The Soldiers on Foot

By ~ Gaurpriya Singh Roy

All capacities of the 7 oceans together wouldn’t be good enough to fit in our gratitude and indebtedness towards the Indian Armed forces. As a whole their greatness, pride, and impeccability are depicted in The Soldiers on Foot, I would be delighted to elucidate with you about the profound infantry regiment of the Indian Army,  One of the largest in the world also anointed as the “Queen of the Battle”. The infantry is the Indian Army’s backbone.

Infantry Day is ascertained in India to commemorate the first military event of Independent India, when the first battalion of the Indian Army’s Sikh regiment fought a battle to defeat the Pakistan Army’s first attack on Indian soil on October 27, 1947, in Kashmir valley, in an attempt to seize Jammu and Kashmir. 

They were part of the team defending Indian territory against Pakistani invaders advancing on Srinagar. Infantry Day 2022 honors the bravery and valor of the Indian soldiers who took part in the difficult mission.

During wars, infantry soldiers bear the main brunt of the damage. These men possess the traits like belligerence, physical fitness, and rigor. With the passage of time, the Indian Army’s infantry units have been modernized, equipped, and trained to rank among the best in the world. 

Bill Mauldin once said, “The surest way to become a pacifist is to join the infantry.” And I think it is justified after the rash decisions the Government exerted during such critical times of 1947, let it be influential political leaders approaching the  UN when India was already on the lines defending its land or let it be the delayed sending of the soldiers to the battlefield or be it declaring cease-fire even when Pakistan disagreed that his soldiers were at line Says the Himalayan blunders an extremely controversial war memoir penned by Brigadier John Dalvi. This book also explains why a Referendum was not Necessary after the Weapons were already taken, even after such missteps

The infantry regime remained fearless and followed orders courteously in 1947, The Sikh regiment’s first battalion landed at the Srinagar airbase. They demonstrated extraordinary courage and strength in thwarting the Pakistan Army’s invasion of Kashmir with the help of tribals. During the first India-Pak war, the Douglas DC-3, also known as the Dakota, transported troops from the Army’s 1 Sikh Regiment to Srinagar, as well as supplies and refugees. This regiment served as a border guard for the Indians. Thus, Infantry Day commemorates the first military event in India.

To vaguely narrate the night of the 26th; Initially, it was decided to send a brigade-level force. However, because the road from Pathankot to Srinagar was in poor condition, the Sikh regiment was flown in by Dakota aircraft. The road was then followed by the brigade-level troop. Around seven Dakota planes were built. Only two of these seven were from the Indian Air Force. The remainder came from private airlines. This included Biju Patnaik’s aircraft (former chief minister of Odisha). The troops were assembled in the middle of the night and airlifted at dawn. Everything was planned in a single night.

At this point, it is not even surprising how flawlessly trained and skilled our Jawans are, appreciating, acknowledging, and admiring their sacrifices and bravery is the only sinch thing we can do; soldiers like Capt Vikram Batra PVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) late officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded with the Param Vir Chakra.

Lieutenant Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai, commanding the 1st battalion of Sikh Regiment in Gurgaon wherein his role was making arrangements for the refugees, was given the nation’s second highest gallantry award, “Maha Vir Chakra” for his outstanding leadership, fighting spirit, and supreme sacrifice. He became independent India’s first officer to receive the Maha Vir Chakra, he was also called the first shed in independent India.

They forever live among us, and we to date celebrate them through their heart-whelming phrases like “Either I will come back after hoisting the Tricolor, or I will come back wrapped in it. But I’ll be back for sure”

~ Captain Vikram Batra.

“Ye dil maange more”~ Capt. Vikram Batra.

Well-known media platforms as such The all India Radio news also celebrated by tweeting :

The 76th Infantry Day is being celebrated today. It was on this day in 1947 that Infantrymen from #IndianArmy, led by 1 SIKH, landed at Srinagar Airfield and saved J&K from a ruthless and treacherous Pakistani invasion.#infantryday

Respect and pay tribute to the valiant Indian infantry soldiers who fought and were martyred to save the nation and its people during the Pakistan Army’s invasion of Kashmir during the period of independence. This year marks the 76th Infantry Day for the Indian Army and we humbly and truly honor them very mundanely through this glorious day.

Where there is HOPE

By: Gaurpriya Singh Roy

Life is a beautiful journey full of ups and downs, a journey to cherish and thrive. For many, it is a storm to pass, and for a few, it’s an exquisite voyage to adore. it’s all about the way you look at it, a game of perspective many fail to understand; yet everyone seems to have their unique point of view towards it, so it is fitting to say that life may mean so much to many and so little to some.

It is a tremendous joy to those who look up to life to be so gratifying, but it is a pity for those who don’t value it and dismiss it or attempt to throw it away.
People need to understand that there is always hope and life has so much more meaning to it than what they credit it for and throwing away life is not a solution but a poor escape that will only lead to further suffering of their close once, there is a great saying by Ain Eineziz, “you have been given this life because you are strong enough to live it”, this inspiring quote enlightens us on why we precisely have an entire week dedicated to aware and lend a shoulder to those who require us and let them know suicide is avertable.

World Suicide Prevention Day aims to raise awareness that suicide is preventable, improve suicide education, disseminate information about suicide awareness, and reduce suicide stigma.

It is conducted on the 10th of September every year since 2003 by the initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Each year, a different theme to focus on is chosen to shed light upon a different aspect of suicide prevention. This year’s theme, which will continue until 2023, is ‘Creating Hope Through Action,’ which aims to reassure people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care about and want to support them.

World Suicide Prevention Day is a day to reflect on the importance of life and to remember that no matter how bad things appear, there is always hope. Many people know an individual who has committed suicide or who has lost a friend or family member to suicide, We can prevent this loss by raising awareness on this day. It also serves as a reminder to society that consistent and increasing advocacy for mental health resources is required so that people suffering from mental illnesses can get the help they require.

You as a reliable individual can be a Ray of hope to someone suffering by just Reaching out to them, who may require assistance. Certain behaviors are widely recognized as indicators of suicidal ideation. We can all learn the warning signs of suicidal intent so that we can intervene early.

Discussing this issue is an important first step toward ridding society of the notion that mental health issues should be kept hidden. On World Suicide Prevention Day, organize or simply attend a panel discussion about how mental health issues intensify suicidal thoughts.

The insights and stories of people who have lived through suicide can also be extremely powerful in helping others understand suicide and encouraging people to reach out for help, as well as individuals to reach out for help themselves, and the most important of them all is to ‘Look for resources,’ there is a wealth of resources for people to learn more about the causes of suicide and how to prevent it. Numerous books, films, and events are available online that can point you in the right direction. As it is said, “Knowledge not only gives you power but can also save your life”.

We fixate too much on the past/future and disregard the present, Age, health, illness, pain, and the influence of a substance or medication are all merely physical factors. Personality, beliefs, expectations, emotions, and mental health are all emotional and personal factors, Life experiences include family, culture, friends, and life events; How you put all these factors to use and the POV you determine to give is that all that matters in the end.

Arrey Forest: Native Environment vs Rigid Headway

By: Gaurpriya Singh Roy

“The Earth has enough resources for our need but not for our greed.”

This most often quoted phrase by Mathma Gandhi depicts his concern for nature and the environment, which initially gives a warm idea of how he envisioned the future generations to tend Mother Nature. Through the eyes of a man whose primary focus is development, it is condescending to believe he would even consider the existence of nature, wildlife, or anything that disturbs or is an obstacle to his developing habitat.

Let’s talk politically. 

In 1991, in his budget speech, finance minister Manmohan Singh declared: “We cannot deforest our way to prosperity, and we cannot pollute our way to prosperity”. These were his prescient words. While India had strong environmental legislation even in the pre-1991 era – the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, Water Act of 1974, Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, Air Act of 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986 – this ‘Environment vs Growth’ debate has become much more salient in post-reform India. 

For instance, problems, and thus environmental issues, have entered the mainstream. As the pressure on the environment has increased with development, environmentalism has evolved from an ‘elite’ issue discussed in seminars and conferences to a real issue affecting people’s daily lives, health, and livelihoods. Consider the water table declines and extended droughts in Vidarbha and Bundelkhand. 

For example, water logging in Punjab’s Malwa region has harmed the livelihoods of over 2 lakh farmers, or the pollution caused by unrestricted mining and thermal power generation using low-quality coal in Chandrapur, Maharashtra which causes 10,000 people to become ill with respiratory conditions each year. Also, considering the pollution of the Ganga, where effluent and sewage treatment capacity cannot treat even half of the flow. 

Second, there has been a surge in organized environmental advocacy. The Rio Convention (1992), the Kyoto Protocol (1997), and the subsequent ritual of annual climate change summits culminating in the Paris Agreement (2015) have elevated the environment’s global profile. In India, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have used Public Interest Litigation (PILs) and Right to Information (RTI) as practical effective tools for mobilizing action. As a result, no self-respecting government can now be accused of being soft or insensitive to environmental issues, at least in rhetoric.

Third, judicial activism has gained traction. The Supreme Court established a quasi-judicial body called the “Central Empowered Committee” (CEC) in 2002 to “monitor the implementation of the Hon’ble Court’s orders and place reports of non-compliance before the Court” concerning forestry issues, giving the committee broad powers. Since then, CEC has been an active watchdog on forestry issues, working quietly and efficiently. In popular perception, it was judicial action that forced the government to convert the entire fleet of buses in Delhi to CNG in 2001. A series of impromptu interventions by the court culminated in establishing a National Green Tribunal in 2011 as a professional empowered judicial body to adjudicate environmental and forestry-related cases.

As a result of these developments, the latest fad is “balancing” growth and environmental protection. This is a breath of fresh air in vocabulary. But have we discovered the proper mechanisms for striking such a balance? 

Not yet: Environmental issues are hotly debated, from the Sardar Sarovar Dam to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant to Kanpur’s polluting tanneries. Over the last few years, the National Green Tribunal has heard over 1,600 cases, which is only the tip of the iceberg.

Thus, at what cost do we proceed with our buildout? 

Toward a brighter future for the upcoming generations to look at should be our prime focus rather than handing them a world full of concrete and rust, we should keep our center of attention towards providing them with a new and nourishing environment where their minds and body thrive with health and joy rather than forcing them into a world where they know no humble but only brutal growth. 

Same-Sex Marriage: A look at India’s progress

By:- Viraaj Kumar Kulshreshtha

India is known worldwide for our reverence, respect, and tendency to have large and extravagant weddings. Yet, a portion of our population has been denied the right to have their union constitutionally recognized. Same-sex marriage is one of the most contentious issues and is not limited to India.
It has been one of the issues at the forefront of the culture war between political parties. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is also the cause that political parties unanimously stand against. It is then imperative that we look at and review India’s progress regarding its treatment of non-cis-hetero-conforming individuals.
The landmark decision decriminalizing same-sex marriage after the Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India case made India among the last significant countries to reach this point. However, this wasn’t an easy road for the LGBTQIA+ community, forcing them to fight for their fundamental rights for the longest time.
However, activists supporting the LGBTQIA+ community have long been active in India. In 1992, the first protest for gay rights in India after independence was held. It was a protest against the then prevalent practise of police harassing and detaining men suspected of homosexuality.

In 2007, Article 377 was recognized by the Delhi High Court to be a violation of the Fundamental Right to Life granted to a person, along with a few other legal prohibitions. As a result of this ruling, combined with the High Court ruling applied to Pan India, the Ministry of Home Affairs expressed its opposition to the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2012, followed by a complete stance reversal by the ministry a few days after they initially expressed their opposition.
Amongst the women’s rights activists, Kiran Bedi is often cited as the person who broke many barriers for women to enter male-dominated fields. Unfortunately, when it came to the LGBTQIA+ community, it seemed as if she was setting up obstacles for other marginalized groups in society. When LGBTQIA+ activists requested the inmates be educated and provided with preventative measures for AIDS, Kiran Bedi strongly opposed it and threatened increased surveillance of the suspected gay detainees.
In December 2015, a bill to repeal Article 377 was raised but was rejected by a majority of the house against the bill. Following this, there were many organized movements for LGBTQIA+ rights in almost every subsequent year leading up to the 2018 decision to repeal the article. Even the supposedly progressive UPA alliance made itself one of the biggest roadblocks throughout the journey to repealing the article.
This is just the preamble to the main concern at hand, the legalization, and acknowledgement of gay marriage in India. Given the present scenario, what is highly outdated and causes a hurdle for same-sex marriage legalization in India is the different marriage acts for each major religion. Activists have been fighting for a uniform civil code for a really long time. When in 2018, the ruling party BJP, showed its support, there was a glimmer of hope that this might pave the way for the amendment of marriage acts to include LGBTQIA+ people.
Unsurprisingly, it was evident that the only goal of the proposal was to cause communal strife when in 2020, the union minister clarified that same-sex marriage was not even in consideration for the proposal. The legal battles started as soon as 2018 with the Shakti Vahini v. Union of India, where it was argued that a consenting adult has the choice of who to marry despite their gender.
The court, however, ruled in a vague manner, which activists say might be interpreted as a pseudo recognition under the Special Marriage Act after joint reading. There were three significant cases in 2020 which were all dismissed by the Union Government –
1.Abhijit Iyer Mitra & Ors v. Union of India;
2.Dr Kavita Arora & Anr v. Union of India; and
3.Vaibhav Jain & Anr v. Union of India.
In January 2021, it was stated that the government had to focus more on the pandemic being a bigger problem. This response was infuriating and somewhat ironic when one considers the incompetency and the inability displayed by the government once the second wave hit India. It is pretty evident that the government was deliberating on the pandemic when in 2020, a bill to set up a central council for homeopathy, a known pseudo-science, was promulgated.
Besides the hurdles mentioned above, there were plenty of minor hurdles that the community as a whole had to overcome. The first amongst these was the presence of misinformation being spread to the public thanks to various social media networks and other forms of media. One of the biggest threats to the existence of homosexuality in rural India is honor killing, where the children are killed by their families if they commit an act that brings “shame” to them. The acts range from inter-caste marriage, homosexuality, or even wearing jeans.
There is an additional layer of misogyny while talking about women and girls as it brings into the context that women are statistically more likely to be victims of crimes such as Honour Killing. On a smaller scale, the disproportionate acts that affect women, such as using gender essentialist language, discouraging inter-caste marriage, or talking about how they should dress, also negatively affect any progress made in LGBTQIA+ rights.
There are two ways to approach these micro and macro issues. We can either use a top-down or bottom-up approach where we change laws or the minds of the masses. However, coming from the top is easier because amending and changing laws has a trickle-down effect and has been successful worldwide. While only one of them would not be enough to ensure a smooth transition into an age of acceptance, as we direct more resources to fight the unjust laws, we also need to slowly change the populace’s view through positive representation in the media.
Even if this seems like an uphill struggle, we need to fight to the top, and if any group is shown to persevere throughout the ages, it is the people of the LGBTQIA+ community. It is also important to remember the progress we have achieved to fuel our future battles. We see an apparent increase in public acceptance of same-sex marriage from 29% in a 2015 poll to 44% in 2021.
We should also be proud of and secure the better treatment of transgender people even when compared to supposedly developed countries like the United States of America or the UK.
Compared to these countries, a country like ours can study and review the laws and the subsequent progress of other countries, amalgamating them to form the best possible environment for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, helping them to feel more comfortable in their skin. It is always helpful for us to be hopeful that same-sex marriage, conversion therapy bans, and adoption rights issues are only looked at in retrospect in the next couple of years.

Caption – India is known worldwide for our reverence, respect, and tendency to have large, extravagant weddings. Still, a portion of our population has been denied the right to have their union constitutionally recognized. Same-sex marriage is one of the most contentious issues and is not limited to India. Over the years, there have been many cases that have been important for the LGBTQ+ Community. Join us as we go over India’s progress when it comes to Same-Sex marriage.

On post: Same-sex marriage is one of the most contentious issues and is not limited to India. It has been one of the issues at the forefront of the culture war between political parties. It is then imperative that we look at and review India’s progress regarding its treatment of non-cis-hetero-conforming individuals.

He Couldn’t Really Break Free

By: Vishal Agrawal

Mr. Martin died a peaceful death they said. There were no signs of pain or agony. His wife gave her condolences and came down to sit beside her son. When almost everyone was about to go, a man went up to the podium and called attention to him. It was as if they knew him from somewhere. All of them had seen him some time, somewhere. 

When that man read out Martin’s note, everyone was moved. They somewhat understood where this was going. He knew the actual Martin. For everyone, Martin was the ideal male role model. He led the ideal life as social norms defined it.

Nobody really believed it when the letter claimed he never truly loved his wife. Everyone thought they were the ideal couple. But his wife didn’t seem surprised. She appeared to have known bout this all along. His kids appeared to be experiencing a life-changing shock. The scenario goes back to the 1960s.

