WOKAL Issue 08 June 2021

WOKAL Issue 8 | June 2021

CARAVAN Interview with Shaurya Batra

PRIDE, WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Inclusion of the Queer in the Mainstream

GRAPHIC EYELINER

Season's Hottest Look

GO BOHO

THIS SUMMER

URBEX

Adventure Or Danger?

PRIDE MONTH

Special On cover: Shaurya Batra

CREDITS

WOKAL ISSUE 08 JUNE 2021

CONTENTS PRIDE SPECIAL

04

COVERSTORY: PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE

09

CARAVAN: FEATURING SHAURYA BATRA

16

DEAR QUEERS: POEM

WHAT'S NEW 18 22 27 31 42

IN LOVE WITH THE ETHOS OF THE CITY: DELHI

COVER

CELEBRATING THE RAINBOW! Style yourself in black this valentine's, as chic and classy as always

URBEX: EXPLORING ADVENTURE

CARAVAN

STORIES TO SHARE

EPIPHANY: REVELATIONS THROUGH POETRY

Check out the journey of Make-up enthusiast Shaurya Batra

GOD'S OWN COUNTRY: KERELA THE MARVELOUS MEGHAN MARKLE

TRENDS 46

REVIEWING: BOMBAY BEGUMS

51

GRAPHIC EYELINERS 101

58

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: AN EMERGING ART

63

HOW TO: FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

67

THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

72

GO BOHO THIS SUMMER

MAKE-UP

GRAPHIC EYELINERS 101 Experiment with the season's hottest make-up look/ p51

PHOTOGRAPHY

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY HOW TO: FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

WOKAL MAG | ISSUE 08 | JUNE 2021

WOKAL

ISSUE 8

JUNE 2021

Pride Without Prejudice: Inclusion of the Queer in the Mainstream

By Alina Ahmed

WOKAL

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JUNE 2021

Is a progressive landmark order enough?

BASED ON THE LATEST RULING BY THE MADRAS HIGHCOURT WHICH INSTRUCTS ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO INCLUDE THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY IN THE MAINSTREAM, ARE WE READY TO MAKE CHANGE?

The month of June does bring out the best of summers and sunshine, but it also brings with it the rainbow, and is proudly known as the Pride month, celebrating, acknowledging and educating the common masses of the rainbow coloured human diaspora.

On September 6, 2018, the Honourable Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgement scrapped section 377 of the IPC which decriminalized consensual gay sex. Three years after the section was struck down, Madras High Court welcomed another historic judgement, with significant steps to make room for the LGBTQIA community in the mainstream,

which

has

been

systematically excluded for the past 158 years. While this decision comes at a

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JUNE 2021

a time when inclusivity is a relatively

Not only this, Justice Venkatesh also

new term in the book, Justice N. Anand

recommended changes in school and

Venkatesh

sexual

university curricula so that the young

anatomy is an essential aspect of the

could learn more about the Queer

right to privacy.

Community

remarked

that

without

mockery

or

prejudice. The court also seeked for The benchmark decision will make

various

Tamil Nadu the first Indian state to

could educate about inclusivity not

ban traumatic medical practices, often

only on paper but also in practice.

under

the

name

of

‘Conversion

Therapy’, which claim to “treat” those with a sexual orientation different than that mentioned in the book.

Issuing the order, the Court said that involvement of any kind in such activities can permanently revoke a professional’s license.

awareness

programs

that

What's stopping us from making way for the Queer community?

Madras Highcourt, Chennai

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This highlights another concern: Are we progressive only in name or is it really to pave way for those in the LGBTQIA community? How far have we come to ensure inclusivity? Well, the mainstream media is still lagging behind in representation, a few films like Fire, Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa laga, once in a while claim to be the flag bearers of representation, though seldom do they cast someone from the rainbow. In a country where coming out is not as easy as it seems, prejudice makes its way everywhere. Be it public spaces, or private spaces which, too, come under the lens of housing societies and landlords, none of whom are accommodating of someone queer. We might not see enough of the rainbow on the big screens but when it comes to social media platforms, the rainbow-washing of brands is as common as any other brand campaign. What truly is to be tested is the brand's inclusion policy and support for the LGBTQIA community once the pride month is over.

WOKAL

"Ignorance is no justification of normalising any form of discrimination."

ISSUE 8

JUNE 2021

This highlights another concern: Are we progressive only in name or is it really to pave way for those in the LGBTQIA community? How far have we come to ensure inclusivity? Well, the mainstream media is still lagging behind in representation, a few films like Fire, Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa laga, once in a while claim to be the flag bearers of representation, though seldom do they cast someone from the rainbow. In a country where coming out is not as easy as it seems, prejudice makes its way everywhere.

Be it public spaces, or private spaces which, too, come under the lens of housing societies and landlords, none of whom are accommodating of someone queer. We might not see enough of the rainbow on the big screens but when it comes to social media platforms, the rainbowwashing of brands is as common as any other brand campaign. What truly is to be tested is the brand's inclusion policy and support for the LGBTQIA community once the pride month is over.

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CARAVAN share o t s e Stori FEATURING SHAURYA BATRA

This Pride month, we interviewed Shaurya Batra, an openly gay and proud make-up enthusiast whose sassy looks made us go gaga. He describes how he feels while using his make-up brushes to express himself, destigmatising one taboo at a time. Read excerpts:

By Alina Ahmed and Aabiyah Zehra

- FEATURED INTERVIEW -

TALK, WEAR, TALK You can find him on Instagram (@shaurgasm), where he will be busy amusing you with his sexy talent of creating make-up looks and making amazing reels, Being a proud member of the Queer community, Shaurya doesn't shy away from being vocal about the ideas he advocates for, through his live sessions.

