The purpose of this workshop is to build off of the Brookings report and to bring together stakeholders from the fields of ESD, GCED, GE, and HR education to begin laying out a shared vision, or roadmap, for the global education sector in climate action. The aim is that this workshop will serve as a launching pad for a series of working meetings over the course of 2020 for those who express interest at the workshop to continue being engaged. The working meetings will culminate in an edited volume focused on education and climate action.
Workshop organized by –
Radhika Iyengar, Center for Sustainable Development, Earth Institute, Columbia University
Christina Kwauk, Center for Universal Education, The Brookings Institution.
The workshop is for Virtual CIES- More details at http://cies2020.org
Ellen Chigwanda, Advocacy Advisor for Education, CARE USA
Anna Bertmar Khan, Deputy Director of Programs, Dubai Cares
Part 2:
10:50am – 11:00am (Christina Kwauk to present Part 2 of the Brookings Report).
Perspectives by…
School teacher’s perspective 11:00-11:15
On: What support do teachers require to take the leap toward radical, transformative teaching and learning for climate action?
William Bertolotti, Plainedge High School, New York.
Elisa Hartwig, The Green School Antigua
Abby Ruskey, Fellow in Complex Systems Management at UC-Merced.
Local organizations/Community organizing, US-domestic and international 11:15-11:35
On: Local action at the township level: Evidence of what has worked and what are some roadblocks to building community leaders/action at the grassroots.
Priya Patel, Chair Millburn School Green Team and also Member Millburn Environmental Commission.
Vanita Gangwal, Convener Millburn Climate Action Group
Author: William Bertolotti, Science Teacher, Plainedge Highschool.
Hello everyone, my name is Will Bertolotti. It’s important to stress the fact that teachers do not teach facts; we teach people. We embrace the responsibility for fostering the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of human beings. I have been guiding high-school students for the past 12 years as a social science research and psychology teacher. I am fortunate to teach in a district where the community, teachers, and administration are united behind ensuring the success of our students. Furthermore, several years ago I volunteered with an educational not for profit that used student-oriented experiential learning centered on the UN SDGs and it led to a significant paradigm shift in my teaching philosophy. As a teacher, I am still learning — but I put some thought into the purpose of education and I am eager to share the mindset of a teacher to the students of the world.
We need you, the students, to know — that you embody our hope and collective investment for a future. That your efforts are cherished and your talents acknowledged as our community’s greatest resource. That your youthful frustrations and restlessness are the fuel for future change and innovation. You have a place at the communal table and in time you will control the fate of our planet. Some time ago, we as a society chose to forget that we all live on borrowed time — I am sorry that we pushed onto you the consequences of an unsustainable lifestyle. As your teachers we must prepare you right now and every day to survive and flourish in a world not of your own making. But your potential is latent and it is incredible.
And so, we forge them — our future civic science leaders — guiding them with our collective experience, supporting them so that failures are embraced as opportunities for learning and growth, empowering them with lessons in resilience, knowledge, and wisdom, and tempering them with the guiding spirit of integrity and compassion. Mentorships with academia, government, and industry become the route of transmission for action. Experiential learning becomes the sandbox for future policy. We teach them that sustainability is compassion toward the other people in a world of limited resources — and it is compassion towards your future self.
Why? It’s the perennial question my students always ask. Why? Well, it’s our fundamental purpose. Not only as teachers, but as parents, as members of a global community — we have the responsibility to ensure that the next generation is prepared. Our true calling must be to inspire the spirit that guides their efforts, to mentor and advocate, to challenge, and to let go — unshackle our youth from outmoded preconceptions of learning. We must open their eyes, that students don’t need our permission to question — that they themselves are the primary agents of their own growth. That learning can occur beyond the classroom, outside school hours, without adults. We need to teach them how to bridge differences and build connections — to challenge and advocate — to set the foundations for lasting change.
The world around us is our classroom, rich with experience, filled with challenges, and begging for solutions. We must ensure that our memory lives on in posterity as a generation of young leaders, ready to mend a broken world, to heal a wounded society, and to steer the course through an uncertain century.
Thank you very much for your time and for this opportunity to share.
With COVID19, the ICT Center classes and operations in our sites in India, Rwanda, Uganda and Myanmar have come to a temporary slow down.
We continue to keep the communication channel with our trainees open, however, given site specifications and limitations, communication can be challenging.
Before the ICT Center classes closed for COVID19 measures, the ICT Center Managers in each site shared COVID19 knowledge with trainees and youth.
Thank you to Srinivas, Navatha, Munmun, John for getting the information out!
Here are some 1-line responses we received from our trainees, collected through WhatsApp text message, voice message, pictures of written pieces– we get creative when we have to communicate during isolation and quarantine!
IN JUST A FEW WORDS, WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID19?
IN JUST 1 SENTENCE, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO TO STOP THE SPREAD?
*Stay at home, use mask and sanitize frequently.
*Sanitize, hand wash.
*Do not panic and if anybody visits your home from outside first tell them to hand wash and use sanitize.
