The feminist knitting circle in India upending patriarchal norms

The feminist knitting circle in India upending patriarchal norms

In Ranikhet, a northern mountain village, women knit in a group, talk taboos and strive towards financial independence.


In recent years, a quiet matriarchal revolution has been building at the foothills of the Himalayas [Maria de la Guardia/Al Jazeera]



Uttarakhand, India - When seven women in the remote mountain village of Ranikhet first met Mala Srikanth, they stood with their heads down. Srikanth was a divorcee, retired doctor, ex-military, single mother of two daughters - and wore jeans. In this northern Indian community, all of this was unfathomable. The women had come from poor backgrounds and were there to knit. In recent years, a quiet matriarchal revolution has been building at the foothills of the Himalayas, reshaping a system that has long dictated the lives of women. The change in Ranikhet and surrounding villages stems from a knitting circle.Since forming five years ago, 14 women now meet every Wednesday morning in Srikanth's home and knit perfectly - a feat achieved through months of training. "They now come in their nicest clothes, heads held high and they walk with confidence," said Srikanth. For her, it is not enough to knit an item that will be sold with pity by an NGO, if at all - you knit to the highest standards, standards that she believes every woman should hold themselves to in their daily life as well.

As knitting needles flash between fingers, the women waste no time talking up a frenzy, interrupting each other and occasionally drowning out the chatter with laughter.


Since forming five years ago, 14 women now meet regularly to for a knitting session [Maria de la Guardia/Al Jazeera]

When the language changes from Hindi to local Garhwali, the topic becomes more serious. Conversations address taboo subjects, from birth control and alcoholism to sex and domestic violence. "I have talked about things with these women that I have never told anyone before," said knitter Gudiya Khan. "We wait the whole week for Wednesday to come so that we can meet everyone and share our experiences, our ups and downs in life." At home, she sits with old family photos strewn across her bed. One shows her wedding day. Her grandmother's hand rests on her blue veil before turmeric was applied to her forehead in a traditional ritual.
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Suhela Khan, programme coordinator for UN Women India MCO, said: "Women's rights are only considered to be women's issues and are not being seen as a matter of human rights." In Ranikhet, though, female leadership is challenging patriarchy.

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"Research shows that women spend 90 percent of what they earn on the health and education of her children and within her family. So thereby, they not only contribute to the betterment of their families but in turn contribute to the development of communities and society at large and generations to come," said Suhela Khan of the UN programme.
There is little difference between sons and daughters today, with both contributing equally in everything, including earning money.

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