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Q1. Tell us something about yourself.

I'm Shaurya. I’m a small town boy from Bikaner, Rajasthan. I’ve been living in Bombay for the past 6 years. I’m a fashion stylist by profession and a makeup artist by hobby. My pronouns are He/Him. I’m openly gay and proud.

Q2.Please shed some light on your initiative, personal brand and ideologies that you advocate.

I’m very passionate about breaking gender stereotypes that exist within our society. I constantly wanna keep challenging them to a point where I can contribute enough to actually breaking them. As an openly gay individual who has his family’s support, it’s very important for me to use the freedom that I have to open doors for young kids and individuals who are in the closet and are too afraid to break stereotypes. This is mainly what I do with my platform on Instagram. I’m still growing and branding myself. It’s a journey but what i’m super proud of is being able to inspire people who wanna do the same things as me. Not only do I constantly want to promote men wearing makeup and being androgynous, I also wanna be able to use my platform to create changes in ideologies of people in our country in regards to race, skin color, gender, age, etc.

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Q3. What challenges did you face while bringing this initiative to life?

Bringing the initiative of breaking stereotypes as a man who wears makeup which is generalised as only for women, I've faced ample amounts of challenges.

Constantly posting content on Instagram made my reels go viral. Multiple reels of mine have been on the phone screens of many individuals of our country who belong to an extremely conservative mindset. I’ve gotten a lot of hate not only in my comments section but also in my DM’s. Threats, hateful messages, and bullying.

It’s so easy for people to sit behind their phone screens and bully someone online.

I’ve personally gone through a lot of that while working on my content but the love I get wins over all the hate. And if anything, I'm thankful to have faced these challenges as they contribute to my growth.

Q4.What was the response from your friends and family?

The initial response from my friends was amazing. They were super supportive and impressed by my work. As for my family, it took them a little bit of time to get comfortable with me wearing makeup and posting so openly on Instagram but they didn’t take a lot of time to come around. They wanted to come around since the beginning and so they did. So overall I'm lucky enough to have an extremely supportive group of friends and family.

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Q5. What goes into creating a social media presence for your initiative?

A LOT of time, hard work and creativity. It takes me about 5 hours to create a 15 second reel. And makeup is also very exhausting. But what I love about the whole process is the unleashing of my creativity. It all starts with a vision. A vision of the makeup look, a vision of the finished content. What follows is the hard work. And when I have the finished product in my hands, that’s the best feeling ever.

Q6. Do you have any future plans for the same, have you decided anything yet?

I have tons of future plans. I have a very small niche on Instagram right now but I'm growing and I'm growing fast. I’m constantly working on coming up with quality content and pushing myself to do better with each and every piece of content I make. I see myself actually becoming a beauty influencer in the future. And I want to use my platform to educate, inform and influence people not only about Man Beauty, but also about everything I stand for as a human being.

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Q.7 How much do approvals and validation mean to you?

As much as approval and validation are important, they’re not everything. Yes, approval from people with bigger platforms is always good to ensure I'm on the right track. Validation from my audience is important to ensure I'm making good enough content. But to me, approval and validation from other people doesn’t define me or my work. At the end of the day, the only approval and validation I need is of my own. If I'm happy with what I create, no matter if it gets a couple hundred views or a couple million, I'll be happy.

By Alina Ahmed and Aabiyah Zehra

Pride WOKAL Issue 8 June 2021

Why A Month?

Make It A Year!

HARSHITA SINGHAL

Dear Queers, You have had your struggles, It is Time to celebrate.

Society got you on your knees, you rose Back up to fight.

The neighbours got their kick, Now you get to pick.

Do not push the us away, They want to be with you To celebrate the day.

There will be a time When the weddings will have A rainbow without the rain.

When the young child will walk Down the school corridor, With squared weightless shoulders And free of one’s sexuality.

When the bubbly, shy girl will confess To the conservative one, Without a second thought.

When the family will welcome the couple With open arms and misty eyes, Rather than cruel stares and ugly words.

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Ever put thought on why people think and you React when they stand still and you fight?

Take the center, claim it as your birthright.

The release of 377 felt like cloud eleven, It was not the taste of freedom but Acceptance that we craved.

The change is in process, It is the rule of nature.

You are the catalyst and the result is near.

You get to be a part Of the process while they participate in wars.

It’s the little things that count, The gender column with the option of 'others' Makes us proud.

A reservation in everyone’s hearts would make us cry but Looking up at the rainbow, The eyes will not remain dry.

To all those who say, That we cannot have our way, That it’s not in the society to be gay, To them we convey: That we are here to stay, “Why a month, make it a year, we say.”

With love, Someone who wishes to be a part of the hearts of the pride.

HARSHITA SINGHAL

In Lov e

ty e Ci Th

E e t hos h T O h t i f W

DELHI

By Hiba

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Welcome to the city of hope!

As cliché as it sounds, Paris was my city of dreams. It was my childish fantasy of roaming in the Audrey Hepburn movie streets with the flavor of freshly baked bread tickling the air, the louvre whispering secrets buried in history to me and the city of lights dazzling in my eyes.

Then I read about the French history of Islamophobia and the Algerian genocide which made me realize that the city I dreamt

of

would

never

find

me

beautiful. Maybe even I found it beautiful only because it was still a far away possibility.

