Swagata Tarafdar

An engineer by education, I am a civil servant by profession. A doting mother. An avid reader. I try my hand at writing as and when ideas tussle inside my head.

Voice of Swagata Tarafdar

#WorkplaceFriendships
#WorkplaceFriendships

It was just another December morning. Sitting inside my chamber, I was engrossed in my usual official work. I’m a Group-A gazetted officer working in the department of Finance (Revenue), Government of West Bengal. I have to deal with lot of general public on a daily basis due to my job profile. At the most […]

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A One Night Stand

After going through innumerable arranged marriage bride-inspection sessions, Pallavi was tired of waiting for the proverbial knight in shining armour.

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adoption
You Don’t Have To Give Birth To Be A Mother!

"How can I have a baby without a husband, Maa?" Radhika was genuinely surprised as she asked her mother!

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2022 Was Significant For Me As The Year I Became Financially Literate

My advice to all women reading this article is that never confuse love with worldly possessions or money. Build your financial literacy soon!

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When Your Career Choice Means Random People Ask You ‘How Will You Get A Good Match?’

It is a given that women, even if working, have to take care of domestic responsibilities in addition to their paid job while for men, such tasks are conveniently taken care of by their wives.

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Is Sologamy Asexuality’s Answer To Comphet — Happily Ever After

Nisha, my friend, broke up with her boyfriend. She was devastated. While I tried to comfort her, I often wondered about the futility of love and relationships with the opposite sex.

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4 Tired Stereotypes Wonderfully Smashed By New Bengali Film On Single Fatherhood

Much has been said and written about single mothers, but when it comes to single fathers, there has not been much debates and discussions on it. Being a single father is rather unusual and something rarely heard of. Our society has a common perception that compared to men, women are better equipped by nature to […]

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I’m Only Here For My Son, Not As Your Wife Shakuntala!

Dushyanta clearly remembered everything. But he didn't have any intention to accept a poor woman from a remote hermitage as his wife and her son as theirs.

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Either You Want Your Daughter To Marry Or To Be Happy; You Can Only Get One!

Now Jaya had only one unfinished business-- to find a suitable boy for her daughter and arrange her wedding. Then she would be free from her responsibilities.

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I Want To Scream Out Loud That My Single Status Is None Of Their Business

I want to be number one to someone other than my mother. I want to matter most to someone, to be their first phone call, the first person they think of. And I am not.

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‘You’ll Get Pregnant Again’ Never Say This To A Mom Who Has Lost Her Unborn Baby!

But she felt fear gnawing at her insides. She had a premonition that something was very wrong inside her- the kind of premonitions only mothers can have.

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I Want To Be His Companion; Why Bind Myself In Marriage Again To Appease Society?

But Kanaklata strangely felt neither sad nor despondent. Rather, she felt liberated. Finally, she was in charge of her own life.

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Being Single Can Be More Liberating And Fulfilling Than You Imagined!

Being a single woman is not as rare as you might think. Neither is it an unhappy experience. 

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Yashoda
They Honour Me As Krishna’s Mother, But Will Anyone Weep For Yashoda’s Lament?

People will know me as the epitome of motherly affection and virtue. But they will never come to know of the searing pain that afflicts my life in these autumn years of my life.

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She Had Never Earned; How Would She Raise Her Kids After Her Husband’s Death Due To COVID?

"Doctor, do you think that I am overreacting? Instead of thinking about my children's well-being, I am thinking of my own miseries only. Am I being selfish?"

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tiger widows
The Tiger Widows Of The Sundarbans

At least, I am fortunate to have an education which they lack. These girls get married at a very early age with little or no education. Trafficking of women is also rampant here.

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And I Realised That I Was Not Alone

A fictional interview with an yesteryear actress and cancer survivor.

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When Rukmini Asked Radha The Secret Of What Made Her So Special

I thought he belonged to me only - my man. But how wrong I was. I still had a lot to learn about men and the position of privilege they were entitled to.

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Can Your Son Cook – What If A Girl’s Dad Asked The Prospective Groom?

