WOKAL Issue 2 September 2020

I S S U E

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S E P T E M B E R

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WOKAL LOOKING THROUGH A QUEER LENS: LGBTQ+ representation on the screen

THE BLISS OF LIFE: In conversation with Aymun Naqvi

THE ART OF LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY: Capturing the essence of life

GOD’S LESSER CHILDREN

Questioning The Great Divide

INFORM. INSIGHT. INSPIRE. WOKAL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 2| SEPTEMBER 2020

Contents

WOKAL

MAG

06

27

11

29

22

34

Words (poem)

39

Alpviram: Rape is not the end

Looking through a Queer Lens

53

40

Counting Colours in the Rainbow

62

47

The Glass Glow Effect

67

Curious case of Disappearing Beauties of Bollywood

Virtually Vogue

78

The Great Malyasian Vacation

86

Tea with Sib

93

Frosted Crumbs

99

Purr-feet communication with your cat

104

Binging with Baksi

110

h the t i w o g here we

Creds !

SEPTEMBER 2020

WOKAL ISSUE 02

SEPTEMBER 2020

WOKAL ISSUE 02

G O D S L E S S E R C H I L D R E N ’

Q U E S T I O N I N G

T H E

G R E A T

D I V I D E

BY ALINA AHMED

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2020

WOKAL MAG

WOKAL SEPTEMBER 2020

FOR THE SAKE OF A FEW GRAINS While we felt cooped up inside our houses, not once giving a thought that at least we could afford a roof over our heads and foods on our plates, there were these mortal beings who continued to move out of their shelters and risk their health for the sake of a few grains. If there exists a supernatural power that has created this world and all celestial beings, what makes them so different from us? Alina Ahmed questions the great divide.

CHOSEN ONES OR GOD’S LESSER CHILDREN?

WOKAL SEPTEMBER 2020

I often question the fact that I was born in a family fortunate enough to provide me three meals a day, adequate education and a sound bed to sleep on. What have I done to deserve all of this without making the slightest of efforts? Is it a sheer chance that I wasn’t born on a filthy street, that I didn't have to pick rags in order to afford two meals a day? And will all of these provisions guarantee contentment? What has any of us ever done to be born the way we are? Am I or people like me God’s chosen ones or are they God’s lesser children?

They might have been blessed with less amenities and lesser opportunities, but the way they carry on their life, living it as it knocks and somehow finding joy in places where dejection thrives, makes them the truer children of God. They make the most out of what this rough wild world lays down for them.

Making most out of what the world lays down for them

WOKAL MAG

Being home quarantined and having the time to finally sit and contemplate, my balcony became my watchtower, I had the chance to observe the great divide much closely. I could see a slum and its dwellers. What caught my eye were the little ones whose eyes gleamed with dreams and smiles shined the brightest while dancing in the rain. I haven't seen smiles that bright even on figures studded with diamonds and golds. Children tried to amuse themselves with acts so different yet pure. Longer electricity cuts led them to fly kites for hours. Those who couldn’t buy kites, waited long enough to catch fallen, severed kites. For them, catching these kites meant nothing less than found treasure. Water shortage made them wait for rain so eagerly, they enjoyed the first drops of the season nothing less than a water park. Played games in the mud and puddle. Oh what fun they had! For once they tempted me to jump in those puddles too. Well no sane minded privileged person would do what these children did out of glee. Watching this I remembered something from the very famous web series, Sacred Games. Subhadra, the protagonist's wife,once told her rich, gangster, husband that when she was young, she would watch rich kids going to disco parties, she could not afford.

But at the 10 day festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, she would dance to her heart’s content because then, the whole city would rock to blasting music.

ACTS SO DIFFERENT YET PURE”

Photographs by Aabiyah Zehra

WHAT WE SEE IS THE HALF TRUTH The pictures might tell us about happiness but I, or anyone for that matter, really understand their hopes and aspirations. I could only feel their joy dancing in the rain, what I could, not was their hungry stomachs that growl when they go to bed without food. I could see them catching kites but what remained hidden was that unlike kites, you cannot run and catch education or opportunities.

These children might find joys in small things, but happiness cannot last long in small proportions of everything they get. Dejection, abuse and misery seem to have cornered these innocent souls and nothing is more heart wrenching than these demons snatching away their innocence. This great divide between the masses might have become so acceptable that we have become indifferent to it, something so basic,that we seldom see it as a problem. The only part we do is to feel sorry for sometime and then go back to killing more opportunities for these children to thrive upon. Maybe at times all of us have also benefited from this divide and that is why we continue to subsidize it to our advantage. Maybe, at times we would have upheld the utter fact that they actually are God’s lesser children. Well, what if we are God’s lesser children who didn't know how to give or share? What if we are the lesser children because we don’t know how to help? Maybe we are God’s children with a lesser heart.

