Where There Is A Wheel 2nd PU Summary|Notes

Where There Is A Wheel - P Sainath

Introduction

The essay “Where There Is A Wheel” is taken from the book ‘Everybody loves a good drought’ written by P. Sainath, a noted Indian journalist who writes columns regularly in leading journals on social, rural problems, poverty and the after effects of globalization.

Summary
This essay is about a social movement through cycling in Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu where over 100,000 rural women have taken to bicycling. Most of them are neo-literates who use bicycling as a symbol of independence, freedom and mobility. Cycling has given new meaning and social identity to women as diverse as agricultural workers, quarry labourers and village health nurses. Even balwadi and anganwadi (babysitter) workers, gem cutters and school teachers have joined the bandwagon. There are also gram sevikas and mid-day meal workers who have joined the new movement.

The Arivoli Iyakkam ( Light of Knowledge Movement ) that led the community literacy movement successfully has found a new source of inspiration in cycling to make women further independent and confident. Very large number of trained women have volunteered to help new learners. They strongly believe that all women ought to learn cycling. The ‘neo-literate’ and the ‘neo-cyclist’ women see a direct link between cycling and their personal independence.

Their new cycling skills help them fetch water from four kilometres away. They can even cart their provisions on their own. Though they had to bear with filthy remarks initially, the women learnt to face all the challenges. Arivoli gave cycling social sanction helping the women a new way out of male imposed barriers. A very large number of trained women volunteers come forward to help the new learners. They now feel that all women ought to learn cycling.

The very idea of cycling as a social revolution was the brainchild of the popular former district collector, Sheela Rani Chunkanth. She took it as a personal challenge to promote the cause of bicycling. This was because by training female activists literacy could be reached out to women easily. Sheela Rani approached banks to sanction loans to buy bicycles. She included mobility as a part of the literacy drive. Surprisingly, every woman wanted to learn. Muthu Bhaskaran, a male Arivoli activist even wrote the famous cycling song which has become their anthem.

Cycling for these women has helped in several ways: they sell their agricultural produce; their waiting time is saved; they are now able to cover large areas and they have more leisure. More than the economic aspect, cycling has given these women a sense of self-respect. This humble vehicle is a metaphor for freedom which has given neo-cyclists the feel of goodness and freedom.

Conclusion
Social change through cycling is indeed a lesson to learn. The women of Pudukkottai have proved that the need to change the way we live can transform societies. This inspirational story of a revolution from a backward district in India paves the way for new opportunities for the rural women and socially marginalized people.

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