Geography Lesson
Having no television, computer, phone, or schoolwork has afforded us the opportunity to catch up on a lot of reading! We've spent several afternoons at the architect's office researching building techniques, but I decided to do some sociological studies as well. I found a great biography about a Tamil woman in an agricultural caste (the Dalits, or 'the oppressed'). Viramma lived her whole life very near where we are living and it has provided me some invaluable insight about the women we will be building for.Like so many women, she was married as a child (11 years old!) and has lived since puberty in the village where her husband was born. She has had 12 children and every day of 50+ years of marriage has been spent in the rice paddy fields, up to her knees in mud with the scorching sun on her back. In the evenings, women start the fire, go to the market, and return to make the evening meal and do the housework.
The Dalit caste is considered impure (and 'untouchable') by the Hindu religion (for reasons far too complicated to delve into here). Their presence is considered polluting to anyone of a higher status and therefore they were not historically allowed in temples, parts of the village, or homes with members of a higher caste. Objects they have used are also considered unclean, so they may not use glasses at the teashops.
Though officially Untouchability has been abolished (and the former term 'Pariah' or untouchable replaced with the politically correct term 'Dalit'), the discrimination remains. The government has done a lot to help them advance: installing clean taps at the village wells, providing childcare and education, as well as women's associations. Still, many (including Viramma's generation of "Untouchables" themselves) think it is disrespectful for them to walk, talk, and dress like those in higher castes.
It is astonishing to think of what it must be like as woman of such low standing. Not only the backbreaking work they endure their entire lives, but the self-image that results from having to answer to one's husband, mother-in-law, and land-owning master. The self-help groups which Palmyra has already established (some 40 of them) give these women the skills, confidence, and resources to create lending organizations; they stand to finally end the cycle debt and poverty and gain a dignified place in society.
posted by Lauren and Travis @ 5:25 PM
1 Comments:
I appreciate the comments about the book and the lessons you shared of what it is like for the women that your building will support. Though I trusted your/their judgement that this was a needed project, I thought that it must be disappointing to go over expecting to build an orphanage and instead be building a retreat of sorts for women. Sounds like it is so much more than that. Changes such are needed there take so long and are made with what must seem like baby steps. Really they are milestones. Thanks for helping me/us to understand a little better.
Lauren's mom
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