By ALINA AHMED

Photographs by Aabiyah Zehra

The Bliss of Life: musings of a visual artist W O K A L

THE

INTERVIEW

By Alina Ahmed and Aabiyah Zehra

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W O K A L

M A G

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The Interview Q1.

HOW'S

THE

QUARANTINE

BEEN

FOR

YOU?

It has been even more hectic because we have so many things to do now, people think that since we are at home, we have all the time in the world, so it has become even more hectic.

Q2

.

FIRST WERE

WHEN

DID

REALIZE

YOU

THAT

YOU

INCLINED

TOWARDS

FINE

ARTS?

Ever since I was a child, I have been obsessed with creating things. On holidays my sister and I used to sit for hours to make and paint things.

I remember she used to teach me all the techniques that she had learnt in her art class and then we used to do them together. But it first began as a hobby and later grew and became an indelible part of my personality. I don't exactly know when it happened but it just happened with time.

W O K A L

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Q3.

SO

YOUR

SISTER

TOO,

IS

AN

ARTIST?

Yeah, and even my dad used to paint so I think it's in our genes. (smiles)

Q4. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE ART?

IS IT

CAREER DRIVEN OR OTHERWISE?

Like I said, I have always been interested in Art and honestly I never thought that my career and future would head in this direction but I am sure glad that it did. And my imagination has always done an incredible job in being a driving force in my life. It has done and still does have influence on everything I do. It has always been the easiest way for me to express myself. Everything I see and everything I do inspires me to create Art.

Q5. HOW

WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR

BRAND ZERAH INDIA FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE YET TO COME ACROSS IT?

Zerah India is an Indian Apparel line that

produces high quality and environmentallysensitive handmade products procured from artisans all over India.

The idea has been to connect skilled and locally available artisans to the market. This way we ensure that the finest regional product reaches the market. And we are getting overwhelming responses for our products and really look forward to more and more feedback and suggestions and therefore by enhancing our offerings.

W O K A L

M A G

Q6. THIS SOUNDS AMAZING,

THE INTERVIEW OF

LIKE AN ART IN ITSELF. WHO ALL ARE MANAGING THIS VENTURE

AYMUN NAQVI

ALONG WITH YOU? Yes we do the designing by ourselves and these artisans help us make those designs a reality. Right now, it’s just me and my mom who are taking care of everything, but we would really like to expand it in the future and we have a bunch of ideas, so let's see where it goes!

Q7. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE

By ALINA AHMED AND AABIYAH ZEHRA

BRAND? Our motive is to link rural producers to urban markets, thereby creating sustainable rural empowerment and preserving India’s heritage and pride. I would personally want Zerah India to be recognized as a brand that has given opportunities to many marginalized

WOKAL MAG

skilled workers. Also to talk about product range, right now we are only women focused but we are planning to expand our catalogue very soon.

Q8. HOW DO YOU OVERCOME A CREATIVE BLOCK? It’s a very bad spot to be in, honestly.

It can come from almost anywhere.

And it is even more difficult to cope up with because you’re so locked into a familiar way of looking at something that you fail to see all the other possibilities and can be quite frustrating. So rather than dwelling upon it, I go and do something else entirely different from what I was supposed to do. I think that opens up my mind and more often than not not I find inspiration where you would least expect them to be.

Q9. PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE ART EXHIBITIONS THAT YOU HAVE PUT UP. Till now I have put up six exhibitions showcasing my artwork from the year of 2015 to 2019. And I have learnt a thing or two along the way. Like I said earlier, Art has always been the most comfortable way to express myself but when you’re showcasing your work, everyone is going to see that and everyone is going to ask you questions about it, and they also have their own interpretations about it. It can be a little intimidating at first but my best hope is that they stand simply on their own. It is exciting when the artworks find similar connections in the audience so they all have their own take on the art, so that is quite an interesting aspect of showcasing your art. When people come to you and tell you what your artwork means to them, I have always loved this part of exhibiting my work in front of an audience

REISE | PAGE 2

WOKAL MAG ISSUE 2

Q10. How do you handle the criticism, if any, that comes from the audience?

