Wokal Issue 07 March 2021

WOKAL Issue

CARAVAN Featuring Visual Artist Shumaila Masood

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Interview with Maaya Mattoo

SEXUAL FLUIDITY

Exploring the flexible spectrum

7

|

March

2021

How To Avoid Going Numb After Learning About Your Insignificance

about the boisterous insignificance of existence THE GOAL:

Notes on power dressing

THE ANATOMY OF AN IDEAL WOMAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Special

C R E D I T S WOKAL

Editor in Chief: Alina Ahmed Editor: Aabiyah Zehra Layouts & Design: Shumaila Masood, Alina Ahmed Cover Photo by Aabiyah Zehra Cover Model: Sheikh Almaas Islam Cover Design by Aabiyah Zehra

Section Heads Director, Art and Layout : Alisha Hussain Director of Photography : Aabiyah Zehra Fashion: Sneha Barua Makeup: Hitashi Food: Ikshita Bhatia Photography : Itu Dutta and Aabiyah Zehra Arts and Creativity : Alina Ahmed & Shumaila Masood Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Reji and Kashish Chopra Pet Care: Dakshita Mitra Travel: Vanshika Seth Culture: Jigisha Sharma (Fashion) & Vinay Agrawal (Pop Culture) Reviews: Mehak Pasricha Columnists: Hiba & Dakshita Mitra Social Media and PR: Maahin Saeed and Sakshi Madaan

Interview Courtesy Maaya Mattoo (@maayamattoo) Caravan Shumaila Masood (@kleur_shades) MARCH 2021 • ISSUE 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In This Issue The Anatomy of a woman

04

Melodies with Maaya

09

(Interview feature)

Evolution of the Humble Toothpaste

15

Caravan: Stories to share

19

(Ft. Shumaila Masood)

The Art of Long Exposure Photography 52

Herstory The Goal

23 Notes on Power dressing

26

Food, Colour & Life

33

Cook Hour

37

Eat Healthy. Live Well

Makeup-ish

Multipurpose makeup use

A reminder to self

40 48

Tea with Sib

56

A literal love for Greek Mythology

62

Sexual Fluidity

67

A letter to the Tiger Baby

71

How to avoid going numb after learning about your insignificance

75

Bond On!

81

ISSUE 7 |

MAR 2021

| WOKAL MAG

CELEBRATE YOUR BODY Adoring your true self and exploring her further is the moto of the year

BREAKING THE LABEL OF THE IDEAL WOMAN

COVERSTORY OF THE MONTH

The Anatomy of a Woman

BY ALINA AHMED

EDITOR IN CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR COVER MODEL PHOTOGRAPHER

Alina Ahmed Aabiyah Zehra Sheikh Almaas Islaam Aabiyah Zehra

How many times have they told you that you are what they think of you?

How many times have you believed them? How many times have they defined your worth by their standards? How many times have you been labelled a variety of terms for being your true self? The answer may vary but I am very sure that most of you relate to the pangs of being casted into preset norms of patriarchal structures and even a slight deviation from the same leads to the label of an outcast.

For human beings it is as difficult to be perfect as it is to be similar in mind and thought. Women as a whole, have carried on the pressures of various social institutions on their backs. They are more than ever expected to stick to one fundamental image of the ‘Ideal woman.’

By Alina Ahmed

A woman's body is still a matter of debate of the state, religion, and then other patriarchal stakeholders, never her own discretion.

Although we have come a long way from fighting for our Voting rights, little did we know that almost a hundred years after, we will still have very limited controls over our own anatomy. A woman's body is still a matter of debate of the state, religion, and then other patriarchal stakeholders, never her own discretion. Along the way women’s voices have deemed little authority from various social hierarchies, not because they lack credibility

because society doesn't allow for women to wield their voice and power, Their sole aim is to reduce the duty of a woman to procreation, household sanctity and motherly affections. To think that a body gifted for procreation limited by this very fact is ridiculous. Even the choice of procreation is not vested in the being.

From a very young age, women have been told to hate their natural bodies and to cast themselves into the stencil of an ‘ideal woman’. Anything normal and natural such as body hair, body odours, period blood, cellulite and sexual desires has been disassociated with women, only to make them guilty of something which is seen absolutely natural in the other gender. We have to stop seeing women as glorified mortal beings that put family before their own selves. We have to stop expecting them to be on a pedestal as a selfless giver, only to give them basic human rights, and power over their own anatomies.

One strong influence that has resulted in stereotyping an ideal image of women, is that of the world’s media. The portrayal is nothing more than a caricature, an image which is not a reality but a fantasy. Feeding this fantasy is made to be the role of every woman and thus we start to reject who could not possibly meet it. Sometimes, our own selves.

The question thus arises, why did women give their sole power to the state, or did they?

While society is somehow changing the ways of portraying the real woman, it is still a far cry of what we experience in real life. Creating a space where we give bodily phenomena their due acknowledgement and discrediting devices and structures that promote a false body image is the way forward. We cannot expect women to give away endlessly and to demand nothing in return. Women all around the world need to acknowledge their existence as they are, not letting capitalism tell them otherwise. It’s high time that we adore the woman we see in the mirror than to be constantly telling her that she is not worth it, for once believing that what you hear is not the fact but an opinion. It is time to give back to social orders, break free of all labels and adore our true selves, the body that we live in, because at the end of the day, it is where we return to, and call home.

MAR 2021 ISSUE 07 WOKAL MAG

MELODIES WITH MAAYA INTERVIEW FEATURE

THE ROLLING STONE

BUCKET LIST MUSIC

In conversation with Maaya Mattoo, rising music artist

Been featured in the December 2020 issue of the Rolling Stone India

Read on to discover some enthralling music by the artist

THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS Maaya's proudest moments and her time spent in the quarantine.

Madhulika, aka Maaya Mattoo, describes herself as and Acoustic R&B artist who's latest single Memories For now, is a treat for all music stakeholders and otherwise. The artist was also proudly featured in the Dec 2020 Issue of the Rolling Stone India. In a conversation with Alina Ahmed and Aabiyah Zehra, Maaya talks about the art of going with the flow, her journal and her talents. Excerpts:

Q1. What is one thing that you have done that you’re most proud of?

Maaya: Things that I’m proud of are a few chains of events which start from when I became the Vice President of Orpheus, the Western Music Society of Miranda House.

Also releasing my originals and most proud was when my 2nd single ‘Blue Over You’ did well and got me into Rolling Stone India and I was featured in their December 2020 issue.

Q2. Do you have something to say to aspiring singers who just need that one push to start pursuing their passion?

I wish someone told me this explicitly, but I feel that you need to hone and own your passion, and to do that all you need to do is practice a lot. Knowing mu-

-sic theories and knowing how the song comes together and what goes on with the band is of utmost importance for aspiring singers. In the end, I would say that just be more observant and know more about the space around you. That's how you’ll grow.

sic theories and knowing how the song comes together and what goes on with the band is of utmost importance for aspiring singers. In the end, I would say that just be more observant and know more about the space around you. That's how you’ll grow.

