On May 9, when Yakub Kurne got his sister Tasneem married at 18, it was a transformation for the Muslims in Motyal, a sleepy village in Maharashtra. Until a few years ago, his other sister was married when she was in Class 7, barely 13. In the past five years, the men in this village have grown conscious towards women issues, specially their education. The change is not limited to Motyal. Some kilometres away, villager Babasaheb Mane feels a stronger man — he is more sensitive towards his wife now. In Bavkarwadi, a reserved village on the fringes of Solapur, Mane, 40, asks for his wife’s permission every time he approaches her for sex. His wife Saroja, 35, smiles shyly.

Read More at www.indianexpress.com