1984 revisited and the genocide that the world ignores
1984 revisited and the genocide that the world ignores
1984 revisited and the genocide that the world ignores
1984 revisited and the genocide that the world ignores
IRON AURATAAN
IRON AURATAAN
by Raminder Kaur
directed by Sarah Jane Schostack
1984 revisited and the genocide that the world ignores
In June 1984, the Indian army under the leadership of their Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, attacked the holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple (also known as Harmandir or Darbar Sahib), in the north Indian state of Punjab. Codenamed 'Operation Bluestar', the attack left thousands of pilgrims dead, including the Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers.
In retaliation, Prime Minister Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. This led to state-backed massacres of around 10,000 Sikhs, and to women abused and left as widows.
It later transpired that Margaret Thatcher’s government had advised the Indian government on the storming of the Golden Temple while selling Westland helicopters and armament to them.
The play IRON AURATAAN (aurataan meaning women in Urdu/Panjabi) is based on real-life testimonies, interviews, and reports of the period, and highlights the narratives of a young mother, Bibi Pritam Kaur, a library assistant Paramjit Kaur, and prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher.
Exhibition at Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar.
Film by Prabhjit Singh
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
IRONAURTAAN was the best thing I saw
a moving piece of theatre
kirtan music added magic to sensational script
some powerful writing
insightful and provocative
With Ashwini Deole Kinhikar, Kashif Ghole, Kareem Nasif, and Sakuntala Ramanee and support from Sohana Kaur, Suraya Bains, Tracey Hammill, Jules Deering, Kavita Bhanot, Matthew Webb, Rohan Sengupta, Tierney Brown, Prabhjit Singh, Ranjeet Singh Rana and Bhai Bhupinder Singh Hazuri Ragi Jatha.
