Validity of Lakshmanrekha

A lot has been talked about and said when the convict in Nirbhaya's case blamed women for the rape and the violence followed. It was assailed with brickbats all over the social media and able members of the society condemned it. This whole episode divides the society in two parts though the second supporting the convict's belief are few but still exist.

They talk about a woman being in Lakshmanrekha and condemn any woman who steps out of it. But how many of the. Or even the educated ones know the real meaning of Lakshmanrekha? 

It begins with the epic of Ramayan... Where Ram walks out of his hermitage chasing a golden deer and on hearing the cry of Ram (an entrap in disguise), Sita ails for her her husband's safety and asks Ram's younger brother Lakshman to go for his help. Lakshman who sense a foul play in the whole scene argues with Sita and upholds the capabilities and valor of Ram, but Sita out of worry insists him to leave her on her own to help Ram. Lakshman though reluctantly leaves Sita alone in the hermitage and draws a line around it asking Sita not to cross the line for her own safety. 

Lakshman leaves in search of Ram and in the meanwhile Ravana's plan culminates. Ravana being a knowledgiate individual though disillusioned by his desires, can sense the power of the Lakshmanrekha and refuses to cross it, when he visits the hermitage disguised as a sage asking for alms. 

He tells Sita that he cannot enter the hermitage as in absence of her husband, he entering the hermitage shall lead to her being adulterous. Sita faces a conflict... She cannot cross the Lakshmanrekha as she had promised her brother in law and at the letter hand if a sage is turned away from the doorstep of the hermitage of the great Raghuvansh scion, that will be an act of sin and will tarnish the Raghukul.

She chooses her husband's family name and the reputation of his clan over her safety... And alas she's abducted by Ravana.

It is interesting to note here that Ravana when reveals himself as a the mighty king of Lanka to the utmost horror of Sita, he explains her as to why she's been abducted by him. He tells her that till the time she was within the Lakshmanrekha she was ruled by the rules and the principles of Sanskriti, i.e. The rules of the civilization, however, once she crossed the Lakshmanrekha she's rules by the law of Prakriti, I.e. The law of nature. The law of nature is very simple... It supports the powerful... The law of nature is not bound by the laws and the principles of the civilization where the rules marriage and family relations are upheld to the extent of being worshipped. 

"Within the Lakshmanrekha you were wife of Ram, daughter in law of the great Raghukul but outside the line you are just another female form which is available to any creature lurking around. The creature could treat you as a prey to satiate his hunger, or kill you brutally and mutilate you just for the sake of proving its power, or take you by force to fulfill his carnal desires," he says to Sita who stands before him dismally on this revelation. 

Here, is the point where the term Lakshmanrekha was coined and the concept of being within the boundaries was congealed. The concept of Lakshmanrekha has been misinterpreted and bend to their own benefits by many, especially a bunch of insecure chauvinists, threatened by the divine power of the female, the strength and the wisdom of womanhood. 

I'm not trying to be a feminist nor I'm try to prove that women are better. My only aim is to decipher the true meaning of Lakshmanrekha which is associated with women forever.

Lakshmanrekha is not just applicable to women but it for every human who chooses Sankriti (civilization) over Prakriti (nature). It draws lines so that both can co-exist without causing threat to one another. The Lakshmanrekha puts an end to the struggle between the different lifestyles and different laws applicable to different people. It also brings an end to the 'eye for an eye' theory. 

Sanskriti or the civilization was set up by the humans, the only animal who could think. The civilization was set up on the basis of certain rules, so that no injustice was caused to other. However, justice to one is injustice to another, still the rules were embibed in a subtle manner where all the humans part of this civilization came on terms with these rules and lead a peaceful life. 

Prakriti however, is unruly... The nature has no rules... All that matters is how powerful one animal is than other... The power is the only thing that triumphs in the nature. It goes by the rule of fish i.e. The matsya dharma, where the larger fish is bound to eat the smaller one... Which is acceptable by all. The civilization was established to ensure protection to the weaker species and bring in the harmony without disturbing the order of the nature i.e. the food chain.

The rules of civilization have been same ever since. The women were free to choose their man. The daughters were educated, where the education was not just confined to homemaking and cooking skills but also the shastras and if they showed any such inclination they were also encouraged to learn the armory skills. The past has seen many fierce warriors who were women and whose valor was unquestionable. 

The rules became dilute with the passage of time and unfortunately govern by half baked rules and administrators who were not at peace with themselves and thus could never make peace with the power or let alone equal status given to women. With time the respect of women in the society eluded and they were treated not mor than an object of desire and to the most the caretaker of the home and bearer of the children.

But after decades and decades of oppression women have established their status in the society and have taken their their rightful place next to the man on the equal footing... And at this glorious moment the women face the threat of modern Ravanas that lurk around in the dark to outrage and strip them of their dignity. 

Unfortunately the society who despised Ravana today glorify his thoughts and his action by their dark deeds and then justify these horrendous acts in the name of Lakshmanrekha. What is a Lakshmanrekha??? And whom is it meant for??? 

The moment a man steps in the jungle unarmed he is bound to be attacked by any wild beast or even sodomised by some aborigines. This is Lakshmanrekha. It does not apply to only a woman. It also applies to any human being who risks to cross the boundaries of the civilization. 

Unfortunately people who talk about Lakshmanrekha believe that the Lakshmanrekha bounds their own house where the women of their families can be kept safe and outside the house... They are ruled by the law of nature. It is unfortunate that the laws of civilization are getting constricted. 

The Lakshmanrekha is the need of the hour... not for the women... But for the men... For every human who is a part of this society... Part of the Sanskriti.