A mural celebrating the feminist legacies
of South Asian women in Berkeley and beyond
The South Asian Women’s History Mural is a community-powered project produced by ARTogether with lead artist Sabina Kariat, assisted by Polina Marso and Ujjayini Sikha, and advised by South Asian American historians and activists Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee. This mural will exist onsite at restaurant and South Asian gathering space Vik’s Chaat.
At the heart of this project is a public celebration of South Asian women who shaped local and global histories but are too often erased from our collective memory.
Why This Matters
South Asian feminist history is largely erased in retellings of American history. The South Asian Women’s History mural combats this invisibility by radically visualizing historical figures who have embodied different forms of resistance, against forces such as racist immigration policy, labor exploit, casteism, and patriarchy. By centering these stories, this project reminds that South Asian women have always catalyzed change, and continue to do so.
In a city where Kala Bagai was once pushed out of her home by the racism of neighbors and the displacement of racist immigration policy, this mural makes a public statement: We have been here. We are still here. We are building the future.
The Mural: A Table of Heroines
Located at Vik’s Chaat, a beloved South Asian restaurant and community hub in West Berkeley, the mural depicts a gathering of South Asian women who embodied diverse modes of activism across time and place.
Featured figures include:
- Kala Bagai (1893–1983) one of the first South Asian women immigrants to California, Kala Bagai faced racism and exclusion in Berkeley but remained resilient, staying to gain citizenship, build community, and welcome other newcomers.
- Kartar Dhillon (1915–2008) a Punjabi Sikh American labor organizer, writer, and fierce political activist who defied gendered and racial expectations throughout her life.
- South Asian women activists, represented in a communal dinner scene, symbolizing solidarity, care, and relationship with the homeland. These figures include iconic Pakistani singer Iqbal Bano, Keralite anti-caste activist Dakshayani Veluyudhan , and feminist Bengali writer Rokeya Begum.
The mural incorporates phulkari—a Punjabi embroidery method often associated with women craftsman -and California native flowers, connecting homeland iconography with local belonging.
Feminist Public Art in Action
SAWHM centers community input and co-creation through:
- A mural feedback council composed of artists, community organizers, descendants of the depicted figures, and local diasporic historians.
- Free, accessible community paint days that invite participants into the art-making process
- Educational teach-ins on South Asian feminist history, organized by Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee
- A celebration at Vik’s Chaat, recognizing the act of gathering and feeding as a radical feminist legacy
Timeline
- Spring 2025 – Community-led design process and feedback
- Summer 2025 – Community tracing and paint days – Check our calendar for dates!
- Fall 2025 – Mural unveiling and public history event – dates to be announced!
Get Involved
SAWHM is a public art project—and you’re invited.
We are currently seeking:
- Donations and sponsorships to help us expand feminist storytelling in public spaces
- Community volunteers for painting, outreach, and support.
- Contact us at info@artogether.org or sabina@artogether.org to get involved.
Follow our instagram @artogether__ for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Funders + Partners
SAWHM is made possible by generous support from:
- City of Berkeley Civic Arts Program
- Zellerbach Family Foundation
- California Arts Council
- Alameda County Arts Commission
- Commotion West Berkeley
- Our generous supporters
Special thanks to Vik’s Chaat for offering their wall—and their kitchen table—as a space for feminist public history.
