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(Pemmaraju Gopalakrishna is a poet who writes with a clear social consciousness.)

(Devipriya is a journalist and poet who has published extensively. He writes with a left consciousness.)

Feminist Manifesto

By Ghantasala Nirmala

Never do the waters toying with you and your boat
remind you of the whirlpools.

Never do the sea waves playing at your feet
warn you of the impending upsurge.

Never do those claiming to be friends, guarding you
whisper of your turn in the ensuing encounter.

Never do the landlords professing to protect you
yet, with your blood, build palaces
let it slip that
you were born, grew and perished at the very foundation.

Before you are excited and cry hoarse
that women are exceedingly pure, they are goddesses and Mother Sitas
before you get angry and abuse us for denying it
grasp the real truth
Don't go on
attributing exceptionally virtuous nature to us
rubbing on us all great qualities of goodness
don't douse us in garlands of praise
in the sultry heat of wifely duties that doesn't emit wisdom
Freedom is a human being's right-equality a hymn we recite

We have a vision
Because it had not become a collective vision
because our sight and voice had been curbed in the name of preserving family secrets
we had not spoken out all these days
we had not strayed away from the codes the male world had imposed
Now a question is tormenting us
an existential predicament is bothering us day and night

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