Sunday, January 29, 2006
When Women Unite….
…The Story of an Uprising… (about the film -- web link)
About the film -- I got from another web link (for your convenience)…..
This film is an enquiry : It unravels history through interviews with activists, government officials, liquor dons, and village women.This film is a document : It is an account of true events derived from the testimonies of women of 22 villages in Nellore district.This film is a story : It recreates, through drama, the emotional intensity and tensions of the struggle from the perspective of one of its participants - Kotamma.Year : 1992Place : Nellore, IndiaRural women revolt against government supply of liquor to their villages. The revolt spreads like wild fire. In four months, 800 village shops have been stormed and shut down by angry women. In twelve months, the movement has spread across the state of Andhra Pradesh.As the dust settles on one of the most extra-ordinary social uprisings of modern India, there are questions to be asked : Why did it happen in Nellore ?How could a spontaneous, leaderless agitation sustain for 3 years and finally affect state policy?
What has it meant for the women involved ?What caused this unique ferment of feminism, politics and democracy?
Dear friends,
Repeating a couple of paragraphs from the mail I sent you…
I watched this documentary again on Jan 26th, after 8 and half years. And tears rolled down my cheeks… again, esp. in that one scene when the father, intoxicated by arrack (toddy, local liquor), commits insest (on his own daughter) and smashes his wife’s head with a grinding stone when she comes to defend her daughter. The child is left an orphan…. very sad indeed. Domestic Violence, aggravated by alcoholism – the alcohol sale which is sanctioned by the state! And how the women organize to fight the powerful liquor lords! And WIN!! A true grass-roots movement with no identifiable leaders.
The first time I saw this film was at an inaugural event for an organization I had the priveledge to start, along with few other women from Portland, Oregon. Many of you know of SAWERA (http://www.sawera.org/). Screening of “When Women Unite” was our first fund-raising/outeach activity. It was in the summer of 1997 at Portland State University theater on 5th Ave. in downtown Portland. The film was directed by Shabnam Virmani. One of the film makers, Nata Duvury was with us and we had a Q&A session with her following the screening. I remember all this so vividly…. And it’s been over 8 years since…. we raised a few hundred $$.
The film screening was organized by an organization called “Sthree Jagriti”. Geeta Menon (perhaps the founder), the lady behind the success of Sthree Jagriti, called me in the morning on Jan 26th (a national holiday for India’s Republic day) to inform about the program. When I heard that they were screening “When Women Unite…”, I definitely wanted to be there. Also, it has been over a month since I had made my first visit to Sthree Jagriti and this was a great opportunity to re-connect.
And so I went, promptly at 3 pm, to their office just a couple of km from my home.
The organization that brought the film was an organization named “Pedestrian Pictures”. Two people, a man and a young girl, from the organization came to Sthree Jagriti with their equipment – projector, screen... They are a grassroots organization, the lady said. When I asked about funding needs, the beautiful young and vibrant activist said they were quite self sufficient and did not need a lot of money. They did not want to be bogged down by granters who might dictate what they did with the money that they donated. Much the same thoughts as we at SAWERA felt, starting out… Pedestrain Pictures is doing a fine job in the city, outreaching through film….
A little more info. gathered on Pedestrain Pictures by Googling…
Shimoga and Bangalore, Mahila Jagruthi is consciously not registered as an NGO. ... Together with Pedestrian Pictures they are documenting.
Champions of the Masses: Mahila Jagruthi with Pedestrain pictures : http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct16/metro4.asp
About Acid attacks: Documentaries developed by the ‘Pedestrian Pictures’
http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr052004/metro15.asp
On demolishing “unauthorized” housing developments:
http://bangalorebuzz.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_bangalorebuzz_archive.html
Tsumani Relief Operations:
http://www.indianngos.com/tsunami/esg.htm
……..
Back to “When Women Unite: The Story….”
…we were all crowded together in a small room on Bannerghatta road, very close to where I stay in Mantri Elegance flats in Bangalore. I watched the movie in the midst of a bunch of activists and a whole lot of domestic workers (servants) of the local area. It was a moving experience. It was a warm Sunday afternoon, quite stuffy in that small room.
There was one fan and that helped a bit.
