Women never fail to inspire
Traveling is not only about visiting misty hills or getting that perfect Insta-worthy picture. It's the stories of local women; it’s the local way of life that often feeds our soul and gives us a new perspective. In a small village where innocence peaked on the faces of people, we met Gulnazaji, who was the first woman sarpanch in Markoot village near the LoC. Her eyes spoke of experience, her demeanor was simple, and her voice had conviction. Talking to her made us feel like we've been listening to stories of a change in the northernmost Kashmir. She was determined to support women and educate them on their rights. In her own way, she empowered women in the village and inspired us to support women around us.
When we met Varsha from Radio Bundelkhand, we couldn't actually believe that a person this young is making a huge impact in our society. Her voice was calm yet confident enough to articulate the situation, effort, and impact. It echoed through the airwaves at Bundelkhand radio station as the smell of rustic walls of the streets was in the atmosphere. Understanding how humans are the reason why climate changes, she feels disheartened, but that doesn't stop her from achieving what she's set in her mind. She aims to give her voice the power to change the world, and she is succeeding in it.
Meeting them for the first time was a moving experience given that we were unaware of how much these women are contributing to their community. Where they came from didn’t matter; they were strong and hopeful of a better world.
Walking through the empty roads, we realized that courage doesn't always scream. Sometimes it whispers enough to make great change. It may look like the changes are small, but they're impactful. In India, even though there has been a significant amount of growth when one talks about women's empowerment, there exist places where inhumane treatment of women prevails. Women are afraid to speak up because they would rather be alive and tormented than sacrifice themselves, which is understandable. We've always been taught to adjust. Meeting women like Gulnazaji and Varsha is exhilarating because they're trying to revolutionize the society for good.
Being a part of travel like her is about experiences enriched with such amazing conversation with inspiring women that broaden our perspective. It explains how taking that one step can change the way we act upon things. At times, it could be really scary because comfort zones are familiar, but it doesn't take much time to turn into familiar hell that hinders you from growing. Traveling to places where we could connect with such emboldening women made us realize that amidst darkness exists a jar of light; all it demands is to be found.