*Follow all the safety rules and regulations directed by the government because your safety is in your hands.
*If you buy anything from outside first wash or clean it with lukewarm water before using it.(–> please use soap and sanitizer or disinfectants!)
*COVID19 is a virus whose medicine has not been discovered so please stay at home and follow safety rules and support the Indian government in this mission.
*Hand wash, use a mask, and take steam along with gurgle by adding salt and turmeric. (–> we haven’t found research on salt and tumeric gargle on COVID19, but hygiene practices are indeed important)
We also received questions from our trainees, from which we will plan a video session to address the questions. Be on the look out for the session schedule via https://www.edforsd.org/spring-2020-schedule
One of our trainees, Sindhu from Mahabubnagar wrote a piece on COVID19:
Though only in production for little over half a century, plastics have become so ubiquitous that by mid-century, it is estimated that there will be higher quantities of plastics than fish in our oceans.[1] This is because plastic takes more than 400 years to degrade, and less than 10% of plastic produced is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills where toxic chemicals leech their way into groundwater, or in our oceans, where they break down into microplastics that then make it into the bellies of wildlife and humans alike. It is estimated that the average person ingests between 39,000-52,000 particles of microplastic per year.[2]
Consumer habits driving demand for cheap products is a big part of this problem, as are plastic producers who are unwilling to sacrifice short-term profit for longevity of our planet’s habitability. These problems are then further compounded by waste management systems unable to handle the growing burden of plastic waste, particularly in developing parts of the world.
Plastic Pollution on Accra Beach. Photo by: Muntaka Chasan
In Ghana, a beautiful country that has become increasingly plagued by mismanaged plastic waste, the country is taking important policy strides toward addressing the challenge. In 2017, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo Addo launched the National Sanitation Campaign, which aims to increase Ghana’s sanitation by establishing a National Sanitation Authority, building a youth brigade tasked with enforcing sanitation laws, and establishing new recovery sites for recycling, among other efforts. Earlier this year, Ghana became the second country in the world and the first in Africa to join the Global Plastic Action Partnership of the World Economic Forum.
These policy solutions, while sounding great on paper, have been slow to take root. A visit to one of Ghana’s gorgeous beaches or along a main road makes it clear that plastic is everywhere. It is estimated that the country loses approximately 1.44 billion GHS annually due to poor sanitation.[3] During the rainy season especially, plastic pollution clogs drains, leading to public health crises such as numerous cholera outbreaks in recent years. The 2014-15 cholera outbreak impacted nearly 29,000 Ghanaians.[4]
With affordable, accessible waste management services slow to keep pace with demand, many families deal with their waste by dumping or burning it. During a recent survey in Odumase, a town in Ghana’s Eastern Region, just 60% of respondents reported using trash collection service. Among those not using the service, 56% reported that the main reason was due to lack of available service in their area, while another 22% reported that the service doesn’t come often enough. To deal with their waste, 47% reported burning their waste, while 40% said they dump it in open space or allocated dump sites near their communities.
Vocational training participants making products lined with upcycled plastic sachets
One major source of plastic waste in Ghana comes from plastic sachet water, a main source of drinking water for much of the population. In the survey, 53% of respondents reported sachet water as their primary source of clean drinking water. These sachets are often discarded as soon as they are consumed, leaving sachets littering the ground. In homes, these sachets often get burned along with the rest of household waste, but it seems few are aware of the harmful impacts of home burning. Home burning increases risks of heart disease, aggravates respiratory ailments such as asthma, causes rashes, nausea, and headaches, and can damage the nervous system and reproductive system. Burning of plastic in particular releases some of the most dangerous, highly toxic chemicals. Plastics containing PVC release cancer-causing and hormone disrupting Dioxins. They accumulate in our body-fat and thus mothers give it directly to their babies via the placenta. Dioxins also settle on crops and in waterways eventually winding up in our food, our bodies and passed on to our children.[5]
Sensitization participants pose with their new tote bags made by the vocational training participants to encourage “bring your own bag” practice.
To help address these challenges and contribute toward the National Sanitation Campaign’s aims, the Center for Sustainable Development has partnered with Youth and Women Empowerment in Ghana’s Lower Manya Krobo District, where Odumase is located, to help sensitize community leaders and citizens on the impacts of plastic pollution and to devise simple everyday actions that can be taken to help mitigate the issue. Leading up to the start of the sensitization campaign, the initiative invested in training a group of 10 young women in tailoring, but with a twist. Instead of learning to make typical clothing items found on the market, these women are making waterproof items lined with upcycled plastic sachet waste, including baby bibs, kids’ lunchboxes and school pencil cases, toiletry bags, tote bags, placemats, shower curtains, and more.
Trainees with their trainer, Judith Ahiabor, in the YOWE workshop.