He told it all in his letter. Martin had his first crush in his college days. “I realized I was unique after I lived in the men’s dorm. I still wasn’t able to speak it aloud.”Being gay in those years was not considered natural. He felt loneliness creeping over him as he thought he could never find love.

He never felt attracted to girls, when everybody around him was. For the longest time, he believed something was wrong with him. There was no representation for somebody like him, there was no validation.

In front of his parents and friends, he explained how he was able to act normally. What would one do if you were unable to communicate but were confined within your body with your brain still functioning? How can you maintain your sanity when everyone you know and love cannot see you? He claims that as a young boy, he had a weird coma. As his mind started to work again, he was left with nothing but his own thoughts. He was confined and had nothing to do except think. Additionally, they weren’t exactly pleasant ideas.

“Nobody will ever be kind to me. I’ll never be loved by anyone.”

And of course, there was no way out. You are doomed, he believed.

He concluded that leaving his ideas behind was his only choice. According to conventional conventions, he continued acting normally. Even though he had a crush on a boy in college, he nevertheless made friends with a girl, She fell in love with him and the two of them eventually got together. Even though he had no idea why he was deceiving himself, he was aware that something was wrong. He continued living in his cocoon, He didn’t know that coming out was really an option. He married the girl and had two children, but he always felt incomplete. When he told his wife one day, she didn’t really believe him.” You can’t be gay”, she said in response. It was a challenge rather than a command. She implied that he was definitely not gay.

But by expressing that, he felt better. He didn’t care if she believed him or not. He got to hope when he saw advertisements for a gay Bar. He started going out and meeting new people, people like him. He met different people, He met a man who was very different. He was quite older but Martin’s world slid when he was around him. Martin began to have feelings toward him. He could sense movement all around him. He felt like himself for the first time. The man reading the letter wiped his eyes and said, “yes, that was me.”

 He realized what it was like to be joyful and in love for the first time. He was too delighted to give it much thought, even though he knew what he was doing was wrong for his family. He then began the relationship in private. His family could never know about this. Alongside his daily responsibilities, he did enjoy this. Later, he was promoted to manager at work.

He was really skilled at living a double life – but still, he knew something was missing.

All he wanted to do was live freely, and come out. But he knew in his heart that he was powerless to do so. He lived his life, took care of his obligations, and retired early. He remained faithful to his partner and carried out his marriage vows till the very end. But he had split apart somewhere between social pressure and love. He led a normal life for so many years, but what others didn’t realize was what was going on inside his head. Others watched in surprise as Mr. Martin’s true love wiped his tears stepping down from the podium. All were wondering how a seemingly flawless man could be so sad for years and realize that true happiness was found elsewhere and still couldn’t enjoy it to the fullest. 

Be An Ally To The Trans Community

By: Devla Pandey

Happy Pride Month! 

This article will be focused on awareness about the ‘T’ in ‘LGBTQIA’ which stands for Transgender. 

The first step involved to be an ally to the trans community is to be aware of some facts and definitions. The word ‘Transgender’ is an adjective denoting or relating to a person whose sense of gender identity does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender identity is the internal sense of being male, female, or something else, for trans people does not match their birth sex. A transgender woman was labelled as male at birth but has the gender identity of a female. A transgender man was assigned female sex at birth but identifies as male. Some transgender people don’t identify with one gender exclusively or no gender at all. These transgender people are often described as being “non-binary.” Another term that is sometimes used to describe people in this category is “genderqueer.” The opposite of transgender is cisgender, people who identify as cis conform to their sex at birth. 

Another important piece of information is that gender identity is not the same as sexual orientation. The latter term is used to describe a person’s innate preference for romantic or sexual relationships with men, women, or both sexes. Heterosexual/straight people are attracted to members of the opposite sex. Homosexual people (gays and lesbians) are attracted to people of the same sex. Bisexual people are attracted to both men and women. Transgender people may be straight, gay or lesbian, or bisexual. The flag that represents the transgender community was designed by American trans woman Monica Helms. It is a light blue, pink and white pent-colour pride flag. 