There is always some form of criticism, and I always try to take it more positively because if you don't handle the criticism well you won't be able to move on or continue doing what you like. So everybody has their own perceptions and opinions about things and they will not necessarily align to your way of thinking so it’s better to take a note and move on.

Q11. What would you like to pass on to aspiring visual artists?

Learning to paint has been a journey of self-discovery and it will be a journey to self-discovery for everyone. Your work is a means to capture a feeling and at the same time also reflect who you are, so I would suggest not to measure yourself by how many shows you get or how many awards you’ve won or quit because of the competition. Instead, I would suggest to seek validation internally and you will never

WOKAL

have to please anyone else.

IMPROMPTU! IMPROMPTU!

(THE THE RAPID RAPID FIRE FIRE ROUND ROUND) 1. What would you name your alter ego?

Probably Amy, because that’s what most of my family members call me and I could not come up with anything else. (laughs!)

2. A song that describes your personality the best.

I totally relate to the lyrics of CRZY by Kehlani!

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

Definitely a Frappuccino!

4. A local artist that you might have come across recently?

I recently came across an India based illustrator, Prabhu Kohli. His work is really pretty and draws inspiration from nature.

5. If you could eat just one cuisine your entire life, what would that be?

INDIAN!! Although it's not a single cuisine. Can't survive without Masala!

SEP 2020

It was Kafka On The Shore by Murakaami.

By Alina and Aabiyah

WOKAL MAG

6. What was the last book you read?

s a h e h s s e c Pla ibited:: h x e 1. Select City Walk, June 2015 2. India Islamic Cultural Centre, July 2015 3. Faculty of Fine Arts, Jamia, 2016 4. India Habitat Centre, 15-18th May, 2017

5. Group exhibition at Artizen Art Gallery, Pearey Lal Bhawan, 13-15 January, 2018 6. Group exhibit at MF Hussain Art Gallery, October 2019.

WOKAL MAG

ZERAH INDIA A CLOTHING BRAND

AYMUN NAQVI

Presents to you

THE ART OF LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

WOKAL MAG. SEPTEMBER 2020

BY AABIYAH ZEHRA

Photograph by Jared Rice on Unsplash

ON HOW LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF EXISTENCE, IN THE WORDS OF AABIYAH ZEHRA “I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.”

– Diane Arbus

Photograph by Priscella Du Preez on Unsplash

By Aabiyah Zehra| wokal mag | issue 2

What is Lifestyle Photography, you may ask? Scrolling through your Instagram feed, you come across this beautiful photograph of a mother, cradling her child in her arms- that’s Lifestyle Photography; a portrait of a boy in the street with spellbinding eyes- that’s Lifestyle Photography.

Everything related to real-life events and emotions that can be encapsulated in the form of a photograph is called Lifestyle Photography.

Photograph by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

This form of photography is the craft that requires its pursuer to have a vision for stories within the mundane things of life. Normally, we do not look at that little, old table in the corner of our living room which has been through use and disuse and stood through trials of time as anything special, but if you ask a storyteller, that table could have belonged to an ancient cottage and could’ve been used as a stand for a handmade scented candle, or a side table holding the monocle of an old man- a plethora of stories behind just that one table.

Similar is the interaction of a photographer with the eyes of every person they come across, eyes that hold many untold stories in them. Photographers wield about themselves an ability to alter the perspective of those who stop to look at their art. With their camera in hand, they can change the world. As Alfred Stieglitz said,

“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.�

What a well-composed photograph can tell, the

BY AABIYAH ZEHRA | September 2020| Issue 2

world may not see without it.

Photograph by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

Sitting in the comfort of your own home, you wouldn’t necessarily know or wonder about the life of people living in slums, struggling to get their daily bread. But if you come across a photograph of a slum boy during your daily Instagram scroll, it makes you stop to think and be grateful for what you have and possibly create in you a desire to give back.

To give our readers an insight of Lifestyle Photography, we have interviewed Lifestyle and Travel Photographer, Manuj Mehta (head on to page 30 to read) and featured Photographers Rajiv Solanki and Luke Higgs (head on to page 27 to view)!

