This is the reason why Sunita was very surprised to learn of Sanjhi – a ritual that is observed by married men for a healthy life of their wives. In this ritual men go to a Krishna temple and paint on water, using powdered colors. Prior to painting, men must observe fast. She found it very interesting that in a state where women are always expected to sacrifice and renounce, men are fasting, even if for a day. But when she asked around, she found that not every man from her community practiced this and that they weren’t aware of this ritual. She then decided to do a video on this because, for her the ritual is a symbolic equalizer.
Sunita says, “A festival is a fun event. But, we the women are always expected to do something. We are expected to constantly show others that we love them, respect them and wish them well. Once in a while it is great to know that we too are loved and cared for. So, it feels great when my husband performs Sanjhi.”
Though Sanjhi is practiced in several states in India, Sunita says that it is only in her community that men perform it, instead of women and so she feels that this is a great practice that can help men understand how a woman feels when she fasts and observes rituals for her loved ones.
Watch more of Sunita's videos by clicking here
Solving Land Rights Issues
16 families from Odisha's Sundergarh district were paying taxes for a piece of land allotted to them 22 years ago through government schemes. But in reality the land was allotted only on paper. They did not even know the location of the land for which they had been paying taxes...
The happiness that comes with an yearly bonus
This video is a story of success, a story of a small win against a giant corporation. A story of persistence and a never-say-die attitude. This year, the workers of 3 gardens in the Alipurduar area of Kumargram Block, received a slightly increased yearly bonus, an increase of 3%, from...