A Calendar Too Crowded by Sagarika Chakarborty is an interesting book. It highlights how women deserve to be happy every day and not just on the specific/important days dedicated to them and reserved for the protection of their rights. Every day in a woman's life is precious! Something which is missing in reality.
Happy Reading! :)
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The author has taken a very unique style to analyse whether women get what they deserve or they are still a part of a fake society, which is only getting better according to the statistics. There are over 300 days which are not devoted to any women's campaign against child abuse, gender inequality, domestic violence, sexual harassment and it is on these days that womanhood is trampled upon, the patience of a woman is tested and all kinds of atrocities are inflicted on them.
A woman sacrifices throughout her life as a daughter, wife, mother and completely changes herself, her attitude and her life for her family and loved ones but just one fault in her turns everything futile.
In this book, every story deals with a challenge which not only the woman in the story but millions of women across the globe face and struggle with.
Every chapter has an interesting name to it, which keeps you wondering what is it that the author actually means and you want to read further to find that out.
Sagarika raises some relevant questions in her book-- are women really treated fairly? If yes then why is a woman who wants to follow her dreams or live a life the way she wants to considered spoilt or bad? Why is a woman expected to sacrifice at every stage? Do we still see the remnants of the old beliefs hidden somewhere in our society which are silently damaging it? Why is it wrong if a mother wants her daughter to have a different life and not a life which has choices without any options?
She highlights in a few chapters how people assume that women get equal and fair treatment when there are millions of girls who are deprived of basic rights and respect. Even though there are so many laws and rights reserved for women still there so many cases of female infanticides, domestic violence, rapes, female trafficking and child abuse.
Sagarika backs up her arguments against the discrimination faced by women with strong facts at the end of some chapters. Some of the stories are really thought provoking. If you and I don't face these issues that does not mean that they don't exist. They do and in huge numbers. After reading this book, I am amazed at the level of difficulties and suffering women have been and are still are subjected to.
Women are tortured for petty reasons--reasons beyond their control, for not getting enough dowry, they lose their importance if they don't have a baby boy, they are declared a misfit if they question the wrong being done to them or try to change things for themselves because those things are unacceptable.
Just by saying that times for women have changed doesn't really do it, there are millions of women who are still striving for their very basic rights as human beings, the liberty to make their own choices, live the way they want to and live for themselves and not others.
After reading the book, I have a few questions which I doubt can find satisfying answers.
Being a human being why cannot I (being a girl) do things that I want to? Why can I not be accepted for what I am instead of all the faults that are easily found in me? Why am I bad if I question things which I don't agree to? Why can I not have a guy as my best friend? Why can I not make my own decisions? Why people around me have no faith in the values and morals they have instilled in me? Just because I am a Girl?
These questions are worth a thought! For things to change and improve, the mindset of people has to and should change.
This book is a must read for everyone, definitely for all girls, not because you can relate to it but because after reading it you know that you deserve to live a life the way you want to and not submit to unacceptable things, there is nothing wrong in living for yourself. It's our right as a human being.
"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it."
- DH Lawrence
"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it."
- DH Lawrence
Happy Reading! :)
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