During sensitization trainings beginning in November 2019, Queen mothers, PTA leaders and other key community stakeholders were provided tote bags purchased from the tailoring trainees, helping the young women earn income while at the same time giving the community members something tangible to help encourage them to avoid using plastic bags when they go to the market for their shopping. Judith Ahiabor, the tailoring trainer working with YOWE, described the sensitization by saying “They were so into it, because they were complaining about the plastic choking the gutters, and people’s homes were getting flooded, so they embraced it so well. What we came up with was that we would go to the schools, and come up with an award scheme in the community. Those who are able to gather a lot and keep their homes and environments clean, we will award them with our products.” In addition to committing to bringing their own bags while shopping, other actions that were decided upon during the sensitization trainings include separating their wet and dry waste, stopping their burning of household waste, and educating their peers to do the same. The community will also hold community clean-up days beginning in January 2020.
Cosmetics bag lined with upcycled plastic sachets
As these sensitization trainings are going on, the tailoring trainees are growing their sales by partnering with schools to provide their children’s products to the pupils, and participating in local exhibitions to expose their products to new audiences. Sensitization trainings will continue over the coming months, and changes in waste management behavior will be documented through continued observation and survey data collection by the CSD and YOWE team.
Reflections from Vidya Bindal, Middle School, Millburn, NJ
On the 13th of December 2019, a meeting took place at the library in our town. The goal was to raise awareness about the environment. It began with a movie, featuring a group of 4th/5th graders who made a difference in their community, and made it a greener place. They especially looked at the microplastics in their bay area. They collected samples and examined them under the microscope. After the movie we discussed. We learned that in 2050 there will be more plastic (in weight) than fish in the ocean. Also, there were over 5 trillion microbeads in the oceans. Some points that were discussed were about the microfabrics that came from people’s clothes when they were washed.Some valuable suggestions came up too.The micro fabrics could be caught instead of let into the environment and made into clothes once again. Also, it was brought up that every store could have a grade in their front window. If they were extremely eco-friendly, they would receive an A. The grades would go down from there. Also, all the shoppers would be signaled that the store was worried about getting a grade if they didn’t have one in their window. That could only mean one thing. The store was not eco-friendly. Also, restaurants can start selling the reusable containers themselves. That way all take -out would be plastic-free. Everyone unanimously agreed that they would try to help in any way possible and that as much plastic was reduced was as many lives (of not only humans but animals too) saved.
Watching the movie, and seeing how schools were taking kids out to check microplastics in the ocean and then to talk to Council Members in the city, I was impressed that schools are making time from studies for these activities. I wish our schools did that more. They could either extend school by half hour, or switch some classes to make room for such activities.
The eco-ambassadors were given an assignment to organize a movie party. Eco-ambassadors Vidya and Veda Bindal organized the Movie show at the Millburn Public library. There were more than 25 children present at the event. The Movie “Microplastic Madness” was screened. The children attentively watched the movie. The movie followed a discussion led by the students. Discussion on micro-fibers led to children trying to find a solution for it. What kind of filters to be used to control micro-fibers? Students came up with suggestions on how to control the plastic pollution at homes. Some said that they kept re-using the plastic bags and others said that they are careful not to take any plastic bags from the market. Many students said that they take their own bags. The session ended with students discussing how they are going to become eco-activist at homes, schools and in their communities.
Hi! My name is Ishaan Bharadwaj. I am a 6th grader at Millburn Middle School and I am part of the Eco ambassador’s club. This year my family decided to have an environment friendly Thanksgiving. On Wednesday afternoon, the day before Thanksgiving, it was a half-day and I was bored. My mom was doing her usual Thanksgiving preparations. While I was just sitting down, I thought about the wastage each year at the end of Thanksgiving parties when we would have one or two garbage bags filled with wasted food, one-time use cutlery, wasted cups and napkins, and more. Think about how much your street wastes. How much your town wastes, how much the state wastes how much the country wastes! if you think it’s just a little or it’s just one day, the amount of wastage that happens every Thanksgiving throughout the world each year can’t be fixed. It is so much, that it is leading to a big disaster. So this year, I decided that my family would be the one to start the change, not just to change this Thanksgiving, but to initiate a change in the small world around us.
We told all our friends who were invited that we are having an eco-friendly party. I wanted to be more creative, so I made a board with rules and the guest who followed the rules the most would be crowned ECOKing & ECOQueen. We started preparing for the plastic-free party. We took out all our glassware, metal spoons and forks, and glass cups. We removed all plastic items including serving bowls and serving spoons and table cloth. We cooked everything at home and we requested our guests to bring food without plastic packaging as well. None of the food used plastic packaging, plastic cans or plastic covers because everything was homemade! All the guests were very cooperative and followed the rules. They were, in fact, having fun playing the game and were very sportively trying to win the ECOKing/ ECOQueen title. They even helped clean the dishes. At the end of the day, I was so happy to see our garbage can barely filled up. I think our Thanksgiving this year did make a difference to the environment. My biggest takeaway from this event was that it is not very difficult to go plastic-free in your parties and by making it fun with a game you can send the message across in a fun way while doing your part to save earth.
