Readers Forum

Readers' Forum Tribute to Tarabai Modak when Tarabai was 65 years old and Anutai, 45. It was approved by the No single woman has then government of Maharashtra. contributed more to the field of pre- After Tarabai’s death in 1973, Anutai school education in India than Mrs. and others continued her work with Tarabai Modak. Along with other zeal and enthusiasm. dedicated educationalists, she Geetanjali Ranade, Mumbai pioneered a new approach to teaching underprivileged rural Talent Gone Waste children by adapting Montessori methods to Indian conditions. Her Have a look at the annual outstanding performance and examination results flashing across original contribution to the field won the newspapers and you will find her the Padmabhushan in 1962. that more girls than boys figure in Born in Bombay on April 19,1892, the merit list. But look around for into a well-educated middle class them on stages and podiums family, she completed her graduation anywhere on any august from Bombay University in 1914. She occasion—in scientists’ meetings was married to Mr. Modak, a well- or in national committees or known lawyer in Amaravati. Because commissions, in courtrooms or in of her husband’s drinking habits and parliament—and you are sure to be the quarrels that would follow, they disappointed. In the process of decided to separate in 1921. With her Teacher’s Training School to train growing up to become women, the education, Tarabai got a good job as teachers in pre-primary education. girls and their talents seem to Principal of Government Barten In 1945, with the help of anew co- disappear into thin air. Female College in Rajkot. During that worker, Anutai Wagh (who was No doubt society likes the girl child time she was exposed to the ideas of widowed at the age of 13), she getting gold medals and laurels. But it Maria Montessori, and decided to started a new educational institute appears as if society does not like the follow these principles in bringing at a seaside village in Thane district. same child to grow up to be a leader, up her only daughter. Here she developed the concept of thinker, engineer, scientist or Around 1923, she gave up her job anganwadi schools, believing that entrepreneur. Most people prefer her and comforts to join an experimental if children cannot reach school, to be more beautiful and less intelligent. pre-primary school in Bhavnagar school should reach them. Ask young men everywhere, started by Mr.Gijubhai Badheka, Considering all the problems faced including the creme la creme. A applying Montessori’s principles. She by the poor in India, she adapted common joke doing the rounds in one worked in this school till 1932. Montessori principles, made of the best educational institutions in At the same time, she began to required alterations and wrote books the country is: “Ninety per cent of the popularise pre-school education in to guide teachers and parents. The women in the world are beautiful; the India. In 1938, she started her first project to educate adivasis began rest of them are in this Institute.” There No.124 43 are many other such seemingly for them to develop a sense of not voice opinions on matters apart harmless jokes along these lines which humour. Therefore, the tragedy of the from food, fashion and clothing. The subtly show the woman her place— married woman goes unsung and boy learns as he grows not to touch either in the kitchen or in the showcase. unwept—or, more aptly—unheard. the broom except to kill a cockroach, A 1992 study by the Department Let alone intelligence, many not to touch vegetables before they of Science and Technology on IIT other factors like wit, sense of are cooked, not to do so many other graduates showed that men’s humour and political savvy are things that “only girls are supposed expectations regarding their spouses considered uncouth in a woman. The to do”. Few escape such taboos and, diverged widely from women’s career girl learns as she grows that if she ironically, mothers’ themselves play aspirations. Male graduates preferred wants a man’s approval, she must an important role in inculcating and “non-employed but educated wives”. not display her knowledge, not crack promoting them. If this is the attitude of the cream of jokes, not laugh as loud as she likes, Kudlu Chithprabha, Pune society, the mindset of the rest of the male population is anybody’s guess. If such is the aspiration of the best of Sisters men, how will a woman who has reached that same level find a match We didn ‘t drive back in silence for herself, especially when the But in rage, Rage is quieter. unwritten social law dictates that the Your hand, a hammer from your cuff. husband be superior to the wife? And when you tipped back the seat Couldn’t that be the reason for the And shut your eyes, imitating Buddha low number of girls in IITs? Even the In a pale dress, I thought of a cabinet career aspirations of young women are cleverly moulded by society such Fallen backwards, compartments that they do not become achievers. And locked drawers jammed Husband-hunting for successful Into themselves where a sorcerer women is a hard task for parents. Might hide his grammar, his ring Society does not appreciate Of spitting fire. I can’t imagine achiever wives and achiever mothers. Where you ‘ve buried that night Little girls, therefore, are trained to grow Or what transformation into up to become unambitious wives and Righteousness you‘ve made. I only know mothers. They can achieve as long as they are daughters. In some parts of When I pull out that memory, another the country, they are not even allowed Grabs at its heel: I am seven that. Of course, if she is at all allowed And you five years older to indulge in any other activity, a girl is Hovering over my bed, silhouetted simultaneously expected to train In front of our night window, crawling herself adequately in all culinary, The black spiders of your fingers, nursing and housekeeping skills for Twisting yourself into a colossus the sake of some little boy growing up Of wheezing cackle. Witch. somewhere who will be her husband years later. Drinker of pigeon’s blood. In the land of female abuse and Root eater in the ogre’s garden. wife-battering, cartoonists are Medusa at twelve, and I a stone obsessed with women sporting Fastened by an umbilical cord chapati-rolling pins in their hands. To the foot of a drowning child. Women seldom become cartoonists, Don’t think I didn’t know you: either because their sorrow is far too Mother’s practice baby. The message deep to bring to comic expression, In a bottle. The older sister in a tale. or because the strict kitchen grooming they get allows little leeway Alice Friman 44 MANUSHI.

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