Valentine's day, An initiative by a Tech School and a response to a "modernist"

Mr. Amit Varma of the India Uncut blog comments on an initiative by a technical college
http://trunc.it/5ihjc
WTF- such an over-reaction by the author to an innocuous incident?
1. We ("sanaatanii hindus" of whom i assume to be a humble spokesperson, just as Amit Varma has arrogated himself to be the spokesperson of "modernity" and "21st century" ness) don't see any reason for Amit Varma to be fuming if the "sisters" and "brothers" in the college willfully participated. Freedom of expression? anyone?
2. I don't find anything offensive in sisters cooking for their brothers. I have been greatly pampered by my sisters all through my life. I have been fed when hungry regardless of the time of the day or night. I will never be able to repay their debt in a thousand lives. They are the class of women for whom a smile on their brother's/ sister's/ mother's/ father's/ husband's lips -- after having had the most delicious food (most of the time drab and simple, owing to circumstances of want) -- is heaven itself. I sympathise with the beggary of Amit Varma's experience of not having had such sisters, else, he wouldn't have ever spoken such nonsense. The affront of his article is doubly hurtful to me because most of the sisters that i have enumerated above aren't at all my biological sisters. He seems to be influenced by a culture where looking upon women as sisters is itself an anathema. Poor Amit Varma, Our sympathies lie with him.
3. Why take the report to the extent of saying that the act of the college implies that the "woman's place is in the kitchen"? This is a figment of Amit Varma's imagination and garrulous presumption. Old fashioned "man on the street" (as one like me), will like to see his sisters as embodiments of annapUrNeshvarii, may be it galls the author who may want to see them in some other light (light?)
4. Why the innuendo of it being anti-21st century? BTW, where has he (amit varma) defined "21st century"? There are various views of people regarding the "21st century". For Us, "sisters" and "brothers" sharing responsibility of cooking, eating, cleaning, washing together fits perfect with our definition of "21st century", nay! any future century for that matter.
5. One may grant that it would have been fair if the college authorities had asked the "brothers" to help their "sisters" in cutting vegetables, cleaning vessels (or help in any other way to cook, just as happens in a real family). We are not implying that they hadn't. It will have surely been the case, but would have missed the jaundiced eyes of Times (Slimes?) of India.
6. His example of "way to heart through stomach... mutter paneer, palak paneer" is too inane and limp to be commented upon. It just reflects how even the sense of humour of people gets screwed up if they don't have good food cooked by loving sisters.

We congratulate the college (Ishan Institute of Management and Technology) for having come up with an innovative way of dealing with the most hideous form of cultural subversion.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Does sanAtana dharma (hinduism) "approve" of LGBTQ

Hindu view of food and drink: a critique - Part 2

वन्दे वन्दारुमन्दारमिन्दुभूषणनन्दनम् ।