Q4. Where do you usually get your inspiration to write music from?

This may sound cliché but from everything that happens daily. It’s like anything can come first to my mindit can be the melody first or the guitar section first but usually it’s the lyrics for me. I would say that journaling about everything that happens daily is where I get all the inspiration to write music.

Q3. When did you start music?

I’ve always been into music but officially started when I was 3. I started with Indian Classical training and finished my years of training when I was in Grade 7 or 8. Then slowly started with instruments like guitar, keyboard and eventually the ukulele. Even started with Western music at this point.

Q5. Your new song, ‘Memories, For Now’, what does it mean to you?

This one is special to me as I’ve explored many different techniques, and the song is about facing a block in the year that has passed because of lack of inspiration, to overcome that block this was my outlet to find back my roots again, and just wanted to end the year on a good note.

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

Q6. What is your creative process like?

To be very frank I don’t sit and think or plan out things, I usually go with the flow. It's never decided for me how long the song is going to be or how many verses it is going to have. Plus I don’t like things to be planned or jotted down. My creative process is very fluid and I just simply go with the flow.

Q7. How would you describe the music you typically create?

As we can see there are so many genres and so many art forms, so it's just too difficult to categorize. But if I had to I would describe it as Acoustic Driven R&B.

Q8. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I’ve been given is to chill out, just go with your gut feeling and be original as originality is key.

IMPROMPTU The Rapid-Fire Round!

If you were a fictional character, which one would you be?

Julie Andrews from the movie ‘The Sound Of Music’.

A song that describes your personality the best.

Ain’t no Sunshine by Bill Withers, Rehab

by Amy Winehouse and Sultans of Swing

by Dire Straits.

If you were a type of coffee, which one would you be?

Caramel Latte Any good local artists/businesses that you discovered recently?

There’s this one Ruska Clothing I recently discovered and love their shirts; another one is Darjeeling Connection, they sponsor local artists and bring them forth; and Shop Lune to shop for jewellery.

If you could eat only one cuisine your entire life, what would it be?

Kashmiri cuisine and anything from grandma’s kitchen, honestly.

The book you last read.

Jazz by Toni Morrison.

A novel based movie that was able to match your expectations.

The Colour Purple by Steven Spielberg8.

uEvoluTinoftphaesHmble ISSUE 7 • WOKAL MAG • MARCH 2021

VINAY AGRAWAL

ISSUE 7 • WOKAL MAG • MARCH 2021

Once considered Plain-Jane, various brands have taken it upon themselves to reinvent the selfeffacing toothpaste be it in terms of Gen Z friendly packaging or form.

Our Morningside staple, toothpaste, is undergoing a makeover right under our nose, and witnessing a revival of sorts. It now feels as if it had gone clubbing or attended a climate seminar. In its new avatar, it has acquired a personality of a glamazonian, of a sustainability patron and of other kinds.

Toothpaste is no longer an introvert product; toothpaste of today, sits across the Myers & Brigg’s spectrum: ISTJ, ISTP, INTP and so on. One of my memories from childhood involves the OG charcoal tooth-powder, Bytco. A monthly item in the grocery list, the night black Bytco was used by a few adults for brushing their teeth daily.

Mostly used by the older demographic, Bytco was often the butt of jokes: a constant subject of humor. It was a sight to watch someone (usually an adult) brushing their teeth with Bytco or ‘black powder’, as it was commonly called.

As children we felt it stained teeth more than it cleaned. We were convinced that one day it will rot someone’s teeth or worse, make them black. In retrospect, Bytco was ahead of its times (Activated charcoal tooth-powders, I see you)!

Its whiter counterpart being Colgate tooth powder sold in a tin packaging. It is still sold that way, and in my opinion, has a very hipster like packaging. In fact, black looking oral care products are no longer mocked upon. They have garnered a forward image with charcoal emerging as a star ingredient for healthy gums and teeth.

ISSUE 7 • WOKAL MAG • MARCH 2021

One can today find vegan activated coconut charcoal tooth powder options (Urban Botanics, being one) that are gluten, cruelty and GMO free. Such powders not only detoxify the mouth, but also gently polish away stains caused by coffee, wine, and other foods you can't live without. These powders can last 250 uses, so don’t be fooled by their small appearance.

Big Tooth Paste Energy!

Using manjan sachets is also officially cooler now.

A Manjan sachet is basically, a toothpaste on the go and hence perfect for a travel outing.

The best part about them is that they contain a set quantity to be used one time.

Meet the new Generation of Toothpastes

On the other end of the toothpaste spectrum are toothpaste tablets.

Toothpaste tablets provide an altogether unique brushing experience. Here’s how they work: one has to unwrap the pack, pop the pill, chew them off and brush with a wet toothbrush. A few brands are betting big on the aesthetics, and re-engaging the audience with brushing. While Arata comes in a millennial pink fancy tube, Bioayurveda comes in a pump to cater to a ‘gram obsessed generation.

The buck doesn’t stop here. The brands are also reaching out to a newer audience category such as smokers by offering smoker specific toothpaste or luring the young user base through the use of popular culture mascots such as Motu & Patlu in case of Colgate.

Then there are new formulations, which makes me put out a fact for your attention. Did you know: Animal and human urine was one of ancient toothpaste ingredients?

Fret not; those ingredients have gone missing for good. At present, the herbal ingredients are having a moment from namak to aloe-vera, tulsi, tea-tree and chestnut.

I am reminded of a time I received a sample Aquafresh tube during my school days; it had a three color arrangement in red, white and blue resembling the flag of France.

Perhaps, it’s a matter of time a brand develops a paste in the shade of rainbow. I would be the first one to buy that.

• VINAY AGRAWAL •

MAR 2021 • ISSUE 7

CARAVAN STORIES TO SHARE

FEATURING SHUMAILA MASOOD

The Artistic Journey OF SHUMAILA MASOOD

Shumaila Masoodstudent and artist, usually found curating her artistic profile (@kleur_shades) on Instagram- talks to us about her passion for art and how her art account also helped her grow as a person along the process. Read further to know more about how being forced to stay at home brought about a whole new huddle of art and opportunities for artists like Shumaila.

Visually Aesthetic @KLEUR_SHADES

Colour plays an important role in the world that we live in. It can sway thinking, change actions, and cause reactions. Now, for a moment imagine, a life without colours. Everything around you becomes gloomy, melancholic and sluggish. Well, that is exactly how I felt in the beginning last year when the pandemic broke out and lockdown was imposed on the whole world. It is quite ironic that in this stillness I found myself motivated to start my art account called kleur shades.

"The word kleur is a Dutch word which means (as the pronunciation hints) colour."

