The practice of marriage was started to establish the certainty of fatherhood. This is what was required — a virgin body untouched by man, a body which can only sleep with the husband and no one else, a body which only the husband will touch and no one else, a female body which only the husband can impregnate to carry his child and give birth to his child — his male child. His male child will continue his line of descent, will inherit his wealth. It is women who help men to keep alive their androcratic system by marrying them. If they did not help in this way, androcracy and patriarchy would have been buried long ago.
To make sure that women’s bodies do not come in close contact with other men, a process was followed to imprison them and use them as personal possessions. The name of this was marriage. Marriage was the license from the family and society to establish a sexual relationship.
I have seen in Bengali society that after marriage it is the women’s wings which are clipped, not the men’s. Most women have to go live in their in-law’s home. Attach the husband’s surname to her name. They have to leave their own homes, families, relatives, friends, environs, neighbors, cities, towns, villages — everything. Even if the woman is an adult, even if she is educated, where she will go and what she will do, who she will mix with or won’t, whether she will work or not, those decisions are taken by the husband and his family. It was common practice before, and still is now that women cannot work in an office after marriage. It is better to stay at home and be faithful to your husband. Do domestic labor, serve the in-laws, bring up children.
Times have changed. Women are not literally imprisoned at home. But they have an invisible chain around their ankles. They are allowed to go out to work. But their earnings are taken away to finance the family. Polishing your shoes, serving you food, washing your clothes — any old illiterate girl can do such work. But if your beautiful, educated, sexual partner does that, then you feel mighty pleased.
The salaried domestic help will spout venom and leave if everything doesn’t go to her liking. But the unsalaried domestic help, your wife — you can do whatever you want, but she won’t leave her job. The job of being a wife. Back-breaking labor. No salary. No holidays. No pension. She will give you dowry money, and she will also become your slave. People buy things with money. Women give money to sell themselves.
Let me talk about the dowry system today. This is no recent phenomenon; it is a few thousand years old. This practice was there in many countries, it still exists in many parts of the world today, albeit illegally. This practice is rampant in the entire Sub-Continent. It cannot be stopped despite formulating anti-dowry laws, despite meting out punishment. Thousands of wives are being killed, thousand others are committing suicide for being dishonored and insulted for it. As far as I know, this custom has been in practice from ancient times in this region. But some ancient travelers have written in their books that they have not seen anyone giving dowry for marriage in India. Maybe the system of dowry was not as terrible then as it is today, or maybe they never saw such an exchange actually taking place. The king of ancient Greece Alexander the Great never saw dowry in Indian marriages. The Persian intellectual Al-Beruni came to India in 1017 and lived here for sixteen years. In his autobiography he has described Indian marriages, but there is no sign of dowry there either.
The system of dowry in ancient times was not a one-sided affair. It was given from the bride’s side to the groom, and from the groom’s side to the bride. Dowry from the groom’s side was given to the bride’s family as compensation for reduction of a working member in her family, while what was given from the bride’s side to the groom’s family was the inheritance she was entitled to. Women were deprived by law from direct inheritance in those days.
The inheritance laws of the modern age do not deprive women. Daughters get a share of their parents’ property. In all the countries within the Sub-Continent, dowry is prohibited. But these prohibitory laws cannot stop the practice of dowry. The more women descend, the more dowries ascend. To put it exactly, the more women’s position is lowered in society, the more the dowry amount gets higher. This increase and decrease remains in the hands of patriarchs.
Bride-torturing and bride-burning have assumed dreadful proportions in India. It is the same in Bangladesh. Most bride-killings are passed off as suicide. Most bride-tortures are reported as quarrels between husband and wife attributable to the latter’s extra-marital affairs.
In Bengali Muslim marriages, there is a custom of giving den mohor¹ from the groom to the bride, but I have grave doubts whether it is at all given. But from the bride’s side the groom and his family has to be given dowry money, houses, cars, furniture etc. etc. If these are not given, or if there is delay in giving them, then the bride has to endure unspeakable torture. The relationship between a husband and wife has to be one of love and trust. But dowry has destroyed this relationship. For men this relationship is now of money and selfishness, for women it is of sacrifice and working without wages. In India the brides are burnt alive, in Bangladesh that practice is not there — brides are either axed or poisoned to death.
