Where have all the women gone?

Manish Jha asked this question in Matrubhoomi.

and........

I ask it today.....

It was while returning from the Andhra Bhavan Restaurant today; first by foot to the National Museum bus stop and then by bus to IIT that I realised that I had seen only 5 women who were not in autos or cars or on bikes, that is to say only 5 women in total seen at the bus stops and in the bus. All this at mid-night? No, at 21:00 hrs.

I can only think of the following possible reasons: (please don't label any point u are opposed to as chauvinistic)
1. Delhi females are getting richer by the day and are able to afford auto fares, or buy cars or two wheelers. If this is the case, then women have been sufficiently empowered in Delhi and its the male's turn to do all the catching up.
2. The Delhi female's boyfriend or husband is not a fan of public transport AND/OR is physically & mentally & financially & automobilially acceptable to his GF/wife. These are dangerous signs for "single and ready to mingle" characters like me. "Have....to...improve...attributes....to...get...a...GF...keep....trying...GROAN..SNAP...FALLDOWN"
3. The safety of women in Delhi is pathetic. All along the bus journey I put myself in the shoes (OR chappals if u please) of a female; lets call her Aache-Maneya-Subbamma. Would she have felt comfortable standing alone at a bus stop with poor or no illumination? Would she have felt comfortable travelling in a bus full of men out of whom, at any given point of time 70% would be staring at her?

Well, finally 2 females did get on at Sarojini Nagar market stop. And you should have seen the 'u go first' kinda sacrifice being made by the guys sitting on the ladies' seats. Sacrifice did i say?? Make that 'sacrifice'. Each one was in fact trying to nudge someone else to get up!! The conductor had to intervene to get them the seats.

Bad, bad Delhi!! You are not giving your daughters the freedom to roam around at any time of the 24 hours that make up a day. Learn from New York or closer home, Bombay.

I pray for you Delhi woman (and by way of extension for the Indian woman)! I pray that you should be able to walk 14 blocks at close to midnight like Carrie Bradshaw does in Sex and the City when cabs refuse to go to her part of town. I pray for the day when you will be able to ooze out your sexuality like Samantha Jones; i pray for the day when you are able to show the middle finger like Miranda Hobbes when people mess around with you and I pray for the day when you can shyly step into heaven: the ability to make independent decisions like Charlotte York.

Sleep peacefully Delhi woman, someday things are going to get better.

And oh yeah! When you want to live life like Charlotte York, remember that she chose a non-flamboyant guy Harry Goldenblatt!! Lots of such guys abound!!!!