From a young age I was quite inquisitive and the myriad colours of nature would always make me wonder in awe. This curiosity in a way motivated me to opt for Fine Arts for my graduation. During my studies I have also developed a keen interest in graphic art. Moreover, I constantly try to set goals for myself so I have something to strive towards. Through this page I try to express myself and connect with people through the medium of art. My motto in life is simple- “be the peace you crave for in this chaotic world”.

I started this page to find peace during my darker days, and in this one year I have not only managed to achieve that but also feel motivated by an extraordinary artist which I came across through this platform. All I can say is that my work over here is not done, but in fact it has just started. I wish to feel inspired as well as be the reason for inspiration for others.

MARCH 2021 || ISSUE.7

HERSTORY

A look at two women in photojournalis m during India’s Independence

BY ITU DUTTA

DALDA 13: PHOTOJOURNALIST & PIONEER Be it Queen Elizabeth at a fashion show in Delhi in 1961, or Jawaharlal Nehru and his sister or Dalai Lama entering through Nathu La in 1956 or the first Republic Day in 1950, through her lens she has immortalised these events and personalities into stories that have withstood the test of time. She is Homai Vyarawala, the first woman photojournalist of India who has been able to chronicle India’s journey towards Independence and the life after. The J.J. School of Arts alum went by the pseudonym Dalda 13, and began her career working for the Illustrated Weekly of India. With a camera resting on her saree draped shoulders, she pushed and shoved neck to neck to get to where the action was. Many concur that the Padma Vibhushan awardee was a revolutionary much ahead of the time. After four decades worth of active work, which saw her capturing famous political leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohandas, K. Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, etc., she retired resenting the culture of paparazzi that had evolved over the years. Her photographs are now present at Alkazi Foundation for Arts in Delhi.

MARCH 2021 || ISSUE.7 || WOKAL

Margaret Bourke-White

Many are familiar with the photograph of Mohandas K. Gandhi, bent over a spinning wheel associated which served as a marker for self reliance whilst the struggle for Independence. This photograph was captured by an American photojournalist, Margaret Bourke-White. She’s a woman of many firsts, some may know her to be the photographer of construction of Fort Peck Dam in the first issue of the Life Magazine, or as the first western photographer allowed to capture photographs of the Soviet industry or as the first known woman who was a war correspondent. Her work took her through Europe under the Nazis during WWII, to the Korean war and to the ravages of the partition in India. Some may say that she had luck on her side as she always happened to be at the right place at the right time, for instance, she had interviewed and photographed Mohandas K. Gandhi just hours before his assassination. However, the consensus is that her clear and undivided attention to getting assignments done, no matter of what significance resulted in her extraordinary oeuvre. Her works have been made into collections, featured in books and magazines. A Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh features sixty-six of her photographs in its 2006 edition.

By Itu Dutta

ISSUE 08 JULY 2021

DRESS TO EXPRESS The theory of how you dress is how you feel

FASHION IS SERIOUS Seemingly stylish and glamourously busy

WOMEN IN SUIT ARE NOT

CROSSFIT

By Sneha Barua

THE GOAL

HOW TO POWER DRESS YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

MARCH 2021

WOKAL MAGAZINE

You don’t need to impress anyone through clothes; intelligence is enough for that. But to express authority and commandment; well for that power dressing is a must. Power dressing is the unique style of an individual that shows their position and authority in business or at the workplace. When people advise you to dress for the position you thrive for; they say it rightly, as power dressing has a major impact on your career. Not only dressing, but your style, confidence, your body language, and the way you carry yourself matters equally.

ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL ADAGES STATES THAT YOU NEED TO ‘DRESS TO IMPRESS’. WHEREAS PEOPLE ALL OVER THE GLOBE ARE BREAKING THIS OLD IMPRESSION TO A NEW ONE WHICH SAYS – DRESS TO EXPRESS.

The charm and suave that oozes through power dressing is definite and extraordinary for people who want to make a mark in this rat race of climbing the corporate ladder. What is one common thing among all the celebrities, political icons, business tycoons, and iconic influencers? Their command, their authority, and of course their dressing; and interestingly enough it is all interlinked like a chain. Power dressing states authority, which in turn makes you respect the person who is in command. When it is said that sharp and crisp dressing gives you a morale boost; it also makes others see you with a different perspective.

MARCH 2021

Gone are the days where formals and blazers were donned by the male section of society. Women power players make an equally powerful statement in the present corporate scenario; with tailor-made and haute-couture suits, blazers, and formals. The corporate ladder has turned into a runway for the female protagonists; who are giving leadership and authoritative goals, and showing bold courage for work and career goals. We will show you many ways to power dress, but ditch the mainstream coat and pants, and make it fashionable making heads turn with your presence.

WOKAL MAGAZINE

MARCH 2021

WOKAL MAGAZINE

TOP 6 STYLES

TO POWERDRESS AT YOUR WORKPLACE Essence of Embroidery Whether it’s an embroidery on the top or the bottom, it will add that extra little spice to your boss outfit.

Monochrome Monochrome suits are the new trend.

White screams class, elegance and power, take a high waisted straight legged pant, a blazer of the same colour and to make the outfit stand out, wear a satin top underneath.

Carry an accent clutch and you’re ready to take on the world.

SNEHA BARUA

Welcome back to the Lace!

Lace is a piece that is bold and elegant at the same time. To make your power dress a bit fun, pair up lace tops or corset with your basic suit. You could also wear a lace dress, and throw on a blazer of the same colour to look powerful yet fashionable.

MARCH 2021

ISSUE 07

Earthy Tones Suits are commonly worn in black or whites, however earthy tones like shades of brown or nude can make head turn. You could ditch the under top to have fun with your look and carry a purse of the same colour to give monochrome vibes.

Pop the short skirt Have some fun with colours while dressing up, go all out with a yellow co-ord, or rock your workplace with some pastel suits. Shorts and blazers are taking over the world, the combination is chic, powerful and fashionable.

Rock the biker shorts The new Instagram fashion trend, the cycling shorts can also be an item while you power dress, go for black biker shorts, high waisted, take a black crop top and wear a nude or any contrasted colour blazer over it. Accessorize the look with layered golden chains and a wrist watch. Wear white chunky sneakers and some bossy shades and you’re ready to be the Kardashian of your own powerful world.

Food, Colour & Life!

By Ananya Chawla

CELEBRATING THE FESTIVAL OF HOLI

ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

WOKAL

Imagine you are walking across a street with people laughing, throwing coloured powder at each other, faces masked with a profusion of colours, no rules for the day, just having the time of their lives. Sounds like utopia right? This is what Holi in India looks like. This festival of colours could be one of the most beautiful celebrations in India. While most festivals involve a certain scale of tradition and rituals, Holi is all about having a good time with our loved ones and of course, with a huge variety of scrumptious delicacies.

Holi is a festival of harmony and joy. Wearing your new kurta pajamas and playing Gulal with the youth is what makes Holi one of my favorite festivals.