It was a salty breakup with Paris but we're both better off without each other. Maybe we'll meet again when we're older and talk about what could've been with a cup of hot chocolate and a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Soon after, I met Delhi - the city where people come to with the hope of forgetting their shady pasts or making it big. She's always been around, I've spent eighteen years here, that is my entire life, with a feeling of general indifference followed by a strong hatred towards it.

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The City That Keeps Rebuilding Itself

The fast, chaotic life of big cities was something I had to get away from before it birthed a certain ruthlessness in me which this monotony does in everyone eventually. I was ready to pack my bags and move to a small city to live an insignificant life as early as possible. Then two revelations happened - the first one was in December of 2019.

Protests erupted against discrimination in the veins of Delhi. I guess winters are for reigniting embers of defiance. I remember listening to the slogans and the poetry, looking at the paintings and demonstrations, and feeling this strange solidarity like, "these are my people, this is home". I had started falling in love.

The second one was when the pandemic struck. Like they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. I hadn't realized how much I loved Delhi till I had to be away from her.

God, how do I find words about this city that haven't already been said? This is the city Ghalib chose to write Shayari on and to be buried in. The Purani Dilli Shah Jahan found his Shahjahanabad in. The same city which his Mughal descendant Bahadur Shah Zafar died from a heartbreak without.

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Finding peace in the chaos.

Delhi has witnessed the rise and fall of colossal empires, tombs of immortal kings and the silent Gods of their people.

In the depth of all those who have made a home here, it holds infinite universes within it.

The days of glory aren't gone. This city is so resilient, it keeps rebuilding itself. If winters are for solidarity, then I won't even be able to find words to justify the heaven it is here during spring. Everywhere unfathomed fields of flowers bloom as both the muse and the palette. The summers give tough love but I love the warm kisses. If you ask me, the best way to get to know a city is in loneliness.

Nothing but the company of chaotic crowds, city life numbing all other voices, carved ancient havelis housing mysterious lives, philosophical conversations with roadside vendors and carved hearts on tomb walls.

I know this isn't the perfect paradise I'm trying to make it out to be. It isn't possible to look past the hazy smoke which envelops it for most of the year or that women have to walk the streets mumbling prayers. There isn't even a way to look past all of this so if you want to get away, I understand why.

The thing is that I took my time to fall in love with Delhi. It holds all the possibilities in the world or none at all, whichever you prefer. Maybe now that I'm a little grown up, I'm better able to appreciate beauty. There's no love like young love so maybe the big city ruthlessness will taint me too eventually. But for now, it's Shahjahanabad's colorful Shahi Tukda over Parisian croissants for my dreamy little heart any day.

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Urbex

It often includes sites such as: 1) Abandoned properties – Exploring abandoned structures are the most common example. These include amusement parks, factories, power plants, fallout shelters or houses, hospitals, schools, etc.

2) Active buildings – Exploring members-only areas, roofs, abandoned floors, andunseen/restricted parts of occupied places. This comes under the term infiltration, which is usually clubbed together with Urbex, but attracts a different crowd.

3) Sewers and Drains – Common locations which have the risk of poisoning by build-ups of toxic gas (commonly methane, hydrogen sulphide, or carbon dioxide) making it highly unsafe.

4) Transit and Utility Tunnels – Exploring active and abandoned subway and railway tunnels, stations are often considered trespassing and are hence rarely publicized. Pipes, used for distributing superheated steam in buildings, run through utility tunnels and are oftenexplored by habitants of such buildings (Hospitals, College campuses, etc).

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Over the years, this has been gaining popularity among explorers all over the world.

Well, who doesn’t want to stumble upon the ruins of a-once-functioning place? But as interesting as it sounds, it’s quite dangerous. Here are several legitimate reasons why this is considered a dangerous hobby (or as some refer it, sport): 1) Deteriorating infrastructure – Due to these places being abandoned long ago, there are chances of hazards such as unstable structures or broken pieces of glass or other harmful surfaces. You can easily fall or be struck by a piece from a collapsing building, and findyourself alone and injured.

2) Harmful chemicals – Presence of unknown chemicals and other harmful substances esp. asbestos, which is common in abandoned structures.

3) Getting lost – A real danger when exploring a city is getting lost, and it might take you hours to find your way back. Since mostly people find their locations while simply exploring around, there’s no map to help them. If you are alone, the chances of panicking and makingpoor decisions increase.

4) Wild animals – Chances are that animals have already made those places their home. Here, the chances of being injured are high, if ended in a face-off.

5) Stranger Danger – Similarly, there might be someone hiding inside these properties.

Be aware of your surroundings, especially if you’re exploring alone.

6) Authorities – Entering such properties might be seen as trespassing, or even against the law at times, if done without permission, and chances are that you get caught by the police or the owners of the property leading to legal action being taken.

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With this concept not being much popular around, comes the problem of finding locations to be explored. So, here are a few ways you can research about some before you go exploring: 1) Google Search / Maps – Just type in “abandoned places” and search, there might be blogs or articles that might be able to help you out. Look out for places on Google Maps near areas heavy with factories or train stations. Switch to street view if available.

2) Exploring and Observing – Try looking around in your city and observing the spaces, you might find some hidden places.

3) Explore Groups – Few independent groups organise urbex meets, or maintain blogs for information on the same. These are reliable sources for beginners.

4) Asking around – Find people who take interest in this activity and get along with them to have some fun. But there might be chances they won’t disclose their finds because of reasons like fear of public exposure stealing the essence of the lost space, being protectiveover ‘their finds’, etc

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Before you go around exploring, here are some tips you should keep in mind for a pleasant experience: 1) Because of the various dangers mentioned above, it’s recommended not to do this alone. It’s always better to have someone give you company in case of some emergency or injury.

