Prarthna's Prose

The reason why I chose this topic is that I think I speak for every female in this country when I say have all feared sexual assault or being raped at some point in our life and it’s sad that this is such a normalized statement to make.

So what is rape culture?

a society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse. 

According to the latest government figures, Indian police registered 33,658 cases of rape in 2017. India, thus, has been dubbed “the most dangerous country for women” by many human rights activists. But why is India so prone to gender-based crimes?

This picture is 4 of the 6 convicts of the 2012 Nirbhaya Rape Case. The reason why I choose this case to talk about is that this is the most well-known case in India but this is just one of the millions of rapes that happen on a daily basis in our country. Every 16 minutes a girl is raped in India and marital rape is still isn’t considered Rape. It took 8 years for these rapists and murderers to be sentenced to death and hung. 8 full years to give justice to Nirbhaya. I remember I was 8 when this happened and I remember questioning my parents about a protest I saw and the news. They explained it to me, but even as a mere 8-year-old, I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t surprised because growing up as a girl in India, I had been taught from a very young age about rape, self-defense, and a “bad touch”.

“We have a patriarchal society in India, which gives more importance to men. Women are usually considered second-class citizens,” Dr. Shruti Kapoor, a feminist activist and founder of the Sayfty Trust organization, emphasized. Experts point out that violence against girls and women usually takes place in their immediate surroundings. According to the National Crime Records Bureau data from 2017, 93% of all rapes in India are perpetrated by people known to the victim. These could be family members, friends, neighbors, employers, and even online friends.

Apart from making strict laws considering sexual abuse, rape, and marital rape. We need to work on changing the mindsets of the citizens of our country.

Over the course of the last 16 months, online learning has been the dreadful but only way for students to learn. Seeing 25 faces on a zoom screen, will never, no matter what the circumstance match up to the comfort of being in a classroom. Studying or not, ( most-times not ), the attachment us students who are unfortunately being forced to do online learning have to our classrooms is massive. Maybe it’s just sitting at a window seat and the gentle breeze hitting you, or having the comfort that everyone else in this room is also going through the same anxiety and nerves during an exam, is comforting. It feels good to know that you’re not alone. While some students may argue that online learning has some benefits and is way more convenient, the benefits being online exams ( if you know what I mean ), the fact that you can switch off your video and mute yourself as per your mood and sleep is just a blink away, I don’t think a single student on the face of this planet wouldn’t want to go back to school and our oh so glorious classrooms.

Adapting to online learning came a little easier to some people than others. Personally, I miss my classroom because being in an environment like that of a classroom, my brain’s light was on and I was in an environment that I could be held accountable in by my fellow students if I wasn’t studying or being productive. Our generation seems to have found a way to make online learning cater to our needs as well. Areas over the internet like #StudyWithMe videos on youtube and the #StudyTogether server on discord are places students go to seek comfort and share the vibe.

Both are extremely effective places to study with other students, and feel like you aren’t studying alone, but in my opinion , Discord is the way to go! Discord has been becoming exceedingly popular in India. Children starting from 12 years of age are now using discord as their primary source to communicate with one another. Be it sharing homework or mid-class chatter on #general servers or particular dedicated servers for any possible thing you could think of. 
Talent shows, movie clubs, book clubs, college advice! You name it and there is a server for it.
Students in India, including my sibling and I wholeheartedly use the #StudyTogether server on Discord in an attempt to duplicate the environment of having study buddies. Most social media influencers now have their own discord servers with multiple channels to cater to different needs. Social media star, Avanti Nagral is one such person. Her discord server has now become a place where her supporters interact. There are different channels on her server, Talent Shows, College Advice ( this is quite a popular one, since she is a Harvard university graduate ), comfort rooms to name a few! The COVID-19 Pandemic has forever paved the way for remote and online learning. Discord keeps proving itself over and over again as a platform. Video calls, audio calls, dedicated discord servers, this platform has the best of all words. 

