Sambodhi 1989 Vol 16

Author(s): Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 34

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with mutual understanding. In the present century education has also generated certain amount of economic independence for women. Maheela organisations in different states liave been establishing institutions, hostels; home for rehabilitation and supervising the situation of broken unions and families. There are of course cases of women commtting suicide, being burnt by in-law persons, cruelty by husbands and immoral traffic. This is seen declining during the last hundred years. In case of selection of spouses casteism is fastly receding among Dwijas and during Gandhi Age people married spouses of Shudra caste and obtained blessings of Mahatma Gandhi. There are lacs of Indians residing in foreign countries such as U. K. and U.S. A. and they have largely abandoned casteism in case of marriage of their children especially.
Current Problems
India is facing the problem of over-population and birtli-control has become the major demand of present times. There are two views prevalent in India as regards the measures to be adopted with respect to check births of more children in the family. One is for natural moral check over passions whereas the other view is for the use of contraceptives and other aritificial medical checks over conception and birth of baby on mass scale. Radhakrishnan says, 'Control of births by abstinence is the ideal and yet the use of contraceptives cannot be altogether forbidden.'30 It is at times argued that birth control is an unnatural interference with the process of nature. Radhakrishuan argues that 'We have interfered with the process of nature by inventions and discoveries. If we argue that ancient things are more natural than modern, then polygamy and promiscuity should be regarded as more natural. Birth control is fast becoming in some countries as natural as wearing clothes, on account of the present social climate with its economic insecurity and the longing of parents to provide their children proper starting in life.'
It is true that these measures are not properly used by people and they are taken up merely as instruments of pleasure and license. Women intend to avoid pregnancy and men do not want to take the responsibility for the pleasures and acts. If we watch the recent techniques of propaganda, advertisement and modelling of women, we can observe the heavy impact of western culture and unconscious imitation by people in urban areas. After independence there is craze for foreign goods and styles in costumes, dress and mannerism among people. The one time movement and demand of people for Swadeshi' is lost sight of and