Monday, April 30, 2012


Freedom on Wheels



Who would have thought a simple 2 wheeler could, in less than a decade becomes a symbol for independence?
In India and specifically in small town India, the scooter has become a facilitator of freedom for young girls who until a few years ago were dependent on male family members to ferry them to school, college and even outings with their girlfriends.
While women in India's big cities, such as Delhi & Mumbai often borrow their parent’s cars or buy ones of their own, the scooter is the popular choice of transport in rural India. Big retro scooters are the most common means to kick n drive with raw and heavy masculine appeal but just a decade before the small range of scooters which are lightweight, electric start, trendy and gearless unleash their dominance. These scooterettes are specifically designed keeping in mind of the targeted feminine side who demands the vibrancy in colors, an appeal and a personalized statement.
Earlier the navigation of the outer world was primarily a male responsibility but personal mobility on wheels for girls changes all that. Every place becomes accessible, every road navigable and there are no gaps where one can't go. The fear of the unfamiliar place diminishes.
In every invention there lies some scarcity or challenges, Indian women faced societal and cultural pressure from ages, have limited personal money to spare and fear for their safety especially when travelling alone but this sense of mobility gave them the independent dare to move, earn and to prove that "when riding is so much fun, why always sit behind?"