This documentary is about the Sambhali Trust project empowering Dalit 'untouchable' women in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India and in the nearby village of Setrawa, India. The movie highlights the benefits of the project in the life of the women, and also shows the progress made in the new school project. My friend Govind Rathore started this project, and I became involved when I went to stay at his guesthouse in Jodhpur. Some of you may remember the Rajasthani Jagrata audio slideshow I posted a few months back? That was about Govind's family and our trip to Setrawa for his young son's haircutting ceremony. I went back to India a second time with a video camera and this documentary is borne from that. The documentary also includes footage shot later by volunteers after Govind asked us to make a short film. He will be presenting this film at an upcoming conference in Austria. I want to thank my brother Arthur for all of his labor, all the volunteers who helped provide additional stills and video, Corinne, and Govind for running around to gather things up and shipping it all up to The States so we could work on it, to Griselda for the Setrawa tour, Amanda and Sophie for their excellent teaching and for allowing me to interview them. And to anyone else I didn't mention, thanks for everything done to make this possible.
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29 comments:
WOW! You guys are serious! I had never heard of the "untouchables" until moments ago. I googled the word, and was amazed. there is so much in the world of which I know nothing.
Thank you for bringing that info, through narrative film, to me (all of us, really!)
"...in childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth to her husband, when her lord is dead, to her son; a woman must never be independent."
Cat, you and Arthur are 'really" people of God. I am hnored to 'know' you.
What a talented couple of Viberts, and how great it must have been to collaborate with your brother on this impressive piece. It's hard to watch something that makes you remember that the world doesn't live as we do and that so many are being subjected to the sort of lives they have.
Technically, this is beautifully done. Congratulations on its release and kudos on the work!! What a worthwhile project.
Cat, i remember the jagrata slideshow.
the documentary is very powerful, and very sensitive. congratulations to you and your brother for such a commendable piece.
i live in Rajasthan and i know that women here get such a raw deal. they are often treated more like animals than human beings.
and to top that, if someone is a dalit as well, life is one indignity aftr another.
thank you for sharing.
SteveE, that's right, it's pretty bleak for women in general over there, but for Dalit girls, it's pathetic. These girls are an infinitesimal few of the lucky ones. Thanks so much.
Karen, I love doing projects with my brother, we get a long really well. Thanks for watching and caring.
LGL, I know, some real awareness and social change would be a welcome sight for women in Rajasthan. Especially for the underprivileged. Luckily there are many projects such as Sambhali, designed to help. But all of it is a small drop in the bucket, barely even a sip. You and I know this...
Hugs.
Khamaghani Dear Catherine,
Greetings from Jodhpur and the Sambhali Trust.
Please convey my regards to Mr. Arthur. We at the trust are very thankful to you and Mr. Arthur for all what you have generously collaborated with. The documentary is something amazing that has happened to the trust.
Thanks a million,
Warmest Regards
Govind S.Rathore
I have no words Cathy...you are just Amazing! Bro-Sis duo has done an invaluable job! Being from India we come across so many incidents esp from the rural areas, that shatters us to the core. Its hard to imagine that people live in deplorable conditions one could ne'er ever have imagined.
I congratulate you and your team to take pains towards such a noble cause. To see people do things one had imagined is just great! There are many such sections in the society in very many places that to eradicate these woes, many such trusts and organizations who are true to the cause are needed.
I am becoming emotional. Let me stop here. Once again, A HUGE APPLAUDABLE EFFORT!You are too good, cathy.
Couldn't agree more with Karen. "What a talented couple of Viberts!"
Yes, I do remember the Jagrata post Catherine. It was the first post of yours I ever read.
And I can see how this one got Deepa all emotional. As I know the Jagrata one made me rant quite a bit too. :D
Like I said before, you are doing an amazing job for a very noble cause. If only more people living in this part of the world were that open minded.
And a big applaud goes to Govind to for doing a wonderful job.
Thank you Catherine for everything.
And you better give me that call, if you ever come here again, I don't care if you don't get those chocolates. :)
Cat! What a wonderful project you & your brother have set up here to help the dalit women. If only there were more like you in this world!
As you say it's only a drop in the bucket but every single drop helps.
I admire you and all your co-helpers greatly for your involvement to help these under- priviliged.
Thank you for bringing our awareness of the Sambhali Project to light.
good to see folk doing good for those deemed 'unworthy'... well done, cat!
This is very powerful, and I stand in awe of what you are doing. You are helping others with your talent, and it shines a ray of hope into the world. I literally cried when I watched this. I hate that these beautiful people suffer, but I also love that it is about empowerment. What a wonderful project. Cat, you are amazing. I know you're not doing it for praise, but I just have to say what a beautiful job you have done. Thank you for sharing this. I will e-mail the link to my friends.
Govind, I am so glad the film is finished and will help the project. I fell in love with the girls, especially when I was able to go and visit their homes, and meet their families. I was so incredibly touched. I hope that the film will bring LOTS of money in Austria to help grow the project substantially. There are so many in need...
Deepa, thank you so much, your positive response means a lot to me. :-)
Aniket, I thank you so much. I'll be staying at your house when I get to Pune kiddo. ;-) And you're going to take me up to the Ajanta Caves, k? My biggest tourist dream in India is to go see those caves and they are but a hop skip and jump from you.