2) Check on Google Maps for the surrounding areas of your location, just to be safe.

3) Preferred time for Urbex is during daytime; safe, easier to move around and ask for help, if needed. Avoid the rainy season as they might damage unstable buildings even more so.

4) Respect the places you visit, and remember NO VANDALISM or THEFT. 5) Never force your way into a building - only use preexisting entrances and if there aren’t any, do not enter.

6) Be prepared, and take proper protective measures – carry a flashlight, power-bank, dust masks and gloves, etc.

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Revelations Through

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Poetry

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L

KASHISH CHOPRA

P

Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be dead?

It’s like a shiver running down your spine As your body winds and you lose sight of your beloved.

When confusion is all that strikes, Breathing slows and dreams start to float in your mind.

It’s like you’re being sucked backwards Into a vacuum, Only slowly.

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And every time you try to go back It's like you’re stuck.

Held in the same place The same loop.

And you finally fade away.

You wake up in what looks like space, Only without any stars or light.

So lost that you walk And walk Until you find something To hold onto.

And you realise There’s nothing but A void.

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A void Trying to tear you apart into two.

The pleasant breeze on your right Feels comforting But The warmth on your left Calls upon you too.

It’s like you feel the rush of Everything But Nothing When you’re being pulled from both heaven And Hell.

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GOD'S OWN COUNTRY!

by Vanshika Seth

WOKAL ISSUE 8 JUNE 2021

1.Alleppey Alleppey tops the list of places to visit in Kerala. And when you’re there, don’t miss out on the experience of sailing on a houseboat that happens to be one of the best activities to do in Kerala. There are many things to do in Kerala houseboat, like looking at the lush green landscape and being served a freshly prepared meal as you travel through the tranquil backwaters, which is just as amazing as it is made out to be.

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2.Munnar This little haven is a marvelous place to visit while in Kerala. Load up some locally cultivated tea in Munnar, 3 hours from Kochi. Visit the Kannan Devan Plantation Museum to witness tea-processing and taste different types of tea and carry home your favorite one from the museum’s very own shop.

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3. Eravikulam National Park

Eravikulam National Park is one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Kerala because of Neelakurinji, which bloom once in 12 years and this rare view is a fascinating experience. Also see the Nigiri Thar, an endangered mountain goat while going on a trek to the peak of the hill. If you’re wondering what to do in Kerala besides meandering through the tea estates and trying their flavors in a cup, exploring Eravikulam National Park is the perfect pastime and one of the most fun things in Kerala for you!

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4. Wildlife Sanctuary

For one of the most fascinating activities to do in Kerala and its forests, Thekkady should be on the top of the list of places you are visiting in Kerala. About 190 km from Kochi, Thekkady is famous for its diverse forest cover, fauna, mammals and aquatic life. The Periyar jungle ride covers the views of the lovely Idukki town, Mullaperiyar Dam, the lush green vegetable farms, the sprawling vineyards and if you are lucky the endangered lion-tailed macaque.

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5. Boat Race Periyar

Kerala is renowned for the “Snake Boat Race” that commences every year in Monsoon season. Vallam Kali is the place where the tradition of boat race started in Kerala. All the villages with their colorful boats take part in the snake boat race at the festival of Onam. Each village in Kerala has its own snake boat, and it can hold 100 rowers at a time. You must experience this scene if you are in God’s own country in the monsoon season.

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6. Wayanad Snake Get closer to nature and experience the fun of staying in a Treehouse at Wayanad, Munnar, Athirapally or Thekkady. You can indulge in activities like rappelling, rock climbing, nature walks and mountain biking. Don’t miss out on this sweet opportunity to live your life-long dream of staying in a treehouse!

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7. Fort Kochi Fort Kochi is counted among the top Kerala attractions. With the influence of Arabs, British, Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese, Fort Kochi has a lot of eclectic architecture to gawk at. Explore the place on foot or on a bicycle including the Jewish synagogue, Indo Portuguese museum, Chinese fishing nets, Santa Cruz Basilica, and Fort Kochi Beach. You’ll be fascinated with your visit to this fort that is located right on the beach, a queer phenomenon not many beaches and forts in the world offer.

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8. Theyyam

Do not come back without watching Theyyam that happens to be one of the most life-changing experiences in Kerala. They are staged in various temples of North Kerala, usually in front of the village shrine. Watch this exceptional and beautiful dance form in the districts of Kannur and Kasargod andc if you are lucky you can catch a performance in Kerala Museum at Kochi.

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9. Kovalam Beach One of the many Kerala things to do is to watch the beautiful sunset at the Kovalam beach. It is one of the finest beaches in Kerala. About 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the star attractions here are the Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach and the much quieter Samudra Beach.

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10. Vagamon Famous for its tranquility, Kerala is a place that offers mesmerizing views of the hills and greenery. If you want to catch a bird’s eye view of the whole state then opt for paragliding. If you are an adventurous person then this is your chance to indulge in another exciting activity. But if you do not belong to this category then build up some courage and tick off this activity from your bucket list this year

By Vanshika Seth

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The Marvelous Meghan Markle!

The most exalted interview of recent times

By Vinay Agarwal

MEGHAN FINALLY OPENING UP

The Royal family had that call out coming. In one swift stroke, Meghan Markle along with her former prince- husband Harry opened up about her mental health, behind-the-scenes activities of the Royal family, and the struggles she had to go through in order to fit into the mold.