The venue and audience of this screening, was in sharp contrast to the gathering in Portland. The narrow stairs leading to the room upstairs was dusty and very dirty – stained walls (with red beetlenut spit... yuk!) and a dead cockraoch!! But, the room inside was clean. We sat on the floor with mats. One servant maid, who had lost one leg and using a pole/stick. Many children were present. They clapped their hands to the music of the documentary. Most of the narration was in English and they said they did not follow anything. They stared at me when I cried. But the Telugu dialogs interspersed with English and the powerful images were more than enough to convey the message.
After the showing of this powerful documentary, there were speeches from two individuals, leaders in their own right. Yashodhara from CIVIDEP India and Rukmini from “Grament Karmikara “Mundee” (Civil Initiatives for Development and Peace (Cividep-India) is a non-profit organisation that is studying labour issues in the sector)
Yashodhara is no longer a garment worker I think, but Rukmini continues to work in the factories. They mentioned that 4 lakh people were employed by the growing garment industries springing up all over Bangalore. They are more organized than the domestic workers that Stree Jagriti is trying to mobilize. It was absolutely moving to hear these two empowered women making changes to better their lives at their work place. Rukmini commented that she gets full support for her work from her husband and children – who remind her that she needs to leave soon to be on time for her meetings (outside of work – to mobilize and outreach).
Just some links om the garment factories…
http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign/olympics2004-08-24.htm
http://www.blonnet.com/2003/09/20/stories/2003092002091700.htm says “The garment industry in Karnataka is one of the largest employers in the State along with the bidi industry. And women form a major part of this workforce. "According to ILO standards, manufacturers here are supposed to comply to certain rules like the local labour laws, safety and health issues and social security measures. Not all, but several of them are violating these rules."
“…the wages paid to the worker here is far lower than what a similar worker would be paid in the West. The hourly wage of a British worker is about Rs 420 while that of an Indian one is about Rs 8. And most of the workforce is on contract employment
Some more links on the garment industry – workers and their lives…
http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign/olympics2004-08-24.htm
Protest in Bangalore when 4 women garment workers were killed in a New Delhi factory fire: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec122005/city1948220051211.asp
Weaving a Grim picture…
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct10/spt4.asp
an excerpt from this page…
“She works daily for over 12 hours, with lunchtime being the only quick break she takes during the whole day. As the festive season approaches, she works for even longer hours to make up for the few holidays she would be given. Even at a distance, she is capable of feeling the presence of her alcoholic production manager as he makes way for himself into the stuffy room. As he approaches her row, she would rather prefer him to walk away without interacting with her because of his abusive behaviour and the advances he makes. She will soon complete five years of service, but knows very well that manipulated account books will never let her get the benefits she is entitled to. But as she arrives at her workplace on Mysore Road, she finds herself better off than many others working like her. Shanta is one of the 1,03,039 women officially registered as garment factory workers in one of Bangalore’s many production units”
………
I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my close friends, Sudha Narasimhachar, at the film screening. Sudha was the one who had connected me to Geeta Menon of Stree Jagriti. Sudha is a freelance writer after giving up her career in the Banking Service. She writes regularly in the local newspaper and has recently got her work published in an American press too, I hear (need to get details of that). Here are just a couple of her works on the web I got thru google search…
Garden Shock: http://67.18.142.206/deccanherald/nov152004/middle.asp
Making families and health come first: http://www.reportingpeople.org/story.asp?a=health&catid=hlt&stid=st0195
Banking on the human touch:
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/10/11/stories/2004101103570300.htm
There are many wonderful pieces that Sudha has written and I have read too on various topical subjects. I can’t find links to them now.
….
After the spontaneous energized talk by the folks from the garment factory unions, there was a “Badge distribution”. Stree Jagriti created “IDENTITY” cards for their members! The women were elated to receive this – it felt very important to them: A photo ID. The two guests from the garment factory, Sudha and me were given the priveledge to distribute these. Photos were taken of this and the speeches. It felt like a great Repulic day awards celebration.
The event ended with a song, sung so spontaneously … sung with pride and not so much melody, but wonderous none-the-less.
At the end of the long afternoon, a couple of women served bananas and delicious Jalebies (sweet made of “maida” (all purpose flour) or gram flour deep fried and soaked in sugar syryp or honey sometimes). I thought of all the food we took to our SAWERA group meetings - cookies and cool drinks. And the potluck parties we had at meetings of client, members and the board… they were soooo lavish compared to what I saw here…..