So, imagining the celebration of such a charged and electric festival without lip smacking food would be next to impossible. With a shot of water guns and splashes of colors, Holi has some signature dishes as well. India being a secular country has many different tastes and cultures embedded in it but Holi helps to bring all these famous tastes and unique cultures together.

ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

Food is something that people all over the world prefer to have when it comes to meeting and connecting with people and what is a better opportunity to connect if not over a diverse colour pallet flying around.

For an outsider, Holi may seem like a playground of paint fight or well, paintball itself but to us Indians, it is one of the most important and favored festivals. The true essence of Holi however lies in relishing the mouth watering delicacies of Holi.

Food is something that people all over the world prefer to have when it comes to meeting and connecting with people and what is a better opportunity to connect if not over a diverse colour pallet flying around.

For an outsider, Holi may seem like a playground of paint fight or well, paintball itself but to us Indians, it is

WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

one of the most important and favored festivals. The true essence of Holi however lies in relishing the mouth watering delicacies of Holi. We have Thandai that tops the charts. The milky concoction of nuts and aromatic spices is a treat to the soul. This drink is cherished by both adults as well as children.

Moving onto something a little more savory, we have the mom’s special Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla. Cottony soft Bhallas dipped into Yogurt with a pinch of spices will never fail in making your mouth water. Next on the list we have fried dough pockets filled with nuts and raisins to light up our moods- this sweetmeat is known as Gujjia. The list of delicacies and drinks does not limit itself to these amazing dishes. We have a number of other varieties and unique treats served at this festival.

There is something refreshing about Holi that makes you want to munch the entire time. It is either the joy of not being bound by rules or probably just reliving childhood one more time. In a nutshell, it doesn’t matter if you prefer to eat something sweet like gujjia or something tangy like Dahi Bhalla during Holi, the only thing that peaks the chart of importance is that you have a bash with different colors blended on your cheeks and no sense of worry whatsoever.

By Ananya Chawla

ISSUE

7

WOKAL MAG

MARCH

201

Cook Hour EAT HEALTHY. LIVE BETTER.

By Ikshita Bhatia

RECIPES

G U I L T

F R E E

Chocochip Cookies

Ingredients 1 1/4 cups oat flour a pinch of salt 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 4 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar) 4 tbsp white sugar 1/3 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp vegetable or melted coconut oil 4 tbsp milk WOKAL

Procedure 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. In a large bowl sift together oat flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt and give it a mix.

3. Add in the both the sugars, half of the chocolate chips, and walnuts and mix well.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together vanilla, oil, and milk.

5. Mix the wet ingredients, the dry ingredients, and the remaining chocolate chips.

6. Refrigerate the mixture for an hour or overnight to develop maximum flavour.

7. Scoop the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, making sure that each cookie is an inch apart.

8. Bake the cookies for 7- 10 minutes and serve it with a glass of milk.

WOKAL MARCH 2021 ISSUE.7

L O W

C A R B

Chicken Alfredo Ingredients: 450 grams of Chicken breasts 2.100 grams Mushrooms 20 grams garlic 100 ml Cream 5 grams Parsley Salt & Pepper to taste 1 Tbsp olive Oil 1 Tbsp Butter 1/2 cup chicken stock(optional)

Procedure: 1.Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Finely chop the parsley and slice the mushrooms.

2.Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on both sides until fully cooked.

3. Take out the chicken, in the same pan add butter , garlic ,and mushrooms .

4. Once the mushrooms are cooked add in the cream, seasoning, and chicken broth.

5. Let the sauce come to a boil, add in the parsley and chicken and serve it hot.

BY IKSHITA BHATIA

Makeup-ish MARCH 2021

BEAUTY AND MAKEUP FEATURE

HACKS

AND

TIPS

For multipurpose use of your make-up

HOW TO USE YOUR MAKEUP in more than one way possible1

BY HITASHI

WOMEN'S DAY SPECIAL

Learn The Multipurpose use of Makeup Products!

Carrying around a huge pile of makeup is a pain and let’s admit it, we all wished we had that one magical product that got us all covered without the struggle. Keeping in mind how expensive makeup is getting day by day, it’s okay to have your own hacks to get that pretty face of makeup on, especially if you’re a beginner and have minimal knowledge about products or simply don’t want to invest too much in products. Here are a few ways to use your basic makeup products in multiple ways to get your whole face done. I'll be covering up this basic monochromatic pink makeup look which is perfect for everyday wear!

PAGE THREE | JOURNEY

Concealers to the Rescue!

The main purpose of a concealer is to give some extra coverage along with foundation specially to hide your dark circles or any unwanted acne marks.

Trust me when I say this, we don’t actually need foundation because concealers can do the job well when used alone on a well primed face.

Concealers can be used to spot correct certain areas of our face and can also be used for contouring.

As a face base Moisturize and prime your face well so that the product blends in smoothly. Take a concealer closest to your skin tone, and use it on problematic areas like acne marks and dark circles. Blend out the product well with a beauty blender and you’re good to go.

As a contouring stick Moisturize and prime your face well before contouring.

Take a concealer 2 to 3 shades darker than your skin tone and use it on the areas where the light doesn’t fall i.e., sides of our nose below our cheek bones, corners of our forehead and lastly below our jawline. Blend in the product well with a beauty blender and you’re good to go.

Lipsticks to add colour!

Lipstick is literally owned by everyone whether you love wearing makeup on an everyday basis or just do it once a year on some special occasion. Lipstick as the name suggests is made for our lips to give it a color whether you like it red, brown or black, but no one talks about how amazingly a lipstick works as a blush and an eyeshadow. On a no makeup day I personally just like to moisturize my face and use lipstick as a blush and trust me once you start doing this trick you won’t wanna stop. It gives your cheeks a very natural flushed finish without giving a powdery look.

As a blush Make sure to choose lipstick from the pink, coral or red spectrum.

Start by making dots on your cheeks while smiling to make sure your cheekbones are covered.

Lastly, blend in with your fingers or a stippling brush and you’re done.

As an eyeshadow Prime your eyelids well so that the color pops out more. Take any lipstick of your choice that you’d want as an eyeshadow.

Make a dot on your eyelids and blend it in with your finger or an eyeshadow brush and done!

Mascara for the Mascara is also a very eyes!

common product and is owned by almost everyone. The main purpose of mascara is to coat our lashes to make them look thicker and longer but it is a multipurpose product as well because it can be used as an eyeliner and to set our eyebrows here’s how!

As an eyebrow brush Brush your eyebrows with a spoolie first. Take the mascara wand and brush through your eyebrows with a very light hand.

When you feel eyebrows are set, stop and let them dry and you’re good to go!

As a eyeliner Take an eyeliner brush and make sure it’s clean. Open your mascara and remove the mascara wand from it and dip the tip of the brush lightly in the mascara. Make whatever design of eyeliner you like whether a wing or a basic one and voila! You’re done!