Secondly, we must acknowledge their struggles. Being a marginalised community, they’ve been oppressed and discriminated against for the majority of recorded history. Trans people are denied equal access to key social goods, such as employment, health care, education and housing. They’re marginalized in society and one of the weaker sections who are at risk of becoming socially excluded. Daily experiences such as not having separate toilet facilities; they have to use male toilets where they are prone to sexual assault and harassment and having to fill up application forms that use sex and gender interchangeably. The exclusion and discrimination have extremely affected the mental health of transgender persons. Stigmatization of gender-nonconforming and transgender children and youth is amplified in the educational system, which mirrors the rest of society in reinforcing strictly binary and patriarchal gender norms. Transphobia exists, which causes a lot of distress to trans people. Transphobia manifests itself in different forms, for example, physical attacks, discrimination in the workplace and negative media representation. Apart from it all, trans people also deal with gender dysphoria in many cases. It is a condition that causes distress and discomfort when the gender you identify with conflicts with the sex that you were assigned at birth. 

Lastly, we should express our openness and acceptance. The majorities of Transgender people learn to cope, particularly when they have the support of family and friends, and participate in Transgender organizations and social networks. Thus it is crucial to vocally support and fight alongside them against the discrimination they face. Normalise introducing yourself with your pronouns and not make assumptions about others’ pronouns. Be respectful and mindful of phrases or terms that are gendered. Also, consider donating to organizations that support and aid transgender people. Wish them a happy pride month, with a gentle smile!

One World, One Heart, One Pride

By: Gaurpriya Singh Roy

“Loving yourself is the greatest revolution,” proven by the LGBTQ+ community just by doing the most mundane thing: fighting for love, 

Love-a language misunderstood and mistaken. Hence, the month of pride brings to us the opportunity to know and explore the lengths of magnitude people have gone to for the sake of love.

Many consider the month of pride to just mean the celebration of sexuality, but Pride Month is an entire month dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQ voices, a celebration of LGBTQ culture, and the support of LGBTQ rights. Throughout June, nationwide, there have traditionally been parades, protests, drag performances, live theatre, memorials, and celebrations of life for members of the community who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. It is part political activism, part celebration of all the LGBTQ community has achieved over the years. Hence, the community knows the actual struggle for this piece of joy acquired.

Over the years, celebrating Pride has grown, not just in numbers within the LGBTQ community but also in popularity. This is wonderful but also presents a few problems. While people stand by watching corporations selectively jump on the bandwagon for a few weeks, the LGBTQ community has to live the truth and support each other all year long.

The month is a monograph of mixed emotions, perspectives, and celebrations—celebrations of not only emotions but also of people, their struggles and joys; mourning their losses and applauding their accomplishments. Although in reality, just a month could never be enough to acknowledge the profundity of joy and sorrow, this one month does sure serve its initial purpose of spreading awareness. ‘The biggest idealism about pride is about hope’, The purpose of this commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

They say LGBT people are not people, they are just an ideology. Living in a place where people are dehumanized, we, as individuals, community or not, have to find ways to help, support, and fight for basic rights.

In conclusion, to me, pride refers to the freedom of expressing one’s true self—one that has been masquerading beneath government policies fuelled by orthodox societal norms—specifically those about homophobia—for a very long time. Pride Month and celebrations aren’t just about watching drag queens throw t-shirts from a float or buying items with a rainbow on them. Pride matters for many reasons beyond this and is much more than a few events in the summer. Activists and campaigners have certainly played a crucial role in bringing about what can be seen as a major turn of events in terms of the increasing numbers of egalitarian and human rights cuts across communities throughout the globe. It means celebrating the victories of what the community has achieved so far and also a revolt against what we’re still being deprived of. Thus, pride is and will be a ceaseless fight.

Masked Love

By: Anagha V

“Dear Friend,

Occasionally, when I lay down and closed my eyes, I used to feel like a skatefish in pisciculture. Bleak lifelessness around me – a world drained of joy. They only saw in black and white, do you realize?

The funny thing is, I swam around. I floated around like a little plastic toy, discarded into the vast ocean by some rich spoilt kid. As light, weightless, and wasted. I felt my fins and tail as I traversed the water, the strong current against them. 

My teachers had always told my parents that I was a queer child and that I daydreamed too often. Maybe they did get some part of it right, but I never dared to make the pun evident. Who are dreamers but lost souls, right? 

