Across India , people speak highly of Kerala’s highly famous ‘matriarchal’ system that enabled the daughters of the family to enjoy, own and manage their family property without any interference from the men folk. The culture of celebrating the birth of a girl child is perhaps another indication of how ‘advanced’ Kerala’s society had always been when it came to empowering the women folk. Honestly, I believe it’s ‘crap’! People boast this about Kerala but even in the most educated families, it is the birth of a boy child that is eagerly awaited and boasted of. But a boy and a girl are not socially treated as equals even in the so-called egalitarian matriarchal system. All my life, I have heard many Keralites saying to my mother, “Oh no, you have two daughters and no sons!” with such sympathy that I'd love to whack the smiles off their faces! So, yes, outwardly, I have come to believe that many Keralites celebrate the birth of daughters…other people’s daughters, to be more ...
A Journey To The Inner Self | Reflections on Culture, Spirituality and Bhakti