 The popular Netflix show ‘Indian Matchmaking’ has been taking over the internet in the past few weeks and has been facing a lot of criticism. Relevant and relatable, this show is definitely a cringe worthy but pretty accurate representation of what our Indian society is. The show is hosted by Sima Taparia or Sima Aunty from Mumbai who believes herself to be god’s Cupid on Earth.  She is a physical and more intimate representation of a shaadi.com. Indian Matchmaking follows Indian- Americans who are looking for someone to marry. The eight episode series is a total cringe fest and also sadly, represents the truth. 

Now on to the potential brides and grooms. There’s Akshay, a 25 year old man child who must marry to take care of his mother’s blood pressure problems. Aparna, a 34 year old Indian- American woman who has an extremely long and exhaustive criteria for her husband and according to Sima Aunty is negative and inflexible. Each of the singles experience and level a desire for a traditional arranged marriage. 

Since it’s release on 16th July, the show is stirring up a lot of controversy over its harsh depictions of sexism, casteism and colorise. As the protagonist of the show, Sima was initially perceived largely positive at firs, but her snarky and problematic comments earned her a lot of hate. Caste is hardly mentioned in the slow but you can definitely tell how it’s an important factor in these arranged marriages. Sima Aunty and some of her clients have no shame while emphasising their preferences as fair, tall and trim. Sima Taparia claims she’s the best in the business but none of her matches actually lasted once the cameras stopped rolling.

Funny, thoughtful, smart , affectionate and responsible. Now doesn’t that sound like a killer combination. That was my subtle and definitely not narcissistic at all way to introduce myself. I’m Prarthna Batra, a 16 year old girl from New Delhi. I would  say I’m a pretty fun person to be around and there’s never a dull moment when in my company. An extroverted bundle of energy and endless laughter, I surely do keep my friends and family well entertained. Whether it be cracking dumb jokes or being usual clumsy self, I somehow always manage to bring a smile on the faces around me. If my friends and family would have to describe me in one sentence, it would probably be that I’m a happy go lucky, clumsy and caring 6 year old in a 16 year olds body who occasionally has emotional outbursts. All in all, not to toot my own horn but I’d say I’m a pretty solid person.

Now you must be wondering why I’m telling you all this. Consider this as shaadi.com. I want to tell the world how amazing of a person I am and why you should marry me. Remember, I can only have one husband so no fighting! If you got the privilege of being my husband ( wow, lucky you! ), let me say this ; you’re set for life and boy did you hit the jackpot. I would say I’d make you breakfast in bed on a daily basis but sadly it’s a whole task waking me up but once you manage to wake me up, I’ll make you a delicious breakfast in bed on a daily basis as per your request. I know the way to my heart is through my stomach so that is how I choose to treat all my near and dear ones. I’m naturally a funny person and more then my humour it is often acts of severe stupidity that make people laugh but well hey they’re laughing atleast. I can guarantee you’d be smiling 24/7. I’d say my best quality is how helpful and caring I am. If you were ever having a bad day or were bothered about work or something else, trust me to send you a gazillion messages throughout your day in order to cheer you up and expect a thoughtful surprise and a big hug when you come back home! Birthdays are probably one of my favourite aspects of human existence. I definitely go all out for the birthdays of people I love. Anyone who knows me knows how dear birthdays are to me. I will always go out of my way to make sure you feel special. I promise that I will always stand by your side, make you laugh and support you even when you make stupid decisions. I’m also quite a flexible person to hangout with. You tell me you want to go on a spontaneous bike ride ? I’m down. A cozy night in with some Bollywood movies and snacks? I’m down. I’m always down for a fun time, no matter what it has to be. Adventuring out or calm chill activities or simply just enjoying each other’s company, I’m always down to have a good time. Another bonus that comes with marrying me, is that I can serenade you. Does that make me a a little closer to how cool John Mayer is? Piano and guitar performances on demand I promise. I can also always match your energy, if you’re an extrovert, great! We can talk for hours on end together because I definitely talk a lot and if you’re introverted and don’t like to talk as much, you don’t have to worry because I will do all the talking. I don’t always talk sense but I’m good company I promise. Conversations with me will always be filled with filmy Bollywood references and my energy matches that of my spirit animal , Micheal G Scott. I’d say I’m a mix of Chandler Bing and Jake Peralta with a sprinkle of Geet from Jab we Met. Perfect combination in my opinion. I also love kids so if that’s something you’re interested in , then we could be great parents together. Also, I come as a package deal with my puppy Sydney so that’s always a bonus, I mean who doesn’t love puppies?