….BUT, the energy to serve our communities and create social change seemed the same at both places…
Just when we were going to leave, I saw a bunch of folks swatted to give strength to woman who was going through a lot of violence in her home. I remember her from my last visit. She was enduring physical abuse from her husband and was afraid to leave. How would she support her 4 children? What would people say? Geeta Menon, Sudha and a few more ladies gave her courage. Her mother was by her side and supports her too. I also told her how important it was for her to believe in herself and understand that there was a support network for her. Ending her life was not an option, I told her.
I decided to tell my maid, Yellamma about Stree Jagriti. Perhaps she can go to their monthly meetings and understand her rights, get organized and help someone in need and someone who is suffering that she might come across in her own community? Yellamma is brave and successful. She’s a single mom with 5 children, works really hard and always has a smile on her face. She got her daughter married last year. Her youngest son is still in primary school and her 3 other daughters all go to school (2 in residential school for the poor). Children also help her with household chores. I have told her specifically not to bring her teenage or younger daughters to work. Yellamma was not a maid. She had to take up this profession (funny to call it so, when they are the most un-organized and “un-recognized” sector right now) when her husband passed away, suddenly after he contracted Hepatitis (Jaundice) several years ago.
Sthree Jagriti has volunteers that help children with computer education. I should connect them to the “Computer clubhouse” program at Intel:
http://www.intel.com/community/india/education.htm
The clubhouse is typically located in an underdeveloped-setting and is operated in partnership with an NGO. Currently, there are 65 Intel Computer Clubhouses open in 10 countries, with India hosting 2 of them. I know they have one in Bangalore, near Jakkur (where the new International airport is coming up).
Some more interesting links on the docu film:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3307/is_199703/ai_n8003244
A Video/DVD Library:
http://www.unl.edu/womenssp/resources/videos.html
South Asian (?) Filmmakers:
http://www.sawnet.org/cinema/
I am eager to start my active engagement in the local community. I hope I will be able to make time this year, amidst adjusting to my new job and move to another home, 3-4 km away from where we currently live.
Look forward to hearing from you on your “soul satisfying” endeavours.
-Sri
About the film -- I got from another web link (for your convenience)…..
This film is an enquiry : It unravels history through interviews with activists, government officials, liquor dons, and village women.This film is a document : It is an account of true events derived from the testimonies of women of 22 villages in Nellore district.This film is a story : It recreates, through drama, the emotional intensity and tensions of the struggle from the perspective of one of its participants - Kotamma.Year : 1992Place : Nellore, IndiaRural women revolt against government supply of liquor to their villages. The revolt spreads like wild fire. In four months, 800 village shops have been stormed and shut down by angry women. In twelve months, the movement has spread across the state of Andhra Pradesh.As the dust settles on one of the most extra-ordinary social uprisings of modern India, there are questions to be asked : Why did it happen in Nellore ?How could a spontaneous, leaderless agitation sustain for 3 years and finally affect state policy?
What has it meant for the women involved ?What caused this unique ferment of feminism, politics and democracy?
Dear friends,
Repeating a couple of paragraphs from the mail I sent you…
I watched this documentary again on Jan 26th, after 8 and half years. And tears rolled down my cheeks… again, esp. in that one scene when the father, intoxicated by arrack (toddy, local liquor), commits insest (on his own daughter) and smashes his wife’s head with a grinding stone when she comes to defend her daughter. The child is left an orphan…. very sad indeed. Domestic Violence, aggravated by alcoholism – the alcohol sale which is sanctioned by the state! And how the women organize to fight the powerful liquor lords! And WIN!! A true grass-roots movement with no identifiable leaders.
The first time I saw this film was at an inaugural event for an organization I had the priveledge to start, along with few other women from Portland, Oregon. Many of you know of SAWERA (http://www.sawera.org/). Screening of “When Women Unite” was our first fund-raising/outeach activity. It was in the summer of 1997 at Portland State University theater on 5th Ave. in downtown Portland. The film was directed by Shabnam Virmani. One of the film makers, Nata Duvury was with us and we had a Q&A session with her following the screening. I remember all this so vividly…. And it’s been over 8 years since…. we raised a few hundred $$.
The film screening was organized by an organization called “Sthree Jagriti”. Geeta Menon (perhaps the founder), the lady behind the success of Sthree Jagriti, called me in the morning on Jan 26th (a national holiday for India’s Republic day) to inform about the program. When I heard that they were screening “When Women Unite…”, I definitely wanted to be there. Also, it has been over a month since I had made my first visit to Sthree Jagriti and this was a great opportunity to re-connect.
And so I went, promptly at 3 pm, to their office just a couple of km from my home.
The organization that brought the film was an organization named “Pedestrian Pictures”. Two people, a man and a young girl, from the organization came to Sthree Jagriti with their equipment – projector, screen... They are a grassroots organization, the lady said. When I asked about funding needs, the beautiful young and vibrant activist said they were quite self sufficient and did not need a lot of money. They did not want to be bogged down by granters who might dictate what they did with the money that they donated. Much the same thoughts as we at SAWERA felt, starting out… Pedestrain Pictures is doing a fine job in the city, outreaching through film….
A little more info. gathered on Pedestrain Pictures by Googling…
Shimoga and Bangalore, Mahila Jagruthi is consciously not registered as an NGO. ... Together with Pedestrian Pictures they are documenting.
Champions of the Masses: Mahila Jagruthi with Pedestrain pictures : http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct16/metro4.asp
About Acid attacks: Documentaries developed by the ‘Pedestrian Pictures’
http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr052004/metro15.asp
On demolishing “unauthorized” housing developments:
http://bangalorebuzz.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_bangalorebuzz_archive.html
Tsumani Relief Operations:
http://www.indianngos.com/tsunami/esg.htm
……..
Back to “When Women Unite: The Story….”
…we were all crowded together in a small room on Bannerghatta road, very close to where I stay in Mantri Elegance flats in Bangalore. I watched the movie in the midst of a bunch of activists and a whole lot of domestic workers (servants) of the local area. It was a moving experience. It was a warm Sunday afternoon, quite stuffy in that small room.
There was one fan and that helped a bit.
The venue and audience of this screening, was in sharp contrast to the gathering in Portland. The narrow stairs leading to the room upstairs was dusty and very dirty – stained walls (with red beetlenut spit... yuk!) and a dead cockraoch!! But, the room inside was clean. We sat on the floor with mats. One servant maid, who had lost one leg and using a pole/stick. Many children were present. They clapped their hands to the music of the documentary. Most of the narration was in English and they said they did not follow anything. They stared at me when I cried. But the Telugu dialogs interspersed with English and the powerful images were more than enough to convey the message.
After the showing of this powerful documentary, there were speeches from two individuals, leaders in their own right. Yashodhara from CIVIDEP India and Rukmini from “Grament Karmikara “Mundee” (Civil Initiatives for Development and Peace (Cividep-India) is a non-profit organisation that is studying labour issues in the sector)
Yashodhara is no longer a garment worker I think, but Rukmini continues to work in the factories. They mentioned that 4 lakh people were employed by the growing garment industries springing up all over Bangalore. They are more organized than the domestic workers that Stree Jagriti is trying to mobilize. It was absolutely moving to hear these two empowered women making changes to better their lives at their work place. Rukmini commented that she gets full support for her work from her husband and children – who remind her that she needs to leave soon to be on time for her meetings (outside of work – to mobilize and outreach).
Just some links om the garment factories…
http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign/olympics2004-08-24.htm
http://www.blonnet.com/2003/09/20/stories/2003092002091700.htm says “The garment industry in Karnataka is one of the largest employers in the State along with the bidi industry. And women form a major part of this workforce. "According to ILO standards, manufacturers here are supposed to comply to certain rules like the local labour laws, safety and health issues and social security measures. Not all, but several of them are violating these rules."