ISSUE NO 7 | WOKAL

A REMINDER TO MYSELF

BY DAKSHITA MITRA

MARCH 2021

The times you feel lost and it’s too hard to find your way back, I want you to remember that you have yourself. Here’s a little reminder for you to love yourself; a few things I wish I could whisper to you each time you felt like you can’t pick yourself up anymore. It’s a slow journey, but trust me, you can do this.what, when, where, why and how.

FALL IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF

01

Be a lover and fall in love with yourself, with the little things about yourself like the way you draw on your hands when you’re stressed or the way you name your plants. Life happens between these small moments, live them because in the end it’s all about being happy wherever you are.

02

03

Go out on a date with yourself; go to your favourite café, or to a library to pick a few books or just lay down in a park and look up to the sky. Enjoy your own company, be comfortable in the silence and connect with yourself.

04

WOKAL

FORGIVE YOURSELF Be kind to yourself and learn to forgive yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes, learn from them and then become a better version of yourself. You’ll have a lot of bad days in between, but you’ll get through them, even if you don’t believe it in the moment.

05

YOU’RE THE MAIN CHARACTER You’re the main character in your own life, you have the power to live the life you want to. Don’t give it up to others by comparing yourself to them. Be bold and hold the courage to live the way you want to, speak for yourself and don’t get trampled in this big world. Make your own space and make it comfortable for other people as well, what’s the main character without their side-kicks, right?

SPEND TIME WITH YOURSELF

EMBRACE YOUR FEELINGS The first step towards change is to embrace your feelings and understand the situation you are in and the reasons behind it happening. Work on them gradually, get to know yourself and then sort them one by one.

You can do this, believe in yourself.

06

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL Be comfortable in your skin, you’re beautiful. Make your body happy by feeding it what makes it feel good, exercising regularly and sleeping well. It is through your body that you’re able to connect with the universe, pamper it.

07

11

FIND YOUR PEOPLE

Wake up in the morning, look at yourself in the mirror and compliment yourself; you need to hold yourself up because you deserve it. Recite or write down positive affirmations, you could write letters to yourself or maintain a journal.

Be with people who make you happy, it will come effortlessly.

You will find the right people; you just need to be patient. Slow down a bit and spend time with them, tell them you appreciate their presence in your life and hold onto them.

08

12

EXPRESS YOURSELF 13

INVEST IN YOUR HOBBIES

TRY NEW THINGS You have a short journey here, so don’t get too comfortable with your daily routine and sometimes get out of your comfort zone and try new things, start with small things like trying out a new cuisine or going on a solo trip.

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF Learn to connect with yourself and with the universe, it could be through meditation or by taking a walk-through nature.

Invest in your hobbies and be consistent. Take baby steps to build yourself up to the version of yourself you imagine and be in love with your achievements. List down your goals and track your growth regularly.

10

LET GO Whether you overthink or not, the situations will mostly stay the same, so it’s better to just let go and enjoy things without thinking too much.

Do things you love doing and learn to express yourself because when at times you get lost, you’ll need to find your way back to yourself.

09

COMPLIMENT YOURSELF

14

PAMPER YOURSELF Create a self-care ritual and find ways to pamper yourself, it could be using a new face mask or doing a tech detox.

15

DECLUTTER YOUR SURROUNDINGS Declutter your home and work environment. Get rid of things that you don’t require anymore; recycle or donate them.

LASTLY, ALWAYS REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN AND HAVE CHEAT DAYS

Treat

EGAYOV • 5 EGAP

YOUR SELF

DAKSHITA MITRA

The Art of long Exposure Photography

BY AABIYAH ZEHRA

Featuring Photo Artist K. R. Priyanka

TIPS AND TRICKS How t master long exposure photography

LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY Elevate your aesthetic

Photo by K.R. Priyanka

AABIYAH

Here's how to click long exposure photographs!

Out of the many genres of photography that has surfaced over the years is Long Exposure Photography, also known as Slow Exposure Photography. This kind of photography is affordable and exciting as you mostly only need basic camera gear, that is, a DSLR with manual controls, a lens (even the 18-55mm kit lens can do wonders for this type of photography!) .

Wikipedia defines Long Exposure Photography as ‘a genre of photography that involves using a long-duration shutter speed to sharply capture the stationary elements of images while blurring, smearing or obscuring the moving elements. Long Exposure Photography Captures one element that conventional photography does not: an extended period of time.’

Aabiyah Zehra illustrates a few tips to take riveting photographs: WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

Photo by K.R. Priyanka

WOKAL

Choosing the right amount of time for shutter release If the shutter is left open for too long, the amount of light that enters your camera will be unnecessarily large, resulting in a blurry, overexposed image that could possibly make your subject unrecognisable due to over illumination. Your shutter speed depends on what you’re working with, for example, to get the right light trails, your shutter should at least be open for 1 second, and if you don’t get your desired trails, keep increasing the time by a second or two until you get the perfect shot; to show smooth sea waters, your shutter speed should be anywhere between 530 seconds; for capturing star trails, it should at least be up to three hours.

Photo by K.R. Priyanka

The importance of a tripod When your shutter is open for too long, not using a tripod is not an option. A tripod stabilises the picture in a way your hands cannot. Even the slightest movement can cause your picture to become blurry, therefore, using a tripod is a must.

Photo by K.R. Priyanka WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

AABIYAH

ISO settings Increasing ISO usually leads to a noisy image, if not used correctly. For Long Exposure Photography during the day, you only require an ISO of 100-200.

For night photography, you might need to increase your ISO to compensate for the lack of light, but an ISO of 3200 is enough for anything as major as capturing star trails.

Aperture settings Your aperture settings depend on the lighting of the place you’re shooting in.

If there are minimal sources of light, your aperture should be relatively bigger to let more light in, but if there already is enough light, a bigger aperture could result in an overexposed photograph. Let’s consider the examples we talked about earlier to understand the different apertures used- to get light trails, as there is enough light on the streets already, you can use an aperture as small as f/16 to get the perfect light trails; for sea waters, you will need a relatively larger aperture of f/4 to capture all the colours of the scene; for star trails, you need an even larger aperture of approximately f/2.8-f/4 and use the Bulb mode for effective results.

Star Trails by Nic on Unsplash WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

WOKAL

Other tips

→ Use Manual (M) or Shutter Priority (Tv or S) Mode

→ Be clever in choosing your aperture settings depending on your composition and subject

→ Use RAW format instead of JPG for easy editing later

→

Use an ND (Neutral Density) Filter for sharper images

→

Don’t forget about the Rules of Composition (Rule of Thirds, The Golden Ratio, etc.) to get interesting photographs

→ You won’t get the perfect

picture in your first few tries, as we all know, practice makes perfect, keep practicing this art and you will eventually be able to create fascinating photographs.