In her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey that sparked off a frenzied network bidding war, before it was picked up by ITV, Markle bared her soul from the toll she endured of living up to a surname, to matching up the expectations thrust on her, both external and internal. The interview or an expose, depending on who you ask, has gone down to become one of the exalted interviews of recent times.

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Talking to an empathetic Oprah, she revealed how ‘certain people’ from the Palace had their reservations about the dark skin color of her soon to be born son, Archie. Such racism at an institutional level was hence one of the strongest reasons behind couple’s muchtalked about departure. This minute scrutiny slowly wrecked her mental health and made her reach a point where she was contemplating her death by suicide.

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FODDER FOR THE UK TABLOIDS Social media amplified the hate-speech, putting Markle under a monumental scrutiny. Her each move was scanned, dissected and debated with a relish. In 2020, when the couple decided to completely step away from Royal duties and focus on ‘earning a living’ for themselves, it all came back with a brute force.

However, Meghan was hesitant to share her sufferings with Harry, as he had suffered too much. Contrary to her smiling appearance at public events, Meghan was fighting her inner demons

Time and again, Meghan has been considered a royal disruptor in an inaccurate sense; while she did bring changes in the royal order, it was Harry who wanted to break free from the system in the first place. His hunger was always present, but Meghan being an outsider became easy bait to target. She is also the fodder for UK tabloids, who time and again try to malign her as a ‘home breaker’. Markle is also a subject of comparison between her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, who by and large maintains a stoic silence – on everything Markle. While Kate’s silence has a backing of the Royal family, Markle’s is construed as a sign of her weakness.

BURNING

DOWN

PATRIARCHY

Meghan was accused of ‘brainwashing’ Harry with Megxit becoming a much covered event than Brexit. While Harry’s actions were infantilized, hers was demonized. She no longer was a Princess from a fairy tale, rather she was a Disney villain in disguise: Cruella, Maleficent or Zelena - take your pick!

Despite The Queen remaining supportive of her action, Meghan’s stance at the interview with Oprah paints a different story – a story where speaking out comes at a heavy cost. But, she will and that makes her The Marvelous Mrs. Markle and a bahu that burned down a patriarchal family. Royally.

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REVIWING THE NETFLIX ORIGINAL:

BOMBAY BEGUMS Written by Mehak Pasricha

THE UNCROWNED QUEENS OF THE CITY Of Power, Love and Desire

“And just like that, some illusions were shattered. And we have to dig through the debris to find who we really are, and what we truly want, and what is worth fighting for.”

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Power Dynamics and Gender, in a way, is the backbone of societies all across the globe. Who has power and who deserves power are the two things that rule the business world. Women have always had a tough time at first to achieve that power and if achieved then to retain that power.

Bombay Begums very eloquently portrays so many different societal issues in a matter of six episodes. While to an extent, we can say it’s a show depicting a story about women struggles in all aspects of society, but at the same time it’s balanced in a way, wherein, it’s not always portraying women in rosy pictures. When necessary women have been shown in a negative light and facing repercussions for their actions.

Along with being a show which beautifully portrays the power struggle and workings in an urban working society for women, the makers diversified and didn’t make the show just something that the working class generation could relate with but rather made a show which resonates with many age groups. From the youngest Shai wanting to have her periods to be more desirable, to the eldest Rani refusing to believe that she was reaching the end of her fertility cycle because of the impact it might have on her work life; from Fatima wanting and being pressured to conceive a child to Lily having a child while being a sex worker and dealing with the stigma that comes with being a sex worker; to Ayesha dealing with her sexuality and the confusion that comes with that phase; the series deals with problems associated with all ages. It’s a walk through all ages. The series also shows how women’s value is associated with these different phases.

A major segment of the series also deals with sexual harassment.

The series essentially shows how this is a man’s world we’re living in and that fact is continuously thrown at our faces. When sexual harassment comes up, the first instinct that comes up is the fact that, maybe she was dressed in a certain way or was giving WOKAL

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signals like that, or was asking for it. The series also portrays how, when the offender is of a personal relation, it becomes very easy for people, including women, to play the blame game even for such sensitive issues.

Along with this, there’s a chain of sexual harassments shown and a connection is established of those to women reaching where they are; which essentially belittles women’s achievements and also curbs the women’s possibility of raising their voice against it because at the end of the day, a woman’s image is much more sensitive and much more easier to taint than that of a man.

There’s a huge gap in society between men and women which even today persists at full swing. A woman on top is not allowed to mess up, because the first mess up or the first breakdown can cost her her career. On the other hand a man’s mess up can be considered an honest mistake or even be brushed under the carpet.

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The series aptly shows this divide between men and women and how there’s a huge road in front of us to cover to make it even slightly bearable. Although somewhere in the middle, the series does lose its essence and looks a little commercialized; Over all the mini series is definitely a must watch. It doesn’t have something that’ll keep you excited and at the edge of your seat, but it has something so much more, it will educate you in a way which is not often emphasized in Indian society and is highly needed in today’s time and for the future generations; so that slowly yet steadily we can bridge this gap.

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MAKE-UP

GRAPHIC LINERS

101

By Hitashi

WOKAL

It's June again! It’s been about a year of us wearing masks to carry out our day-to-day activities and the worst part about masks is that they hide the effort we put in every day to glam ourselves up. But no worries when you’ve got eyeliners by your side! I’m not talking about our basic black wing liner but the hottest trend of 2020 and still in trend Graphic Liners.

So check out these 6 different eyeliner styles and let your eyes do the talking!