Hi Margaret, It's Govind's project, we just made the film, but I agree that I hope so much that it will help the girls shown here, and many many more that will participate in the future. It is SOOOO worth it.
Laughingwolf-:-) Thank you, I agree entirely.
Julie, I am so touched that it made you cry. Thank you for telling me that. And thank you so much for sharing this link, I really appreciate it, the more people who see it, the more who will know the needs of these beautiful and sweetest of people.
Anon, thank you!
Cat, has it been so long? Wow, I feel badly now. :( I'm here, truly; just need to take more time to pause and leave a comment. I know how much that means. I'm very much looking fowrard to seeing the documentary, but haven't had time yet. I'll comment again when I have. Promise! :)
This is wonderful. The music and images really stirred my soul. I wanted it to go on; I wanted to learn more, to peek further into the women's lives, to see them succeed. It must be all those anth/soc courses I took in the past. I saw such familiar faces in those girls, the ones who were left behind (some of my ancestors were Roma, and they originated from somewhere in India). These kinds of projects which empower women and girls are terrific. And so is your work!
Cat, this is just superb. You and your brother and all the others responsible for this film are the best. The sweet girls and women of this film are like angels - they so value education it makes me cry. To think that many students just want to cut class, or are disrepectful to their teachers, or simply don't study and fail - is sad, especially in light of this film.
I am so happy to know about the Sambhali project and will do what I can to help.
You are so good to use your talents to help so many around the world, by raising awareness and by caring so deeply. Thank you.
Cat ~ I admire you for all you are doing.
Rachel, Thanks so much for your comments! They are better than money. I think it is very cool that you had Roma ancestry. My son went to a Waldorf high school and they had a Romany band, it was SUCH great fun, and as such they had someone there who still lived the traditions and taught all about the culture along with the music. It is fascinating!
K. You are right about the girls, they are like angels. Each one as sweet as you can imagine, so warm and eager to learn. And eager to teach! You should have seen them trying to teach me to learn Hindi. I was pathetic. As Sophie says in the end, the girls lives are very hard but they are still happy. There is so much to be learned from that. I saw this all over India, I have never seen such happy children as those who were poor, but who had at least basic needs met, like a roof over their head and simple food to eat. All of them eager to learn. It is sad, however, that often it is the parents, not the children, who don't want the children to stay in school. That happens all too often in India, not only with girls, compounding and sustaining the problems that a lack of education brings, generation after generation. Especially in the rural areas. It is very sad. I thank you so much for your interest and your comments, they mean the world to me.
Cherie, thanks so much dear. :-)
What wonderful work, and even more wonderful to see the story of these people shared. I'm terribly impressed with everyone involved! Especially those students fighting together.
Jason, thank you. (I'm writing through some tears here, in the throws of an emotional mess today). I really appreciate your comments. So much.
Your work is so impressive, Cat! Making a difference, living a dream. What a wonderful documentary you've created, both technically as Karen stated, and as a voice for these beautiful intelligent girls who have new 'promise' ahead in their lives.
Thank you sister so much for sharing this. And to your talented brother Arthur, Gavind and the others also, a big thank you!
excellent work~
Calli
The school conditions for my students (murderers, rapists, drug dealers, etc.) are much better than what is depicted in your documentary. I'm willing to bet these young women of Sambhali are much more eager to learn. Nice documenary, as always, and I hope the project becomes a success.
I think what affected me the most was Steve E.'s comment. Your work raises awareness-- that's such an important first step!
Watching your video(s) always takes me back to my college anthro classes. In particular, an amazing little course I took called Women in Cross-Cultural Study, as well as another class I took called Southeast Asia.
Thanks Aine! I think I am a closet anthropologist at heart. I am very interested in the cultures and lives of women in Asia, as you can tell. And I love to bring the awareness of what I have found to others. It always surprises me that folks like Steve and so many others, really aren't aware of the circumstances, we have such a sheltered existence here in this country. I have to keep reminding myself of that. And so my crusades will continue, when I come down out of my monastic tower from time to time that is. ;-)
Dear Calli, Your comments always make me feel so good! I hope so much that it does make a difference in the lives of these girls, they are so deserving of it.
JR-I wonder what it is that makes people so disinterested in learning in this country? Or if it is just the disinterested then have a tendency to become criminal? Or what exactly. We have a long way to go in this world to get the balance right, don't we? Oy. Thanks so much for your comments.
Your work is amazing. I thank God that there are people out there like you.
Hi Cat,
Thanks for your question about me. Finishing a graduate degree is sometimes challenging and I try to do my best to finish as soon as I can.
I miss the blogging world (to a certain extent). I try my best to keep my blog running and I do not want to loose the friends and colleagues I made in the last 6 months and appreciate the loyal followers and friends that still leave comments on my few posts. However, I read all the newly work posted and this really keeps me going.
I enjoy reading your blog as usual Cat and it always inspires me (and there are not just complementary words).
I hope you happiness and all the best and having you as a friend always mean a lot to me.
Take care
Thank you for highlighting the plight of "untouchables" ...I enjoy reading your blog...
Colleen and Printemps-Welcome to my blog! Thank you so much for your comments. I'll be by to check out your blogs today.
Khaled, it is SO great to hear from you. I have a great big smile. I have been wondering how you have been, and assuming you've been buried in books and writing. I always read your blog, and of course I love it best when one of your own poems sneaks in there. :-) Thanks so much for your comments, and strength to you for continuing your studies.
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