March-ing ahead in Dilli â¤ď¸
Gender restrictions, travel musings, and How not be a Superwoman
Hello readers!
March is marching ahead. We are halfway through it already.
This year, the IWD celebrations didnât last long. Some brands like UrbanCompany, Zomato, Mercedez Benz, etc. created good ad films but the overall vibe of IWD seemed low.
As a solopreneur, nobody sent me a hamper too. But I could avail some random discounts. Which I obviously didnât!
I was on an Instagram live with topmate - and I was asked a question about my thoughts about IWD. And my take is that, we shouldnât be celebrating IWD. And as far as awareness is concerned, it should happen regularly.
20% and 30% discounts on IWD donât make any difference. We are all delulu about hundreds of problems around us. Capitalism is definitely one of them. LOL!
We are far far behind in terms of making our cities and countries liveable for women.
I am in Delhi for the Festival of Letters. And I decided to visit Shri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Hopped into a local e-rickshaw and he took me through the lanes of Paharganj.
Absolute chaos. And as an artist, I could romanticise the chaos.
The surreal beauty of it.
There were perspectives, people and stories all around me. I can write a lot about it but we shouldnât miss the point.
You know what was the first thing that occurred to me?
Observation can only do so much.
INNOCENTLY, I wish I was a guy, and I could capture all the frames - in photos as well as in stories. I could have spoken to a bunch of people fearlessly and written about them.
I wouldnât have to worry about safety, right? Not just in Delhi, but across the world.
I canât imagine I have ONE LIFE and I will be missing out on so many experiences because I am a woman. Life isnât fair. Yeah, fine.
Art felt bound by gender. And it pinched me hard.
Hah! Not a new realisation, but a sharp reminder.
Bhagwaan, agle janam mohe invisible hi kijo⌠:D
P.S. - This morning, I bumped into a tour guide/community manager and went to experience purani dilli with a bunch of strangers. That way, I lived a few stories and inhaled a few more experiences. From visiting the Mirza Ghalibâs old mansion to belting Parathas - I had a blast! :)
âHazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bahut niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikleâ
~ Mirza Ghalib ~
Festival of Letters
Now what is happening at the Festival of Letters?
It is the WORLDâS LARGEST LITERARY FESTIVAL expecting ~1100 authors/scholars, with 150 sessions. Happening between 11-16 March in New Delhi.
This yearâs keynote speaker is the legendary GULZAR SAHAB! đ
My session is scheduled for 15th March, at 4:30 PM at Veda Vyasa Sabhagar, Ravindra Bhavan. I will be talking about the Landscape of Flash Fiction in Indian Languages.
This is probably the biggest honour I have been bestowed upon, and I am looking forward to living it out, LOUD. Letâs say - I am trying, while I build myself a calm kit.
Dil wali Dilli
I am sure a bunch of you would have seen the mesmerising reels that compel you to romanticise Delhi.
Well, to begin with - it is Dilli. Okay? Okay.
I had also written something long ago - based more on my knowledge, imagination and less experience. I had indited this piece, romanticising out and about.
Nazm, April 2020. You can read it below and let me know what you feel:
Inkspirations this month
Author and Journalist, Nilanjana Bhowmick is coming up with her latest book âHow not to be a Superwomanâ and I have been a tiny part of this journey. Super excited for her and hereâs the link to preorder. Do check out her first book - Lies our mothers told us, too.
Hereâs a travel map covering the routes of migratory birds
History of Mysore Pak with Chef Ranveer Brar
Chalo, ab muh meetha kar hi lo! :)
Keeping it raw -
Until the thirteenth,
Writeously yours,
Shalaka Kulkarni
wohooo all the best for the delhi adventuresssss <3