How Mothers take Extreme Steps to protect their children : A mother instinct

People consider that times have changed, but in our society still patriarchy continues to remain deeply embedded with Indian Society, even though there have been few evolutions. Individuals have always fought their own battles to get rid of it. But can you imagine an individual disguising himself as a man and concealing her identity not one or two years but 30 years.

Mothers always take extreme steps to protect their children, when we see rain, it rains, it spreads its wings and calls all the chicks to come under his refuge, and it stand strong, withstanding the rain and the storm.

When it comes to eagle, while selecting its partner, it make the suitable partner undergo numerous test, only when she is satisfied, she tends to mate with it. The only reason for it, she wants a strong partner to raise their offspring safely.

A 57-year-old Tamil Nadu named S Petchiammal disguised herself as a man for about period of 30 years. She hailed from Katunayakkanpatti village, the woman only mere 20 years when she became widow, her marriage lasted only 15 days. Just after the wedding, within a fortnight, she lost her husband to a heart attack.

The village she lived had a dominant patriarchal society to raise her daughter, she disguised herself as man. This is because being employed was seen as a problem for women in the patriarchal society of Kattunaymanpatti.

After her husband passed away, she became Muthu, she further explained as to how, she was facing harassment and hardships while working at construction sties and tea shops. As a solution to this, she decided to go to Tiruchendur Murugan Temple and chopped her hair. She also changed her attire to shirt and lungi.

She stated, we resettled at Kattunayakkanpatti over 20 years ago. Only my close relatives back home and daughter knew that, I am a woman. She undertook all types of jobs, be it painter, tea master, parotta master to 100-day work. She saved all the money, what she could in order to ensure a safe and secure life to her daughter. She adopted Muthu as her identity, which went to be mentioned in all her official documents. Which include Aadhar, Voter ID and also in bank accounts.

Now, eventhough her daughter is married, the women is not ready to change her attire. She believes her changed identity ensured a safe life to her daughter, therefore she would like to remain " Muthu" until her death.

A similar story has been brought to light from different part of the world, that is of Nadia Ghulam of Afghanistan. Nadia gained international fame, fooled the Taliban outfit by disguising herself as a boy for about 10 years. Despite being a girl, she moved around without hijab or burqa. She was the Citizen of Afghanistan and when the Taliban first came to power. She was denied the right to study or work. Hence to care of her house, Nadia had to live a lie, that threatened her life every moment.

Many women, tend to sacrifice their career for the upbringing of their children, but children when they grow, few of them do not have the gratitude for all what her mother has done, to raise them.