Today is another grey day. While I enjoy the overcast sky in the middle of the day, the ambivalent sunshine leaves me stressed –

• Should I or should I not carry an umbrella?
• Should I or should I not wear a sari?
• Should I or should I not venture out at all ?

I can’t even begin to imagine the stress that Hamlet’s dilemma put him in because my concerns are more plebeian and basic. The thought of killing someone would really drive me crazy.

Though there are times when like Hamlet, I feel decidedly murderous.

Today is not one such day thankfully though I was close to axing the cook simply because she was doing the Marathi crossword while I was busy trying to get Wow Dinga and his rowdy friend to stop racing on their cars and include Ms Papaya in their game . They promptly recruited her to be their chief cook and bottle washer which proves the point that gender discrimination is innate because both boys have professional working mothers who are strident feminists to boot. So Akshata, Naba and all you feminist bloggers please note your daughters may just be allowed to join the race if they have a PINK car! Yes Ms Papaya was told that she could only race in a PINK car. At this point, I might add  that Wow Dinga in typical male fashion has commandeered both Ms. Papaya’s green tractor as well as her wobble board leaving her stranded as it were.

So why do we believe that gender discrimination is a learnt behaviour? It is not.

Talking of which, I heard very recently that the recent droughts in Kerala are the wrath of Lord Ayappa who is absolutely enraged that his peace can be disturbed by the entry of women to his sanctum. Frankly, I can’t see why women want to go to a place that does not permit them to worship. Can you imagine men insisting on attending women only functions like the Haldi before a Hindu wedding?

I think women are taking equality to a level of ridiculousness. There was a reason why they were barred from funeral ceremonies and the cremation ghat. It is all very well to break this tradition if required but this is hardly a pleasant occasion to insist on being allowed to be present. Frankly much before Namita Kaul Bhttacharya lit Atal Bihari’s pyre, I have personally attended family funerals where the daughters did this. It does not need the death of a national hero to break a tradition.

These are my thoughts this Monday which I’m sharing with Corinne at #MondayMusings.

Do share your thoughts on gender equality and if you think it is innate or learned behaviour.