Deanna in Coimbatore

Deanna in Coimbatore

In my experience, Coimbatore is vastly different than Mumbai. The dining style is much more informal; most South Indians eat with their hands. The style of dress is more conservative and traditional. Women tend to be more soft spoken and have more traditional values, whereas women in Mumbai adopted more Western values.
We’ve done a lot of shopping. I am less compelled to bargain here, as the stores are set up somewhat differently. I have only seen males selling women’s clothes, which strikes me as unusual.
We all got dressed in sarees the other day. A traditional Indian saree is basically a long, beautiful sheet of fabric that is wrapped around a woman in a specific way. There are pleats in the front, and it wraps around the left shoulder. A woman in a saree also has a small shirt underneath, cut off right below the bust with short sleeves. Also, an underskirt is worn. Personally, I am not used to wearing feminine clothing, so getting dressed up was highly unusual and uncomfortable at first. After a few hours, I adapted. Today, I am wearing a very feminine Indian outfit with Indian hoop earrings and bangles. In my more masculine clothing, I am much more of a spectacle. For now, I would rather fit in. At any rate, I am amazed that innumerable women wear sarees every day. I cannot imagine the upkeep.
Our group went to the Shanti Ashram, a non-government organization (NGO) that focuses on empowering women by helping them find jobs. We sipped tea during a very informative presentation, explaining the details, mission statement, and statistics related to the Shanti Ashram. After lunch, we ventured to five different job sites, including one for bio-fertilizer, a canteen, a village school, and rice plant.
One of the most remarkable things I have learned was the system of Indian postal service. There are no house numbers, street name signs, or mailboxes. Instead, mail is addressed to the person’s name and their village or city. The mail workers end up knowing their customers intimately and hand-deliver their mail. Even people in villages get mail, although some people are illiterate. The mail deliverers will actually read the mail to those who are illiterate, then write a responding letter, free of charge.
We have had the opportunity to participate in an international seminar at a technical institute. Each of us sat on a stage in groups of three and shared our views on our experience in India. I explained how my views about feminism have changed since I’ve been here, and that empowerment is not equivalent to abandonment of traditional values. For example, I have always seen the role of a housewife to be disempowering, submissive to patriarchy, and regressive to feminist ideals. However, I have met many women who emulate empowerment while choosing to take on the role of a housewife. One of the most inspiring, brilliant women I have met decided not to pursue her Masters in favor of getting married to her husband.
Marriage and family are sacred in India, and are of a much higher value. When two people are married, it symbolizes two souls combining for a greater good. It is the single most epic occasion of any person’s life. In addition, arranged marriages are not considered to be oppressive or unjust. Rather, some students I have spoken to have expressed their support for arranged marriages.
While visiting the technological institute seminar, one member of our group sat in a larger group of Indian students for a question-and-answer session. In context of the discussion about marriage and dating, I asked, “Would you prefer a more Western style or a traditional Indian style when it comes to dating and marriage?” The group, mostly composed of males, replied, “Western-style for dating, Indian style for marriage.” I will probably analyze the response later.
Right now, I am trying to keep a more open mind and accept different forms of womens’ empowerment. I am especially interested in President Pratibha Patil, the first female Indian president. Time is dwindling, so I must stop. I will be sure to write more later.