Wake Up, O Woman!

The debates around whether women need education have long been put to rest. The question of whether women should pursue careers no longer warrants discussion. The old adage that “employment is a masculine trait” has grown obsolete. Today, a career has become an integral part of a woman’s life — not just a characteristic, but a goal she actively pursues. Yet debates about whether love marriages are better than arranged marriages continue to rage on. And it is precisely at this threshold of marriage that a woman’s freedom and right to self-determination face their greatest obstacles.

Parents who readily respect their daughter’s choices in education and employment often revert to insisting on having the final word when it comes to marriage. Despite achieving financial independence, women still find themselves unable to shape their own lives on their own terms. Marriage is the single most defining turning point in a woman’s life, and the absence of autonomy in this crucial matter remains one of the most significant barriers to her freedom.

The reasons for this situation are many. In today’s world, education and employment have become indispensable for women, making them partners in sharing the family’s financial responsibilities. This is, without doubt, a great leap forward. Yet, when it comes to marriage, young women of this generation openly express that they are still unable to make truly independent decisions. They rightfully ask — what is wrong with making a choice that suits the times they live in? And yet, a section of society continues to find fault with exactly that.

Even girls who travel to distant places to study and build careers largely defer to their elders when the time for marriage arrives. Many lack the courage to voice their own choices to their parents and families. The reason lies in the family environment in which they were raised — caste, customs, and traditions continue to pull women back. Girls who have demonstrated exceptional ability in academics and careers find themselves unable to freely express their feelings and opinions before their elders on the matter of marriage. Somewhere, a thought is planted in their minds that perhaps something is wrong with them for wanting what they want. Even highly educated women — doctors, software professionals — continue to rely entirely on their parents’ decisions when it comes to marriage.

Over the years, feminist thought and women’s movements have made their influence clearly visible across many aspects of women’s lives. Women of this generation participate in countless movements and causes. Yet, when it comes to marriage — the greatest turning point of their lives — they find themselves unable to boldly express their feelings, choices, and decisions. And even when some do find the courage to speak up, many parents are unable to welcome it. Caste, religion, customs, and conventions stand in the way.

There is a saying: set your house in order while the lamp still burns. In the same spirit, each person has but one life, and there is no wisdom in turning that life into a living hell in the name of traditions and conventions — especially in an age of progress and modernity. Freedom is not something that is handed to you by another. It must be a freedom that upholds one’s own identity — not for the sake of family or society alone, but for the sake of oneself. And that freedom is something parents must give their children.

Whether it is an arranged marriage or a love marriage, what truly matters is that hearts connect. Life must flow beautifully and joyfully. In today’s mechanical, fast-paced world, there is precious little time for happiness as it is. The time we do have should be spent in the warmth of love, affection, and tenderness — living fully and flourishing. Life must be fashioned into a paradise.

And when is all of this possible? Only when a woman possesses the inner strength and confidence to live freely, in a manner that resonates with her own heart.

So wake up, O Woman! Take that one step forward. Claim your freedom as your own.