'Once this land was ours'

Abstract

We publish below a chapter from Gail Omvedt's forthcoming book We will smash this prison! Indian women in struggle. Cail's research (which both sprang out of, and involved her further, in active commit ment to the women's movement in India) took place during 1975-6. Her book gives an account of those ten months, of the women she met and talked to, the problems they faced and the solutions they were beginning to work out, culminating in the organisation of a 'United Women's Liberation Struggle Conference' held in Pune.

When I talk about my experiences of those days, I am invariably asked, with some amazement, 'But was your experience typical? Were these women typical?' No, of course not. Why should they be? First, readers should remember that the events described here took place mainly in one part of India, the state of Maharashtra, which has a relatively high rate of women's work participation and a strong tradition of social-cultural revolt, both factors leading to a relatively vigorous expression of women's militancy. Secondly, the women I met for the most part (though not always) were in some way or another involved in organisation and protest activity. They were not 'typical' in the sense of being randomly chosen to represent a numerical average. But they are authentic.