Just my opinion

I will say this in a very straight forward manner... I dont like Indian culture and social system in the form it is today. It is not only extremely unfair to women, but is binding and suffocating in general so much so that it holds the country back from growth and productivity.

No doubt there are some very deep and meaningful values that form the foundation of any society and I do respect those values. But the practical social norms by which people in India live are not just useless, they are harmful for social health of the country.

Personal space, individuality and independence are concepts that are totally alien to the Indian society - more so for women. Lack of individuality hampers creativity and individual ideas. It encourages thoughtless animal-like behaviour and most of all it makes social acceptance stronger than conscience and can make intelligent people behave in an inhuman manner. Well-educated professionals living in metros like Delhi set their daughter-in-laws on fire for the want of dowry.

These harmful social values are instilled in people since their birth and all through childhood. Values like never question your teachers or elders. Values like girls should be submissive and not loud. "Shame is a girl's ornament". This is bullshit. Wrong things become right just because "everyone does it" or "that is how it happens here in India".

Of course it is a democracy and every man and women is legally free to have opinions and beliefs. But the social cost of exercising this fundamental democratic right is very high, again, even more so for women.

India Vs Australia

My friend had a very interesting experience when she went to watch a one day cricket match between Australia and India at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). She is Indian but a huge fan of Brett Lee, so she was supporting the Australian team. She went all prepared and was cheering her team very excitedly. It so happened that in a row in front of where she was sitting, were a couple of young Aussie kids. They were supporting the Indian team.

I found this quite interesting as she was narrating, but the part that had me rolling with laughter was that incidentally India won this particular match and the kids turned back and booed her !!!