Sea Waters by Christian Holzinger on Unsplash WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

AABIYAH

LIGHT PAINTING: Another aspect of Long Exposure Photography This kind of photography is a fun way of carrying out Long Exposure Photography where you can be even more creative by, instead of letting your subject move on its own (like cars on the street for light trails), using sparklers and other light sources to draw or write in front of the camera when your shutter goes off. The settings are mostly similar to those of capturing light trails on roads.

Light Painting by Paul Carmona on Unsplash

Light Painting by Brandon Molitwenik on Unsplash

Light Painting by Ellery Sterling on Unsplash

WOKAL | ISSUE 07 | MARCH 2021

MARCH

2021

•

ISSUE

7

•

WOKAL

TEA WITH SIB

Dakshita Mitra

This time we have on our blog, TABBY, who’ll share with us a few things about her breed. She is a 5month-old Indian Spitz and likes to binge eat calcium bones and chicken treats. She also gets very excited while meeting new people and love it when little children come to play with her

1) Tell us something about your breed!

There are two different varieties of our breed; The Smaller Indian Spitz is around 5-7 kilograms in weight and is 20 to 25 centimeters in size whereas the Greater Indian Spitz is around 12 to 20 kilograms in weight and 35 to 45 centimeters in size.

Our ears are erect, except in a few cases due to irresponsible behaviour of owners or any natural defect in genetics. We are found in numerous tones as well, mostly generally milky white but also Dusky Brown, Black and sometimes both White and Black mixed. Other than this attribute, both take after altogether the excess characteristics of appearance.

Dakshita Mitra

WOKAL

TEA

WITH

//

ISSUE.7

//

MARCH

2021

DAKSHITA

SIB

2) What is the nature of dogs of your breed?

3) What are requirements?

Indian Spitz is an intelligent breed which can be taught various tricks and can be trained easily provided It is done properly. Also, it is important to understand your dog’s mental character as adjusting your training methods to suit your canine will make the process more productive. We are very smart dogs and as such, require lots of things to keep us occupied so as to not develop We are versatile in nature with extraordinary energy and excitement and can adjust to our environment without any problem.

Up to 6 months, pups should be fed multiple times a day after every 4 hours and thereafter till the age of 1 year, 4 meals a day. After that, you can switch to 3 meals a day including treats and snacks but remember to keep them below 10% of the total meal. Our diet is also highly adaptable as per the conditions. And for the food, you can choose from a variety of dog food found in the market like Pedigree and Royal Canin, or can provide your dog with homemade food like Dahlia, Rice and Curd, Boiled Egg or Roti with Gravy.

the

basic

food

MITRA

4) Is there a difference between an Indian Spitz and a Pomeranian?

5) Are there any shortcomings in being a Spitz dog?

Indian Spitz often gets mistaken for a Pomeranian, a cousin Spitz from northern Poland. However, we are quite distinct: we have a much shorter coat and are bigger whereas a Pomeranian has rounded ears, a flatter face, weighs less (it’s a toy breed), and has thicker coat. Other than those minor differences, we are somehow identical although we are completely different from each other. we share a ton of actual attributes since we are firmly related, being two or three hundred years separated in heredity.

We shed and bark a lot. We are by and large an extremely astute breed, henceforth we will in general be stubborn and unpredictable on occasion.

WOKAL

MAG

Other than that, any excellent Kennel Club of the world doesn't recognize us. Be that as it may, the Kennel Club of India distinguishes us as a selective Indian Breed and is currently attempting to give us an acknowledgment in the other Kennel Clubs.

BY DAKSHITA MITRA

WOKAL |

MARCH 2021

| ISSUE 07

|

A LITERAL LOVE FOR GREEK MYTHOLOGY

THE PROMINENCE OF GREEK GODS Jigisha Sharma

What is it to be human or for the Achaeans the people of ancient Greece, for our age or the 21st century there exists a recollection of knowledge could it be the platonic dialogues or the act of humanism...

JIGISHA SHARMA As Herodotus, the father of history, to extrapolate further would be able to recount the heroes that existed and overcame adversities, Greek literature also accompanies with it a great recollection of the Greek civilization and for the omnipresence of the Greek heroes.

There is conflict within the ideas of heroes with that of the alignment of ideas of the Gods for even if Thetis, the Goddess of Sea, sings the song of lament for Achilles, the hero of the Trojan War, even when he were not dead even when he dies the songs does not leave him,, in Greek mythology it is questioned for what Gods impeded for some heroes to fight in strife.

Essentially reading the Iliad and Odyssey in the fifth century made a civilised person of the Greek society.

The heroes were a treatment of religion, worshipped, realized in the treatment of Iliad and Odyssey and The Seven Tragedies in turn as well suggest the worship of heroes in prominence. To understand the Iliad and Odyssey one must also read Homeric poetry which in the 5th century was intended to have been a medium of being only reprimanded orally and not written for as a means of communication.

Throughout history, the heroes in prominence

that existed included Hercules, the most powerful man, the illegitimate son of a mortal woman and Zeus; or Pandora, the woman whose curiosity brought wrong to mankind; or Narcissus, who were believed to have fallen in love with his own reflection.

It was believed that Eris, the Goddess of Discourse, initiated the winning ideal of the Trojans entering Troy on a horse by taking the soldiers by surprise at war.

Issue 07 | March 2021

Achilles is salient when heroes are remembered of 5th century Greece.

Achilles, the son of Peleus- the king of Phitia in ancient Greece who married the Goddess of the Sea. Achilles being succumbed to the great Trojan War, the war in question is impeded by the Gods for the Trojan men steadfast rode to war with giving in to as the prizes of dogs to Hades, the God of the Underworld, for destroying the holy walls of the citadel of troy as mentioned by homer in the Iliad and Odyssey. In Homeric poetry it is acclimated that the Trojan War of Achilles and Agamemnon, the son of Atreus- The Lord of The Men, was ushered by the son of Leto, the Goddess of the Titans. For the great Trojan War of to Hades, the God of the Underworld, for destroying the holy walls of the citadel of troy as mentioned by homer in the Iliad and Odyssey. In Homeric poetry it is acclimated that the Trojan War of Achilles and Agamemnon, the son of Atreus- The Lord of The Men, was ushered by the son of Leto, the Goddess of the Titans. For the great Trojan War of having seen sacrifices of noble Trojan men, there was glory or in Greek words Kleos.

Achilles and Agamemnon gave into death to succumb to Kleos being driven by perspectives ushered by the Gods, the immortalizing of their power through imperishable glory or Kleos.

In ancient Greece, stories about Gods and Goddesses and heroes and monsters were an everyday occurrence to be pondered and debated upon among individuals or achaeans- the people who lived in ancient Greece. Gods and Goddesses evolved from Chaos and descended from, namely, the Earth, sky, sea and the underworld. Apollodorus of Athens and the 1st-century BC Roman Historian Gaius curated the ancient myths and legends for the

contemporary audiences of ancient Greece. The deities were said to have lived on the highest mountain that existed in Greece- Mount Olympus.

