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As an Indian woman, Goa is liberating - not because of the booze, but because of the many ways it allows you to be simply yourself.
How do you react in a public place, when you realize that your lingerie is visible? Do you immediately slide it down, beneath your dress, while a sense of embarrassment overpowers you?
How many times have you reviewed and reconsidered the length of your skirt? How much is ‘too much’? What is the line between modesty and indecency?
Have you ever given a thought to the roots of this embarrassment? Is it because the two centimetres of ‘exposed’ lingerie is a glaring expose to your upbringing, your culture, your decency, your intention and whatnot?! How many times did you choose not to go forward with a dress because the length might ‘dishonour’ your entire family?
At times when official period leaves are a hot national debate, we must not forget the humungous pressure that we women shoulder – unconsciously yet regularly. The ‘correct’ combination of lingerie and dress along with the occasion – is not simply a matter of style and comfort but of family honour and dignity! That too, every single time!
Not because of the booze and beaches. But because of the unwarranted freedom it guarantees us – the women of India. The liberty of being ourselves, celebrating our varied and beautiful selves – without caring much is a refreshing feeling. It not only leaves you unburdened but makes you realise the beauty of your own physical body, the curves and the folds – everything that you have been taught to hide or to be ashamed of.
As you sizzle in the crashing waves, under the Sun, on the pristine beaches of Goa, you feel in complete unison with Nature – bold and beautiful in its nakedness and abundance. Owning our body and accepting it is one of the many important journeys that the women of our nation need to embark on. Our bodies are natural and the dresses we wear should be according to our preference and comfort. Burdening them with overtly societal and familial expressions is one of the many prejudices and battles that we women are fighting against, daily.
Goa gives temporary relief from this daily battle. It is a breath of fresh air from padded bras and inners and shorts and tights. The breezy evening and the heady music make you feel lighter and happier. As you see men and women, enjoying their existence in their elements – you wonder how much overburdened we are left by the prying eyes of this judgmental society.
How liberating it is to be able to seize and exist in the moment! Just like the waves crashing on the shore, you hurl all your deep-rooted patriarchal conditioning aside and bask in this fleeting feeling of freedom.
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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