My room used to be no different from my terror of a thought loop. It was almost like a black hole, everything sucked you in, and you lost your nature. You know, like the universe is no longer to be governed by the Laws of Senses. If absurdism gets narrowed down, the only thing defined in it would be human hypocrisy. They ask you to love and then say you are not supposed to. They preach to you to be true to yourself but accept only sugar-coated lies. I know.

My school was no better. It was not like my friends were any kinder. Their images flickered in and out of my daily life like a television channel on a poor signal. Despite being left with all these people around me, I was permitted only to use one bland, broken communication device. Will they ever know me for who I truly am? And then I’m in the pond again, my form obscuring my vision. Would it have changed who I am? Would I have forgotten who I was? I am glad you were there through all this. 

At times I used to feel like this life was a conspiracy. But then you told me about the other colorful, joyous worlds I could spiral into when I was lost. Maybe all everyone in such a wicked world as mine needs is an ally. Things did not seem as hard. I finally had the courage to stand up for myself. You were not right by my side physically, true. But you were with me, in your heart. That is more than anything I wanted or needed. All this suffocation of shutting myself inside is finally off my shoulder, and I just wanted to say thank you.”

People are often just scared to speak up for themselves. They have to realize that what makes them unique is everything about them- their age, gender, identity, sexuality, interests, and whatnot. The pride community is not for today’s relief or tomorrow’s comfort. It is a movement for as long as it takes. And it is home. To love is human, and to love is divine.

Pride and Disprejudice

By: Dibyan Goswami

“Genders are like twin towers, earlier there were two but now it’s just a sensitive subject”. This is exactly what is wrong with our perception of gender, gender in itself is not a sensitive or confusing subject but it is our arrogance that makes it so. The fact is straight-forward, gender is not a discrete spectrum but rather a continuous spectrum of human identities. It is nothing to be afraid of or to be disgusted with but rather a change that should be welcomed with warmth as it is this change of gender identity that accommodates fellow humans as humans.

Disagreers would often say how earlier there was no mention of LGBTQ ever and gender was binary. But that’s exactly where we go wrong, if we were to broaden the time upto which our “earlier” extended, that is, if we go back to the ancient world, there was never any mention of LGBTQ because there was no concept of heterosexual or homosexual relationships. There was no “us” and “them”, it was only “us” and it was all about loving who one liked. In fact, same sex-relationships were highly common in Mesopotamia. In ancient Mesopotamia, god Enki is said to have created a third-gender as servants for his daughter, thus, the non-binary gender was recognised thousands of years ago as the third gender. The Almanac of Incantations contains prayers for both opposite and same-sex marriage proving how gods even blessed same-sex relationships.

Records dating back to 600 BCE refer to same sex-relationships in China where it was believed that the upper class lover would dignify the lower class lover, bringing prosperity into his life. Chinese literature is home to several poems and anecdotes on same-sex relationships, one of these known as “the cut sleeve” tells how emperor Ai was resting with his lover Dong Xian who had fallen asleep on Ai’s robe. Instead of waking up Dong Xian, emperor Ai instead cut off his sleeve so that his lover could sleep peacefully and went to attend court in a disheveled state. Isn’t this a very wholesome story? There is nothing wrong in bringing back a tradition that can be home to thousands of such wholesome stories.

Back in 1250 BCE, the Indian law code, Manusmriti treats both same-sex and oppsite-sex relationships equally and the Kama Sutra references the third gender too. While the third gender (Hijra) is marginalized in present day India, there is nothing in ancient scriptures that marginalizes them. Our culture is undoubtedly one of the richest cultures in the world and we should be proud of it. While we talk of returning to our traditional values, it is still a taboo to talk about same-sex relationships. While the ancient Indian culture never stigmatized same-sex relationships and transgenders, “modern-day” Indian culture does, surprisingly, same-sex relationships in India were made illegal by a colonial era law establised by the Britishers. Now, in modern-day British culture, same-sex relationships are being welcomed as an indication of a more “modern”, self-aware and educated society. Irony lies in the fact that our society was always more welcoming and wholesome for the third gender and same-sex relationsips.

Thus, talks about pride month shouldn’t really trigger us or make us feel uncomfortable, rather they should act as a reminder of our ancient culture that made India the richest country at one point of time, home to the strongest empires and housing the most diverse and rich culture. Hence, as an Indian we should proudly talk about same-sex relationships and rights for the LGBTQ+ community. In the end, it is all about loving who you like as love knows no gender.

