[Reader-list] 6th posting: caste and gender in the urban space of Keralam

[jenny chithra]

dear friends,

In this posting we want to talk about some events and discussions that
happened after we started our study:

After our third posting to SARAI, some interesting debates took place
in some forums in Keralam.

1. A very detailed report on the present status of Chitra Lekha was
published in a regional magazine called 'Malayalam' by Sreejith
Paithale who had accompanied us through out our field work trips.

2. An e-group called 'greenyouth' put up our third posting to which a
young scholar responded with bitterness, complaining about the apathy
of malayalee intellectuals. Though our posting had not elicited any
response, this provocative response triggered off a heated debate that
went on for days.
As it often happens in the debate-obsessed space of Kerala, this too
was a complete male war of words, with a feeble female voice. However,
this debate, brought up some interesting points about ex-patriate
malayalees like us, studying issues in Kerala; the need/problems of
local action committees in dealing with such issues; and the whole
issue about alliance politics, which helps to resist such caste/gender
oppression at the local level.
More importantly, the debate became so fiery that it soon went out of
the forum with even media people becoming interested in it. This we
feel did much to bring more attention to the Chithra Lekha case, which
had been lying dormant for some time.

3. In Kannur, soon a new local action committee was formed at the
initiative of people like K M Venugopal, who had already had problems
with old one, with the intention of rehabilitating Chitra Lekha.
Chithra Lekha, along with various activists and intellectuals came
forward to be part of this forum. Together they have come up with a
written public appeal, which details the struggle that Chithra Lekha
has gone through and asks for financial support to buy her a new auto
rickshaw, along with promising her the local support to run it. This
committee called Chithra Lekha rehabilitation committee, has
K.M.Venugopalan as Convenor, Dr.D.Surendranath, as Chair person, and
	P.K.Ayyappan as Treasurer.

If anyone in this readers list is interested in supporting the
struggle that Chithra Lekha has started, they can send financial help
with an

a) Ac.Payee Cheque or crossed DD payable at Kannur,

b) Money Order, to the following address:
Dr.D.Surendranath,
Chairman,
Chithra Lekha Rehabilitation Committee,
Pallikunnu P.O,
Kannur.

4.	We also heard that some print and online magazines in Kerala are
planning to bring out issues that focused on the Chithra Lekha case.

Christy
Jenny


-- 
(All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave)