The Indian Feminist Staple: Remembering Kamla Bhasin

She candidly remarked: “My honor is not in my vagina.”

An outburst of laughter filled the sets of Satyameva Jayate with Kamlaji’s explanation of patriarchy, which was catchy, witty, and insightful at the same time. In life seldom do we meet people who mark their place in our conscience. Kamla ji was one such brave soul who battled patriarchy with a smile. Her demise on 24th September 2021 induced in me a sense of void and I reminisced my journey of theorising feminism where her contribution had been immense.

In 2012 she recited Kyunki main ladki hoon, mujhe padhna hai in an auditorium packed with women. I was sitting in awe, cheering in astonishment, and absolute disbelief in how confidently she spoke about being gazed at and discussed sexual performance pressure. The gathering lauded the ease with which she broke down how feminists were not “anti-men” and “man haters.” Instead, she explained that feminism merely challenges gendered ideological constructs. I was 18, just a few days into college, conflicted and disturbed by the increasing

cases of violence against women, questioning why women are accused and shamed for being harassed. Her speech coincided with the troubled period when the Delhi Gang Rape Case led to public uproar on how Delhi was unsafe for young women. The brutality and relatability of the case in middle class households essentialised the need for every parent to warn their daughters to suppress anger and not retort to eve teasing. I remember how my parents could relate with the agony of her mourning parents and I remained infuriated and helpless thinking about men’s entitlement to target women. I acknowledge Kamla ji’s words which reiterated how victim shaming formed the most explicit form of targeted violence of the abused. One may wonder if men were to be blamed, she clarified by advocating that it was not the case as feminism is not ingrained in “biology” but strongly rooted in “ideology”. I remember asking her what held women back from lodging a complaint. She smiled and said, “To battle with one’s own family which is the hardest.”

A few years after, while pursuing my Master’s in Women’s Studies, I learnt the value of each word she said. And now I articulate that an anomaly from the Indian womanhood construct instantly labels you as threatening as it challenges the social fabric of a family. Kamla ji spoke about how masculinity is constructed to legitimise men’s power, authority and control over women, her body and eventually strips off her agency. She drew pages from her life of being subjected to domestic violence in a public gathering while cautioning young women to never remain silent. I was unable to fathom her courage to redefine Indian womanhood by arguing that feminism is not about men versus women as it oppresses men and women differently. She always asserted how smashing patriarchy would not deny men their rights but delegitimise the normalised expression of power by men on women to make it a levelling ground. Her contribution stands out in establishing Sangat: A Feminist Network and Jagori to support women in distress and eventually publicised a global movement through One Billion Rising with the message of ending violence against women. She was one of the first arguing against linguistic hierarchies, historical and socio-cultural connotations of ‘pati’ and how it puts husbands on a pedestal of being the owner. Her ability to simplistically articulate about misogyny in everyday lives within abusive relationships, subtle and explicit forms of gendered violence was remarkable.

Similarly, her books stood out as texts to empower women across rural, urban, and diasporic India. Borders & Boundaries: Women in India’s Partition provided a historical lens of viewing women who were vehemently targeted, harassed and abused under the purview of nation-state politics. Quite contrastingly Understanding Masculinity advocated how regional, communal, linguistic, and elitist politics hierarchised men differently who are also troubled by gendered hypocrisies. Being a breadwinner of the family, the male patriarch limits his own desires and ambitions which dehumanises them the most, often leaving them crippled.

Lastly, she put forth a different cultural connotation of “azaadi” by asserting women’s vigilance to reflect on how patriarchy curtails freedom to live with dignity. The essence of which holds contemporary relevance

Kamla Bhasin on investigating the cultural discourse of feminism in South Asia and Kamla ji played a pivotal role in doing so. Her way of seeing the world needing a revolutionary change of mindset reflected in her literary works will keep her alive in our hearts forever. She remains an invincible force in my life who made me foray into theorising contemporary feminism and media in the cosmopolitan world.

Doctoral Candidate, National University of Singapore