My name is Aalok Bhatt and I am an Eco Ambassador for the Environment in Action program in Millburn, NJ. As part of my duty to spread eco awareness in my community, this year, I hosted an eco-friendly Thanksgiving feast at my place. My family took a series of steps in order to achieve this goal. To begin with, we decided to do away with the convenience of using disposable plates and cutlery as these generate a lot of waste that pollutes our environment. Instead, we decided to use our own plates and steel cutlery, and borrowed some additional plates, bowls and glasses from the Bartan Bank, a community bank of crockery, cutlery & glasses set up with the contribution of a few like minded members of our community. These items can be borrowed by anyone who is hosting a party, by booking in advance and ensuring an eco friendly experience for all!
Our family informed all of the guests that it was going to be an eco friendly party and we asked them to not bring any desserts or gifts with plastic packaging. All those who attended were very cooperative, as people came with plants and homemade appetizers for the party. Our Thanksgiving dinner generated virtually no waste this year, as compared to previous years. We also went to great lengths to make sure that the produce that was used for making all the dishes had a low carbon footprint, in terms of packaging. For dessert, homemade bite sized truffles were served.
We also bought cheesecake from our local Trader Joes and it came in a cardboard packaging, and not plastic. This cheesecake was cut up into small pieces and served on a platter along with the truffles. This not only cut down on food waste but also on plates and bowls used for serving dessert. Small steps like these can help clean our planet as all of the plastic that was ever made still exists in one form or another, polluting our oceans and destroying our ecosystem. It only took our family a small amount of effort and commitment to take these steps, and even our guests did their part. I am confident that if everyone takes steps like these, then we will curb our plastic waste significantly, and live on a clean and happy planet.
Often, environmental education and sustainability are used interchangeably. In the mix, we have a more programmatic approach with end goals and timelines, and we call it sustainable development (referring to the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030). Dating back to the 1960’s, environmental education was school-based and dealt with climate change. A landmark change in way environmental education was perceived as the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Environmental education after 1992 was seen only as half the story. The second half was missing in formal curricula. This second half was called “Sustainable Development,” and this after 1992, environmental education transformed into education for sustainable development.
Rose and Bridgewater (2003) cover all these dimensions and define environmental education as “…a lifelong teaching/learning approach that has the potential to strengthen people’s capacity to address environmental and development issues, to be more aware of and better understand such complexity; to develop knowledge, values and attitudes, life-skills and ethical behaviors consistent with sustainable development, as well as for effective participation in decision-making” (p. 265). The authors add that environmental education is useful for understanding natural and social processes and their inter-linkages. It also improves the socio-economic development of individuals and society (Kassas, 2002; Rose & Bridgewater, 2003). They state that the main objective of environmental education is to create equitable, participatory, culturally, and socially aware citizens, that are respectful of human rights and want to achieve a common goal of having a well-balanced environment. Clarke (1993) also combines all the different parts like values, attitudes, and action and its objective is to increase public awareness of environmental problems and possible solutions from the immediate locality. Kassas (2002) focuses on more beliefs and values that would collectively form perceptions of the environment and human linkages. Aho (1996) focuses on understanding inter-linkages, and leading a peaceful coexistence combines both action and cognitive abilities. The action side is highlighted in the form of environmental citizenship that focuses on creating an environmentally responsible citizenry (Kasas, 2002).
This broadening definition of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was further boosted at World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Rio plus 10”) was held in Johannesburg in 2000. Mid 2000’s saw the Launch of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2002.
Nature conservation to environmental education to education for sustainable development has broadened the scope to education to prepare individuals for life’s challenges. However, some basic operations need to change-
Sustainable Development Goals (4) calls for “Lifelong Learning Approaches” for education. Therefore, education should not be restricted to schools or curriculums, but also should reach the masses, whether educated or not.
Since sustainability challenges are inter-connected, and therefore education should tackle all forms of challenges.
References:
Aho, L. (1984). “A theoretical framework for research into environmental education.” International Review of Education30 (2): 183-191.
Kassas, M. (2002). “Environmental education: biodiversity.” The Environmentalist22 (4): 345-351.
Rose, O. H., and P. Bridgewater (2003). “New approaches needed to environmental education and public awareness.” Prospects33 (3): 263-272.
Author: Celine Chung is an amazing artist and photographer and is interested in issues relating to women’s rights
Celine and the MSK ladies out on an Architectural Exposure Trip in Bhopal
Abstract
The issue of women’s rights, education, and power is prevalent in many of the world’s changing societies. In a case study of two architectural monuments in Bhopal, India, the influence of the Begum women on the Shaukat Mahal and the Gohar Mahal are considered. Through learning the history of these monuments, a group of local Bhopal women grew to understand their culture and history in a new light. This research discusses how women’s history and accomplishments have been erased or rewritten, particularly by the Indian government, and how that erasure affects the attitudes and self-understanding of women in Bhopal today. Literature and statistics on sexual assault in India and a photo novella project from Peru are also considered in terms of literacy, education, and empowerment among women. Ultimately, historical and cultural materials need to include women’s narratives as well as men’s.
In Bhopal, there once stood a ruling female empire that today’s women can only dream of. The under-studied history of the Begums not only makes up a significant part in the city’s history and development, but the history also features female leadership, something that Bhopal and many parts of the nation historically lack. Regardless, evidence of such history still stands in Bhopal today, in part in the form of local architecture.
