About the Event:

Mari Patang Mari Dheel is a transformative initiative to empower girls from Patadi and Mahisagar districts of Gujarat –centred around the themes of body, autonomy, expression, choice and desire intersected with their participation in the digital world. The festival aims to create a celebratory spirit by engaging and inspiring young girls through experiential activities and perspective-building sessions.  Our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where girls can explore their identities, gain a sense of agency, and develop a deeper understanding of critical issues related to their well-being and rights.

Date of the Event: 19^th – 21^st December 2023

Venue:  Neembadi Learning Pathways, Sanand, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Photography
Theme: Expression, Leisure, Gendered distribution of Work and Resources

In photography, female gaze is pivotal to both disrupting stereotypes and offering representations that are nuanced and grounded in lived experiences. About 20 girls from Patdi and 18 from Mahisagar went about clicking poignant pictures describing realities of their everyday. For more click on the link below:

Dance
Theme: Performance, Expression, Movement

Women’s bodies and movements have structurally been restricted or fetishized in patriarchal societies, which results in violence that is overt, covert, and internalised. 37 girls from Mahisagar came together to uphold mobility of women by freely expressing themselves. To know more click on the link below:

Theme: Claiming Spaces, Expressing Myself

In its lyrical brevity, poetry becomes a powerful tool to amplify voices, fostering empowerment, resilience, and a sense of identity in the face of diverse challenges and everyday violence. 39 young girls and women of Mahisagar came together to celebrate self through poetry. To get a glimpse of their poetic expressions click on the link below:  

Theme: Expressing my Dreams, Desires and Fears

Painting becomes a profound medium of expression for girls and women with unequal access to the written word. The act of painting transforms into a potent tool for self-reflection and a medium to articulate emotions!

Around 19 girls from Patdi and 21 from Mahisagar got together to express their dreams, desires and fear. To see their expressions click on the link below:

Theme: Challenges faced by women and girls

In theatre, the stage is representative of the audience’s world and the actor represents the individuals viewing the act. Drama is a mirror of human existence intended to be present on the stage. A powerful medium to express, communicate and seek response, 18 girls from Patdi came together to script, act and perform. For more click on the following link: