Femmes Fatales

Charlie's Angels in Lucknow? Nishi Pandey, the provost of the girls' hostel at Lucknow University, is no faceless Charlie, but her mission is similar. Judo, taekwondo and karate lessons, rigorous exercises, a proper diet, yoga classes and confidence-boosting lectures are making the 500 inmates of the hostel self-confident, assured individuals who can take any eve-teaser to task.

It's a cause the girl have embraced with a vengeance. And they are testing these skills on the campus and the mean streets of Lucknow, their targets being the roadside romeos who can't resist whistling, passing lewd comments, tugging at dupattas or even groping their classmates.

"If we succeed in defending ourselves from the lecherous men around, we will have succeeded," says Bhavana Shringirshi, a student of media writing, who has been living at the hostel for the past three years. "Now they don't dare mess with us," says Anshu Singh, a post-graduate student of humanities. "Most of them have become aware of our intentions and strength."

"I realised that most of the girls here were rather intimidated by the guys," says Pandey, the force behind the girls' new-found strength. A senior lecturer at the university's English department, she was handed the charge of the hostel almost a year back. And it was in December that she kicked off the new regimen. In two months, most of the girls seem to have shed the fear of their teasers. "We always carry a nanchaku with us in our bags; even if a group of guys surround me I just need to twirl this and the rest follows," says Nilima Purwar, a science post-graduate, as she demonstrates a stunt from a Bruce Lee flick.

The girls have even learnt how to wield a lathi. "What if we forget to carry our nanchaku someday; a sturdy branch will come in handy, if properly wielded," says Anshu. Next on the self-defence curriculum is pistol training. "I've already spoken to the Senior Superintendent of Police and he has agreed to this training," says Pandey.

The feisty provost supervises all the lessons being imparted to these young ladies, be it judo, taekwondo or karate. To strengthen their minds the girls are also given lessons in psychology. Experienced members from the faculty of psychology teach aspects of personality development. They include lessons on body language, development of self-esteem and self-confidence.

Such lessons are helping the girls break away from the conservative belief that they are the 'weaker sex'. Says Pandey: "It was imperative to help the girls grow out of the prevalent mindset of playing a subservient role in a patriarchal society."

Developing their body instincts will enable them to gauge a potential dangerous situation and help them decide on how to avoid it altogether. The effects of the training are evident. No longer are these the shy, diffident girls they once were. They walk tall, their chins up and proud in being able to take control of their lives. "We know we have really changed when we see the guys in the university practically squirm as we glare back at them. Earlier the roles were quite the reverse," says Shalini Shukla, another post-graduate student.

Mostly in their teens or their early 20s, the girls can't stop relating their experiences. "The other day I slapped a guy right outside the hostel gate for passing a lewd comment. He just took to his heels," says an inmate. Adds another: "Guess what? We made a tall hunk do sit-ups inside the university to the amazement of his peers for tugging at our friend's shirt." Now the girls are promising to teach "a lesson" to cab drivers who deliberately stop outside the hostel gates.

Clearly, the days of macho men and helpless women is over at the Lucknow campus. Pistols in hands, the girls will soon be calling the shots.