Me and the Mother- A Visual Reflection

• In Event: 2201 - Visual Media Presentations

Abstract

Me and the Mother” is visual a commentary by Indian Bengali women on the conflicting statuses of women in India, which initiates in the backdrop of the autumn celebration of goddess Durga among Bengalis, in the United States and globally. Goddess Durga epitomizes power, and is one of the many manifestation of the eternal female form (Kinsey 1997). Specifically, intriguing is the conflicting duality that surrounds a religious practice of revering the goddess on one hand, and the social conditions in recent times which are somewhat detrimental to gender equality (including but not limited to years of silence surrounding the ideology behind “Me Too” or violence against women) (Mandana, 2013 and Vijaykumar, 2013).

The proposed 10 minute documentary (short two minute preview is attached) focuses on a series of short observations made by Bengali educated and professional women immigrants in the United States, who have also experienced the Bengali diaspora.

Several important themes emerge through the feminist narratives: familiarity with silence around sexual harassment in Bengali households, lack of support system to diagnostically address and treat a sexual predator, importance of expressing gendered subjugation through art, recognizing the inner power in all women, debunking gendered norms for the next generation and the ambiguity surrounding a unified stance among women towards oppression.

Google drive link for short two-minute preview (first rough cut):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1svayQg6jB2_i8esC-oo5I61WCf6bMqwf/view?usp=sharing


References:
Kinsey, David. 1997. Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas. New Delhi: Motilal Banaridas Publishers

Mandana, Niharika. 2013. “What India’s New ‘Anti-Rape’ Bill Actually Says. The New York Times (March 21st 2013). Retrieved June 2016 (http://india.blogs.nytimes.com /2013/03/21/what-indias-anti-rape-bill-actually-says/?_r=1).

Vijayakumar, Gowri. 2013. “I’ll Be like Water”: Gender, Class, and Flexible Aspirations at the
Edge of India’s Knowledge Economy”. Gender & Society, 27, 6, 777-798.

Author

• tanni chaudhuri