“…the wages paid to the worker here is far lower than what a similar worker would be paid in the West. The hourly wage of a British worker is about Rs 420 while that of an Indian one is about Rs 8. And most of the workforce is on contract employment
Some more links on the garment industry – workers and their lives…
http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign/olympics2004-08-24.htm
Protest in Bangalore when 4 women garment workers were killed in a New Delhi factory fire: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec122005/city1948220051211.asp
Weaving a Grim picture…
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct10/spt4.asp
an excerpt from this page…
“She works daily for over 12 hours, with lunchtime being the only quick break she takes during the whole day. As the festive season approaches, she works for even longer hours to make up for the few holidays she would be given. Even at a distance, she is capable of feeling the presence of her alcoholic production manager as he makes way for himself into the stuffy room. As he approaches her row, she would rather prefer him to walk away without interacting with her because of his abusive behaviour and the advances he makes. She will soon complete five years of service, but knows very well that manipulated account books will never let her get the benefits she is entitled to. But as she arrives at her workplace on Mysore Road, she finds herself better off than many others working like her. Shanta is one of the 1,03,039 women officially registered as garment factory workers in one of Bangalore’s many production units”
………
I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my close friends, Sudha Narasimhachar, at the film screening. Sudha was the one who had connected me to Geeta Menon of Stree Jagriti. Sudha is a freelance writer after giving up her career in the Banking Service. She writes regularly in the local newspaper and has recently got her work published in an American press too, I hear (need to get details of that). Here are just a couple of her works on the web I got thru google search…
Garden Shock: http://67.18.142.206/deccanherald/nov152004/middle.asp
Making families and health come first: http://www.reportingpeople.org/story.asp?a=health&catid=hlt&stid=st0195
Banking on the human touch:
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/10/11/stories/2004101103570300.htm
There are many wonderful pieces that Sudha has written and I have read too on various topical subjects. I can’t find links to them now.
….
After the spontaneous energized talk by the folks from the garment factory unions, there was a “Badge distribution”. Stree Jagriti created “IDENTITY” cards for their members! The women were elated to receive this – it felt very important to them: A photo ID. The two guests from the garment factory, Sudha and me were given the priveledge to distribute these. Photos were taken of this and the speeches. It felt like a great Repulic day awards celebration.
The event ended with a song, sung so spontaneously … sung with pride and not so much melody, but wonderous none-the-less.
At the end of the long afternoon, a couple of women served bananas and delicious Jalebies (sweet made of “maida” (all purpose flour) or gram flour deep fried and soaked in sugar syryp or honey sometimes). I thought of all the food we took to our SAWERA group meetings - cookies and cool drinks. And the potluck parties we had at meetings of client, members and the board… they were soooo lavish compared to what I saw here…..
….BUT, the energy to serve our communities and create social change seemed the same at both places…
Just when we were going to leave, I saw a bunch of folks swatted to give strength to woman who was going through a lot of violence in her home. I remember her from my last visit. She was enduring physical abuse from her husband and was afraid to leave. How would she support her 4 children? What would people say? Geeta Menon, Sudha and a few more ladies gave her courage. Her mother was by her side and supports her too. I also told her how important it was for her to believe in herself and understand that there was a support network for her. Ending her life was not an option, I told her.
I decided to tell my maid, Yellamma about Stree Jagriti. Perhaps she can go to their monthly meetings and understand her rights, get organized and help someone in need and someone who is suffering that she might come across in her own community? Yellamma is brave and successful. She’s a single mom with 5 children, works really hard and always has a smile on her face. She got her daughter married last year. Her youngest son is still in primary school and her 3 other daughters all go to school (2 in residential school for the poor). Children also help her with household chores. I have told her specifically not to bring her teenage or younger daughters to work. Yellamma was not a maid. She had to take up this profession (funny to call it so, when they are the most un-organized and “un-recognized” sector right now) when her husband passed away, suddenly after he contracted Hepatitis (Jaundice) several years ago.
Sthree Jagriti has volunteers that help children with computer education. I should connect them to the “Computer clubhouse” program at Intel:
http://www.intel.com/community/india/education.htm
The clubhouse is typically located in an underdeveloped-setting and is operated in partnership with an NGO. Currently, there are 65 Intel Computer Clubhouses open in 10 countries, with India hosting 2 of them. I know they have one in Bangalore, near Jakkur (where the new International airport is coming up).
Some more interesting links on the docu film:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3307/is_199703/ai_n8003244
A Video/DVD Library:
http://www.unl.edu/womenssp/resources/videos.html
South Asian (?) Filmmakers:
http://www.sawnet.org/cinema/
I am eager to start my active engagement in the local community. I hope I will be able to make time this year, amidst adjusting to my new job and move to another home, 3-4 km away from where we currently live.
Look forward to hearing from you on your “soul satisfying” endeavours.
-Sri
# posted by Sri Renganathan @ 11:39 PM 