Women have to stop marrying those vile, selfish, small men who are greedy for dowry. It is better to live alone than stay in the households of such men. Some women think that if they give more dowries the husband’s torture will be less. This has been proved to be wrong. More dowries you give, more the greed gets inflamed, resulting in more torture. Men of all sections are dowry-greedy. From the penniless to the croprepatis². The men are not yet thinking of women as fellow-passengers and colleagues with equal rights. They are still thinking that women are not completely human, and even if they are, they are ‘less human’. Until this wicked thought is abolished, women will have to suffer on earth. There is no such discrimination between the male and female genders of any species other than that of the human being. When will the time ever come that the human race will feel ashamed?
Taslima Nasreen
No Country for Women - Humanism, Secularism, Feminism
Accurate only the younger and educated lot can and should bring this change I have 3 sons and I will not accept a single gift from my daughter in law’s family
Good advice. I do hope that many young women can read this.
Everywhere.
These are exactly the ideas and chances that came up in Europe in my youth, and I have managed to escape an abuse family and have no children. It was difficult (and I think even for a European it still is, let alone a refugee), and I want to add a note for heterosexuals who want children: The bigger the number of aces and lesbians, the better the chances for you!
My dear Taslima
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I want to sell my book through your book stores. Please give me the concern person email id and contact no. I may send the free specimen copy to them. My book has the copyright. I have applied for ISBN but till today we have not received it.
My novel named AMAZONS LOVE has already been published. We are looking for the distributor/importer for my novel AMAZONS LOVE who can import/ distribute/promote it. We will give a very good discount on printed price. For Bulk orders, my price is 2 UK POND while printed price is 7 U K POND.
If any publisher wants to republish it in his country, he is welcomed. If any publisher wants to publish at e-book, he is welcomed. Please help at marketing sector.
The details of AMAZONS LOVE are as below:
The novel AMAZONS LOVE is written by author S K MISHRA. The novel is written in plain & formal English. It is a story of unbounded love, bravery and the sacrifice.
The theme of the Book: Since the arrival of human beings on this planet girls & women are being raped, murdered and tortured. The victorious military personnel commit all loathsome inhuman sin to the slave girls & women. It is still in the practice and no one opposes it. My novel is a small incarnation of this barbaric crime. It contains the different form of love. Readers will enjoy all other five chapters that are drenched with the nectar of love.
It deals with the military atrocities done by the Pakistani Army in the year of 1971. Many sisters of Bangladesh were tortured & murdered by the Pakistani Troops. Many gents and civilians sacrificed their lives in the civil war against Pakistani troops. There are many unsung heroes & heroines (VIRONGNA) of freedom fight of the Bangladesh.
AMAZONS LOVE
The salient features of the Novel:
• It is a story of a girl & boy who born in different ethnic race. The girl loved the boy since she was not acquainted with the alphabet L O V E. It explores the different & new love sentiments.
Two small inevitable essentials stories adorn the novel as a tributary to the main story.
• Some people will find it the manifestation of military atrocities upon girls. Please note it has been happening since the first day of human arrival on this planet.
Its projection is not possible because it does not follow the common course of the contemporary novel. • Its correct evaluation is possible only by reading & thinking the entire novel. • The critic comments will be the best compliments of this novel.
The language of the novel is very simple to widen the numbers of readers throughout the world. The beauty of the words is not considered more, but the beauty & importance of the contents are highly considered, explored & reinvented. No Idioms & Proverbs are used.
Author breaks & crosses the barriers of indecency & decency to express the emotions in true sense. No hypocrisy is maintained.
Except aboriginal & scheduled tribes of the world, it is true that our ancestors were a war child of the barbaric conquerors. But the story of the novel strongly condemn to this barbaric act. Nevertheless, it is still in practice and can be seen in war time in any part of the world. Many civilizations were eradicated and many were flourished this way. It is a bitter truth. • Amazons Love is multidimensional story and there are twenty five real photographs to support the story. It comprises of about 87497words.
Its first chapter: INTENSE LOVE – 14109 words in this the author meets with the heroine Rukhshana & her second husband Sunil and there is a struggle of Rukhshana who fought with the evil & devil. Though she was a postgraduate gynecologist, but she was sold to the human trafficker and finally to a brothel after the end of the Bangladesh war by her own cousin brother. From the brothel middle pass labor got released her.
Its 2nd chapter: FLASH BACK–10836 words. In this chapter the love story of Rukhshana and Tapan is inscribed. Rukhshana was very aggressive possessive and obsessive about Tapan while Tapan was very introvert. Though Rukhshana loved Tapan from her childhood, but Tapan could not dare to expose his emotion of love to Rukhshana up to 18 years. He was compelled by Rukhshana to accept her love.
