Page:Sharad Joshi - Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage.pdf/258

 available to him in that capacity, he donated Rs. 10 lakhs for this project. As per the regulations, that money could not be used to build a temple, but it was used to build an adjoining building to serve as a memorial to Sita. For temple renovation Joshi made a separate donation of Rs. 13 lakhs from his own savings. Some others also pitched in and eventually the renovated temple was inaugurated on 2 October 2010. The construction of the temple was handled by Ramesh Patil Hargangekar of Nanded. Shailaja Deshpande also played a key part in spreading the thinking behind the temple. For that she travelled throughout Vidarbha. Raveri was not easily accessible and yet over 25,000 people turned up for the opening which was largely due to her efforts. There are several Ram Mandirs in the country but this probably is the only Sita Mandir. Balasaheb Deshmukh, a leading local farmer, who worked as an Executive Engineer with State Electricity Board, supported Joshi in this venture and today takes responsibility for it. He has cleaned up the surrounding area and hopes to put this site as a tourist attraction on the district map. Laxmi Mukti and Sita Mandir are both the kind of words that immediately appeal to the common Indian. They evoke powerful mythological context which anyone can relate to. This had been a special feature of Joshi’s struggle. Though not a religious person himself, he effectively used symbols from religion and mythology and provided them with contemporary relevance. While writing about Laxmi Mukti, it is important to mention the key role played by Madhu Kishwar of Delhi, a well-known professor and founder-editor of Manushi, a periodical dedicated to women’s issues. In 1986 Joshi invited her to participate in the farmers’ struggle. Her view was that just as a farmer would enjoy greater freedom after getting remunerative prices for his crop, his wife would enjoy greater freedom if she became financially independent and for that it was not necessary to wait Women Power - New Expression

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