Kerala - Thrissur

Kerala still a feudal society: Valsala

Thrissur: Though Kerala has achieved progress on several social fronts, Keralites still have a feudal mindset, writer P. Valsala has said.

Addressing the valedictory of the two-day women writers’ meet at Kerala Sahithya Akademi Auditorium here on Wednesday, she said Malayalis were reluctant to change their attitudes.

“Women are like captive elephants,” she commented. “They do not know their own strength.” Even educated women refuse to react to social ills. Most of them preferred to remain in the feudal cocoon. When the feminist movement kicked off several social changes outside Kerala, it got confined to literature here, she said. She urged parents to give enough freedom for their children to think and act independently.

“Our children are lagging behind in National-level job interviews because they do not get the opportunity to face society,” she said.

Earlier, in her talk on ‘Establishing women’s identity in modern society’ S. Saradhakutty said the male-dominated society feared the creative power of the oppressed women.

C.S. Chandrika felt that the main censorship of women’s writings were from their own families.

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Secretary Prabhakaran Pazhassi stressed the importance of financial empowerment in women’s emancipation.

Journalist Geetha Bakshi called upon women’s groups to utilise information technology in bringing their issues for social consideration.

State Women’s Commission member T. Devi presided over the function.

Many writers, including Vaisakhan, K.R.Mallika, Kadathanatt Narayanan, Kavitha Balakrishnan, Sonia, M. Hema Malini, N. Sukanya, J. Sailaja and V.P.Mohammadhali spoke.

Women writers across the state took part in the two-day meet.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu