Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
BBCMeena’s eyes left and backward, looking for a fleeting moment that can move.
He is playing Kabaddi, currently played by India in more than 50 countries around the world.
A cabaddi game is played between the two groups, each with seven players. Individuals take turns to find half the half of the field and return to their half without tackling the ground.
But for the 14-year-old Meena, this is more than winning points. Sports restricted, it offers to escape from a rural life and opens a world of opportunity.
“It’s different when I play,” he said shy, fighting words. “At that moment, I didn’t weigh the meena, pressure and expectations that connects with homework. It’s just me and the opponent … I feel stronger than other girls who don’t play.”
Meena, Kudoshi, Kudoshi lives on the outside of a small village, 230 kilometers from India’s financial capital, Mumbai, where girls traditionally rotate homework, wedding and children.
But 15 years ago, a group of Terri school teachers decided that girls wanted to give more opportunities.
“I have a daughter. I want to get things in life, live the best life that can live, it has been something,” one of them says, Daji Rajguru. “Why can’t the girls play Kabadi and do a career?”
He and his colleagues, who played when they were younger cababis, thought to teach local girls how to play. He collected savings – 5,000 rupees ($ 60; 50 £) – He convinced his school to stop using his reasons and believed that all the first girls in the Kabaddi Club in the region.
In the beginning, the two girls were just united school students. “Parents were not ready to stop playing Kabadi, as he wanted to spend a lot of time from home,” he said. “They were concerned about the influence of the daughter’s wedding opportunities,” traditional families did not accept girls and when they came home late.
Daji and his colleagues went door to the door to relax their daughters would be safe before and after playing cabaddi school. They would be able to suit the girls properly and do not distract the boys.
Initially, the teachers took the girls out of the house and they would throw them away, but when the numbers were growing, they were not able to do that. Now there are about 30 girls in the club and they think about 300 people have been trained since they started training, including Daji’s own daughter. Some begin playing as young as seven years.
Like the rest of the club members, the Meena is two hours before school train and after two hours after the class is over. He must leave the house at dawn and not return until night.
“I go alone and is dark (morning). I was afraid that someone could do something. My family had no host, and it’s not yet an unfortunate sport.” He explains.
But it is permanent, inspired by members of the clubs that have done over the years, with national teams or local leagues. Siddhi Chalke and Samreen Burandkar were trained in the club for about eight years among the first bundles of girls. Now, at the age of 25, they are professional players in league and are economically independent.
Initially, when their families thought they were phase they thought about playing Kabaddi, and when women decided to do a career, their parents were not happy. The pressure is still to marry, but at the same time their families are also proud that women are doing well.
“No one in my family is making it as much as it does,” says Samreen. “Now I live in a big city and do my choices. I come from my community, it’s hard to go to what girls want. Here About Kabaddi,” he explained.
Siddhi plays the same Samter’s team – friendship born from Kabadda. They have traveled to India for competitions, winning the medal and tournaments. “I could only be married. Otherwise I would be married and my husband’s place cleaned, says, they laughed, apparently relieved that this fate has escaped.
It can be great in Indian sports players get jobs in the public sector. Indian states assign jobs in sports, ensuring income, even after the years of active players are over.
Many rural girls play sports through these jobs with the dream of achieving financial independence. It can help greater respect and greater personality sensation.
“When we started the sports club, no one gave them to these girls. They were always secondary citizens in their homes, society,” says the young coach of the Vilas Bende Club.
“But we realized that when rural girls rise throughout the sport, life changes significantly. The way to talk, their way of carrying themselves, changes their lifestyle,”.
Although not a professional sport, many club members have grown their trust and convinced families to go to college and delay the wedding.
The community is also allowed, and when the girls exercise, people do not die more crazy.
The clubs are financed by coaches, in cash in competitions and earns from time to time. Most girls are poor and weak families and do not have to pay subscription fees.
In addition to training during the period, the club organizes and funded the residential sports of the summer school, with food, eggs, bananas and milk, and often pays for the treatment of players.
Over time, parents’ fears have been caught, but critics sometimes question the motives of coaches. “People say indirect things.” Why don’t you train boys? “He says Daji. But it already seems that there are options for boys, and there is a gap in the girls.
“We are not only their coaches,” adding Vilas. “Sometimes we are parents, driving them, disciplines that help make the right choice.”
And Meena knows the potential of precious opportunities: “I want to be the best Raider and I want to become captain of the Indian cabaddi team, dreaming of the medal, and leaving the life of the ordinary girl in the village.
