anil wrote:

Arunima Singh wrote:

India in ancient days was the most civilized society. And when it comes to women empowerment and gender equality, our scriptures show that it was there. Women in India had a good respect in society and were well learned. Equality of gender prevailed. However, with all invasion of Mughals and others including British, practices like Purda system and Sati came into picture as women became soft targets for evil eyes of these invaders. 

Agreed in ancient days women are respectable. We worship women. For Parda and Sati parth Mugal are responsible.

Really? Are you aware of the facts.  There is mention of Sati from 5/6 CE ie more than 2500 years  back. The official historian  accompanying Alexander noted Sati in India. You don't burn women who you claim were worshipped.  The Mahabharat records sati. Wife of Pandu committed Sati. was it OK? Even Ram Jethmalani the famous lawyer commented that Ram was a very poor husband as he made Sita go through an Agni pariksha. why not a man? The fact is  there was no divorce for a woman and she was condemned to live a life at the behest of the man. He could take another wife, no worry.  The laws of Manu on which Hinduism was based says that a Brahmin can sleep with a scheduled cast woman but a scheduled caste touching high caste meant death. I suggest you do some reading. There is such a lot of literature on the subject. Emancipation of Indian women commenced only during the days of the Raj

MG Singh wrote:

anil wrote:

Arunima Singh wrote:

India in ancient days was the most civilized society. And when it comes to women empowerment and gender equality, our scriptures show that it was there. Women in India had a good respect in society and were well learned. Equality of gender prevailed. However, with all invasion of Mughals and others including British, practices like Purda system and Sati came into picture as women became soft targets for evil eyes of these invaders. 

Agreed in ancient days women are respectable. We worship women. For Parda and Sati parth Mugal are responsible.

Really? Are you aware of the facts.  There is mention of Sati from 5/6 CE ie more than 2500 years  back. The official historian  accompanying Alexander noted Sati in India. You don't burn women who you claim were worshipped.  The Mahabharat records sati. Wife of Pandu committed Sati. was it OK? Even Ram Jethmalani the famous lawyer commented that Ram was a very poor husband as he made Sita go through an Agni pariksha. why not a man? The fact is  there was no divorce for a woman and she was condemned to live a life at the behest of the man. He could take another wife, no worry.  The laws of Manu on which Hinduism was based says that a Brahmin can sleep with a scheduled cast woman but a scheduled caste touching high caste meant death. I suggest you do some reading. There is such a lot of literature on the subject. Emancipation of Indian women commenced only during the days of the Raj

I totally agree with that  ...I have always thought that Ram was essentially a self centered individual more concerned bout his own image ...However, one positive aspect about Hinduism is that Hinduism has undergone far more reforms that other religious groups. Although the west is considered t be developed, the religious fanatics are as bad or even worse than Hindu fanatics..There were a few stray cases of women withstanding the social pressures but such examples are few and relegated to the upper classes only..

Thank you, Usha for stating an obvious fact which so many die-hard don't want to acknowledge.

In Mahabharta while one wife of Pandu went for Sati, other one called Kunti lived a life of dignity. Mahabharata is a classic book which has all shades and nuances and a whole gamut of human sides..Nothing comes in black and white and there is a shade of grey.

I totally agree with Usha that Hinduism has been one of the most progressive religion and has undergone a lot of reforms.

Arunima Singh wrote:

In Mahabharta while one wife of Pandu went for Sati, other one called Kunti lived a life of dignity. Mahabharata is a classic book which has all shades and nuances and a whole gamut of human sides..Nothing comes in black and white and there is a shade of grey.

I totally agree with Usha that Hinduism has been one of the most progressive religion and has undergone a lot of reforms.

May be it is only and only example in Mahabhar of Sati. No now that was situation at that time. But in Rajput community women used to be sati because it was their believe that we live life dignity so we also died with it. 

anil wrote:

Arunima Singh wrote:

In Mahabharta while one wife of Pandu went for Sati, other one called Kunti lived a life of dignity. Mahabharata is a classic book which has all shades and nuances and a whole gamut of human sides..Nothing comes in black and white and there is a shade of grey.

I totally agree with Usha that Hinduism has been one of the most progressive religion and has undergone a lot of reforms.

May be it is only and only example in Mahabhar of Sati. No now that was situation at that time. But in Rajput community women used to be sati because it was their believe that we live life dignity so we also died with it. 

If Sati brought dignity than why was it stopped and equated with murder. Very sad that you are extolling such views which have no place in the civilized world.

Arunima Singh wrote:

In Mahabharta while one wife of Pandu went for Sati, other one called Kunti lived a life of dignity. Mahabharata is a classic book which has all shades and nuances and a whole gamut of human sides..Nothing comes in black and white and there is a shade of grey.

I totally agree with Usha that Hinduism has been one of the most progressive religion and has undergone a lot of reforms.

Why do you ignore the part Usha wrote about the dignity of a woman which came only with the Raj?. The Mahabharata talks of sati, even one case is bad and is murder. That is the law. All have to accept that Sati was in vogue in India and it was NOT STOPPED for 2500 years particularly in North and East India. I will quote below "European travelers in the Mughal empire noted the practice, with Ralph Fitch noting in 1591:^[107]

When the husbande dieth his wife is burned with him, if shee be alive, if she will not, her head is shaven, and then is never any account made of her after.

François Bernier gave the following description:

"At Lahor I saw a most beautiful young widow sacrificed, who could not, I think, have been more than twelve years of age. The poor little creature appeared more dead than alive when she approached the dreadful pit: the agony of her mind cannot be described; she trembled and wept bitterly; but three or four of the Brahmens, assisted by an old woman who held her under the arm, forced the unwilling victim toward the fatal spot, seated her on the wood, tied her hands and feet, lest she should run away, and in that situation the innocent creature was burnt alive.

Who can support this must be mad? It was only in 1829 that Lord Canning equated Sati with murder and many were hanged for it.

One thing for sure that he has guts to take tough decisions and not go for populist one. He has taken a big risk with GST which was there in discussion for a decade and never implemented. He might loose 2019 like Atalji but that doesn't make him an inefficient PM and neither was Atalji.

This is my personal view and one might differ. But if I am asked to name efficient PM of my country, I will definitely name Modi along with Atalji and Narsimha Rao. 

Arunima Singh wrote:

One thing for sure that he has guts to take tough decisions and not go for populist one. He has taken a big risk with GST which was there in discussion for a decade and never implemented. He might loose 2019 like Atalji but that doesn't make him an inefficient PM and neither was Atalji.

This is my personal view and one might differ. But if I am asked to name efficient PM of my country, I will definitely name Modi along with Atalji and Narsimha Rao. 

While there are many things wrong with BJP and It's leaders including Me Modi , there is no one who matches home in stature and commitment. However, BJP has to let go of certtain issues that don't really help the people or talkless about such issues and diaciibe the various firebrand leaders who shoot away without thinking , bringing down the image of the party.