Women discuss polls under a tree, sipping tea

If Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is trying to create a political storm in a tea cup, groups of women in Bangalore and other parts of the State are hoping to at least create ripples sitting in the shade of trees, sipping tea.

In a novel programme called “Maramara”, Bangalore-based women’s rights group Vimochana and other organisations have started a series of meetings in the city and elsewhere to draw the attention of political parties to women’s issues. Every meeting will be held under a big tree.

The first meeting was held on Thursday under a rain tree behind Jeevanbima Nagar bus-stop on the theme of alcoholism. As Corinne Kumar of Vimochana put it, the theme was appropriate to kick start the series because alcohol is one of the biggest inducements used by political parties during election campaigns.

The discussion among women began with descriptions of how they were suffering on account of alcoholism of men in the families, but the theme of elections gradually crept in, bridging the personal and political.

Malar Kodi, an elderly lady, spoke of her father who had told her as a young girl to vote for the party that fought for freedom. “So much has changed since then,” she said, lamenting that paying for votes is the order of the day. Shanthi, a homemaker, said that the way out is to refuse to vote for those who give money and liquor. “Let us tell those who seek our votes that we will not vote unless our problems are addressed,” she said.

Mamata, one of the activists, spontaneously composed a song, asking women to speak up. “

Matanadakkayya matanadu, kuditavu bedavendu matanadu ... (Speak up sister, speak up to say enough of drinking.).”

Ms. Kumar said that the idea of communities gathering under trees is also symbolic as the shade of a tree is a “nurturing space” where communities traditionally meet to discuss issues. “There is no stage here and we don’t have to pay for the shade,” she said.

On Friday, a “Maramara” programme was held near Mayo Hall on the theme of dowry harassment. A programme is planned on Saturday in Attibele. Around 50 such meetings are planned in Bangalore. Similar programmes are in the offing in Mangalore, Mysore, Kolar and parts of north Karnataka. “What has started as a murmur under trees, we hope, will soon be a hubbub and spared to other parts of the country,” said Ms. Kumar.