The Olympians or the Gods and Goddesses that were of prominence or that are almost uncountably recounted are Zeus (the king of all Gods, Weather, Fate and Law); Hera, Zeus’s wife (the queen of the Gods and Goddesses); Ares- (Good of War); Aphrodite (the Goddess of Love); Poseidon (God of the Sea); Hades (God of the Underworld); and Athena (Goddess of wisdom); to name a few.

For the most salient existence, Zeus, who was the king of Olympus, is glorified in Greek mythology.

He carried a thunderbolt as his favourite armour for obstruction or defense and when it rained, the Achaeans believed it were Zeus angered or in conflict exiled with his emotions. Zeus was married to Hera, the queen of all Gods and Goddesses, but Zeus is believed to have other lovers, for which Hera plotted against to punish.

Myths explain how the world comes to be the way it is, people believe the gods and goddesses that existed were only a reflection of themselves for the gods and goddesses they had humane characteristics everything else is alright.

Sexual Fluidity EXPLORING THE FLEXIBLE SPECTRUM

By Kashish Chopra

Mar 2021 • Issue 07 • Wokal Mag

WHAT IS

SEXUAL FLUIDITY? The term sexual fluidity originated in 2008 as a term by Lisa M. Diamond.

Sexual fluidity means that one’s sexuality is open to more than one gender, but it is still flexible, changing, and evolving. Originally, sexual fluidity applied to heterosexuals who occasionally had same-sex attraction yet identified as straight. In recent years, the term has risen in popularity and has been reclaimed by those who believe that sexuality is malleable.

Like any other social trait, sexual orientation, attitudes, behaviours and identity can be flexible to some degree. The degree to which an individual is sexually fluid is a variable that operates alongside sexual orientation. What one must remember is that sexual preference and sexual orientation are two different things. Preference implies that what is preferred today could be changed tomorrow. Orientation implies something much more fundamental. One’s sexual preference is not always equal to one’s sexual orientation, but the things one fantasizes about and enjoys sexually.

In contrast, sexual orientation is what one self-identifies as, for example, gay, lesb-

FLUID IS THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE! -ian, bisexual, straight, etc.

Sexual orientation is separate from but related to one’s sexual preferences.

Some people are less fluid, while others are highly so.

Sexual fluidity can occur in definitively heterosexual or homosexual people but experience a change in their sexual response.

Lisa believed that the term bisexuality didn’t fully cover

the true versatile nature of many people’s sexuality. She thought there could be changes in one’s sexuality or sexual identity instead of being stable throughout one’s life. We also see how people often distinguish romantic, aesthetic and sexual identities and attractions from each other, establishing each as a constantly-changing feature

shaped by past and current experiences, different held identities- be it racial, class, gender, ability, religion and others- and an individual’s agentic wants. A person may, for example, desire to have sexual relationships typically with men but find themselves romantically attracted to individuals of all genders and aesthetically attracted to more androgynous forms of gender expression. The same individual may see that their sexual, romantic and/or aesthetic attractions and identities have changed after a few years –perhaps as a result of living in a different environment and interacting with diverse communities, personal or spiritual exploration, a significant formative sexual or romantic experience or personal choice.

Sexual fluidity is an experience shared by a lot of people and does not inherently imply any adverse emotional or mental health outcomes for people who experience it. Sexual fluidity is one of the many idiosyncratic ways people experience their sexuality over a lifetime.

“SEXUALITY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD.”

MARCH, 2021

WOKAL MAGAZINE

To The Tiger Baby A letter to Zoya Akhtar thanking her for portraying what we miss the most on the big screen.

WRITTEN BY: MEHAK PASRICHA

Zoya Akhtar is definitely one of our favourite directors and yes, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has a huge role to play in it.

Here’s a peek into what we feel about her; and we hope to read this out to her one day in reality and not just from behind a screen.

Dear Zoya,

Summary

Where do I even begin to express my love for you and everything you do? I don’t want to be cliché and start off by saying, “you’re an inspiration”, but you truly are one so it’ll be unfair if I don’t say that, however cliché it might be.

You’ve shown us that there is no industry that is only male dominated. While a lot of female directors have worked and broken barriers of this industry, you’re the one who has made my Gen Z heart flutter like it does in all Bollywood movies when the leads experience love at first sight.

When it comes to your movies, where do I start from? Do I start from my favourite, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, or do I start from a movie that was too big of a success, Gully Boy? Do I start from a, to an extent, quintessential Bollywood film with songs and over complicated relationships, Dil Dhadakne Do or do I first talk about a movie/segment like Lust Stories, that many people didn’t take the way they should’ve? You’ve given us a diverse cinema to choose from yet making all of it so relatable.

Directors and scriptwriters, I feel, are always the unsung heroes. When someone watches a film, their only focus is the actors. If you read critics and reviews, you’ll see a major part of their coverage talking about what the actors did, was their acting up to par? Was there something that they could’ve done better? Was there something that they completely blew the audiences’ minds with? But what about the director? All that was possible in the movie was because of the director whose vision it was at the very first place, and then the screenwriter who wrote the dialogues that the audience fell in love with, the stunts crew, the cinematographer and so many more people of the backstage crew.

Where is the appreciation for all of them? The director, though, I feel, is the binding glue for all of them. Because without the director there would’ve never been a vision, and if not for the vision, then there wouldn’t have been any team, any set, any actors or any movie. Thank you for being so authentic and giving us movies that we’ve learnt so much from.

Every movie you’ve given us has been a work of art and has left us with so many lessons, dreams and aspirations; whether it’s having our own trip with our musketeers, to Spain or chasing after our dreams no matter what.

Thank you for being such a strong woman and showing us that whatever we set our minds to is absolutely possible. Thank you for breaking through the sex distinctions made by society for even making art.

We’re forever grateful for you and the art you’ve created; which is definitely going to live in the hearts of generations to come.

“Mauke milte nahi banaye jaate hain, kamyabi hum tak nahi aati, humein kamyabi tak jaana hota hai”.

There’s no better way to end this, than quoting a dialogue from your directorial debut, “Luck by Chance” which is definitely a motto to live by, and it’s all because of you.

With all my love, Mehak Mehak Pasricha is a 20 year old, 2nd year student pursuing Sociology Honours from Jesus and Mary College. She loves everything filmy, everything cheesy and everything romantic. She has her moments of horrors and thrillers but loves a feel good movie.

How To Avoid Going Numb After Learning About Your Insignificance

BY HIBA

WOKAL MAGAZINE ISSUE 07

MARCH 2021

A HEARTFELT ANECDOTE PRAISING THE BOISTEROUS INSIGNIFICANCE OF EXISTENCE

Life has been kinder to me than it is to most people. A few memories which particularly stand out from my childhood are these - the freezing water of hotel rooms in Kashmir, Papa's tender voice on my birthday mornings, play pretend murder mystery games with cousins, night flowering jasmines littered over Nani Jaan's sunlit lawn. All of this glowing in the silent music of contentment.

