Homai Vyarawalla: Peek through her lens

For all those (like me) I din know about her till I found this article. I felt really ashamed and small that I did not know such a personality. Most of all, she was alive (until 15 Jan' 2012) and clicking.

I don’t think I am worthy of writing about such a personality. She is India's first woman press photographer. Her passion matured to an official photographer during World War II. While we are being filled by news channels with all the kurtas and boy-cuts and debate organizers, Homai Vyarawalla's lens did all the talking. Articles say she cycled around Delhi carrying heavy photograph machines (today also known as camera :P) wearing Sari. I am not trying to emphasis on 'Sari' though I read so many who are obsessed with 'changing what we wear'. I feel these are trivial things and what really matters is the message you would pass and Homai certainly passed her message and now no more.

My heart automatically goes on to blame the education system that decides on syllabus and contents of our academic books. Why isn’t such great people part of our books? Is it that hard to get a lesson on her? In my state, books have been issued with the then chief minister in one of the lessons. Well, I am not going to ponder on whether he should be in there (prose) or not, but she should definitely be there.

I might be yet another moron trying to blame others for my ignorance, but pride like these should have been carried across the borders. We (our country) lack the power to put out prides forward. We are only defending ourselves all the time. Example, the infamous Suresh Kalmadi's opening speech. There had been criticisms all over the world with news of the shortages in the CWG 2010, and on the opening ceremony it was very evident that this was a 'never before' experience. But the speech did not send a message. When you do that, you are just allowing more criticisms to flow in. Don't just pass a message; tattoo them on the criticizers mind.

AP Police chief, Fashionalble clothes, Slutwalk, this, that

Would the AP police chief have thought that he would become so popular? Nay... yet he is!! Unfortunately for wrong reasons.. yet again in India.

Before actually gettin in to what the AP chief spoke of, lets pan our browsers to another event that has travelled from west to East. The SlutWalk. I am very sorry to say that my country women have lost directions. You have become more emotional than tactical. Believe it or not my Jaan, you are being easily tricked, fooled and utilized of. Have you ever thought why a valentine’s day, mother's day, women's day etc., pick up so much on greeting card, gift sales? How long have these been in practise? I don’t think I need a special day to celebrate by mom or any mom would need a day to celebrate her motherhood. It is injected by someone who is making good benefits out of it and women just carry it forward not the moms. OK, so if you wish to celebrate mom's day and exchange gifts and cards, have you ever considered doing the same on children’s day? Does any mother/father really care to gift, exchange cards for children’s day? wake up and kick the smoke my dear ladies.

The idea of slut walk is to convey that modern outfits don't invite men to misbehave. And the ultimate goal is to reduce the violence, sexual harassment, rape, misbehaviour over women. How on earth would this walk deliver the message? Take it for granted 'Men do not get any message out of this'. Having got the media coverage, the sensation, the public ears you should perhaps use this to terrorise those men who resort to rubbish behaviour. Delivering some message that you will wear whatever you want is not worth it. Apparently, people who curtail your freedom to wear is within your house and home or with in your reach and not the general public not the people on Delhi high streets. Use this visibility to dictate strong terms to the Men who take women for a ride. For less important things you are perhaps better off to ask Anna Hazare to dedicate one of his fasting days.

Now to the AP Chief,

Ladies ladies ladies, have you lost the power to respond. You are only reacting. Can you tell me what wrong did the AP Chief cop say? Did he say, you should not wear modern outfit? I am interested in listening to the entire speech than to this infamous 1:21 minute video that even weather.com would publish to gain site visits. I am not ready to raise my flag for a half-baked video clipping. Coming to what he said, he says men are provoked because of the modern outfit. Why can't you believe it? It is bitter but it is TRUE. Telling a cat 1000 times that you are a tiger family will not stop it from drinking milk. The question is, does modern outfits provoke? simple answer is yes. The number of rape victims who were 'fashionable' is irrelevant. A provocation may not end on the person who caused the provocation. The vent would be on a more vulnerable woman who may not be modern. So your numbers of moderns woman don’t face the music is absurd.
To me, the Chief says, since there is this modernized outlook, men who had once been Jane’ less Tarzans have started to act like Brad Pitts. Given our public services system, expecting the cops to be around all the time and at all places is impossible. THE SPEECH ENDS THERE. He does not go on to say that women should not wear modern outfit. Perhaps the next set of words would or should have been, PLEASE BE READY WITH YOUR SELF DEFENSES, TRY TO DEFEND ATLEAST TILL THE TIME COPS OR SOME ONE REACHES OUT TO HELP YOU (IF AT ALL).

"Why would you want to be DRAUPATI expecting Krishna to give you the cover!!"