the indian male's stare

Staring, gawking and checking out women unites men-legions of them- across all ages, transcending cultural borders and marital status, mocking at barriers of age, caste and cutting through socio-econmic strata. Having an avowed bachelor as our Prime Minister (Mr. Vajpayee) didn't help either. If some national magazines' reports are to be believed it spurred half of the nation (more than half because of the skewed sex ratio) to extract the most fun out of the fairer sex without being involved in relationships.

Haven't you ever experienced something so innate in you that you can never tell when you started indulging/practising it? Like telling lies, breaking rules, hating work. Like staring at females. On busy thoroughfares, in shopping malls, on lonely streets, on school corridors, in conference rooms, in live shows, at the ' gaon ka mela'. There is no place or time where Indian males can be accused of gentlemanly behaviour and thereby blamed for missing a chance to gaze upon a belle dame.

As practitioners of this 'art' men do everything from glancing surreptitiously to casting long, discomforting gazes. The extent of this depends on how much is at stake with respect to issues of morality or plain 'sab dekh rahein hai yaar'(not much actually. most guys have nothing to lose) The animal male mind goes into a trance detaching all senses from the outside world. In those hypnotic moments only you and the object of your cheap, vile gaze exist.

To the cruder sex's credit, mostly they limit their interest to a few moments of such unadulterated joy. There are some despicable members but every clan has its black sheep. Most men are harmless. The married soon have pangs of guilt and the unmarried feel its the least they ask from girls. And on top very few actually go on to say 'umar hai sola, kamar hai coca-cola'. Eve-teasing isn't endorsed. They just want some moments of peaceful bliss. Is it asking for too much?

Well maybe yes if you ask the girls. But they are smart. They should understand this harmless pleasure and try looking at the bigger picture. What a small price to pay for getting hundreds of rejuvenated, virile men ready to spill their guts out for their motherland! Why else do you think they send Mallika Sherawat to Kashmir?

As a pre-emptive measure girls could actually stare at men before they are stared at? Oh how the guys would love this! Or walk up to the predator and innocently call him 'bhaiyya'. To give credit where it's almost due all guys arent perverts. Every guy is a lady's brother, or father, or son, or uncle or something. Think about what most of them have been subjected to. A life with minimal female companionship, very little interaction- not far from the caveman's life (ok i bit exaggerated. So next time you are being gawked at try to look beyond it, into those deep eyes, at the beauty of its soul.

p.s: Its so difficult to stay objective on gender issues. And even if you truly are trying to your efforts may not be as appreciated as you would want to. So ladies take this sportingly.