As tension between India and Pakistan escalates in the face of terror attacks on Mumbai’s hotels, railway stations and hospitals, 600 men and women assembled at the Jamia University on Sunday to strengthen the South Asian identity, shaken post 26/11.

The occasion was the South Asian Women’s Day, being hosted by the Jamia this year and conceptualised in 2002 by feminist activist Kamla Bhasin, advisor to SANGAT. The occasion is celebrated every year on November 30 by women across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and for the first time this year, Burma. The date chosen for the celebration also falls within the “International Fortnight Protesting Violence against women”.

This year, however, issues have gone beyond the marginalisation of women and education, to express solidarity across religion, caste and gender in the wake of the attacks that roiled the financial capital. “Sixty years is much too long to go on fighting a war on violence with Pakistan. It’s time we joined hands and assert a collective South Asian consciousness, speak out against hatred and violence and condemn the divisive politics played out by political parties,” said Bhasin, who mobilised more than 30 organisations for the event.

Sahar Khan, a student from Pakistan said, “Geographically and historically, South Asia is a region bound together by common socio-economic and developmental concerns. And the countries here are similarly affected by increasing violence — which has given way to violations of human rights.”

The day was marked by songs, poetry reading sessions and a recital by Vidya Shah, disciple of Shubha Mudgal.

Nunu Ping, a member of the Women’s League of Chin (Burma) who moved to India in 2003 to escape the present military regime says, “I am very happy to see that women in India move around freely and know of their rights. Violence has crippled the economy in Burma and the plight of women is worse.”

Also featuring at the event were ten Afghan students from Jamia, who presented a traditional Afghan dance— Attan. “It is another way of getting the community together in Jamia Nagar, which recently saw the Batla House incident,” says a member.

To take the event to a wider platform, Geeta Bhardwaj from One World South Asia (OWSA), a nonprofit organisation promoting sustainable development and human rights through alternative media, would be doing a short film with people’s inputs on the Mumbai terror attacks and post it on Youtube.

People in Sargoda, Karachi and Islamabad, Sri Lanka, Bamiyan and Kabul, Dhaka and Kathmandu lit candles to reaffirm their South Asian identity.

In India, the Tibetan Women’s Organisation would be lighting candles in McLeod Ganj, Calcutta and several places in Madhya Pradesh.

The celebrations in Mumbai were stalled due to the terrorist attacks.