India is a land of contradictions. This is particularly evident in the way women are treated in the socio-political system. At one level, they are honoured and venerated. At another, they are handled as animals at worst and commodities at best.

Women as gods is part of the Indian tradition. Furga is one of the most powerful deities in the Pantheon. Some of the greatest temples in the country, like th eMadurai Meenakshi Koil, Mysore Chamundeswari temple, are deidcated to goddesses. The principle of man-woman union is integral to the culture of the land. Tghe ardhanarishwara concept symbolises that man is incomplete without woman. Brhama himself is not complete without Saraswathi,Vishnu without Lakshmi and Shiva, of course, will never be himself without Parvathi. Indeed, puranic nomenclature tradition puts the female deity first. Sitaraman,Lakshminarayan,Meenakshi Sunaram.

But, ancient texts too had an obverse side. Vyasa's concept of a king paying obeisance to another was through the gift of so many thousand sows, so many thousand elephants and so many thousand youg women. Down the ages, feudalism saw to it that women remained exchangeable commodities. In more recent times urbanization and consumerism turned them into commercially exploitable items. Even though some women have reached the top of the political ladder, there has been little advancement for the gender as a whole. Consider the brazenness with which male chauvinism especially (and predictably) from UP and Bihar , opposed moves to provide 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament during 2000..In our backward condition many citizens irrespective of their gender are abused everyday. But, women are abused as women- and there seems to be possibility of an end to that appalling tragedy in the immediate future.

The women liberalization is one of the majopr talk in the parliament in India even to day. Good education is provided, to that of a man. In some cases Girls are over educated. They are provided jobs like men are given. Even certain jobs which only man can do are also provided to the women.

But, women know to exploit it also. A police woman in Tamil nadu induce her superior male officer for sex and got a promotion. This is not considered as a crime. Men cannot give a complaint that a woman raped him. That case wont stand.

Many young girls knowing the latest family planning system move with any boys and go to the extreme level of sharing the bed with him.And when it is noticed by others, they say we can even live together, without marriage and who are you to ask.Above to this the divorce cases are like petty cases in Indian court history. They divorce three four times. They have more than three husbands and so on.

Women's lib is frightening us. They should create a self discipline. Now, westerners have understood the meaning of living and have started to live with what good they are having. They avoid going for divorces. They understand each other or accept their spouse as they are and make there living meaningful.

India will have to think about it. That gives a real woman's lib.