Jokes apart, I promise to stand by you always, share your sorrows and joy with you and stand by you through thick and thin. The ‘good and special’ moments in life are only special when you have special people to share them with. I promise to always listen to you whole heartedly, try my best to understand you and your story and experiences and put my best foot forward to grow together into better individuals.

Now, all I would like to say is that if you don’t think marrying me is worthwhile, clearly there is something wrong there. Remember, I’m just listing all the reasons you should marry me. To be fair, there’s none why you shouldn’t. And my parting words to you said by the wise Geet, main apni favourite hoon!

I chose this picture and just wanted to write a very descriptive piece.

Dear Diary,

It was a bright sunny day, with the warm and comforting sun rays shining down on five very excited, young and reckless teenagers. The sky was a beautiful blue, with white fluffy clouds staring down at us. It seemed like just the perfect day with the perfect weather to go to our favourite place- the loud, vibrant and thrilling amusement park that smelt comfortable- it smelt of soda and candy floss and nostalgia. 

The roaring rollercoasters with their bright red seats and yellow tracks were waiting for us to climb aboard in the seats that smelt so strongly of plastic but were so irresistible. We climbed on, our hearts beating fast, loud enough to be heard. Three, two, one, the operator screamed and it took off leaving us all with a very liberating feeling in our hearts. The sound of the rollercoaster on the wheels, making our serotonin levels a little higher and the sudden drop with the wind gushing in our hair, hands going up and loud screams filling our ears. We stepped off the ride, and walked past the bright blue ferris wheel that played soft music that gave you a happy and gushing feeling to walk over to the pier with its welcoming blue and white beach umbrellas that have the most divine smelling food stalls. I walked over to the stall that sold hot dogs and heard the sound of the sizzling oil while smelling the sugary candy floss that my friends were enjoying right next door. We stood there, enjoying our cola, sweet and sugary candy floss and savoury hot dogs. We then walked over to the water park section of the amusement park. I had specifically reminded all my friends to wear shorts and carry a change of crocs for their footwear so we could enjoy the water rides as well without worries. We walked over laughing and rejoicing over the glory of a day that it had been, and enjoyed the sun setting down. Now the rest is for another day, you should just know that it was a day to remember. 

Love,
Prarthna 

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon. After a morning of lazing around and having an extremely heavy breakfast, I decided to sit out on my balcony and enjoy some music with the cool, light breeze caressing through my hair. This, to me, was the definition of a perfect Sunday. I put my headphones on and was about to doze off to some relaxing music when suddenly a very abrupt tune started playing in my ears. I woke up with a sudden jolt and went through my playlist but all I could see was a blank black screen. I took my headphones out but the abrupt, scary, dark, and mysterious music just wouldn’t stop playing. I slammed the balcony door shut and went inside my room thinking it was all just a bad dream. I thought to myself that if I can’t enjoy my music outside, let me just curl up with a book instead. I sat in my bed and was suddenly sucked into this dark tunnel which certainly wasn’t my comforter. I screamed out loud for help, but nothing seemed to work, I just kept going deeper and deeper. Suddenly, I fell to the ground with a loud thud. I was in a very dark room, with eerie noises and bats flying around. The kind of stuff you would only imagine in movies and books. I pinched myself, this couldn’t have been real, did I really just transport to a whole different world altogether?

