The Modern Purdah System

Recently, I’ve observed a hot, new trend in Indore girls – tying scarves around their faces. Or becoming metaphorical ‘Daakuus’. The common excuse – “so much pollution and heat in our stifling little city!”. If the objective is to be protected from environmental hazards then the scarf use is justified. However, I have seen girls wearing scarves while moving about in clear, low-sunlight evenings and in non-polluted areas such as parks, gardens, shops, malls or one of many cute galis sported by Indore.

Last year, my friend and I traveled daily to Dewas and back for a short stint at industrial training. We commuted in a private or an MRTC bus. My friend would come wrapped up in a coat and wear tightly-draped Taliban-esque scarf and sun-glasses. I could not recognize her at times. She would ask why I wasn’t wearing a scarf and the general cover-up while traveling in the bus. Well, I replied that I didn’t really need a cover-up. Then she would gravely explain to me how one is saved from eve-teasing if one wears it. So here it comes – There is an ulterior motive behind wearing these scarves – The girls want to save themselves from the roving eyes of the roadside Romeos and eve teasers. They simply want to be invisible. They want the freedom of standing at a bus stop without being lewdly stared at or without being tormented by discouraging comments. The scarf provides them the comfort of being hidden away from the harsh world they have to face. It’s a sick, self imposed ‘purdah system’. It is even more prevalent in areas having a multitude of girls’ hostels or student hostels in general. I agree that it’s necessary for girls to be responsible for their safety in a country like India, let alone the world, but hiding behind veils is not the way out; rather it is an act of cowardice. Moreover, there is an ironic side to it. If almost all girls start wearing these scarves at unneeded times on places where it is ridiculous to do so, then guys will get accustomed to seeing girls like that, so if there is a girl who is not wearing a scarf, she will be seen as bold /inviting. How sad would that be?

Secondly, a person’s face is pretty much his/her identity. Now, girls complain that boys see them as objects. But, as they have hidden their facial identity behind a veil, when one looks at them, attention is drawn not to their faces but to every other place imaginable. Consequently, this further encourages people to see them as “objects”. Thus, the purpose of wearing a scarf, or hiding behind a veil, is ironically defeated.
Moving on, Eve-teasing is a pretty casual phenomenon in India. In fact, the society almost considers eve-teasing as an unwritten right that can be exercised by males and as a custom to be endured by females. It is a part of a girl’s day-to-day life. Girls are taught to ignore it to the brink of their patience, and beyond. Girls are further taught that protesting against eve-teasing or the elements that cause it will get them in an even bigger trouble; and consequently, they learn to ignore it i.e., it’s not a ‘big deal’ in India.

As a sincere question to females who have learned to ignore or adapt to this horrible practice – How many times will you let people spoil your day? For how long will you pretend to be deaf and blind to it? Ignoring might be one easy answer to the question. But there are ways of protesting or complaining if you do have the spirit to. The choices to reply back can be as constitutional as reporting the offenders to the police or as bold as instigating the nearby public to initiate a skirmish on the perpetrators. But hiding is definitely not the way out. Girls, don’t hide. Be brave.