Gulabi Gang
The Gulabi gang (from Hindi गुलाबी gulabī, "pink") is a group of Indian women vigilantes and activists originally from Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh,[1] but reported to be active across North India as of 2010.[2]
The Gulabi gang was founded in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi, a mother of five and former government health worker (as well as a former child bride), as a response to widespread domestic abuse and other violence against women.[3] Gulabis visit abusive husbands and beat them up with laathis (bamboo sticks) unless they stop abusing their wives.[1] In 2008, they stormed an electricity office in Banda district and forced officials to turn back the power they had cut in order to extract bribes.[4] They have also stopped child marriages and protested dowry and female illiteracy.[2]
The group, which the Indian media portray positively, was reported to have 20,000 members as of 2008, as well as a chapter in Paris, France.[1]
The Gulabi gang is the subject of the 2010 movie Pink Saris by Kim Longinotto[5] and the 2012 documentary Gulabi Gang by Nishtha Jain. Initially, it was reported that the movie "Gulaab Gang" is based on Sampat Pal's life [2], but the director denied this, saying that he is obliged to her work but the movie is not based on her life.[6]
References
- ^ a b c Fontanella-Khan, Amana (July 19, 2010). "Wear a Rose Sari and Carry a Big Stick: The women's gangs of India". Slate magazine. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ a b Krishna, Geetanjali (June 5, 2010). "The power of pink". Business Standard. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Biswas, Soutik (26 November 2007). "India's 'pink' vigilante women". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Prasad, Raekha (15 February 2008). "Banda sisters". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Melissa Silverstein (2010-09-17). "Trailer Alert: Pink Saris | Women & Hollywood". Womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
- ^ [1]