Last Friday was a red-letter day for Deepa..
Long time readers of this blog will know that Deepa is my right hand. She makes up a large part of “The Patience and Perseverance” part of my brain—the fact that the initial 6 knitters have grown to 20 ( instead of wilting away under my fierce light of perfection or perish) is all because of Deepa knowing exactly when to step in and defuse my exasperation/ gear up the teaching aspect for the knitters/decide which knitter can make what/lots more in this vein..
This fact, about our 20 perfect knitters, has spread to other knitting spaces in the mountains. Here, where knitting was an essential skill for survival, many knitting groups have been established as a means to ensure some regular income for the hill women. Established with the best of intentions and with some excellent monetary support, but alas, something goes missing at the final stage and the knitted products languish at the counter.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, the premier institute for public policy and administration, has set up an admirable initiative to promote knitting among the family members of its staff , so that there is income for the knitters, as well as hand-knits being available for sale to the faculty and trainees. When that missing final stage affected their products, a visiting faculty mentioned needlestosaymore.com and that was enough for LBSNAA to locate us, and to invite us to conduct a workshop to improve the knitting skills of their group of 40 plus members.
It struck me that it was impossible for a single person to make a significant impact on knitting habits of the entire group, and I convinced Deepa to accompany me to the Academy as my workshop partner. She would help me conduct a quality workshop, as well as give me some breathing space.
There was also this desire to give Deepa a glimpse of the other side..How does a small hamlet dweller even dream of this prestigious place where people from all states come to study, based solely on their hard work and preparation? How would a quiet knitter know of the options which are available to her daughters, if they are prepared to work hard? How can one forget the fact that living one such experience can be better than ten books of advice?
We had taken a selection of our knitted products and it was gratifying to see the absolute disbelief on the faces of the attendees.The workshop was a good experience, and the knitters were suitably impressed and inspired by our knitting skills. Realisation struck me, while walking around that fabulous campus, and while teaching the knitters in slip stitch methods and finishing techniques..the fact that it takes time, and hard work, and commitment, to bring quality into any aspect of life.
There can be plentiful funds, good resources and good intent, but there is no short cut to team building, growing and improving together, and giving quality the place of pride.
Our three days of adventure and arduous work have been completed. We have returned home now, and the weekly routine has taken over. But there is a tiny difference.
I recall Deepa’s absolute disbelief while walking around the entire campus and marvelling at the systems which kept every thing working smoothly…during meals at the Officers mess, with history staring down from the walls…while being praised by the faculty for her excellent teaching skills..
I listen to Deepa talking about the possibility of their children joining the civil services of the country, the effort which has to be put in, the alternatives, and so much more. I can feel twenty minds turning over the options inside them and daring to dream a brilliant future for kids. And I am glad.
Sometimes, we just need to pry open a tiny sliver of a window pane, and let the light and magic into a dark room.
The Academy faculty were doing just that…bringing Deepa and me to introduce finesse and quality into the work of the knitters.
I too was doing just that …bringing Deepa and our knitters to a place of possibilities and opportunities.
And that is what powerful women keep doing…opening windows of improvement and opportunity, supporting and pushing women into becoming confident people, and looking for ways to encourage and empower others!!