MAG

FEATU

MOC.GAMLAKOW.WWW

WOKAL

LUKE HIGGS

WWW.LUKEHIGGSPHOTOS.COM

@LUKEHIGGSPHOTOS

Charleston, SC

MAG

MOC.GAMLAKOW.WWW

RING

WOKAL

RAJIV SOLANKI

WWW.RAJIVSOLANKI.COM

@RAJIV_SOLANKI

Delhi, India

Ruins from the Past: ThePre-Partition Havelis of Haryana

ISSUE 2

Wokal mag

BY RUPALI RAKHEJA

HAVELIS OF HARYANA A call from a small town in Pakistan with a wish to identify an ancestral haveli in India led to a mix of emotions and nostalgia. On a curious inquest and a voluntary trip around the small village of Kahanur, travel enthusiast Rupali Rakheja, found the revelations of life amid ruins of bricks and souls

Wokal mag

THE REVELATIONS OF LIFE AMID RUINS OF BRICKS AND SOULS.

By Rupali Rakheja

WOKAL

Slightly surprised and cursing my ignorance, I was visiting a relative in a rural village of Haryana, Kahanur.

The village of Kahanur is situated in the Rohtak District of Haryana. A handful population s residing in the village today had ancestors who migrated during the Partition in 1947 from Multan and Jhang. According to a local belief, the village was once famous for dacoits who took refuge in the village, probably during the Mughal period. '

It was when a professor from a nearby town came over to Kahanur, speaking of a call he had received from someone in Jhang, Pakistan.

The caller wanted to identify their ancestral haveli in Kahanur, with given information and directions, the professor was able to locate their haveli. In a dilapidated condition, lopsided roofs, the haveli looked like it hadn't been opened in years.( It happened to be the backyard of the place I was residing in, more like their attic.)

The professor made a video call in Pakistan, and the two worlds connected. With mixed forms of emotions, gasps and an older man reminiscing their childhood the call was abruptly disconnected because of limited internet connectivity.

WOKAL

RESIDING IN THE VILLAGE

By RUPALI RAKHEJA

A sudden realisation stuck in my head and I went on to take a tour of the village!

To my surprise, I came across several PrePartition Havelis with influences of Medieval architectural elements. Their condition nonetheless feeble and worsening day by day. Some of them had fading ink inscribed in Urdu and Arabic. I am assuming the Arabic ones were Quranic Verses

EMOTIONS AND NOSTALGIA

A Haveli is a Farsi word which means a place for military encampment but in the Indian context, the word is used to refer to a mansion. Getting a sense of the architecture, the Havelis, belonged to the 18th and 19th century. Inspired by the Mughal form of architecture. These Havelis provide an insightful glimpse on the rural life of India.

OWNING A THOUGHT ABOUT RE - ADAPTING AND SUSTAINING THESE HAVELIS, HAVE OCCURRED IN MY HEAD BUT EVENTUAL THE LOCALS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND CONTINUE TO CALL IT " KHANDAR " WITH NO IDEA HOW TO REVAMP THESE STRUCTURES, THE LOCALS CONTINUE TO BREAK THESE LAKHOURI BUILT, LIME PLASTERED BUILDINGS WITH CEMENT AND BIGGER RECTANGULAR BRICKS.

On my interaction with the villagers, I inquired about any Muslim families living in the village.

To get an idea about the mosques which have now been converted to Gurdwaras. A villager explained that there were a couple of Muslim families living in the outskirts of the village but it's been more than a decade that they moved out of the area.

AMAZING HISTORY

By RUPALI RAKHEJA Sadly, this has been the case of several villages in Haryana where several Mosques converted into Gurudwaras. Wondering if similarly Gurudwaras were/are being turned into mosques in Pakistan?

Has history always been about erasing other's to write one's own?

I am still going back to the call that was received from Jhang and wondering if everyone holds the same sentiment about their ancestral material memory! I would like to believe that we are all the same, only divided by borders. So close, yet so far!

WOKAL

LOOKING THROUGH A QUEER LENS ELIZABETH REJI KASHISH CHOPRA

&

DEALING WITH PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

ISSUE 02 Sep 2020

WOKAL MAG

By Elizabeth Reji

&

Kashish Chopra

We often find ourselves praising and discussing how the tables have now turned and the Queer community has gained more recognition and representation in foreign mass media but what we tend to ignore is how things are changing for the good in the Indian media industry as well.

Even though we have a long way to go but for a country that has recently decriminalized homosexuality, it’s a great deal to be able to witness the portrayal of the queer community in a more sensitive and inclusive approach.

