Sa Ham-I am She series (complete links)

This beautiful photograph was shot by Mumbai street photographer and beggar poet Firoze Shakir. Find more of his photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir

  By the grace of the Maa Durga, the navratri series is complete. Here are the links for the nine posts and preview for each post.  

   

1.       Sa Ham-I am She 

In this post, I examine the split between human woman and Goddess woman (can I be She?)  and investigate the possibilities and challenges of women empowerment through Goddess images and myths (when I feel or sense I am She).

2.       She is She-Girl Child in India

In this post, I present the statistical reality of girl-child in West Bengal, the irony of Mother worship in the same state and then provide a dose of hope by providing a real-life glimpse of girl child from Indian villages across India.

3.       Mother Managers

In this post, I search for the feminine values in management in the workplace. I interrogate and ask the question—why is the feminine relegated in the workspace?

4.       Solo Woman Travelling—some do’sand don’ts

In this post, I write about my experiences as a solo woman traveller to rural parts of India and provide tips to fellow travellers.

5.       Friday Thoughts: To Buri Maa(Old Mother

In this post, I remember a domestic help from my childhood who was a woman in her 70s and tell her story. I end with some mythbusters about aging and ageism.

6.         When She is Mother Earth

        In this post, I examine how the relegation of feminine in agricultural economy and ecology has led to several issues in agriculture today.  I present works of Vandana Shiva and the Ecofeminist movement.

7.       The Many Faces of She 

In this photo-essay post, I present images of women across India both hopeful and lost, courageous and vulnerable, and how she triumphs in spite all.

8.       Reflections on She

In this post, I re-read the tale Mahisasuramardhini through the question: Why does Mother smile and stays calm when she is killing Mahisasura. What if Mother was a social worker and Mahisasura was a drug addict.

9.       When She is the Sound

In  this post, I examine the soundscape of India, from dhak sounds in a durga puja pandal in Chennai through assembly prayer at a disabled school in a naxalite area and tribal girls singing in an orphanage in Jharkhand  to Hindi poetry session in a village in Uttar Pradesh and Baul songs in a Bengal train.