Women, Culture and peace
Aruna Asaf Ali and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay and Aruna Asaf Ali were two of the younger revolutionaries that made up the energy and clarity of our freedom movement. We will celebrate their ideas and discuss their relevance for this time.
Through their lives, we addressed the potential of folk arts to address the universal human striving, and act as a basis for unity between peoples. We discussed the role of women in the freedom movement, as well as how both these revolutionaries saw the struggle for Indian independence as part of the humanity wide anti colonial movement for freedom. Both of them were also involved in the peace movement and the task of building unity across nations.
The event featured a panel discussion and a puppet performance!
Here is a recording of the event:
Venue: Kanataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bengaluru
Date: 25th September, 2022
Time: 4 pm
Speakers & Performances
Devaki Jain is an eminent economist who has worked with women's movements as well as to implement Gandhi's ideas in economic planning. She was a close associate of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. Her husband, L.C. Jain, was also a freedom fighter who worked with Kamaladevi in establishing the Faridabad refugee colony as well as institutions for the renewal of crafts in India.
Dattatreya Aralikatte is an internationally renowned puppet master. He is a student of Guru M.R. Ranganatha Rao, who was brought into puppetry by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay herself. He has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, as well as several other state and national recognitions. His troupe performs in the traditional Mudrika style. They will be performing at the event.
Ashoke Chatterjee is a design scholar who has worked on the relationship between handicrafts, design and social justice. He has served as the President of the Crafts Council of India as well as the Director of the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad.