In 1742, Yar Mohammad Khan, the Nawab, or governor, of Bhopal, died, leaving behind his wife, Mamola Bai (1715–1795). Since the couple did not have children, Mamola became the de facto ruler of Bhopal. Mamola was revered during her 50-year reign. According to legend, when Mamola became ill, saint Shah Ali Shah gave Mamola 10 years of his life so that she would be able to continue leading the city. Soon after the ritual, the saint passed away. The island burial ground of Shah Ali Shah is now a pilgrimage site.
In 1785, Salvador Bourbon, a French royal, came to Manji Mamola when the Bhopal government was searching for allies to counter British forces. Mamola was known for her keen political insight and, after gauging the kind of influence the British had, immediately befriended Salvador. She also bestowed him the position of General in the Bhopal State Army and gifted him land so that he would remain in the Bhopal State. However, not everyone was pleased with Salvador’s presence in Bhopal. Thus, Mamola gave Salvador a Muslim name, Inaya Masih. In doing so, Mamola was able to pacify orthodox Pathans by suggesting that Salvador would adapt to Muslim ways of life. Salvador and his cousin Pedro later became leading figures of the Bhopal court. For generations, the Bourbon family served the Bhopal state.
During his time in Bhopal, Salvador was well known as a highly educated member of the state and as an honorable, warm-hearted person. A Hindu woman came to Salvador to save her son from being killed by Diwan Chote Khan, his father. Salvador willingly took the child in and gave him a new name: Balthazar Bourbon, or his Muslim name, Shahzad Masih. Balthazar’s son, Sebastian Bourbon, became Prime Minister to Begums of Bhopal (Iyengar, 2018).
Soon after the Bourbons were introduced to Bhopal’s royal court, Qudsia Begum would establish a strong line of constructive female rulers. After the death of her husband, Qudsia Begum became the ruler of Bhopal; for the next 107 years, the political power of the city rested in the four generations of Begum women leaders (Khan, 2000). After she was appointed ruler, Qudsia began the construction of the Shaukat Mahal. The Bourbon family contributed to its design; thus, there is a heavy French influence in the architecture. The Shaukat Mahal was first built as Balthazar Bourbon’s palace. Sebastian Bourbon’s wife, Madan Dulhan, lived in women’s wing of the palace, also known as Zeenat Mahal. The Bourbon and Begum families continued to have the most work done to the women’s wing.
Due to its distinct Indo-French architecture, the Shaukat Mahal stood out from the Mughal-style architecture of the buildings that surrounded it. A well-known example of a Mughal-style building is the Taj Mahal, located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The Taj Mahal is famous for its majestic white domes and arched entrances, both typical features of Mughal buildings. Furthermore, Mughal architecture usually has one central corner. The Shaukat Mahal, on the other hand, has two. The arches are also more triangular in shape, evidencing French Romanesque style. Several fleur de lis engravings can be found on the buildings of the Shaukat Mahal, especially on the Zeenat Mahal. The symbol, which served as the royal coat of arms of the Bhopal royal family, was used by French monarchs since the 12th century and can also represent the Holy Trinity in the Catholic Church (Ostlund, 2019). Additionally, there are chapel-like structures perched on the roofs of the buildings. These structures served as a symbol of the Catholic church within a ruling Muslim community. The planning that went into the Shaukat proved to not only be stylistic, but also strategic. Past the gate and in the middle of a small courtyard is a triangular fountain. The Bourbons and Begums used this fountain as a cooling system for relief from the city’s heat. There is also a secret tunnel that leads to the Upper Lake. The tunnel is used as an emergency escape route for women living in the Zeenat Mahal. However, the women would also use the tunnel to leave the building unnoticed and go for a swim.
Two streets across from the Shaukat Mahal and right beside the Upper Lake stands the Gohar Mahal. Although now used for tourism, exhibitions, cultural events, and fairs, the Gohar Mahal was built in 1820 by Nazar Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Bhopal at the time, for his wife, Qudsia Begum. The building got its name from Qudsia’s birth name, Gohar Ara Begum. The Gohar Mahal acted as a residential and working place with no separate or designated parts for men and women (as the female ruler at the time of building, Qudsia did not see the need for divide). During the latter half of her life, Qudsia Begum lived in the Gohar Mahal while her daughter, Sikander Begum, ruled Bhopal.
The architecture of the Gohar Mahal contains Hindu and Mughal influences. The structure is three stories tall, and its entrance faces southeast. The positioning of the entrance follows Vastu Shastra, a traditional Hindu form of architecture that incorporates intense planning and science rather than superstition in order to help produce the best home (Prasad). The use of mud to put pieces of the buildings together is native to South India, and the building’s faded red exterior also speaks to Mughal influence. Lastly, one of the Gohar Mahal’s defining characteristics is its large courtyard. The purpose of this courtyard was to provide natural light and air exchange throughout the entire palace. A small fountain in the courtyard also created a cooling system similar to that of the Shaukat Mahal.