We never had too much, we never had too little, we had just enough. I never wanted a lot so in a way, I could have everything I wanted. Papa works enough to make sure of that.

So, the realisation happens in a very routine moment.

HIBA

Your parents could be packing your lunch or driving you to school and suddenly a life without them, where you'll have to make do on cheap take outs and lonely car rides, creeps up on you. You're truly grown up when you see them as people not put on this earth for you, but flawed humans with abandoned dreams, forgotten heart aches, extinguished memories and veiled screw ups.

This isn't supposed to be an overly sentimental autobiography, it's supposed to highlight the infinite depth which everyone we meet has.

It could be any mediocre stranger we see on the street or the people we're so used to seeing everyday that they don't feel special. Everyone has their own tangle of celestial bodies floating in their idiosyncratic universe.

This was the thought which brought about a certain kindness in me towards the 9 to 5 office going people or corporate "wage slaves" I used to look down on. Or maybe it was the huge crush I had on Dwight in The Office. No, it's totally normal to crush on him, I don't share your concerns.

I always thought, how can they choose to spend their lives in a grey cubicle, eyes fixed on blinking figures on a screen instead of the arts? Are they bland enough to not have any passions worth counting? How can monotonous business meetings appeal to someone more than lilac paint smears on grassy fields?

Maybe that remorseful gentleman, stiff in a crisp suit and stuck in the morning traffic comes home to nobody but a tuneless violin every night. Maybe he didn't have enough skills or valor to make a life out of it.

Maybe the violin isn't there at all and it's the business meetings, construction sites and a life of consistent stability is where his heart truly lies.

The engineers, doctors and architects can't survive without the artists, musicians and poets and vice versa.

They need each other for mere sanity.

In their own ways, one risks just as much as the other does. One profession is not, in any way, less noble than the other. And almost everyone has wild dreams of running away from the overwhelming city life, into a landscape and spending their years growing cabbage and writing crappy sonnets.

It's such a paradox that every single one of us is so unique and special that no one is. All of us carry within an iridescent conglomeration of tragedies, impressions and indulgences which are exclusively our own, utterly unusual and completely worth being tended to, over bonfires and marshmallows.

We have talked about what makes us stand out, now let's talk about what makes us fit in.

A personal philosophy which I have held close to me for years now is that whatever semi-harmony and order which prevails in society is because of the unsaid pact of blind trust which exists between each one of us.

We are completely vulnerable and trust ourselves and everyone else not to hurt each other even though we are entirely capable of it. Of course, this trust is frequently broken. In fact, I think these days it's more often broken than it is kept. But the mere existence of it and our ability to forgive is a good reason for hope.

HIBA

Of course, all these ramblings have their core in my own observed mayhems. Papa is in love with the mountains but the most Delhi can give him is skyscrapers, so he had glass windows built in every room. Amma reminisces her teenage years spent in Saudi Arabia and her Abbu so she makes hummus and falafel at home. Their daughter inherited the tragedy and isn't passionate or skilled enough at anything to make a life out of it.

HIBA

Such is the complexity of life, constantly tinged with a little hopelessness but you find ways to make peace with it by uncovering trinkets of happiness everyday. This is how you understand that there are reasons behind even the most terrible things that people do. Some prefer rare moments of grand euphoria and for others constant, stinging rosy days do the trick.

HIBA

ISSUE.7 // MARCH 2021

Bond On! EXPLORE

THESE

PLACES

WITH

YOUR

GAL

PALS

VANSHIKA SETH

Brace yourself to do the things that make you the happiest. Go explore India with your good old girl gang! Here’s a list of 10 must visit incredible destinations.

WOKAL

Jaisalmer – Ride on the Royalty!

When it comes to 'royal' retreats, Rajasthan has no dearth of amazing places.

But Jaisalmer fits the bill in providing fun-filled activities - including desert safari, dune bashing, and of course, a healthy dose of history in the form of majestic forts and traditional food.

Pondicherry – Something for Everyone!

If your group is made up of people with diverse interests, then Pondicherry has a little of everything for everyone. Idyllic cafes steeped in history, beautiful churches and the legendary French settlement for that perfect Instagram click - all this makes Pondicherry ideal for a relaxing trip, away from the office mails.

Udaipur - Paint the world Red! The beautiful city is one of the most exotic and rich cultural destinations of India. The vibrant colours and varied range of shopping adds up to the charm of the city. Romancing the royal majesty and serenity of the lake city, will make you revisit Udaipur over and over again.

Goa – Sand & Sea! If you love letting your hair down and go crazy with your favourite champagne, Goa is the perfect destination for your girl gang. It’s a party destination with cafes at every nook and corner of the city. One can spend the day basking the sun in shacks and evenings at a city’s nightclubs.

WOKAL

Shimla – Life on the Mountains!

Take a break from your regular responsibilities; relax with your girl besties amidst the serenity of beautiful mountains. While trekking, ice-skating, cycling and many more thrilling activities to do around, you are in for a real treat! The beautiful scenic atmosphere of Shimla will rejuvenate you and the natural wonders of the place will help you kick away all the stress.

Manali – Ice it, Spice it!

Wondering what else to do other than normal activities? If you love exploring Manali is the right place for you! It is well known for adventure activities such as ice trekking, skiing, rafting, rappelling, rock climbing and paragliding.

Enough to cue your girl gang with a thrilling experience.

Rann of Kutch – Boundless White Sands!

The white desert of the Rann of Kutch makes for a magical adventure indeed - especially if you visit during the Rann Utsav. From the white full moon night to the expansive tent city set up inside Kutch, this is a trip that every history and nature lover will want to embark upon, at least once with the girl’s squad.

Ranthambore – Into the Wild!

No mater if you are an animal lover or not, Ranthambore is one you need to visit with your girl gang. Following the royal legacy, Ranthambore is one of the idol wildlife destinations in the country.

With crazy sightseeing experiences, safari rides and hot air ballooning this place will truly amaze you with its wild beauty.

Hampi – Explore the Heritage!

If your girl gang looks to history for inspiration, then you should head to Hampi. Though countless amateur and professional photographers have tried, it is hard to capture Hampi's beauty in pictures. But it does take you back in time with ruins of ancient temples, majestic structures, and offers a sense of peace that is hard to put into words

Kalimpong – A package of nature and adventure

TRAVEL

A hill station that can smooth you and be a stress buster for your entire girl gang. The destination will give you a blend of both calm and craze together.

Along with experiencing the surreal beauty of this destination, you can also take the adventurer in you for a joy ride with activities like paragliding, river rafting and hiking.

INFORM. INSIGHT. INSPIRE. WOKAL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 07| MARCH 2021

WOKAL WOKAL ISSUE 7 | MARCH 2021

Photo by Erol Ahmed