The Old City Of Ahmedabad, Segregation And History

By – T S Venkat Narayanan

Ahmedabad or Amdavad is a city in the western state of Gujarat and the only city in India to be listed on world heritage sites. It is also called the Manchester of the East, but funnily Kanpur is also called the same however Ahmedabad lost a lot of its mills to competition from other places due to which many had to shut down rendering around 40-50,000 people jobless.

I went to Ahmedabad for a few days some time ago and I just can’t shut up about it. The old city of Amdavad lies on the eastern bank of Amdavad and is a walled city with around 12 gates which don’t serve much of a purpose other than being landmarks and a few looking absolutely magnificent.

The eastern side is congested and cramped with small roads, with shops everywhere. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that everything one could buy with money could be bought in this part of the city. Clothes, pipes, toys, bicycles, diamonds- Old Ahmedabad has it all. 

There is a certain legend about the most bustling that a few centuries ago a woman was leaving the city in a hurry. When stopped at the gate by a guard and asked why she was leaving, she said   “I’m leaving your king’s kingdom. I cannot stay here anymore.” The guard a little confused, asked her to promise to him that she’ll stay where she is as he has to go and ask the king about what had to be done. The lady promises.

And the guard never comes back. He kills himself. That lady was Goddess Lakshmi and she never left the city. 

It is said if you have anything to sell and set up a stall or a shop, it would be sold within a day. Even if the thing is completely useless or devoid of value.

Teen Darwaza and the market around it. It stretches for a kilometre

The old city has the railway station at the heart of it, and various religious places sprinkled generously around it. Hindu and Jain temples and mosques all co-exist peacefully within a few 100 metres of each other. 

Hatheesing Temple

Swaminarayan Mandir

Jama Masjid

The city is incredibly religious and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that probably every street has its own temple or mosque. 

This begs the question – why did this city experience such violent communal riots in 2002?

The answer isn’t so simple. And the riots in 2002 weren’t the only ones it had seen in its history. The old city has been seeing communal violence for the past 300 years. Yes, even before coming under British rule the city which boasts of having the Sabarmati Ashram has experienced communal riots and has seen almost 100 riots since independence and this city has had the most deaths in such violence across the entire nation.

This leads to people of the different communities having distrust towards one another and also led to segregation. Segregation led to people becoming self-sufficient in themselves and finding it difficult to mix with people from other communities which leads to the mistrust between them deepening. This also leads to development of stereotypes for all sorts of people. And this makes it easier for more such communal violence to take place.

The green represents the density of Muslim population in Ahmedabad

And even in the Hindu areas, people prefer to live with people who belong to the same profession or caste. Such neighbourhoods are called pols. These neighbourhoods have usually 2 entrances/exits and some secret exits to be used in case of emergency or violence.

Around 40% of Ahmedabad comes under the Disturbed Areas Act which is very controversial. According to this law, a person cannot sell their house to a person from some other community without the approval of the district collector to ensure ‘the property has been sold on their free will and at a fair market price’. 

Even though the intent behind the law sounds good, it has been misused by some miscreants.

And what makes things worse is when the Chief Minister of Gujarat says  “A Hindu selling property to a Muslim is not okay. Muslims selling property to Hindus are also not okay.” He added, “We have set this rule in areas where there have been riots to tell them (Muslims) that they must buy property in their own areas.” 

Fortunately, the city hasn’t been through such violence for 20 years. But with the polarised and communalised environment, one can just pray for the best. Khushwant Singh writes in his 2003 novel ‘the end of India’- “…Gujarat’s capital, Ahmedabad, was built by a Muslim ruler in the middle ages. I noticed that milestones on the main highway leading to the city had dropped Ahmed from its name and made it into Amdavad.”

It is our duty to prevent this increasing communalisation that happens for political wins. 

One way this is done is through re-writing history, exaggerating specific facts and situations to make the community they are trying to appease, look wronged.

While new ideas emerge with time leading to us viewing the history through a different perspective, however, this cannot be equated with the kind of re-writing fascist groups do nowadays. This shall lead to cultures losing their identity and uniqueness. People brought up in such an environment develop a closed mind and shall not be open to new experiences, people and things.

Such loss of cultural heritage will also lead to monotony which is something that is not synonymous with our country at all.

And at this moment, M.K Gandhi’s quote stands more relevant than ever.

‘No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.’