Will the Uniform Civil Code in India further alienate women from traditionally matriarchal & matrilocal cultures?

Fruits of a pandhu lily growing from a bulb planted by my Mother in the laterite soil of Thiruvananthapuram

She attended all the marriages, naming ceremonies, housewarming ceremonies and took part in the rituals after birth and before cremation of the people She knew,their children and grandchildren.

She was not a stranger in the city she lived in, a city chock-a-block with the best hospitals, well-connected with transport facilities and…full of Her relatives.

Yet when She had a stroke, no one came to attend to Her. It took Her one whole week to get to a hospital for treatment. Her son who had taken premature retirement on the grounds of caring for Her yet lived 500 kilometers away working at another job, did not come to Her aid in time. Her daughter-in-law who had Her sympathy for being the impoverished daughter of an alcoholic yet herself too lazy to work for a living and on whom She showered Her love, time and the finest jewels, only held Her in contempt for Her large belly (“no abs at all”) and was too indifferent to care.

I, Her daughter, living over 2000 kilometers away was giving care to my own disabled daughter and her father himself recovering from a recent stroke.

Her niece who was thought to be close to Her and whom She had rescued from a consanguineous marriage to a man she despised whose mother she lived in mortal fear of, ensured that I, Her daughter couldn’t pay Her my last respects. She was cremated before I arrived within a few hours of Her passing. 

Remembering my Mother on Her 8th Death Anniversary.

Will the Uniform Civil Code in India further alienate women from traditionally matriarchal & matrilocal cultures?

Phyllanthus niruri - Keezhanelli

Phyllanthus niruri known as Keezhanelli in Malayalam springing in the rain in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The south west monsoon has set in.

Keezhanelli standing in a pit of laterite soil brimming with rain water.

There was stillness while collecting the seeds of Keezhanelli after the monsoon had moved from Kerala to other parts of India in 2017.

The tender leaves of Keezhanelli are ground into a paste using coconut milk and given to those convalescing from jaundice and liver ailments.

This was part of the traditional knowledge handed from generation to generation in Travancore.

Keezhanelli is also known as 'stone breaker' in common parlance.

Some reflections on the 1971 War by a daughter

1. Jawans of the parabrigade being dropped in Dacca by Indian Air Force planes from Central Air Command Allahabad

From a newspaper dated 18 December 1971-

2. Transport planes used as bombers... 
A newspaper report dated 7 December 1971- 

3. The dashing Lieutenant General (Unni ) Candeth from Kerala who was the General Officer Commander –in- Chief Western Command during the 1971 War.

A newspaper report dated December 1971- 

4. The courageous Air Chief Marshal PC Lal, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, DFC

and his wife Mrs Ela Lal - both so inspiring, caring, compassionate… made sincere efforts to those impacted by the 1971 war and their families.

A message by Air Chief Marshal PC Lal from Air Head Quarters, New Delhi dated 24 December, 1971 -

On Guru Purnima

A sunny day, a gentle sea

A day to be reminded of ...an ocean of knowledge... ancestors... memories... gratitude..which have helped weather many storms when put to practice. 

Before the worship making a payasam with rice, jaggery, coconut milk, aromatic spices...

Aromatic spices leaves. before roasting and  powdering

A Platycerium gives forth new fronds on Guru Purnima day.

A Platycerium in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

When a Gloriosa superba blossoms on Guru Purnima day... leading one to conversations towards the Kathopanishad. 
*They perceive that indescribable highest bliss as ‘This is That’ How shall I know that? Does it shine by itself or does it shine by another light*.

Gloriosa superba blossoms in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

Gloriosa superba is known as 'Agnishika' in Sanskrit, 'Kalihari' in Hindi and 'Menthoni' in Malayalam. All parts of the Gloriosa superba are poisonous. The underground stems which are tubers are extremely poisonous due to the presence of toxic alkaloids like colchicine.

Reference: *transalated from Sanskrit - Valli ii of the Kathopanishad

When a daughter is given rights to inherit her ancestral family property

As a mother from the foothills of the Himalayas did by writing her entire agricultural land to her daughter Ratan Manjari - so she could live with dignity. Ratan Manjari now in her 60s went on to fight for the same right for other tribeswomen. The High Court in June 2015 granted property rights to tribeswomen under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.

Ratan Manjari after taking a victory procession to express gratitude to the High Court, would be helping other women to seek a share in their family property.

A report from the newspaper *The Tribune* published in Chandigarh by Pratibha Chauhan
 
Amid note of caution, tribal women to celebrate HC order

Tribal women of Kinnaur will formally celebrate the grant of inheritance rights in family property at the district headquarter of Peo tomorrow. They want the government to implement the High Court order, which will put an end to the law, where women were not entitled to a share in the property. The women of the tribal district of Kinnuar under the aegis of Mahila Kalyan Parishad will take out a victory procession at Peo, expressing their gratitude to the court for granting them property rights under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. However amidst this jubilation among women on grant of property rights, there is growing concern among many over the negative fallout of this development. Happy after the HC ruling, Ratan Manjari, who heads Mahila Kalyan Parishad, said, “I will make them aware about the court order and its implications and how they can seek a share in the family property,” Women from various panchayats falling under the three blocks of – Peo, Pooh and Nichaar — will take part in this function. Elected women representatives in various panchayat raj institutions (PRI) have specially been invited so that they can guide others to seek their rights, following the high court judgment of June 25 last month. Manjari said she will make a representation to Deputy Commissioner, all the Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and the Tehsildars in Kinnaur to take steps to implement the court order. “It is my duty to not just make the women aware about this right bestowed on them but also take up the issue with the officials to ensure implementation of the court order,” she stresses. However, there is concern among many over the negative fallout of this development. “We are not against grant of property rights to women but there must be some checks and balances which will ensure that we keep our tribal culture and identity intact,” said some elected representatives on condition of anonymity. Some women too seemed to be apprehensive of the negative fallout of this development if necessary precautions are not taken. Some people pointed out that the land holdings in Kinnaur are barely nine to 10 bighas per family which makes everyone a marginal farmer. “Further fragmentation of these small holdings will make the situation worse and the family land could be sold by the daughter of the family, after this court order,” said a Pradhan. Manjari and her team are, however, dismissive of any such concerns. “A majority of the women are happy and there is no question of the tribal culture being lost as on marrying a non-tribal, the land will automatically come back to the family as non-tribals cannot own land,” says Manjari.


The link to the report:
Amid note of caution, tribal women to celebrate HC order -The Tribune