Page 91 - SocialHarmony

What a Brother Desires from His Sister 95

Shivaji and the moral strength of the mothers of great martyrs
such as the Chapekar brothers, Ramprasad Bismil and Bhagat
Singh. What is needed is only to invoke this feeling of
motherhood within you. The greatness of this land has given
birth not only to bright Indian women like Pratilata Vaddar,
Durgabhabhi and Sushiladidi, who worked shoulder-to-
shoulder with men for the independence movement; but also
women such as Sister Nivedita, Mrs. Annie Besant and Shri Maa
of Pondicherry, who were born abroad, but who made India
their own. My sister, you are a progeny of the same land, you
can also work like Sister Nivedita. Do not hesitate, whether you
are educated or not, you can contribute. Recall with pride the
sacrifice of the uneducated tribal woman Kalibai, who gave up
her life to save two patriot teachers in the forests of Dungarpur.
This was the inspiration to willingly sacrifice oneself in the
struggle for independence of the country.

The tortured screams of the atrocities perpetrated during
Partition still ring in our ears, but we are reminded of
Ghaulagujari, who saved many women from the cruelty of the
Muslims. The sacrifice of the Chopra siblings to save their
honour is still fresh in our memory. The sacrifice of Niraja, an
air hostess with Panam Airways, who battled terrorists to save
lives of Indians on September 5, 1986, was supreme. Recently,
on April 2 at Palej, near Bharuch, a Gujarati woman from
Mumbai, Savitri, fought attackers during the, ‘Save Kashmir’
rally and showed the power of women.

The power of women has been manifested in so many
forms, at so many occasions. Why then, are you weak today?
Wake up, before it is too late. Wake up to improve the structure
of our society. Awaken your inner motherhood which will gift
not men, but the best human beings to society. Pile up mountains
of your love, from which streams of motherly emotions can flow
constantly. Cast your weakness into the fire, and determine to
bravely destroy the evil powers. Before we enter the twenty-
first century, you have to create a world where women are
respected. Only you can carry out this pious task to bring a new
life, and only then will Rakshabandhan be celebrated as a festival
of true pious love.