For nearly two years, the mosque in a village in Kashmir would be enveloped in darkness when the sun dipped. It had no electricity. A woman equipped with the requisite training from the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) offered to light up the mosque with solar lights. But the men would not allow it. Lighting up the mosque is not a woman’s job, they said.
After much persuasion, the maulvi reluctantly agreed. The woman arrived and briskly fixed solar lights. The mosque began to glow at night. The maulvi was impressed. He visited her home and. . .