Lot’s of hoo-ha about Aishwarya Rai’s marriage to a tree. A much debated topic now. Plus an enterprising lawyer from Patna has filed a case against the Bachhan’s for engaging in regressive practices etc. Really, this lawyer’s service to the nation in bringing to the fore this important issue for women’s rights is heartwarming :

From Yahoo India :

“The recent development is that a Public interest litigation has been filed against Aishwarya Rai for marrying trees. It is known that Aishwarya had some problems in her horoscope and had to marry a tree or an animal first before getting married to a human. It is said that the dhosham in her horoscope was the main reason for the delay in the engagement with Abhishek.

Now a case has been filed in the Patna High court by a lady lawyer stating that this act is equivalent to untouchability and the Bachchans must be arrested for making Aishwarya Rai marry trees. It is learnt that Aishwarya had married a peepal tree at Benaras. “

First off, the Bachhan family isn’t actually known for their progressive views. In an interview to NDTV, Amitabh when asked about Aishwarya, seemed to harp on the fact that for all her public image, she was very homely and domesticated, and more traditional than she seemed. Please note, that you could be Miss Universe etc, be the most beautiful woman in the world, have a great career to boot, but when it came to marrying the son of the First Family of Bollywood, what mattered was that you were traditional and domesticated. Plus, there were rumors about the Bachhans having problems with their to-be-bahu’s kiss with Hrithik in Dhoom 2, and attempts were made to edit out that scene in screenings. And if she’s walking into all that with her eyes open, marrying a tree would be the least of her problems.

This i.e.; marrying a tree, is a regressive ritual no doubt, and should be done away with, but Lawyer Shruti (of Bihar) in filing this particular case, has demonstrated that she has let go of juicier opportunities before. Cases of such moral and righteous indignation could have been filed against Bihari icon and then Chief Ministers Laloo) who spend inordinate amounts on his kids’ marriages, or had in the first place, way more than the “ideal” 2 children as advised by the Government of India. Bad example, no ?

It’s not like there is a lack of issues on which to file PILs that lawyers need to desperately hunt about for “cases which set a bad example”. Considering that cases of molestation, abuse, and dowry abound, Lawyer Shruti should have enough grist for her mill, without having to think this hard. Most women would not consider Ash’s marriage to a tree top priority or even impinging on their every-day, eve-teased lives.

Secondly we are not talking of a poor, repressed girl, unable to speak in her defense , but of a well-spoken, educated, film-star – although she might have to tone it down a bit if she wants to fit into the Bachhan families domesticated mould. And those mini-skirts will have to go, what say my girl ? It’s not like she doesn’t know what she’s doing, or that she has no means of refusing do something if she doesn’t want to. If she’s that worried about future death/divorce after the marriage, who is the public/media to stop her from performing a (silly and regressive) ritual ? It’s not like the tree will want marital life with it’s duly-wedded consort or even have problems about her Hrithik liplock. In fact, considering the benefits (I mean, Gadzooks Ash, have you even thought of the emotional and familial baggage Abhishek comes with ?), Aishwarya should let go of Abhishek and stick with the tree instead.