EQUALITY OF MEN AND WOMEN
Place: Mrs. Deodhar’s house. (Mr. and Mrs. Paranjape come to meet Rr. And Mrs. Deodhar. The children of both the families are playing outside in the housing colony garden.) Mrs. Paranjape : (to Mrs. Deodhar) Asha, last night at about 10.30 p.m. I came to meet you but you were busy teaching the children. So I did not ring the bell and I went back. Mrs. Deodhar : Nina, I am sorry you went back. I was not at all aware that you had come. What to do! The teacher gives such a lot of homework, and I can find some time to devote to their studies only when my work in the kitchen is over. By that time, they start feeling sleepy. Besides they have to get up early in the morning. So I do the work for them in the night and see that they copy what I have done for them in their notebooks, before they go to school.
Mrs. Paranjape : Asha, that means you are doing the homework for them. How will they understand? They will just copy. Mrs. Deodhar : Nina, there is no other way. That is the reason I have to take leave before their examinations to teach them. Mrs. Paranjape : It will be too straining for them to learn everything towards the end. This is the reason why parents, especially, mothers are tense and they make the children also tense. Mrs. Deodhar : Nina, how do you manage? Both of ou will not get leave easily, as uyou are working in a private firm. (Mrs. Deodhar and Mrs. Paranjape go to the kitchen as Mrs. Deodhar prepares tea and some snacks. Meanwhile, Mr. Paranjape and Mr. Deodhar enter into a conversation.) Mr. Deodhar : These women want to take up careers and they find it difficult to cope with the responsibilities at home and in the office. Mr. Paranjape : Why do you say like that? If they have the capacity and ability, why should they waste their abilities? If they are only with the family, their talents will be wasted. Instead a career woman can set a better example for the children. The children, If trained properly, become more independent and learn to manage situations.
Mr.Deodhar : In theory, what you say sounds logical and corredct, but what about all the inconveniences? Mr. Paranjape : If all the family members understand each other’s problems and cooperate there is no difficulty. We have to share the responsibilities, and work together for the welfare of the family and children. All the members must be conscious of their duty to the family. (Mrs. Deodhar and Mrs. Paranjape enter with the tea and snacks.)
Mrs. Paranjape : Work becomes a pleasure when we work together. That is what we should do in the family too. Both men and women jmust realize that no work is purely man’s work or woman’s work. The welfare and progress of all the members of the family is the main goal. Both men and women should share the family responsibilities. Mr. Deodhar : You mean men should work in the kitchen and also in the offices! Mr. Paranjape : what is the harm if men and women do both! It is sharing, love and cooperation that builds the family. Mrs. Pananjape : He is perfectly right. If both parents share their responsibilities, children also learn to do the same. No one is over-burdened in the family.
Mr. Deodhar : We do not know anything and we do not have the patience for kitchen work. Mr. Paranjape : I cannot imagine my husband working in the kitchen with me. Mrs. Paranjape : It is this opinion which women have, that spoils eveything. On the contrary if men know cooking, there is no problem when the woman of the house is sick or busy in some other work. As a result I become more sick due to tension. Mrs. Deodhar : It is true, when I am sick I become more worried about who will cook, who will look after the house and the children. As result I become more sick due to tension. Mr. Deodhar : Asha, your friend Nina means that if housewives go on strike, there will be no problem. Mrs. Deodhar : Housewives will never go on strike. We are not paid labourers but responsible family women.
Mrs. Deodhar : Why do you take him seriously? He is just joking. Mr. Deodhar : This discussion has enlightened me. I think we can give your suggestions a trial. Mr. Paranjape : However, we had an interesting discussion and a fine time. We can improve the quality of our family life. (The children of both the families enter.) All the four : (e x c i t e d l y) Children M u m my , Papa, we had a wonderful game. We had a great time. Mr. and Mrs.Paranjape : It was a nice exchange of ideas. It was a good change from the usual routine. We will take your leave now. Mr. and Mrs. Deodhar : We also had a fine time in your company, away from the usual routine. We had quite a fruitful discussion. Physically, men and women may differ but they are equal and their goals are the same. Mrs.Deodhar : Marriage is a give-and-take exchange of each other’s qualities. (Mr.and Mrs. Paranjape and their children bid good-bye to the Deodhars and leave.)
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