A very famous Bollywood dialogue that we all must have heard is “Mard ko dard nahi hota.” This line itself highlights that men are supposed to be strong and fierce. The so-called masculine personality should be maintained at all costs. But have you ever thought about the fact that all human beings experience the same emotions during their lifetime? So why can’t men express their emotions openly? 19th November is marked as International Men’s Day in order to celebrate being a man or a boy. It is normal to cry when you are sad, to get scared by a cockroach, to express care and many other things are normal for men too. This day is about gender equality. If women have the right to be celebrated than men too deserve the same respect and love. Just think for a second about the men you are surrounded by. Your father who works all day to fulfil your dreams, brother who makes sure that no one bullies his sister, grandfather who is always there to hold your hand and teach you endless life lessons while walking in the garden, male friends who throw no tantrums and are ready to pull you out from any kind of trouble and this list is infinite. But you know what, we take them for granted and whatever they do for us we think that it is their duty. A small gesture of saying thank you and giving them the love will make their heart smile and I bet it will definitely fill their eyes with tears of happiness. Every effort counts and we should make sure that their deeds must be appreciated by us. The point is how we can celebrate this day and make them feel special? A homemade cake, a cute handmade card expressing your feelings or just pen down a few words for the men around you will solve the purpose of this day.
On the other hand, spare a minute and question yourself if it is men’s day only for famous personalities and the male members in our family? How many of you wish a beggar, ragpicker, sweeper and others, Happy men’s day? I bet no one. We only respect the people who do well-reputed jobs, don’t we? But why don’t we treat the men who do the above-mentioned jobs equally? This thin line of difference has been created by us only. We look down at these people. They are the one who are responsible for our clean sewages, roads, hygienic toilets and this list is never ending. The milkman who rings your doorbell every morning irrespective of the weather conditions just because you should not miss your morning tea or coffee, the security guard who is always there at the gate so that you can enjoy your uninterrupted sleep and live without any fear and every man that comes to your mind while reading this who are irreplaceable part of your life. In return what we do for them? A large number of people die while cleaning manholes every year. We read this news in our daily newspaper and turn the page without even giving it a thought. In our Indian society, we divide people on the basis of their caste and assign them work according to it. Like people who belong to a lower caste should work as a cleaner or sweeper. We, the young generation, are the pillars for our nation’s progress. We can make the people aware that these men too deserve to live a respectful life. People often ask how should we oblige them? Well, it is very simple to acknowledge what they are doing for us is really applaudable. So, just make a cup of tea for your milkman and say thank you, gift a table fan to the security guard and talk to the sweepers, plumbers politely. Never make them feel low or unwanted. Words have the power to melt a heart and eyes have the magic to show true emotions. Make sure the respect is reflected in the way you talk to these men and expressed through your vision. The chivalry you expect from men must be reciprocated by you in the form of saying thank you or by your kind actions.
So, this International Men’s Day, let us all join hands to give respect to each and every man around us. This is high time we should start accepting and recognizing their attempts to make our life beautiful and full of happiness. I hope that after reading this you will realize the main motive behind it and cherish the men in your lives.
By CHAHAT PATHANIA, CHANDIGARH
