Warriors of the Night

We name our daughters Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati; we worship the divine feminine power in the temples but oppress, repress and even attack the feminine power amidst us. That is the irony in the way India sees its women.

After the safety of the daylight fades, women are seen as easy prey by the predators of the night.

We mark the nine nights of Navratri, the festival of the goddess, by celebrating the dedication and valour of nine real-life women who brave the challenges of the night to pursue their dreams.

PART - 2

Safety Gloves On!

A DOCTOR NARRATES WHY SHE DOES NOT FEEL UNSAFE IN MUMBAI

Avoiding public transport when out late at night and driving home in her own car is how Dr. Mrudul Randive manoeuvres her way around the city

They say there’s safety in numbers and in a city that never sleeps-Mumbai-it is the numbers even in the dead of the night that offers its women a relative safety net. It’s not hard to find people and cars on the roads at any time of the night.

Dr. Mrudual Randive, a 44-year-old doctor works at Sion Hospital and commutes to her place of work from Thane, where she lives, covering a distance of around 30 km every day. Being a doctor, emergencies come calling when she’s least expecting them. There are times when she is in hospital attending to patients well post-midnight, after most people have returned to their homes.

Her way of staying safe is to drive herself around the city instead of taking autorickshaws where the drivers, more often than not, pass “nasty comments” on women. It’s something many women complain of but not all have an alternate mode of transport. “In Mumbai, I’ve never felt unsafe, no matter the time. It’s a city where I can rely on the environment to be relatively secure,” says Dr. Randive.

An M.D. in Microbiology, Dr. Randive’s sense of safety isn’t without exceptions. One recurring issue that she points out is her encounters with local rickshaw drivers. “Sometimes, rickshaw drivers behave nastily. They make personal comments instead of stopping for a ride. It catches you off guard, and you don’t really know how to react in that moment,” she says. She emphasizes that her own experience has been largely positive, especially compared to the challenges that others may face while commuting late at night. Her story reflects the dual nature of Mumbai-where safety is often perceived, but precautions are always necessary.

Her job isn’t confined to the typical 9 AM to 5 PM schedule. Emergencies beckon her to the hospital at any time of the night. Despite the unpredictable hours, Dr. Randive, is comfortable navigating Mumbai’s streets, although she expresses scepticism about the availability of the police on the streets at night. While travelling late, she rues that the police are barely seen on the streets. “They are mostly meant for VIPs,” she says. This lack of visible law enforcement in areas where it might be necessary is a concern she feels strongly about. While she personally hasn’t faced any immediate threat during her travels, the absence of police in certain areas, especially during the night, is something that lingers on her mind. She, however, advises caution despite the relative safety the city offers.

Mumbai is a city that’s both, welcoming and challenging at the same time. The proverbial spirit of the city exists in the people who are helpful and willing to assist those in need, which adds to the safety quotient. “Mumbaikars are usually very cooperative,” she says. She is more comfortable travelling during the day and has faced no trouble over the years.

All is largely well in Mumbai but Dr. Randive advises caution while taking public transport at night. If she needs to get to the hospital late at night or is returning home in the wee hours of the morning, her husband usually drives her to work. Or if she’s travelling alone, Dr. Randive shares her ride details with him, just so that he knows where she is. It’s a safety precaution most women in Mumbai take-of sharing their aggregator cab details or sharing their location.