Aakanksha Gupta
Tradition, often revered as a sacred set of customs passed down through generations, is rarely questioned—especially when it comes cloaked in the authority of elders. Yet, many of these traditions, especially in India, are heavily skewed by gender bias, with women often bearing the brunt of them. A thought-provoking perspective has emerged questioning why tradition continues to be a burden predominantly placed on women while men remain largely unaffected.
In schools, for instance, boys and girls wear similar uniforms until secondary grades—shirts paired with shorts or skirts. However, as they progress to higher classes, the distinction becomes glaring. Boys retain their simple attire, while girls are often made to switch to salwar-suits, complete with dupattas and braided hair, conforming to traditional expectations. The question arises: if kurta-pyjama is traditional wear for men, why are they not made to adhere to it in the same way?
Marriage customs further highlight this disparity. A married woman is easily identifiable by her sindoor, mangalsutra, and sometimes bangles—symbols believed to ensure her husband’s well-being. Meanwhile, a married man is indistinguishable from a bachelor. “If these symbols are signs of love and responsibility, why are not men required to follow similar customs?” asks the writer, who advocates for mutual responsibility and equality in post-marriage rituals.
The article also raises an important point about the emotional and social cost women pay during marriage. Leaving behind family, friends, and the only home they have known, women are expected to adapt to a new household, often without any reciprocity. “Why is it only the woman who leaves her family? Why don’t men move in with their wives’ families if traditions are truly meant to be fair?” the author questions.
Challenging deep-seated traditions, the writer suggests symbolic equality: married men could wear a mangalsutra-style bracelet or apply a daily tilak to mark their marital status—just as women wear sindoor. “Let’s share traditions instead of assigning them based on gender,” she adds.
The article ends with a sharp critique of the dowry system, calling it a shameful practice rooted in outdated ideas of marriage as a barter system. “If you ask for dowry, you’re simply advertising your inability to provide for yourself,” the writer notes, humorously warning of fathers and brothers who might not take such requests lightly.
As Indian society evolves, the article makes a strong case for shared responsibilities in tradition and a call for genuinely equal treatment—not just on paper, but in everyday socio-cultural life.