I dusted myself off and got up in the attempt to find a way out of here and back to the comfort of my room, suddenly I heard some footsteps behind me. I turned around hopeful, but the man wouldn’t speak at all. The music that I had heard while sitting on my balcony started playing again. I found myself in a maze this time, but the same man was following me. I was extremely creeped out at this point and was frantically screaming for help. There was an instruction board giving instructions to get out of the maze, so I just followed it as it seemed like my last resort. The man was following me still. I tried to make conversation with him once again, and this time he just broke down and started crying. I sat down to comfort him because I was sure he was taken aback too with these eccentric surroundings. We spoke a lot and I figured out that he was the brother that I had lost. Now let me give you a little backstory. When I was 3, I lost my 1-month-old baby brother. It was an extremely tragic incident in my family. We both cried tears of happiness at being reunited. We walked together through the maze and caught up on the many years of each other’s lives that we had missed out on. We reached this white gate and went through it. The gates said ‘welcome to heaven’. We realized that our journey on Earth was over and the scary, dark and mysterious experience the two of us had just gone through was the cleansing of our souls. We walked in through the heavenly gates of heaven, ready to complete the bonding experience that we never got to finish on Earth.

Hello Diary,

I normally never open you up because I’ve always thought it was such a dumb and phoney thing to do. Today, I really feel like sharing my thoughts with someone, yet I feel like talking to no one at all and spend some time reflecting on this thing we call life.

Now that I think about it, I grew up as such an eccentric kid. Why did I always think everyone was so fake and phoney. When I sit and think about it now, I lied about practically everything to everyone, I believed absolutely nobody except Phoebe. I guess it was all a part of going through puberty and teenage. I wish I trusted people a little more, made some more memories and bonds. It all feels a little strange now, I’m 21 now, I’m legally an adult. 

When I think of myself and the person I was five years ago from today, I don’t know what to say. All I cared about was Jane and Sally and this girl and that girl. I wanted to explore the world so badly, that somewhere I lost the essence of my childhood. Now that I’m an adult, the world is my oyster, I can do whatever I want, go wherever I want. I should’ve let my innocence stay intact, enjoyed the purity of childhood for a little longer. I want to set some goals for myself now. I want to trust people, bond with them and make memories. I want to reconnect with my family and friends and spend some quality time with them. I want to trust people, have faith and them and most importantly, I want to live in the moment. I want to take life one step at a time, enjoy the little things. In this next phase of my life, I want to be myself, I want to be happy.

I will talk to you soon. Until then,

Holden

This is my take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, in the form of a one act play.

A Suitable Bride-

 “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Character List

Jack: A young man who has successfully taken over his family business looking for a bride to marry.

Emma:  A happy- go lucky girl in her early 20’s, trying to establish a place for herself as an independent musician.

Robert: Emma’s middle aged father who is looking for a suitable groom to marry his daughter off.


ACT 1 SCENE 1

( Scene opens in Emma and Robert’s Kitchen)

Robert: Hello Emma Dear, how was work today?

Emma: Good, father. I recorded a new single today.

Robert: Emma, I have to speak to you about something. Promise me, you will listen calmly.

( Emma reluctantly sits down)

Emma: Yes, father. Please go ahead.

Robert: Emma, I think now you’re at the age where you should find a suitable man and get married and ‘settle down’. I don’t think we should delay it further.

Emma: Father, my career is really taking off right now, I want to establish a name for myself first.

Robert: Well, I don’t think we have time to discuss this right now. What you want to do is a conversation later. I know a young man who has actually come to see you today, he is also looking for a suitable partner. 

( Emma stands up angrily)

Emma: Father, how could you fix a meeting like this without even asking me once??!!

Robert: Sorry Emma darling, I’m only trying to fulfill my duty as a father.

( Enter Jack )

Jack: Hello sir, how do you do on this fine day? Hello beautiful Emma, you look stunning. How are you?

( Jack hugs Emma and shakes hands with Robert ) 

Robert: I’m great Jack, pls have a seat! I’ll leave you two alone now!

Emma: I’m good Jack, how are you?

Jack: I’m good Emma, I’m sure you know why I’m here today so I’m going to get straight to the paint. Our fathers have been friends since we were kids and in the few times we’ve previously interacted, I have always thought of you as more than just a mere acquaintance.

( Emma is shocked and stutters).

Emma: Well, that’s wonderful to know Jack but at the moment I’m just trying to focus on my music career. That is my one and only priority. Sorry.

