IS THIS THE FACE OF INDIAN WOMAN?

TODAY we need to become aware of how globalisation affects the day-to-day lives of people, especially women, how the market-oriented economy has resulted in the feminisation of labour activity and poverty and has disturbed the existing patterns of social relationships.
People are uprooted from their moorings and thrown to the tempests of cultural influences that encourage consumerism. Free market economy encourages the commodifying of culture through its motto '‘t rich quick or perish’. This leads to a decline of values in the family, and creates social-economic imbalances, gender inequality, political unrest and the like. Violence and atrocities against women increase with the criminalisation of the sociopolitical scenario. Increasing hegemonisation of women minds reduces their propensity for collective resistance.
The twentieth century has witnessed phenomenal advances in the fields of science and technology. However, in the realm of ethics and morality, the century’s performance has been abysmal.
We have produced unprecedented wealth and flooded our markets with an unimaginable array of goods; we have bragged about commitment to enforce human rights universally. Yet the vast majority of women remain trapped in poverty, exploited and powerless to influence their own destinies. The primary function of the media today is to entice buyers through advertisements, to sell life-styles and distorted vales. And push the free market principle. The media specifically target women and affect their lifestyle in every spear of activity. They are considered mere commodities to be bought and sold. Media persons have little concern for democracy, freedom. Respect for human dignity or other values. They concerned about profits, not the persons who purchase their much-publicised products.
Interestingly, over the past few years, Indian women have suddenly become beautiful, winning laurels at international beauty contests. The list is growing speedily. The sudden spurt of beauty success could mean one of two things: - Indian women have suddenly become beautiful or the western cosmetic industry has realised that Indian women are prone to purchase their products if artificial beauty needs are created.
We see mother, daughter, wife in their stereotypical roles but their appearance, and the form and language of the text in which they appear are liberated from crude representation stereotyping of the docile domesticity. See, the ‘Whirlpool lady’ who gleefully performs all her tasks—she washes clothes and at the same time tries out innovative ‘ice magic’ recipes for her children, guests and husband (refrigerator ad.) In this advertisement the woman is a good housewife, mother and hostess, yet she does no require to drape herself in a sari or wear a bindi , she is allowed to make her appearance comfortably in jeans and short hair. Moreso, the advertisements of Pepsi, Center Fresh, Lux toilet soap etc to name a few representing the Indian women in such shamefully as if this gender has neither moral nor any character. For she is the ‘new woman’ of India, a woman liberated by consumer capital.
The emergence of media center culture all the while create the impression women have nothing except to display their waves. The advertising sector on which both the print and the electronic media survive solely concentrate on the anatomy of women to sell their products. More often than not the focus of the copy is on the fair sex rather than on the product. Therefore, the viewer is often let wondering whether he/she is viewing the product or the sex symbol.