Nilanjana Nandy

Sharmila Joshi

Text Editor

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‘
 
 Hoon jano, hoon khabar?’ (‘How do I know what it is?’
in the local Waaghri dialect)
 In the villages of Bori, Kharveda and Semalia in Banswara district of Rajasthan, while
interacting with the women, I noticed that most of them sit on the ground, either
on a mat or without one. The men and elders always sit up – on chairs, on cots
– though in the presence of men, elderly women sit on the ground, even if they
are ailing. This is true for children too – boys sit up, the girls don’t.
 Most of the people of Kharveda and Semalia are
farmers. They were traditionally weavers, but it’s been a few generation since
they stopped weaving. In Bori, some of the women are also dairy farmers.
 
 When asked, they all said it was the custom for women
to sit on the ground. Once married, the daughter of the family may sit up when
she visits her parents’ home, but the daughter-in-law must sit on the floor.
 The women sit on the floor not only when they are in
the same space as men and village elders, but also when visitors like me are
around – that is, whoever they perceive as more powerful or privileged than
themselves in any way.
 We gradually began discussing this in a self-help
group. They were cautious about not offending their elders and in-laws. Some wanted
the practice to change, some wanted it to remain.Over time, they all agreed to be photographed sitting
on a chair, a cot or a raised platform. They would often insist that I take the
photographs indoors, or in their backyards, or with their sons on their lap. A few were lighthearted about this, for many it took a lot of
preparation to allow themselves this momentary symbolic elevation.

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The temporary ‘chairwomen’ of Banswara

আমরা নারী, কুর্সি পেতে পারি!

பன்ஸ்வாராவின் தற்காலிக 'நாற்காலிப் பெண்'

बांसवाड़ा में औरतों को कुर्सी पर बैठने से कौन रोकता है?

ବନସୱାଡ଼ାର ପରମ୍ପରା: ‘ମହିଳାମାନଙ୍କୁ ଚଉକିରେ ବସିବା ମନା’

ബാംസ്വാഡയിലെ താല്കാലിക 'വനിത അധ്യക്ഷർ'

بانسواڑہ میں عورتوں کو کرسی پر بیٹھنے سے کون روکتا ہے؟

Banswara

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The temporary ‘chairwomen’ of Banswara

In many villages of Rajasthan and across India, women are custom-bound to sit on the ground. It took some persuasion to photograph them in three villages of Banswara district sitting on chairs or cots, and allowing themselves a symbolic elevation

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