Work

Yesterday, we completed the film viewing of _The World Before Her_ and discussed the issues

raised by the film re: women's relationship to Indic cultural understandings of concepts such as

'woman,' 'power' or 'empowerment,' and 'religion.' The film was made by Nisha Pahuja in 2012.

We explored two different examples of women in India grappling with processes of

modernization, westernization, and patriarchy while carving out roles and forms of authority

within the social structures of their daily worlds. We reflected on the forms of violence involved

in the social disciplining of girls and young women into womanhood and women's ideas about

virtue, the body, beauty, family, 'tradition,' and sexuality. There is a lot to unpack in the film, not

only in connection with women's experiences and interpretations of femininity in Indic cultural

contexts but also the role and impact of religion and Hindu goddess symbolism in women's

lives. How do Hindu goddess symbolism and mythology, particularly that associated with the

Devi-Mahatmya (Durga; warrior goddess), advance greater opportunities for women's

empowerment in localized and pan-Indic contexts? How are goddess imagery and traditions

implemented by and within specific religious communities (e.g., Durga Vahini, a member of the

Vishva Hindu Parishad) to construct respectable femininity? Do such deployments emancipate

women from the conventional patriarchal structures of Indic society (e.g., family, gender roles,

gender norms)? Do they constrict women's lives within a specifically conceived gender purview?

I've explained that your papers should provide "thick descriptions" of the contexts depicted in

the film, the women, and their specification of the issues, challenges, and problems they face;

additionally, it would ideally discuss the strategies women develop and employ to gain greater

status and power within a society that frowns on women's exercising overt power (except in

religious spheres of Hindu nationalism--think of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur--where celibate female

gurus/sadhvis/leaders promote extreme use of violence against Muslims, Christians, ethnic

minorities, and Hindus who opposed Hindutva). What may seem strange to us concerning

power and authority may be one of the few options women have to raise their status and

advance opportunities for leadership. It is not surprising that many of the female leaders of the

Hindutva movement, the sadhvis who are celibate Hindu practitioners, often illustrate forms of

womanhood that contradict the politicized ideology of the movement. It's a kind of 'do what I

say and not what I do' situation. Here we have to consider the localized cultures women occupy

and how even in the most seemingly liberal and cosmopolitan urban cities, such as Mumbai,

women encounter misogyny, sexism, and forms of violence (seen through practices that fetishize

and dehumanize women's bodies) no less egregious than what Durga Vahini members

encounter in rural contexts.

Your papers would ideally consider the relationship of ideas of the feminine/female to social

markers of class and caste, urban and rural, English and Hindi languages. Is the ability to speak

English a status marker for women? If so, who speaks it? Many of the Durga Vahinis live in

villages and come from extremely poor and socially oppressed castes. Education is considered a

luxury by many poor families and may not be accessible to women; some families may see

education as ruining girls' and women's values and their sense of modesty (Sharam; izzat), and

thus may not support women who want to get an education. The Miss India prospects come

from predominantly middle- and upper-middle-class and high-caste backgrounds (Brahmin,

Rajput/Kshatriya, Baniya/Vaishya); however, we learned that practices of female foeticide and

infanticide are an issue in both contexts, which indicates the challenges of being born female in

Indic society, and some women may feel that they owe their families obedience because, in

Prachi's/Trivedi's words, her father "let me live." Regardless of the contexts they inhabit, women

make decisions within relational structures and based on societal expectations.

Thus, your papers would ideally demonstrate "thick description" of contexts and a strong

analysis of the women's relationship to 'Woman as symbol' and women as agents (see the PPT

from the Carol Christ session), concepts of power and empowerment, and patriarchal structures

such as religion, tradition, modernization, or westernization. At the end of your papers, I would

like to see your engagement with the question of how and to what extent Hindu goddess

traditions provide a resource for women to gain power and status and reimagine gender norms

and roles, considering the often limited options they have available.

Your papers would ideally be 450-600 words but I will accept up to 1200 words. They are

due next Tuesday.

Watch the film The World Before Her to understand what to write about. Also, all the instruction is

above to get started and make sure you include everything my professor wants this is for a grade.