Elizabeth Reji and Kashish Chopra write about how the

Queer Indian experiences and issues have gained representation in the Mass Media through various platforms such as Films, Series, Advertisements, Film Festivals, etce

FILMS Still from the film Fire, starring Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das

THE MOVIE THAT STARTED IT ALL

Earlier the films showed homosexual characters as effeminate who added no meaning to the story and were there to add insensitive humor or comic relief to the plot However now the world view of the producers as well as consumers has changed and we see the portrayal of homosexual characters in the light of significance to the plot of the movie or series Fire 1996 the movie that started it all ,

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One of the first Indian queer films a classic Fire was way ahead of its time as it depicts a lesbian relationship tangled between two unhappy arranged marriages Even when homosexuality was a hush hush topic in India and wasn t widely accepted in Indian culture this film featured an honest and significant representation of the LGBTQ characters and stirred a violent aftermath ,

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WOKAL

Another one of the most progressive movies is Margarita with a Straw 2014 by Shonali Bose which revolves around two topics that are not popular in Bollywood disability and bisexuality This raw and brilliantly executed movie shows the realization of the protagonist about her bisexuality and eventually finding love It is not only about accepting one s sexuality but also normalizing the idea of people with disability expressing their sexuality Recent movies like Ek Ladki ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga 2019 by Shelly Chopra Dhar and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan 2020 by Hitesh Kewalya are a few such movies that left a mark on Indian cinema by their relatable depiction of struggles faced by the queer for acceptance by their families Previous references to homosexuality in ads were made to infuse humor If advertising mirrored societal attitudes then they would tend to establish homosexuality as atypical something that could either frighten people or tickle them into insensitive laughter ‘

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ISSUE 02

ADVERTISEMENTS

Moving on from humorous references to gays and lesbians to a sincere recognition of them as equals, ads these days mark a paradigm shift in the way homosexuality is depicted in Indian advertising. Previous references to homosexuality in ads were made to infuse humor. If advertising mirrored societal attitudes, then they would tend to establish homosexuality as atypical, something that could either frighten people or tickle them into insensitive laughter.

BY REJI AND KASHISH In a realistic evolution brands like Titan eBay Brooke Bond s Red Label Vicks etc present ads that delve deeper into the issue They portray queers as individuals confident about their identity and unapologetically nonconformist ,

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An advertisement that fills our hearts with warmth and love is that of Vicks What sets it apart from other advertisements is the beautiful portrayal of a ceaseless bond between a daughter and a trans woman Gauri Sawant who against all odds is raising Gayathri as her own .

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The advertisement sheds light on how a trans woman is denied custody of her daughter because it s still illegal in our country It breaks the social norm of trans women not qualifying as mothers '

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Vicks takes up this issue for their campaign touchofcare because Vicks is a product that has stood for family care in India #

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Accessories brand Fastrack launched a commercial that ruffled a few feathers with its LGBT theme The Commercial which became an instant Internet sensation opened with a shot of a trembling closet but instead of a man and a woman two girls emerged from the closet and looked at each other meaningfully while the tagline read Come out of the closet Move on .

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The sole message of this ad was to encourage individuals belonging to the LGBT community to freely express their sexuality .

SEPTEMBER 2020

Jabong s campaign is a contemporary take on the brand s positioning of Be You The commercial portrayed men wearing bridal nose rings along with heels and girls wearing green lipsticks with turbans The brand attempts to break the clichés of fashion by being bold by featuring men and women in various unorthodox and gender bending outfits and accessories representing Gender fluidity The brand is reiterating the idea of individuality to inspire and encourage the youth of India to be comfortable in their skin ’

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Other prominent brands like Amul Close up Myntra Tanishq Hidesign and Times of India have also expressed their support towards the queer community through commercials initiatives and social media posts ,

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The queer projection of characters in Indian mass media has seen a drastic shift From the times when characters had to stay in the closet and would hardly talk openly about their sexuality and gender to now where they can come out of the closet and take pride in defining their identities The strides made towards representation and equality of the Queer community in mass media in the past few years are remarkable but true equality has not been achieved and will not be achieved until Queer characters can be found across all forms of mass media treated with respect and reflect the diversity of the community .

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THE CURIOUS CASE OF DISAPPEARING BOLLYWOOD BEAUTIES !

BY HIBA

WOKAL MAG PRESENTS TO YOU

Unacknowledged phenomenon of Bollywood

The glittering world of Indian cinema has always been a mystery for the onlookers but some of its theories are still to be demystified by our youth. Hiba, our social commentator, writes about yet another known but unacknowledged phenomenon of bollywood, the case of disappearing bollywood beauties from the silver screen.

WOKAL MAG | ISSUE 02

W O K A L

M A G

Just another name!?

