Through the Looking Glass

Stories of women subverting their circumstances as seen by some of India’s top women photographers

In Damdama, near Gurgaon, Priyanka, a Class 11 student, stands at a local temple where newlyweds mark their fingerprints. She was a preteen when she was married off. Seven years on, she’s hoping to delay her gauna, the ritual sendoff to her in-laws’ home. In her diary, she writes, “Don’t shackle me with marriage.”

Red Brigade conducts a self-defense class at a school in Ramgarh, Rajasthan. The Lucknow-based NGO is run by survivors of sexual assault. They impart personal safety training to young women, and hold awareness campaigns to strengthen voices against violence and oppression of women.

Pink police officers patrol a locality in Thiruvananthapuram. Pink Police Patrol, an initiative by the Kerala police, consists of only female police officers to provide a sense of security to women and children in public spaces. As of now, there are three vehicles and 32 officers dedicated to the unit.