Its 3rd chapter: DMCH: 13721 words: In this chapter the student life at Dhaka Medical College & Hospitals are elaborated. A tributary story of repressed and one side love also adorns the novel.
Its 4th Chapter THE ESCAPE 7144 words: In this chapter the plight of woman and compromised love are explained.
Its 5th Chapter: THE HELL 37560 Words: It is the heart of the novel. Military atrocities and people sacrifice are the main theme. Father of a church will teach the world about love for the mankind.
Its 6th Chapter THE NEW ERA: 4127 Words: It is a success story of the Rukhshana who turned the negative circumstances into very positive events. She became the Goddess of LOVE for the whole world.
IT IS VERY EMOTIONAL AND REVEALS THE CLIMAX OF LOVE.
There are many interwoven stories & thoughts that transfer the character of the person with the good & pious.
If interested, please show your interest and the region of your distributions and command. We will give you a good discount on the printed price. Please indicate, how many books do you require?
ABOUT SOME IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
Rukhshana: She is the main heroine and star character of my novel AMAZONS LOVE around which the story of the novel is interwoven. She remains from first chapter to Last line. She is very bold and she does not lose her temper in any circumstances. She is very humorous. She is a brave and well educated woman. She loved Tapan her spouse to the possible extent of emotions. Love is neatly defined by this lady in the present context. .She loved the Tapan since her childhood. But she declared it to the Tapan at the age of 18 .Her real character may be identified by reading the entire novel. She will induct the love & respect among the readers.
Tapan: Tapan is a Hindu boy while his spouse Rukhshana is a Muslim girl of different ethnic group. He can’t think about to marry Rukhshana. When Rukhshana compels him to accept her love at the age of 18 years, it is a matter of surprise for him. He was not aware that Rukhshana loved him prior to her clear declaration. He did all at the indication of her eyebrows. He was burnt alive in the presence of Rukhshana , but he died bravely. At last he instructed Rukhshana to go along with her husband Sunil who got married Rukhshana at the brothels.
Fatima: She is an orphan daughter of a port pilferer. But she has all metal to struggle with the harsh & awkward circumstances. Pity she has in her heart. She received her informal education at a roman catholic church. She loves her husband. Her husband was her husband and son both. She loves her pet &stare dogs. She donates everything to her fellow persons to survive.
Sharif: An orphan boy whose activities will bring the tears in the reader’s eyes. He gave his sacrifice to save Rukhshana.
Ashutosh & Utpala portray the love and bravery simultaneously. Ashutosh innocent love and Utpala dedication & devotion to Ashutosh drags the heart of the readers. Both of them sacrifice their lives.
Rukhshana, Tapan, Ashutosh & Utpala are professional physician while Fatima got an informal education at the church.
P R E F A C E
Each & every human has his/her own definition, conception, perception and feeling about love. Many authors adorn the love thought-provoking through & through with their different natural endowment, but the author of Amazons love bypasses coeval path of the definitions, conceptions, perceptions and feeling of love. Author just offers the real love feelings of the heroine Rukhshana and others lady character of this novel who were very aggressive, possessive and obsessive about their love & spouses. Hope, readers will enjoy the intriguing feelings of the characters.
It is a story of unbounded love, bravery and the sacrifice.
Since the arrival of human beings on this planet, girls & women are being raped, murdered and tortured. The victorious military personnel commit all loathsome inhuman sin to the slave girls & women. It is still in the practice and no one opposes it. My novel is a small incarnation of this barbaric crime. It contains the different form of love. Readers will enjoy all other five chapters that are drenched with the nectar of love.
Except aboriginal & scheduled tribes of the world, it is true that our ancestors were a war child of the barbaric conquerors. But the story of the novel strongly condemn to this barbaric act. Nevertheless, it is still in practice and can be seen in war time in any part of the world. Many civilizations were eradicated and many were flourished this way. It is a bitter truth. • Amazons Love is multidimensional story and there are twenty five real photographs to support the story.
Author breaks & crosses the barriers of indecency & decency to express the emotions in true sense. No hypocrisy is maintained.
At last, author dedicates and pays his homage to all innocent brothers, sisters and children who had been tortured, raped and murdered during various unnecessary imposed battles & war.
S K MISHRA
(AUTHOR)
Eye-opening article on Dowry ?