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So as we all have a solid black eyeliner in our vanity, let’s start out with that and take a break from our basic eyeliner styles.

Reversed Cat Eye

YOUR VIRTUAL G UIDE TO WEARIN G THE S EAS ON’S HOTTEST LOOKS!

This eyeliner came in trend when Deepika Padukone wore it for Cannes 2019. It’s done the same way as a basic cat eyeliner with an inner and outer wing but instead of doing it on the upper lash line like a normal liner, it’s done on the lower lash line. It might feel a bit intimidating at first but practicing will help and if you just want to do it for a special occasion you can draw out a rough shape using some bronzer that’ll help you draw the liner quicker and neater.

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Vintage Liner We have all seen those beautiful black, sharp vintage cut creases with red lipsticks on Pinterest or in some old Hollywood movie.

Inspired by the same this is a graphic liner which gives us all the retro vibes and is super easy to do. Start by making a thin basic eyeliner and extending its wing, now make a curved line right above your crease and join its end to the end point of your wing liner.

For the lower lash line make a simple liner and extend the wing out and it’s done!

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A Splash of White!

Because we’re talking about graphic liners here, we can’t just move ahead without talking about white eyeliner or white graphic liners.

White eyeliners make your face look fresh and your eyes bigger and beautiful. It’s my personal favorite style of graphic liner and you should try it too!

Floating eyeliner Trust me when I say it, this is the easiest eyeliner to do if you’re a beginner and still want to experiment.

This liner makes your eyes look bigger and beautiful with minimal effort. Just take a white eyeliner and draw a curved line right above your crease and extend the end of the wing upwards. You can also add some rhinestones to this look to make it compliment your liner!

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The “Winged” liner No we’re not talking about that wing liner but a literal wing liner shaped like wings. It’s quite difficult to do as well but a bronzer and some practice always helps. Start by making a floating liner and make the ends of that liner shaped like a “V” to give it a wing-like shape now for the lower lash line make a basic eyeliner and instead of continuing that line change it into dots and then connect the upper and lower liner as shown in the picture. It might take a few attempts to ace this liner but it’s totally worth it!

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A Pop of Colour!

Now as we have already discussed how to rock a black and a white graphic liner, we can’t comes

just to

leave

colours

makeup,

the

behind whole

when point

it of

makeup is to enhance the beauty which is already there using some colours. So, let’s move on to our next style of graphic liners!

Pastel Liners Pastel colours are so much in trend whether we talk about nails, jewelry, outfits or makeup! I absolutely love Pastel colours because of their soothing and minimalistic look, now let’s see how to do this pastel graphic liner using multiple pastel colours. Again this look is easier than what it looks like because the point of this liner is to randomly make lines right above your crease starting from the inner corner of your eye and ending towards the outer corner of your eye shaped like a wing and voila!

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Monochrome liner

This liner is exactly like your everyday basic wing liner but colour plays a major role in this and the best part is you don’t even need a liner to achieve it!

Start up by taking the same lipstick you’ve applied on your lips and apply it on a liner brush then make a wing liner and gradually increase the colour of it to your liking.

If you want to you can use two colours and create an Ombre liner. This look is just perfect for summers!

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EYELINERS TO TRY OUT FROM DIFFERENT BRANDS 1. Kay Beauty Liquid Eyeliner (Available in 8 shades) -

₹499

2. Debasreee Beauty D/fine (Available in 15 shades)-

₹799

3. SUGAR Cosmetics Eye lit you so!

Vivid Eyeliner (Available in 6 shades) –

₹

699

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FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: A

R E E M E R G I N G

A R T

AABIYAH ZEHRA

A mere visual on paper, an experiment by George Eastman in 1885, turned photography into what it is today.

The American entrepreneur altered photography dramatically by founding the Eastman Kodak Company that emphasised on introducing to the mainstream the photographic use of roll film.

Since then we have come a long way, numerous types of photography have surfaced over the years and up until very recently, people seemed to have forgotten about the existence of this exquisite genre of photography.

WOKAL । ISSUE 08 । June 2021

WOKAL । ISSUE 08 । JUNE 2021

Along with the subtlety and delicateness of each photograph taken, there is a commitment of waiting for the photo-graphs to be developed to see how they turned out. Once the moment is captured, it will live in the roll of your film camera until you decide to make an effort to go and get it developed. There is a sense of nostalgia with every photograph you take. The warmth of the photographs takes you right back to the time they were taken.

With the luxury of technology in this time and age, everything gives instant contentment and in this case, Digital SLRs let us take as many pictures as we want until we get the perfect one. This is not the case with film cameras, you get one shot at it and that’s it. There’s something beautiful about the uncertainty of it all.

With “retro” being the new “cool” , Film Photography is making a comeback with an improved quality of photographs and relatively fast developing methods. memories to be in your hands sounds peaceful.

Disposable cameras are the new trend again and are also easy to find.

With the fast paced life that we live right now, waiting patiently for pieces of your memories to be in your hands sounds peaceful.

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PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

TIPS AND TRICKS OF THE 35MM FILM

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HOW TO:

Film Photography

BY ITU DUTTA

Analog or film photography is in my opinion a conscious form of photography. You cannot heedlessly take photographs, and since you don’t know how the photograph has turned out to be, staging a photograph is more difficult. What sounds like a herculean skill to get started with can be made much easier by augmenting the attention to detail and getting the hang of a few basic techniques that you can experiment with further.

Photography advice about experimentation and maintaining a log selected from https://iso.500px.com

Recommended as any beginner’s best bet. Shooting with a 35mm camera lets you tinker with what is termed as a versatile focal length. Its wider range lets you seamlessly switch from landscape to portrait photography.

Samantha Stortecky, on shootitwithfilm.com cautions that for beginners it is advisable to go slow and shoot with and subsequently develop one roll of photography at a time to assess not only the camera quality but also your own progress and skill. You will be able to work out and learn from troubles that you run into easily.

When it comes to analog photography, you can create variations by altering many variables here and there.

★Different stock rolls react differently to even the

same conditions. With variety comes the opportunity to utilise what you think is best suited for a specific situation or which style you will be most comfortable working with. So choose your film wisely, get to know how it works and utilise this knowledge to your advantage.

★Underexposing looms over analog photography as an unwelcome thundercloud, unless you wish for darker and shadowy images.

★Expired film is usually tossed aside but with #expiredfilm taking social media by a storm you know that the errors that it offers are up for your manipulation.

Tweak and create unique images, which would not be possible to do with new film.

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Maintaining a log or a record when starting out with film is a good method to keep track of what setting, used how and when led to which photograph. This lets you build a background for your future work and allows you to establish some guidelines for yourself. In the long run, this proves to be especially useful.

Analog photography is a process that grows with you. Creative freedom with informed decisions is a vital key here. Your learning is not just restricted to just your camera and its mechanism and the film rolls. Learning how your films get developed or developing them by yourself puts the command into your hands. You get to see how exposing your images in certain conditions will lead todifferent results.

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FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY TO

PUT

IS

THE

INTO

STORYI

WORDS.

DESTIN SPARKS

FAIL

THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

By Jigisha Sharma

To quote Socrates, I can not put into a single account of what contributes to the history of philosophy although I try not to impose floating a vacuum of a divine lineage in a mortal guise.

By philosophy we mean the new way of thinking that evolved in Greece or the Greek society about six hundred years before the birth of Christ according to the Georgian calendar, preceding people found answers to their questions from various religions or as we now come to realize as myths. Mythological pictures emerged and were a prerequisite in Greece preceding the cognizance of philosophy, people have hobbies or developed behavioural attributes that allow them to deal with the daily welters of life, some people collect old coins, some people collect books and some people give to the art of writing and a lot of people however enjoy reading among the many hobbies, while it may differ too from reading comic books, newspapers, books about astronomy it happens to be an established interest. Philosophers however would question if the basic needs are accommodated would everyone’s needs be all accommodated too?

modern Turkey. Thales thought the source of all things was water, earliest philosophers are sometimes called natural philosophers for their belief that there had to be a certain basic substance at the root of all change.

However, following philosopher Anaximander who lived at the same time as Thales believed that our world was only one of a myriad of worlds we weren’t aware of.

Subsequently there evolved a group of philosophers in the colony of southern Italy known as the “Eleactics” the most important of whom were Parmenides who believed that everything in the world was everlasting. A contemporary of Parmenides was Heraclitus who instead of the term “God” used the greek term “logos” meaning reason. The natural philosophers are also called the pre-socratics as they lived before Socrates. As Socrates represented a new era, the dominion of Athena was however also a dominion of the so-called Sophists.

The Sophists were of the opinion that answers to philosophical questions may exist, however man cannot know the truth about the riddles of nature and of the universe this view is infamously skeptical, the Sophists concerned themselves with the placeholders that were men in the society.

Socrates is the most enigmatic figure in the entire history of philosophy, ‘perfectly delightful’ as he was too, for Socrates it was often said, “you can seek him in the present, you can seek him in the past, but you will never find his equal.”

“Wisest is she who knows she does not know”

A greek philosopher who lived more than a thousand years ago believed that philosophy had an origin in mortal’s sense of wonder, alike watching a magic trick.

The first philosopher we know of is Thales, who was from Miletus, a Greek colony of the Asia Minor or as we now know to be WOKAL

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The life of Socrates is as we know through the dissertation of another classical philosopher- Plato. Therefore it is no easy matter to distinguish between the teachings of Socrates and the philosophy of Plato, however it is truly the portrait of Socrates that has inspired thinkers of the Western world for the near two thousand years since his execution. For Socrates did fascinate but he also exasperated, Socrates was a rationalist, upon his faith for human reason, the best known writer of comedic literature Aristophanes also wrote a spiteful comedy about Socrates as the “buffoon of Athens”. Trials of Jesus and Socrates exhibit clear parallels linking to the personal courage that allowed them to send their own messages. For the longing to return to the realm of the soul according to Plato, Plato believed that everything tangible in nature “flows” as the precedent natural philosophers, so there would be no “substances”

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that do not dissolve, absolutely everything that were to belong to the ‘material world’ were something time can erode however everything is made after a timeless ‘mold’ or ‘form’ that is eternal and immutable.

The third prominent classical Greek philosopher Aristotle is of prominence as he meticulously organised clarifying the common Archaeans or the common people’s concepts of life and knowledge.

Aristotle’s writings were an encyclopedia based on field studies he helped classify sciences according to many scientists. This would account for ancient philosophy or the Socratic era, of Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle most prominent in history.

The medieval era of philosophy or the era that saw the fall of the Roman era to the Renaissance in prevalence or the Age of

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Enlightenment, the philosophers that succumbed among many were connected to Christianity, the schooling system of the Church or Catholic school originated in the same period of time as the chief philosophers, Hence of the time being church-men.

Neoplatonism was prevalent, giving a rational interpretation of Christian faith. Religion or theology and reason was prominent, a rational understanding of faith. Ethics as one of the branches of philosophy thus marked, and stoicism present.

