Miami to Mysore
A (Canadian) Miamian's sojourn to Mysore, India
Taken by Global Health Scholar Post- Doc Sharali Pandya, this is a panoramic photo of Devaraja Market Square. It is the famous market of Mysore where you can get everything- incense, fruits, jewelry, spices, fabrics. It looks deceivingly quiet and calm in the photo. It is the one area of the city I found the most chaotic- but in a fun way! Traffic whizzing by, crowds, whistles, non- stop honking. This was the India you see in the movies.
This is South Beach, looking north from about 8th street along the ocean. My condo is about 7 blocks away- missing it already!
Through the use of classic Hindu art and models, this ad campaign tackles the problem of domestic violence and sex trafficking to benefit Save Our Sisters, an initiative of Save the Children India which seeks to prevent sexual exploitation. It caught my attention and spurred me to think about the ways in which my work on culture and sexuality is connected to larger global health issues. Funny- no one I have met in Mysore had seen the campaign before!
Taken by Global Health Scholar Post- Doc Sharali Pandya, this is a panoramic photo of Devaraja Market Square. It is the famous market of Mysore where you can get everything- incense, fruits, jewelry, spices, fabrics. It looks deceivingly quiet and calm in the photo. It is the one area of the city I found the most chaotic- but in a fun way! Traffic whizzing by, crowds, whistles, non- stop honking. This was the India you see in the movies.
Interviews & Videos
I recently wrote a blog about eve- teasing, which is a uniquely Indian term to describe the public sexual harassment of women. While going through the videos of the various anti- eve teasing campaigns, I came across this video that really shows if people put their money where their mouth is.
This is clip was created by B for Change. It has the same concept the American television program "What Would You Do" on ABC . Basically, it is a type of social experiment that looks at how people respond when they are thrust into real-life ethical scenarios. In this case, actors in Mumbai and New Delhi engage in eve- teasing on busy streets. The female actor is very vocal in her protests and even asks passersby for help. Their behavior escalates and leads the woman to even strike out at them. Watch how people respond- particularly other women. And the observer totals at the end illustrate how culturally defined frameworks of gender and violence are shape this growing social problem.
Many stare- but how many dare?
What would you do if you were a witness to eve- teasing?
Men Against Violence and Abuse in India
Addressing the socialization of patriarchial attitudes on men
Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA) has produced a video that depicts various forms of sexual harassment against women (watch video on left). But instead of lecturing, it makes the personal political.
MAVA is the first men's organization in India directly intervening against gender-based violence on women. I like their assertion that "it is only when men break the molds of society and express rather than suppress their emotions, they can become less violent towards women". They assert that men's outlook is the root cause of violence against women. Believing that men are also the victims of patriarchy that accords men a dominating position, MAVA works to help men see their power and priviledge as a tool for change toward equality, rather than domination.
Working woman/ wife dilemma focus of popular Indian commercial
"Boss"- Smartphone advertisement prompts gender role discussions
Airtel, an India Cellular company, has a new ad featuring a "lady boss" juggling her wife and work roles (watch video on left). Released July 24th, the video seems to air during every commercial break on most channels, and the company website's posting received more views than the average media campaign. According to Airtel's press release, “Relationships often get strained due to professional demands. At such times, smartphones transcend their role of being a mere communicating device, and play cupid."
I like the ad, but that is pushing it. Rather, I think it can be useful for initiating discussions about gender roles in India and abroad. I'm not alone in thinking this as it has sparked debates across India around work/ home life choices. You can read peoples' thoughts about the ad on YouTube and other online sites' comments threads. As in most cases, these opinion driven postings move from discussing the ad to "critiques" about woman as leaders, gender roles, division of domestic labor, and men/ women's relationships in India.
Mega Matrimonial Meet & Greet in Bangalore this month!
Bringing togther future brides & grooms to create matrimonial alliances
Bangalore's Sri Sankara Matrimony is hosting “Swayamvaram”, a mega matrimonial gathering from August 15th through 17th. Exclusively for the Brahmin and Lingayat community, this event is expected to bring together thousands of prospective brides, grooms and their family members to facilitate matrimonial alliances. The face to face interaction opportunities are planned so that participants can have time to meet and better select their life partners. It is important to note that because attendees will be able to interact with each other, the organizers expect a large number of conversions to take place! For this reason, everyone is encouraged to attend- regardless of their caste or age. However, advanced registration is required for all prospective brides and grooms.
It's only a 2 hour trek for me. But you can still get flights for less than $1500 from major U.S. cities to Bangalore- so single ladies, come find someone to put a ring on it!