i read about burkha!

what's burkha for us?

for me, i saw my grandmothers wearing it
i dint like it quite well
i thought
they must finding it hard to walk on the streets with it
how will they see the things around them

my pias auntie
she says every woman has to
because if she doesnt
she will show the shape of her body
to outside world
of men
excite them
which she has to, she can only her husband..

those very intelligent leaders
of "modern" countries
they cant stand if someone does, if someone wants to.
have they heard of the man called mahatma
who talked of tolerance ?
(even tolerance is a wrong word,
appreciating other religions it must be,
someone said..)

and when our sisters from afghanistan speak of it,
they have memories, long ones lasting, spreading though
centuries.
they remember a grandmother,
who escaped being caught
while going to a cinema because of it;
they remember their heart beating looking at someone
though the mesh of the veil..

yes, women can survive, as they have
the mens world
and they can be naughty however they are!

(reference to an article,"remembering chadori",
sunday magazine, the hindu,15-10-2006)