Recently I read an interview of reigning Miss India Universe Simran Kaur Mundi in Times of India. She says on her concept of an ideal woman,” The ideal woman is someone who believes in herself, has her head firmly placed on her shoulders; exudes confidence and most importantly is one who every man would love to be with“. If Miss India Universe, who can turn any man’s head, says that most importantly an ideal woman is one who every man would love to be with, what would the average woman on earth regard as the ideal woman? Does it mean women never feel complete unless they are endorsed by men? Of course not everyone can become Kiran Bedi or Indira Nooyi!

Recently my wife took ill with some ENT problems and I visited the most renowned ENT hospital in town. All doctors are quite accomplished there and a lady doctor who was on duty that day saw my wife. Even after a week long medication when she was not fully cured, she insisted on seeing another doctor preferably a male doctor but not that lady doctor again! Somehow she developed a perception that lady doctors are good only for gynecology and may not be as effective for other ailments.

I remember, a few years ago, how a lady passenger sitting next to me in a flight reacted on hearing the commanding pilot’s name during the announcement welcoming passengers on board. She was wondering if the lady pilot can really fly it safe! I have experienced that most women prefer to have a male boss and many women have terrible story to tell about their experience of working under a woman boss. I am not sure if any survey has been carried out on this subject.

The saas bahu syndrome is not just confined to the four walls of the family. It manifests in different hues in the life of women and gets further complicated by their excessive dependency on recognition from men. Ask any couple who have not succeeded in conceiving or who took long time to have a child. The initial battery of tests and the general curiosity of the society are always directed towards the women only since men are supposed to be always flawless!

The saga of Sita continues. Women continue to appear (rather forced to) for agnipariksha – whether at home, office or society at large. But aren’t all these to proof themselves to men! Why did Sita first of all agree to take the agnipariksha? She could have easily walked out! Didn’t she this way set up a wrong precedence to women to follow in subsequent generations? I am sure, the system of burning the widow alive or the system of becoming Sati took inspiration from this agnipariksha! After all women are the sole keepers of all virtues! Men don’t need to prove anything.

I can share more such thoughts later, since my wife is getting increasingly curious about my new found love for women! And now my very young nieces/nephews are also reading my blog – asking me if I am really meeting Shilpa Shetty !