Public streets have long been treated as overwhelmingly masculine spaces. Society rarely raises an eyebrow when shirtless men gather, make noise, or occupy public areas with loud, carefree revelry, but it’s not the same for women. This place in Bengaluru, Namma Katte, is a space especially dedicated for women to just gather and chill. Read on to know more about it.
Inside Bengaluru’s Namma Katte In Lingarajapuram
Indu Antony, a Bengaluru-based transdisciplinary artist, introduced a unique and fun initiative in the city that is built exclusively for women. Located in Lingarajapuram, the space is called Namma Katte and was inaugurated a year ago.
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Namma Katte, meaning “our space” in Kannada, is known as a neighbourhood gathering spot for women. The name reflects its intent to foster inclusivity and warmth. The best part? The space welcomes everyone, from toddlers to elderly women, without any discrimination based on religion, caste, language, profession or education.
Breaking The Male-Dominated Street Culture
Namma Katte is a beautiful space with a large swing suspended from the ceiling that serves as both a playful element and an open invitation to sit, chat and laugh. At Namma Katte, women stitch fragments of their personal stories onto fabric using needle and thread. There is no pressure to work or perform in this space; participants just decide what they wish to share. While some stories are light and inspiring, others are heart-touching.
As per the Namma Katte official Instagram page, this is the space created to do nothing. Women can come here, indulge in activities, spend time talking and conversing, and just unwind. The founder, Indu, also introduced the idea of sewing a single line from each oral story onto cloth, giving visibility to voices that people often ignore. She also compensates the participants for their time, allowing them to justify their presence in the space within their households. Their Instagram is filled with Lingarajapuram’s linguistic diversity, with the words embroidered in Kannada, Telugu, Oriya, Malayalam, Urdu, English and other languages.
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Indu Antony’s Namma Katte showcases her belief that leisure, dialogue and shared spaces are important to women’s emotional and mental well-being. Let us know about your thoughts in the comments below.