Dussehra just went by, and like every year, this year too the Ravan effigies were burnt with great gusto. I'm a huge fan of festivals and celebrations and I love this time of the year, but every time a Ravan is burnt, I'm left thinking, is the Ramayana really relevant today? From a feminist point of view, the Ramayana is what's everything that is wrong with our society. If you read it just as a story and not as a religious scripture, you realise how much it reveres the patriarchal system. The telling of this story, generation after generation, is an indicator of how deep this reverence is embedded in our culture. There are such great flaws with the character of Ram. Firstly, suppose some prince's very unreasonable step mom insists that he be thrown out of the palace and lead an ascetic life. The King stays mum and lets it happen. The prince too, like a spineless git, agrees to such a demand. Not only does he give up the privileges of being a prince, but he's al...