AurovilleRadio

“Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future.” – Ban Ki Moon, His Excellency, the U.N Secretary General

While the International organizations, Civil Societies, Government agencies and other groups are busy in organizing various seminars, workshops and awareness programs to achieve Gender Equality and Women Empowerement issues on International Women’s Day, a group of women residents of Auroville and Pondicherry spent their day with various traditional and free style dances and Kolam drawings.

Monday, the 7th of March 2016 SAWCHU Building, Bharat Nivas in Auroville was lit up in lights and creative art works as the visitors, guests and residents of Auroville celebrated the Eve of International Women’s Day.

Ms. Lara Sem, a 10 years old kid performance has been a highlight at the event. She is TV dance performer in Kalaignar Channel. Her strength at the dance performance amused the audience.

Kolam painting competitions were also held. A Kolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. In South India, it is widely practiced by female Hindu family members in front of their houses. Kolams are regionally known by different names in India, Raangolee in Maharashtra, Aripan in Mithila , Raongoli in Karnataka, Muggulu in Telugu in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Golam in Kerala.
The program was very colorful and joyous. There were many outsiders from Bangalore, Chennai and other nearby cities who have come to relish the nature and programs at Auroville.

“Honestly, its nice to see people celebrating women’s day in particular but I wish everyday, everybody was treated equal and nothing special had to be about today. But then again, when someone puts in effort to make them feel nice on at least one day, it feels good”. – Ms. Pragati Murty, an Employee at Amazon, Bangalore

“Though there are many women’s rights workers, activists and leaders striving to get equal and greater opportunities for us, events like these also make us unite and share a cultural feeling of oneness and its encouraging“- Arudra, a 12th class student at Timpany School (Vizag)