Music legend K J Yesudas is famous – and appreciated for his music. He now also becomes famous for his ideas on Indian women and how they should dress – which we rather do not appreciate. Yesudas and the jeans – Indian women subject to male opinion? In a statement last week at a function organised by a voluntary organisation in connection with the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations he said: “Women should not cause trouble to others by wearing jeans….What should be covered should be covered,” he said. With his statement the 74-year-old singer opinions that this kind of dress – so jeans – went against Indian culture which valued simplicity and amiability as the greatest qualities of women.
Now, dear music legend Yesudas, why do you wish Indian women not to participate in modern life? How about yourself? Do you use microphones? They did not exist 100 years ago. Do you use speakers? They did not use 100 years ago. The whole music industry worldwide became, as the world says, an industry where all is about making money. In earlier times it was the goal of a musician to transport messages, his beliefs and ideas and he was happy if he survived.
You, dear Yesudas – and we greatly aprpeciate and like your music – must understand that modern lifestyle is not bad. Neither is tradition. As the famous philosopher Thomas Morus said, “tradition is the handing down of the flame and not the worshipping of ashes”. So we can worship our values and our traditions, but we must not be prisoned by them.
Further, and this is a very important aspect that Indian men need to understand: men and women are created equal! It is a woman that gives birth to a boy and the woman should be respected for this and for everything else she does. Women have a free mind. They are as smart, as capable as men – often even more so. And because women are equal, because they are smart and capable and everything else they also HAVE THE RIGHT TO WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT!
It is very important that you understand this! Imagine, someone just tells you, you cannot wear what you are wearing right now. You must wear a yello skirt from now on! Would you like that? Think about it…
