Girl Stands Up Against Muslim Fundamentalism In Kerala

Rayana R Khazi, from a small town in Kasargod district in north Kerala, is unlike any other 22-year-old girl. Unlike other girls in her village, she traveled to Chennai to pursue her dream of becoming an aeronautical engineer. She is now preparing for the civil services examination and wants to be an Indian Administrative Services officer.

But she confronts death threats from fundamentalists in her community and been forced to stay home. The reason: Rayana refuses to cover her head and wear a burqa. But these threats and harassment have not daunted her fighting spirit. She tells that her fight is not for her freedom alone, but for the freedom of her younger sisters and other young girls who have lost it. Listen to the story of this courageous fighter:

Childhood
My mother came from a very conservative family where girls were not allowed to study. She was not even permitted to talk loudly. Even now, the situation is the same in my mother's family. My father, a businessman, has not studied much; my mother had studied only up to the 4th standard. At the age of 14, she was married off. I was born when she was 15 years old.

My mother started studying after she had children. Now, she is studying law! My mother would not have studied if my father was not like what he is. When people in the neighbourhood spoke ill of my mother because she went to study, I used to ask my father, 'How could you remain so indifferent to their rude comments?' His answer was just a smile!

My mother is my role model. If I have respect for any woman in this world, it comes from my mother. She hails from a family that does not grant any freedom to girls, but she used to tell me all the time that I should be able to stand on my own and be independent.

My parents have five daughters. I have seen my neighbours telling their daughters not to talk loudly as they are girls. But it was never like that in my family.

If my parents were not like this, I would not have been able to think independently and live courageously. I am proud of my parents. My parents were sad about not receiving an education. They did not want that to happen to their daughters. Mother used to tell me, 'When I look back, I have no colourful memories, but I do not want that to happen to my children'.

After I received my education, I could see that other girls were made subservient by either their parents or relatives or other people. When I look around, I also see that all girls and women are tied to rigid norms by either their parents or husbands or relatives or by the community.

I don't believe in purva janam (earlier life), but I feel that I might have done something good in my past life because I got such good parents, who have given me all the freedom in the world. Do you think I will misuse the freedom given to me by such parents and bring unhappiness to them?

My parents are very, very religious. Sometimes I feel they are overly religious, but they have never imposed anything on us. My father used to tell me that bhakti (faith) should come from within and if we did something because of pressure, it is not bhakti. That was how I was brought up.