Rowdhiram - just girl things!

The autumn air carries the familiar scent of camphor and marigolds. It is that time of year when the idols of goddesses are gently dusted, dressed in silk, and celebrated for nine nights. We are reminded that womanhood is whole and divine—that within women lives the wisdom of Saraswathi, the grace of Parvathi, and the strength of Kali.

Yet, looking around, a quiet question remains: how many young girls are actually told the true stories of these goddesses' strength?! Instead, we are brainwashed with compliance!

What rises up inside me isn't bitterness; it is Raudhiram—a word the great poet Mahakavi Bharathi used to describe a balanced, righteous anger. He offered a simple piece of advice to girls/women: ரௌத்திரம் பழகு (Practice righteous rage).

But what does it mean for a girl to practice this kind of rage?

• It means learning to stand up for yourself.
• It means quietly but firmly holding onto your rights and refusing to compromise your dignity just to keep the peace. 
• It means rejecting the idea that a woman must always sacrifice—consistently melting herself down to light up everyone else's room. 
• It simply means refusing to tolerate nonsense.

For a long time, the freedom to express anger or stand one's ground has been readily excused in boys. When they cross a line, society often dismisses it with a casual "Boys will be boys." It feels like time to change that narrative. Let strength, boundaries, and self-worth become "just girl things."

I often think of the teenage girl I used to be, and I wish someone had shared this perspective with me back then. I wish every adolescent girl growing up today could hear it, especially when the world tries to make her feel small.

Instead, the daily news brings a heavy reality. The heartbreaking rape statistics in India remind us that society often only praises women when they are quietly enduring emotional or physical hardships for the sake of family harmony. Young girls are taught to navigate the world through a lens of caution and fear, and the morning papers rarely offer much comfort.

Perhaps it is time to step back from the grand gestures and the special garlands. We don't need to be placed on a pedestal for a few days a year. Instead, it is simply time to claim the everyday respect and equality that has been due for a very long time. 

I salute all the women who stood up and protested for safety after the Delhi incident involving a teenager and all the Jane Doe's seeking justice (Cornell University).  More of these culprits should be exposed and punished; it's better for a safer world. 

It is only Navarathri when all girls/women are safe in this world!!