Diana lived her life

Diana was neither an inanimate precious object for the decoration of Windsor nor a virgin slave for the procreation of the Royal family. She was a flesh and blood human being and the royal palace was a prison for her. A cage is a cage whether of wood or gold.

She showed remarkable courage by separating from a cold, shallow and vindictive family and found a friend in whom she found warmth. Virtually in every society, in every religion, and in every economic strata, women are the most exploited. If they were burned in the name of sati in the 19th century, today they are burned for dowry in India. In Pakistan, they are virtually traded for domestic animals and from Bangladesh, they are smuggled to India for prostitution. In Afghanistan, they are denied education. Whereas Saudi women cannot see light, poor Asian women who work as maids are offered to guests. For all those and for many more, she should be/was an ideal and contributed immensely in her own way to the emancipation of women.

Regardless of family status, a woman is a human being and has every right to live her life fully. Diana lived her life. May her soul rest in peace.

D. PRABHAKAR

Jakarta