Any parent of sons of marriageable age can imagine his agony. After all, who doesn't want to see their children settled and happy, leading a fulfilling family life.

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Simply The Wrong Gender

The University rules only said that "any person with the required qualifications" would be admitted to study, the term 'woman' was not specifically included.

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Why The Movie Kadambari Made Me Appreciate My Freedom Just A Little More

Suman Ghosh's Kadambari talks about the life of a woman who couldn't claim her own identity owing to the era she was born in. Here's why it's a must watch!

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Encounter Of The Rapists In Hyderabad : Is It Justified?

In this country, only the accused have human rights. Probably women are not considered human enough to have any human rights.

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single parent
5 Lessons I Learnt On My Journey As A Single Parent

Being a single parent is not the easiest job, it is one of the hardest thing a person can do. But here is what you can do to drive away the blues!

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mukherjee dar bou
A Relief From The Typical Saas-Bahu Drama Is Mukherjee Dar Bou

If you're tired of all those typical saas-bahu dramas, Mukherjee Dar Bou is the movie to watch. A welcome relief from the familiar drama, says the author.

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Book Review: I’ve Never Been (Un)happier

Read this book to look differently at the ever-elusive "happiness", even if have never suffered with depression.

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Book Review: Chokher Bali by Rabindranath Tagore

Chokher Bali portrays some strong female protagonists, who are sure to etch indelible marks in your memory once you finish the novel.

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Come February, I Can’t Help But Think Of The Love I Lost

With Valentine's Week, it's love and romance all around us - making it even harder to bear the death of a relationship. Anyone who has loved and lost will relate to this!

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Theirs Was A Difficult Love Story With Generation Differences… Yet, Love Always Wins!

In spite of humongous challenges, love prevailed and it was impossible for them to say goodbye to each other. Will their love story sustain social mockery?  

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sexism in government offices
Speaking Up About The Sexism I Encountered At Work As A Woman Government Officer

The author speaks of the all pervading sexism in Indian government offices, that is often taken for granted as 'normal office culture', and which needs to be addressed.

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To My Unborn Daughter

Barbie dolls and frocks of bright hue, Reminds me of my yearning for you. 

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Paromitar Ek Din Taught Me That Women Can Be Women’s Best Friends!

Paromitar Ek Din - is a classic Bengali movie that celebrates the special bond between women, which is very unlikely according to popular perception - writes Swagata Tarafdar. 

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All The Ingredients Of A Mediocre Dream

The poet speaks of the ordinary dreams of an ordinary woman - a home with all its ordinary trappings, that are now lie unused.

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The Broken Promises

Looking back on promises left unfulfilled...a painful moment that all of us have experienced some time or the other.

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change surname
“Why Won’t You Change Your Surname? Even Priyanka Gandhi Changed It To Vadra!”

Marriage for an Indian woman is a huge life change - a change in her home address, family members living with her, and also her name, while for a man it is just a change in 'relationship status'.

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Wear Your Smile Today!

No matter what life doles out, and how you are today, a smile is what you need to wear, along with anything else you may.

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A Distant Love And Memories

When a relationship is over, memories are all that remain. Memories that can be present in many tangible forms, sometimes there, sometimes faded.

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When I Discovered The Hazards Of Online ‘Fraandship’ With Strangers Of The Opposite Sex

I met this man on an online forum with similar tastes, so I accepted his friend request. Until I discovered myself in deep shit that I needed to extricate myself from.

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My Mother-in-Law Was The Other Woman In My Marriage

A personal account about a mother-in-law's inability to cut the apron strings that tied her son to her, that created a rift between the author and her husband.

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How I Helped Myself Heal From Depression Caused Due To My Divorce

I was depressed after my divorce, but I needed to come out of it - I had a son to look after. This is my story of how I healed myself and found life again.

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You And Me

'You and me' - this poem explores what it means to be a pair - for without either one, this unit wouldn't exist. 

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divorcee
As A Divorcee, I Am Considered Fair Game For Everything. What About MY Choice?

From the neighbour's aunt, to well meaning strangers, I have received bizarre advice about how I should lead my life, now that I'm a divorcee and single mom.

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