This was the next step in our small efforts at taking Cultural Movement to the grassroots, right to the tents and padas of Nomadic and Adivasi communities. In fact, the movement is very much alive in the hearts and daily lives and memories of these communities, especially their women who are at the forefront of nurturing cultural expressions.
Remembering our great leaders in the month of April during “Sanyukt Jayanti” (anniversaries of Mahatma Phule and Dr. Ambedkar), alongside the hard working women of these communities was a privilege. They spent the day remembering their own intricate connections of great reforming women and men of Indian history.
A very unique aspect of this day-long conference is that adolescent and youth leaders – members of the Badlache Parv Kala Manch – who had only recently come back from a residential training camp learning about the cultural movement, led the whole day’s process of learning songs with 150 women from across Thane District. They together with the women learnt songs that speak of love and justice, and against hatred and injustice.
