. It is difficult to fathom how insipid the world would be without her and yet, almost always, she is at the receiving end.

A man with a grey stubble tying a mangalasutra (sacred thread) to a young girl quietly sitting with her head buried in her chin demonstrated the vulnerability of the girl child who is mostly married off at a very young age without even her consent. The scene portrayed the elders in the families presiding over the marriage unmindful of the impending misfortune that would befall on the young victim in the days to come.

Reams of paper and reels of films have been dedicated to describe a woman. Women-oriented books promise to reveal ‘the secret’ underlying womanhood. Biologists have spent their lifetime decoding the mystery of a woman. But the woman continues to be an enigma that embodies her beauty.

“The battle of sex is as old as mankind. In a patriarchal society like ours, women are expected to accept men as the superior sex,” explained an interpreter standing at a stall where a young man, apparently in an inebriated condition, is thrashing out her defenceless wife black and blue. “Domestic Violence” reads the banner hung outside.

Interpretation of widow ill-treatment stirred young minds curious to know more about its history, as they surrounded the interpreter at the stall.

As one walked through the gloominess, shades of light began to appear at stalls that had modern day educated women representing the current generation. Doctors, laywers, teachers and other professionals happily engaged in their respective roles made an inspiring spectacle.

Awareness, education, and life’s struggles have led women to shed their inhibitions. Great women leaders, artists, scientists, and other professionals have inspired other women to overcome social obstacles. The objective of the seminar was precisely the same — to inspire young ladies around to fight it out and grab their share of sunshine.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.