Although Bhopal has such significant and symbolic architecture relating to the lives and history of women, some women who live in Bhopal for almost their whole lives do not learn about it. During summer 2019, a few members of Mahashakti Seva Kendra (MSK) were brought to see the Shaukat Mahal and Gohar Mahal. MSK is an all-women’s organization that was built to empower victims of a massive gas leak at Bhopal’s Union Carbide plant in December 1984 that killed over 20,000 people. Even after the incident, over half a million people were exposed to methyl isocyanate gas and other harmful chemicals. Since 1992, MSK’s founder and president, Indira Iyengar, has been working to support these families affected by the tragic gas leak. MSK has developed non-chemical based natural dye products and has used its profits to assist the affected families. By providing programs that teach their women how to make certain textiles and products and offering employment, MSK thus trains women on how to develop a sense of agency and independence in their lives (Mskonline.org).
The women bubbled with excitement on the day of their visit to the Shaukat Mahal and Gohar Mahal. The small field trip was the first time that they ventured into the city without their sons and husbands. At the Shaukat Mahal, a man walked out of one of the buildings and into the courtyard. He welcomed the women to the Shaukat Mahal and began to share the history of the place in English. During his speech, the man claimed to be one of the descendants of the ruling class of Bhopal that lived in the Shaukat Mahal. He emphasized the role of women in Bhopal’s and the building’s history. However, when he began to translate the history into Hindi for the women to understand, something was off. The women later explained that the man began to joke that, similar to how the Begum women ruled diligently over the city, his wife rules over him, always telling him what to do. For the women, this attitude was strange. After all, in Bhopal, women barely have any agency; today, they have little power compared to the Begums of the 18th century. From that moment on, the women began to doubt the guide’s credibility.
The guide noted another thing: the Shaukat Mahal is falling apart. The building is now considered private property and therefore is ineligible for any funding for restoration. The former palace now houses living quarters, a restaurant, and an inn. The Shaukat Mahal is over 180 years old and represents women’s history and capability in Bhopal. Unfortunately, the crumbling buildings may have limited time before they decay into rubble.
Upon learning of the details and the kind of planning that went into the construction of the Shaukat Mahal and Gohar Mahal, the MSK women were pleasantly surprised by the attention given to the royal women and by the ingenious of Qudsia Begum and the rest of the royal family. Though these women were previously unfamiliar with the Shaukat Mahal, they knew of the Gohar Mahal because of the exhibitions it hosts.
Regardless of the time they had resided in Bhopal, the women were unaware of the rich history of their city. They also shared that the children that get to attend school do not learn about Bhopal’s powerful female rulers and buildings, either. The once-powerful rulers were absent from public education. In India, the federal government oversees the education of the country’s children, including the content of textbooks. The government can also use this power to manipulate information. In 2017, the history on the Mughal empire, a Muslim empire which ruled India for over two centuries, was changed and nearly deleted from many textbooks (“Mughals disappearing”). The Mughal empire is remarkable for several reasons, from its legacy in literature to its great architectural structures; this empire includes both the Shaukat Mahal and the Gohar Mahal. Yet in the state of Madhya Pradesh (of which Bhopal is the capital), officials altered the history of the Sino-Indian War. This war between Chinese and Indian armies ended in Indian defeat, with a loss of nearly 4,000 Indian soldiers and a drop in the nation’s morale. However, the new textbooks claim otherwise: “What famously came to be known as Sino-India war of 1962 was won by India against China” (Menon, 2017). Textbooks with this incomplete history are used in several Madhya Pradesh schools affiliated with the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) of the government of India. The state itself is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is also the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Thus, as the historical facts of the Gohar Mahal and Shaukat Mahal were deleted from school materials, children had no way to know learn the truth.
Although once ruled by powerful women, India is recorded as the most dangerous country for women due to sexual violence in 2011 and 2018 (Goldsmith & Beresford, 2018). After the gang rape of eight-year old Asifa in 2012, a wave of protests against violence towards women took over India’s cities. Women in India have been victims of all kinds of assault for many years, and they are not always safe in their homes: 95 percent of rapists across all reported cases have been family members (Narayan, 2018).
In a society governed by patriarchy and violence, it is no surprise that there is little to no mention of the Begum women in many school curriculums. In fact, many women in India do not even have access to an education at all. Although the constitution of India claims to provide equal rights for men and women, women lag far behind men at all levels of opportunity. One of the major factors that impact women negatively is poverty—30 percent of people in India live below the poverty line, and women make up 70 percent of that population. Regarding sex crimes, the literacy of women is related to the rate of reporting. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), an Indian government agency, “there exists a positive correlation between the female literacy rate of a state and reported cases of rapes per 100,000, indicative that women are more likely to report crimes with higher levels of education” (Bandyopadhyay, 2018).