Jack: Emma, I know the importance of establishing a good career. I would have never asked Robert for your hand in marriage if I hadn’t established a successful career for myself first. 

Emma: Jack, you had the chance of establishing a career for yourself, now it’s my turn. I want to able to be completely financially independent before I choose to marry. Sorry.

Jack: I don’t see the harm in you marrying me first, I will take you with me on my travels, I will support you financially. Let’s get married, Emma.

Emma: I didn't know you had such a hypocritical side to you as well. You said you understood the importance of establishing a career, but I guess you meant that only for yourself.

( Robert angrily storms back in)

Robert: Jack, when I spoke to you last night, I thought you would treat my daughter as an equal and respect her career and ambitions Clearly, I was wrong. My daughter doesn’t need to get married to a selfish man like you. You are a selfish man, searching for a wife because that is what is expected of you by society. Do not take my daughter or any other woman  in society for granted. Emma isn’t here to fulfill your needs or expectations. I can't believe I ever thought you had a heart. The foundation of a marriage is based on love and respect. Get out of my house and never show your face here again.

( A shocked and angry Jack storms out ).

Emma: Wow, father I did not expect you to stand up for me like that, thank you so much. I am so glad you did that for me and the fact that you understand how important my career is, means a lot to me. Thank you for understanding where I’m coming from. I know it is looked down upon to let your daughter work, but thank you for letting me follow my dreams.

Robert: I am so sorry Emma for trying to force you into marriage, I understand what I did was wrong. I respect your wishes and will always be there for you.

( Emma and Robert smile and hug )

The End.

A Bazaar full of love.


Hand in hand they frolicked into the Bazaar,
Instantly reminded of the endless afternoons spent here,
Sitting at the red stone, icecream running down their arms 
Seated at their usual table at the dhaba,
They reminisced about the laughter they had shared.
At the same spot, 20 years
Where magic first struck,
Under the unexpected rainfall in the summer.

Hand in hand,
They strutted into the roadside Monday Bazaar
Red bangles clinking against the ben-10 band, 
He watched the smiles on their faces,
As they chatted about the bhaiya that sat at this very spot, selling vibrant flowers 
Not understanding the conversation, but a huge smile plastered on his face nevertheless,
Perhaps, 
It is the love that their smiles glistened with,
Speaking about someone they loved in his absence,
It reminded him of his mom's big hug's, the woolen sweater she made for him,
It reminded him of warmth.

Hand in hand, they carefully walked in,
To pick up the flowers and fruits for the day. 
Her frail hands, gripping his frail hands,
Reminding them of the love that they shared,
At this very fruit stand 60 years ago.
He picked the flowers as she picked the fruits
Sneakily, putting one in her hair
They smiled like they were 17 again,
Walking back,
Hands and hearts,
Both full of love.

She was returning home from a painful cramp-filled day at school and had to make a quick pit stop at the chemist. As she paid for her sanitary napkins, the cashier wrapped her package in newspaper and then concealed it in a black polythene. The 13 year old couldn’t help but wonder why the other shoppers at the chemist left without their goods being concealed and hidden away in a black polythene bag. Was getting her period a crime? Did she do something wrong? She went home that day full of different thoughts, the underlying feeling being embarrassment. As she reached home with the forbidden black package, her mother shunned her from the kitchen and told her she was ‘unholy’. Belittled, she went to her room and came out later for the evening puja, once again she was forbidden from stepping foot in the mandir. She kept thinking, what was so wrong with her period that she was being treated differently?

This is just a description of a regular day in most Indian girls lives on their periods, when they are shunned and made to feel embarrassed about a thing that is so natural. Period blood is the only blood that doesn’t stem from a place of violence, yet the only blood that triggers this differential treatment. I fail to understand how we live in a country where women choosing not to give birth is a concept that society finds hard to grasp, but the very process that enables birth is something to be ashamed of. I want to grow up in a world where menstruation is no longer a taboo, a world where we applaud our women for the pain they endure, a world where no girl ever has to sacrifice on her menstrual health.

 And as Tupac once wisely said, 
“And since we all came from a woman
Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women”