The experience of Ms. Sunanda Pushkar at Cochin airport might have shocked the nation and triggered a hurricane of discussion on the harassment of the celebrity. But I do not think that most women in Kerala will be startled by the episode, for this is a routine treatment meted out to them in their daily life, especially while commuting by public transport, particularly in private buses. Frustration, anger, fury, repulsion, nausea and a whole parameter of emotions have been expressed by women in Kerala, who are generally known to be intelligent, educated and practical. But no serious action has been taken against the miscreants, for one reason or the other.
The situation was no different 25 years ago, when I joined a college in Kerala for a PG course. The weekend trip home, 28 km away from the hostel, was a nightmare. Thanks to the reduced fare for students, the buses plying on the route will not stop at the designated stop when the crew see students on the wait. And so we have to run for some distance behind the bus. If you are fortunate enough to race and catch the bus, there is another obstacle waiting right on the footboard — the doorkeeper, a being created exclusively for buses in God’s own country. This being has no female equivalent, or at least I have not seen one, and is aptly christened, kili in Malayalam or ‘bird,’ apt for the whistle he blows in anticipation of a stop, or as and when he likes; it can also signify a lot of other stuff that blossoms in his weird imagination at the sight of a skirt, sari or churidhar or even a frock. This being will not get off the footboard but will stand back a wee bit, very reluctantly, and savour the moment as women are forced to brush past him as they board the bus.
No, no that’s not the end. Inside the bus, you encounter another creature, the conductor. This man will not receive the money from your hand: instead, he will take it, nay, squeeze it out of your hand, and return any change in the same way, with a double squeeze. Still not the end. Even if there is not even an inch of space inside the bus, he will scream at every stop, “Get back there. There is enough room to play football.”
If you are the obedient kind and make your way back, you have had it. There are many wolves waiting there hungrily for you. They will pinch you here, there and everywhere, till you scream in pain. Remember, you have to scream in Malayalam, “Aiiiyyyyoooooo” and not in English, “Ouch!” because men in Kerala are proud of their language and culture!
One wonders what pleasure is derived from pinching others. In all probability, these masochists are those who strongly advocate sari. A Malayalam beauty should be wrapped up in the five-and-a-half-yard material. And that is the last outfit you should opt for the Battle in the Bus. In the course of the bus ride, as the vehicle picks up speed, be prepared for when the jarring sudden brakes throw your body forward, the wolves in the back will be on your back, and the sudden release of the brake will boomerang you back.
If you are a novice, by this time you, your sari, bag, footwear, and all other paraphernalia will be in a state of hotchpotch. In brief, for an average Kerala woman, commuting by bus is a painful ordeal.
Voyeurism of all kinds is rampant in literate Kerala. You will be unabashedly ogled and stared at. It is as if scopophilia is the birthright of the male. Use of foul language and abusive remarks are generally swept aside and condoned as comparatively harmless. But what has astounded me the most is the passivity of the average Kerala woman. And if there is somebody who has summoned up the courage to protest, she will find herself a lone diminutive David against Goliath, the sarcastic crowd. Frustration, anger and fury are not going to solve the problem. Passivity amounts to indifference and evasiveness. Ensuring safe use of public transport by women must be a priority of the State. The privacy of complainants should be protected. What is most important is a general change in the attitude of society that should be more supportive and respectful of women.
(The writer’s email is: joyceejames@gmail.com)
Chennai,is notorious for vices and heinous crimes.Travelling in a metro bus will render a blue day for those women and senior citizens.For commuters,it is a `nightmare` to think of a travel in the city crammed buses.All sorts of most detestable offences and crimes from flirting,picking the pockets, undesirable sexual acts to felonies,are committed in the city buses,notably.These offences are being carried out by matured students of schools and colleges,mostly male.It is shocking to learn that most of the pickpockets are college students who dodge through the crowd after committing the crimes.sadly,conductors and some drivers aid and abet the crimes.Office-goers,particularly ladies and women experience painful travel who are optioned by their conveniences.Though reintroduced `Ladies special`buses mitigate the plights,frequencies and number of buses are limited.
I do appreciate the rhetoric of the writer`s prose and the lucid way he depicts the plights of womenfolk,in kerala.The kind of atrocities meted out to womankind are generalised mischiefs perpet-
-rated by men across the globe.The count of woman chasers and their despicable effronteries is on the increase day by day.Culture
and literacy are no bar to indecency.Sex and salacity overrule the
world.People are seduced by temptations and evil designs.Moral values are at the low ebb and rise in crimes is symptomatic of social breakdown.The governments should enact more stringent measures to subdue such unhealthy social tendencies.Woman-cops are deployed in almost all the states to nab the miscreants who pose
threats to the safety of women.Though the presence of cops in buses seems to extenuate the crimes,transgressions are on the increase ,exacerbating the situations.Earthy approaches to these
problematic menaces and concerted efforts of the public to crush the evils will save the souls!
The problem is not confined to Kerala alone. Maybe it is acute in there. But what baffles me is why the women in Kerala bear it silently. If one is bold enough to raise her voice against this misbehaviour others would follow suit. The menfolk should think that their own wives,daughters,sisters also happen to travel a lot these days and are therefore subject to this verbal onslaught and physical aggression. Thus they have a duty to condemn and not condone such indecent behaviour outraging the modesty of women.The problem if left unchecked will eventually lead to violence. But this cannot be put an end to so long as the police personnel treat this as inconsequential. It should be treated as any other crime like theft and robbery.
Women across the country would relate to this scenario, not just those
in Kerala. The main problem is the attitude of the general public
which has gotten so used to eveteasing and the likes of it that women
are advised to adjust and not antagonize. "This happens all the time"
is a commonly repeated phrase. It doesn't matter how old the lady is
or what she's wearing. The fact that she's female is enough to garner
unwanted attention.
The reason this situation hasn't changed over a quarter of a century
is that over the years we have given such men the reassurance that
they can get away with their gawking/ogling/teasing/other forms of
misbehavior. Where public transport is concerned, there are
respectable people who could protest against such harassment of women.
The feeling that protesting isn't going to make a difference is what
needs to change.
It's really shocking to know literate Kerala women keep quiet against
all these atrocities.
Imagine the same in Madurai or Chennai, illiterate women will act
swiftly raising alarm and make sure these vultures are kicked out of the
bus.
"by women in Kerala, who are generally known to be intelligent, educated and practical" - this seems to be self praise. Every other state has women who are intelligent and educated and practical.
please do not bask in the glory of hundred percent educated state.
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