There exists a strong correlation between education, empowerment, and subsequent action. More importantly, countless forms of art that have empowered women to take action regarding the problems in their community. An example that combines art, empowerment, and research is the photo novella. Photo novella involves research in which the research subjects are asked to take photographs relating to the topic of research. The process may include photo interviewing, photo eliciting, reflexive photography, and photo-voice.[1]Photo novella may encourage participants to engage in critical thinking and reflection. The images become data when the participants begin to discuss their perspectives on the photos taken (Burke & Evans, 2011).
One example of a successful photo novella project is a 1984 empowerment project based in Peru by the Asociación Perú-Mujer. The organization aimed to encourage illiterate and semi-literate rural women to participate in local health and family planning initiatives in ways that better protected their own health interests. The researchers handed out four different kinds of booklets consisting of a series of simple line drawings with descriptive text that depicted the lives and problems of families in the community; the booklets were designed as coloring books, and each type targeted a different area of the country. The booklets covered the burdensome underbellies of family life: unemployment, living costs, alcoholic partners, domestic violence, housework, and decision making, just to name a few. Despite the distress sparked by these booklets, the participants were able to begin a discussion because they were all so familiar with the problems. The project was also the first time many of the women had access to coloring and reading materials.
The results were overwhelmingly positive. After the experiment, the women reported a greater sense of self-worth. In fact, many used their newly earned sense of confidence to work together and take action in the community. They replaced an incompetent town doctor, helped to move health clinicas closer to homes, and worked to support women living in violent family settings (Wang & Burris, 1994).
Some researchers attribute the success of Perú-Mujer to good use of feminist theory: “Feminist research view women as authorities on their own lives; it enables them to construct their own knowledge about women according to their criteria as women, and to empower themselves through knowledge making” (Wang & Burris, 174). Women must be the focus and source of action. Thus, power must be organized into different kinds. The article targets three different types: the power to (affirmative power, ability to do things), the power with (the ability to work with others toward a common goal), and the power over (the ability to influence or to direct other people or the environment). According to Wang and Burris, “Photo novella attempts to create the conditions in which women can further develop power to, power with, and power over, in order to effect positive changes for health in their individual lives, and in their communities” (174). The positive feedback of photo novella is evidence of the importance of art education and engagement in local institutions in improving the quality of life of not only the women in the community, but also the entire community itself.
The efforts to teach the women of MSK on Bhopal’s local architecture relate to the Perú-Mujer photo novella research because both demonstrate forms of thoughtful education projects that have empowered women to take action in their communities. Upon learning about the Shaukat Mahal and Gohar Mahal, the women of MSK were inspired to educate a promising and conscious younger generation that can sustain their city’s significance on a national and global scale. The protofeminist history of the architecture has pushed these women to develop into critical and active members of society. History is flexible not because it can be manipulated, but because there is always room available to include the narratives of those who have not always received the spotlight.
The women of MSK were amazed with the architecture of Gohar Mahal and Shaukat Mahal. They were unaware of how the construction worked, and that the buildings were physically made. As the guide explained how the buildings were constructed with specific details about each structure, a new perspective opened to some women. One element that was especially interesting, yet surprising to some women, was how some women were in charge of the building process. The idea that women are capable and able to conduct something major became a new concept to the MSK women.
The history of the two architectures continues to appeal to women in MSK, as usually they are told how things are done by their husbands. The husband will tell the wife where everything should be, even the toilet. For example, one member of MSK was absent from the visit, as she had to aid her husband in building their house.
Previously, architecture and buildings did not have much meaning to the women at MSK. Rather than holding symbolic significance, buildings and structures were simply rooms of various sizes and functions. Even if the women had wanted to spend more time to understand why a building was made or what was the meaning behind it, they did not have the resources. Next time they have the opportunity to visit Gohar Mahal and Shaukat Mahal, the women of MSK may look at them with fresh eyes and see what more there is about the history of the place. They now know more of the symbolic meanings and history of the two buildings.
Though the Shaukat Mahal was in bad shape, neither the government nor the people who lived there cared when it was falling apart. Nobody knew the history, thus they could not put any value towards it. Nobody could value or support the heritage. However, the women of MSK now consider it an important part of their culture. They want to go back with their children and introduce the next generation to the culture of their city. In the past, they could not explain this magnificent culture to their children, as they did not know either. However, now that they have access to the knowledge about these historical locations, they wish to share it.
Now, with the knowledge they have, these women want the history of these structures to be integrated into textbooks so that children can learn about the past. Only big leaders of big cities are mentioned in history books; rarely are those in small places, and small palaces are never mentioned. Outside sources for history and other information are hard to access for women and children in Bhopal, thus it is difficult to build understanding. As no one knows the true history, cultivating interest in these places is a challenge.
Although major cities in India continue to fight for women’s rights, India remains a country with one of the lowest track records for women’s rights. This is more severe in smaller cities such as Bhopal. Ironically, in the past, strong and independent women ruled over the palace of Bhopal, yet today, women have no power. The historical events are hidden by the government, so few people really know about the past. To educate and empower the women of Bhopal, as well as in many other minor cities in India, access to accurate materials for education is vital.
