Mumbai, March 7 (IANS): Amid discussions on women's safety in India, cinestar Amitabh Bachchan, who is the UN ambassador for the Girl Child, has demanded "respect of equality" for the "stronger beings".

"Women power! Women must have the respect of equality...they are the stronger beings...when they prosper, society prospers, mankind (and I use this word specifically to address the menfolk, as opposed to womenkind in other references) can and shall only exist with them, not without," Big B posted on his blog on Friday.

His words, penned on the night of the festival of Holi, flowed when he mentioned 'Lathmar Holi', practiced in "many parts of the northern states".

"In many parts of the Northern States - UP and Rajasthan - the day invites women to abuse and beat the men, in the special HOLI termed 'Lath Holi’. ‘Lath’ is a stick or a wooden column, or stave...a ‘danda’ that the women use to beat the men with, a flagellation of sorts...and the men must bear it all without any retaliation.

"It is the day reserved for the womenfolk...to pay back as it were, to secure themselves in the abandon of authority and sublimation," added the 72-year-old.