After the dark ages or the middle age, we saw the period of Renaissance and humanism allowing reading humanistic subjects. Technological advancements surfaced as the relinquishment of the Church as the sole dissemination of knowledge for the printing press was discovered, and the telescope for the basis of astronomy, the process that eventually brought people to the moon or the Hiroshima and Chernobyl.

Modern philosophy period would be the period for epistemology from the metaphysical, when I think about modern philosophy I think about Spinoza who was blasphemed and prosecuted for his ideas, his ideas of Judaism and Christianity.

Baruch Spinoza believed the religions to be only an amalgamation of rigid dogma and outer ritual.

Empiricism emerged the same era, that we have absolutely nothing in the mind that we have not experienced through the senses. Locke, Berkeley, and Hume these British philosophers would agree.

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Modern philosophy or the contemporary period also created a distinction for British empiricism and continental rationalism from the 17th century period to the 20th century period. However, the classical empirical approach came from Aristotle.

As for the Contemporaneous Era, philosophy has seen professionalization of the development of new norms in order to create a degree of demarcation. For instance, the day of the philosopher as an isolated thinker, creative amateur is effectively gone with accordance to a collectivist society in advancement.

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BE BOHO

THIS SUMMER!

By Sneha Barua

BOHO CHIC

Bohemian style is a fashion style strongly related to hippie fashion. In this style, natural fabrics, retro patterns, neutrals and warm shades merge with 70s style accents and a flair for statement accessories. This style comes with a long history, with its aesthetic originating in the late 60s and 70s. Also called ‘boho chic’ or ‘boho’, the style features a variety of natural materials, earthy shades and hippie-inspired patterns. The origin of bohemian style is strongly correlated with the bohemians, a counterculture that appeared in France after the French Revolution. The era saw many artists plunge into poverty, as a result of being deprived of the former system of patronage With

time,

Bohemians’

style

evolved

considerably. What started as a necessity (dressing poorly due to poverty) became an ideology – one against materialism, pro communal living spaces, against social conventions and often against personal hygiene. Later on, the Bohemians took part in the Aesthetic Movement, which stood against the stiff corsets and crinolines of the era. As a result, the Aesthetic Movement followers embraced a new lifestyle and new style of clothing, focused on loose fits, hand embroideries and medieval-inspired designs.

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BOHO COLOURS

There are Bohemian colour palettes which help you curate a Bohemian wardrobe easily! It includes both warm and cold hues. A good general rule is to opt for a collection in 6 to 12 hues. Go for loose, relaxed fit items with different prints if you aim for the Boho look. Mixing prints is much easier when you start with a hue palette, which is why putting a lot of thought into your color scheme is essential

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Boho chic rooms feature: Casual, colorful layers of fabrics and patterns Meaningful artwork Handmade pieces that are close to your heart Floral & foliage prints These days, bohemian style falls on a large and varied spectrum.

From fashions reminiscent of the funky 1970s, loaded with flared sleeves and pants to romantic bohemians, where lace, braids and prairie silhouettes dominate to the urban-edgy bohemian who sports a city version of the artsy aesthetic, the range is very diverse

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BOHO OUTFIT INSPO Inspired by the original Bohemians of the 60s, the hippie Bohemian wears groovy tie-dye prints, maxi dresses with ultra-long locks, or wavy hair, headbands, hats, any hair accessories and flat sandals Asymmetrical skirts - As bohemian style is all about prints and the free spirit vibes, a long flowy skirt is a perfect choice. Wear a long skirt, and some crochet crop top or busters and accessories with hat, some silver jewellery and a sling bag Shorts and scarfs - Westernising the bohemian look, you can wear shorts, and wrap around a printed scarf as a top with some silver jewellery and some funky hairstyle and makeup to get that look.

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MAKE-UP & JEWELLERY Heavy statement jewellery is one way to make your attire look more bohemian. Heavy silver chokers, silver long necklaces, beaded chokers all make you look more bohemian.

Adding heavy chunky bangles and bracelets along with hoops. While you style a bohemian outfit, always keep in mind the more the merrier. Chunky jewellery work wonders along with loose, baggy fit outfits. Makeup plays a very important role in a bohemian look.

The main focus in a Bohemian look is the skin and the eyes, while we tend to achieve a natural look for the skin, with pores, freckles or any other imperfections, the eyes have a more bold look. Go all out with colourful wing eyeliners, golden dramatic eyeliner, some dots on the chin, some bling here and there, the lips are usually left subtle with some gloss or a nude lip shade or bare lips. Bohemian look is all about having fun so don't restrict yourself to a certain rule and experiment with your makeup.

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BOHO INSPIRED HAIRSTYLES Whether we’re talking about casual or formal occasions, relaxed and effortless are the keywords when on a mission to master that laid-back Boho hair look. Beachy waves are the easiest boho hairstyle you can achieve, if you want to get it up a notch, go for braids like fishtail braids, Dutch braids and so on. The ultimate Boho hairstyle is adding elements to your hair like studs, beads, feathers, dreadlocks etc. all these hairstyles take time but are so worth it and can make you feel like a total Bohemian.

You can wear hats, or a messy bun with a bandana, as well. What started as a subculture representing an eccentric, unconventional part of the population a couple hundred years ago became a mainstream culture in its own right. Bohemian style is definitely more than just a fading trend – and it’s more than just a fashion craze

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INFORM. INSIGHT. INSPIRE. WOKAL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 08| JUNE

WOKAL ISSUE 8 | JUNE 2021