References
Bandyopadhyay, S. (2018, May 8). A closer look at statistics on sexual violence in India. The
Burke, D., & Evans, J. (2011, June 1). Embracing the creative: The role of photo novella in
qualitative nursing research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods,10(2), 164-77.
doi: 10.1177/160940691101000205
Goldsmith, B., & Beresford, M. (2018, June 18). Poll ranks India the world’s most dangerous
country for women. The Guardian. Retrieved September 2019 from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jun/28/poll-ranks-india-most-dangerous-country-for-women
Iyengar, I. (2018). The Bourbons and Begums of Bhopal: The forgotten history. New Delhi,
India: Niyogi Books.
Khan, S. M. (2000). The Begums of Bhopal: A history of the princely state of Bhopal. London: I. B. Tauris Publishers, 71.
Menon, H. C. (2017, August 16). In the version of history in India’s new textbooks, China lost
Gender and women empowerment approaches: Interventions through PRIs and SCOs in Northern India (article)
○ PRI: Panchayati Raj Institutions
○ CSO: civil society organizations are organisations not owned or run by the government and include all organizations involved in development interventions.
○ After WWII, world-level institutions of development such as the World Bank (WB), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nation Development Program (UNCO, 2012) began to promote institution building
○ How the meaning and use of the term “gender” has been debated
■ The article states that the origin of the term gender may have been in the 1970s by American and English feminists. The World Bank considers gender a socio-economic variable, and the FAO defines gender as a relationship between men and women in both a physical and perceptual sense. The article argues that the point of debate is to help make the term represent men and women on an equal level. Regardless, world institutions agree that the role of women is often subdued due to social norms.
■ Either husbands or in laws are identified as village representatives by the community. Women were only present in documents, not in person
Women in Politics and Schooling Investments (article)
○ The Indian constitution gives a lot of political power to the 28 states and 7 Union Territories
○ Many politicians originate from elite, upper-caste families
■ Regardless, women representation on state and national level remains low
Conclusion
Transcript
Celine: What do you remember from the buildings that we saw two days ago?
Pooja: On the main gate [of Shaukat Mahal] there were some iron things, and at the main gate, the year the building was made was written. There was something on the walls that they did not understand. [At Gohar Mahal] there were statues of turtles and elephants. They keep talking about what they saw inside. … So the queen sits inside the thing and people pick it up from both sides.
Celine: Did you ever hear of these two palaces before we went?
Women: No
Pooja: They haven’t heard of Shaukat Mahal, but they heard of Gohar Mahal because of the exhibitions that are held there.
[After the presentation]
Celine: After learning not only about the history but also the innovative structure, how do you feel about [the Shoukat Mahal and Gohar Mahal]?
[Women clap]
Pooja: I was telling them that my grandmother is a Bourbon. They liked the whole idea of how smart those people were with the construction. Earlier, we did not know that. We thought the buildings were just made. There was so much thought put into making the buildings, and that was something really new for us.
Celine: And it is also interesting, because usually women are not in charge of the building process. One of the female ruling Begums would always be in charge of the people on how to make it.
Pooja: In today’s times, the husband will tell you where the toilet be and the husband takes charge. One of the girls is not coming to work because she is getting her house built, so they want to see how she is getting it done.
Celine: Do you now consider these two buildings a big part of your culture?
Pooja: Now next time when they go, they want to take their children and introduce them to the culture of their city. We didn’t know and we didn’t tell our children. But now they want to take all of their children there and explain things to them.
Celine: Did you ever think that architecture was important? Did this change the way you look at any building?
Pooja: There are very small, small rooms inside the buildings, and they want to spend more time and understand why it was made and what was the meaning behind them. Next time, they want to visit these places again to look at them with fresh eyes and see what else there is about the place.
Celine: For the Shaukat Mahal, not only does the government not care, but when it was discovered that the place was falling apart, not a lot of people who lived there cared either.
Pooja: So nobody knew about the history. If people tell or if it is in school, then we would know about the history. Since nobody cared about the place, nobody valued or supported heritage. That was one of the main things. Another thing is that we are so busy in our own day-to-day things that we have no inclination. And even if we knew, one person cannot do anything, and who is going to form that group?
Celine: What I think is that, whoever is in power gets to decide what kind of history the people know; there is always a different person in power, and it is usually not the women who get to decide. But the thing is, even just noting art a little bit, it really helps your brain to help analyze things better and you can notice things better. You can see the world with different eyes.
Pooja: They want [the information] to be integrated in the history books also so that their children also learn. We only learn about the big leaders in the history books, and small places and small palaces are never mentioned. We don’t get all the sources to get to know this. There is no place where we can go and understand. Nobody wants to help and explain the places. They are talking about the guide you mentioned at Shaukat Mahal. He was saying that he was very scared of his wife. And the moment he said that, they knew that he was lying, because nobody is scared of wives. He said things like, “My wife tells me to do things. She tells me to sit down. She tells me to stand.” They knew that whatever he said was all wrong. It is never like that in Indian households.
[1]Photo voice is a process by which people can identify, represent and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique. Images are used to generate questions to members of a community and implicitly push these members to reach some sort of solution (Wang and Burris, 1997).
