Where there is a wheel by P. Sainath

 WHERE THERE IS WHEEL                                                                                                          P.Sainath

                                                                    

1. Role of Arivoli Iyakkam:

The cycling movement was started by Arivoli. N.Kannammal one of the pioneer and central co-ordinator of the cycling movement. Pudukottai’s vigorous literacy drive led by Arivoli Iyakkam (light of knowledge Movement) created a good number of the neo-literates and neo-cyclist. N.Kannammal says cycling gave women confidence and reduced the dependence on men. This organisation conducted many camps to encourage rural women. Arivoli gave cycling a social sanction and contributed a lot to train the learners. A very large number of those who learnt cycling come to train the beginners. And this way they helped nearly 70,000 rural women to learn cycling. And they proudly displayed their new skill in public exhibitions.

2.In what different ways does the cycle empower rural women?

 Cycling is the way for development of the rural women. It enables them to be free and work for themselves without depending on men. Women need not walk long distances to fetch water and even they can take their children with them. They can take their product easily to the market, as they need not wait for public transport. They can go on with their bicycle and cover a wider distance. It also assures self-respect to women.

Cycling also empowers women economically, as it boosts income. Some rural women sell agricultural or other produce within a group of villages can have a great deal of time by going to such places on bicycles. It gives much more time to focus on selling their produce. Besides it enlarges their area they can hope to cover. And thus they can make use of their leisure time. These women can rush back home early and tend their children and perform other works. Finally cycling gives freedom to women.

3.Cycling Training Camp:

 Arivoli activist conducted training camps in Kilakuruchi village. Arivoli gave cycling a social sanction and thus conducted many training camps. The writer who visited the camps calls it an unusual experience. The leaner makes best use of Sunday’s to learn cycling. They developed a deep passion to learn cycling and they had to learn, as they wanted to give their answer to the criticism and filthy remarks. Cycling offered a different and unique way to move out of the enforced routines, which male-dominant society posed on women. The neo-cyclist sang songs produced by Arivoli to encourage bicycling.

III. “O, sister come learn cycling, move with the wheel of  time”                                                                                                                                                                                              

The essay, ‘Where there is a wheel “ is taken from  ‘Everybody loves the drought’ by P.Sainath. The essay talks about how cycle has changed the lives and livelihood of rural women of Pudukottai. Here women felt cycling is a symbol of freedom, independence and mobility.’ This humble vehicle has become a metaphor for freedom. It gave them confidence and reduced their dependency on men.

The author mentions Arivoli activists N.Kannammal , who pioneered cycling movement and this vigorous literary  drive broughtout   many neo-literates and neo-cyclists. It enabled the women to do their routine work in a new way. As she can travel a long distance to collect water, to bring provisions, to sell agricultural produce. It also boosts their income and could do their work more quickly and easily, as they need not wait for buses or not to depend on men.

Arivoli encouraged these women, who had passion to bring a chance in their own lives and in the society. They sang song produced by Arivoli to encourage women. Muthu Bhaskarn, a male Arivoli activist, wrote the famous cycling song to call upon the women folk to learn cycling.                                                                                 It says:“O, sister come learn cycling, move with the wheel of time”

It calls upon the woman to change herself and move out of the house, hammering the fetters that hold them. Here wheel refers to the progress of women. Thus the song suggests that the cycle is an instrument of social progress and it changes the lives of the Indian rural women by giving them better options