When kids in Chennai learnt to defy gender stereotypes

Aimed at inspiring children to defy gender norms, Devika Krishnan, co-founder of the Shepherd Crafts Kashmir Project with Ramneek Kaur, held a lively interaction session.  The book Sadiq Wants to Stitch, which tells a story about a boy who wishes to stitch, was also read to the children. The project was set up in 2011 to provide additional sources of income for women from the nomadic tribes of Gujjar and Bakarwal. Since then, it has evolved into a platform to showcase their crafts of embroidery, bead work, weaving, and cuisine. Storyteller Janaki Sabesh was also present at the interaction.

Speaking to DT Next, Devika, who took the audiences through a presentation of the twin tribes from a historical and cultural perspective, says, “The book is about a little boy who wants to stitch and pursue his passion, not listening to his mother who tells him that boys don’t do such activities.”

According to her, it is important to teach kids that gender stereotypes don’t matter. “I was delighted to get a chance to teach kids about the migrant shepherd community in Kashmir, as they belong to a really marginalised sector. Our work with them has benefited around 60 families, and we keep trying to spread awareness on them,” she says. “During my time with the children, I showed them the actual embroidered pieces of clothing from the shepherd’s community in Kashmir, so that they would have recall value.” 

Devika, who works extensively across the country with several marginalised communities, also visits Tamil Nadu for the ‘Porgai’ project to empower Lambadi women in the Dharmapuri district through the Tribal Craft Initiative. “The tribals in the area have their own tradition of embroidery which was nearly lost. Now, we are helping them revive it with the older women teaching the younger women. ‘Porgai’ means ‘pride’ in the Lambadi dialect, reflecting how they feel about their work,” she adds.