Let's face it, all of us rewatched "Tarzan the Wonder Car" for the frisky Ayesha Takia and not for the Whatever-His-Name-Was nerdy protagonist and the nonsense storyline. As our common childhood crush, Ayesha Takia seemed too beautiful to be a one hit wonder but none of us really saw her on the screen again.

DISAPPEARED PROMISING CAREERS.

Unsurprisingly, she is just another name in a very long list of Bollywood actresses with seemingly promising careers who shortly disappeared from the limelight without a trace. Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na's Genelia D'Souza, Cocktail's Diana Penty, Maine Pyar Kiya's Bhagyashree, Tere Naam's Bhumika Chawla, Ghajini's Asin and Veer's Zarine Khan are just a few recent, prominent names off this untracked list.

I S S U E

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BY HIBA

WHERE DID THEY DISAPPEAR TO? Wokal

Well, I bothered to do the research and crack this mystery and spoiler alert, it isn't as thrilling. The most common reason for actresses leaving Bollywood is that they got married, chose to focus on their personal lives and we should respect that.

Also because a married woman romancing on screen is seen as something undignified, while according to our society, it's completely appropriate for actors with a leg in their grave doing the same with women young enough to be their daughters.

Other reasons why actresses disappear from the mainstream screen is that they are never quite able to make their peace with the industry, don't get paid what they think they deserve, refuse to confine to sexual favours, end up in bad blood with the wrong people and a very popular one, they get replaced by younger and more relevant showgirls.

ARE ACTRESSES THIS EASILY DISPOSABLE TO BOLLYWOOD? Mystery or social commentary

What What started started as as a a mystery mystery will will end end as as a a social social commentary. commentary.

Of Of course course this this says says a a lot lot about about Bollywood Bollywood as as an an industry. industry. Behind Behind a a glittering glittering facade facade of of perfect perfect pretty pretty faces faces and and enchantingly enchantingly lavish lavish lives, lives, it it is is a a deeply deeply flawed flawed place place with with a a few few brave brave stories stories exposing exposing the the disturbing disturbing things things that that go go on on behind behind the the screen. screen. Just Just like like every every other other walk walk of of life, life, women women are are at at the the worst worst receiving receiving end end of of it. it.

Their Their job job is is usually usually reduced reduced to to 'sit 'sit still still and and look look pretty' pretty' while while men men like like the the Khans Khans keep keep ruling ruling Bollywood Bollywood even even decades decades after after their their prime. prime. Actresses Actresses come come and and go go despite despite having having to to painfully painfully live live up up to to unrealistic unrealistic beauty beauty expectations expectations by by getting getting plastic plastic surgeries, surgeries, covering covering their their faces faces with with cakes cakes of of makeup, makeup, being being sexualised, sexualised, wearing wearing shorter shorter and and tighter tighter clothes clothes in in order order to to stay stay relevant, relevant, even even when when their their ageing ageing body body is is unable unable to to keep keep up up

WOKAL MAG ISSUE 2 SEP 2020

GO GAGA!

Naturally, Naturally, it's it's completely completely okay okay when when women women choose choose to to do do all all of of this this if if it it makes makes them them feel feel beautiful beautiful and and confident, confident, but but this this concept concept of of conventional conventional beauty beauty isn't isn't only only what what we we should should be be going going gaga gaga for. for.

If If we we are are being being accepting accepting of of that, that, why why can't can't we we accept accept actresses actresses born born in in the the 70s 70s with with rosy rosy cheeks, cheeks, silver silver hair, hair, midnight midnight blue blue ghararas, ghararas, quoting quoting shayari shayari and and bringing bringing grace grace back back to to the the screen. screen.

God, God, who who doesn't doesn't adore adore women women of of classic classic Bollywood Bollywood like like Nargis Nargis and and Madhubala?

Madhubala?

Why Why did did we we throw throw the the originality originality of of our our culture culture in in the the backseat backseat to to chase chase the the western western concept concept of of modernity? modernity?

Since Since Indian Indian society society venerates venerates actors actors and and is is far far behind behind from from progressing progressing past past the the shallow shallow need need for for celebrity celebrity culture, culture, maybe maybe we we should should show show a a picture picture closer closer to to reality reality on on the the screen. screen. That That will will make make it it easier easier for for the the perfect-but-not-so-perfect perfect-but-not-so-perfect hourglass hourglass figures figures of of the the silver silver screen screen and and the the audience audience to to accept accept themselves themselves for for who who they they are. are.

As As tragedy tragedy queens, queens, sex sex sirens, sirens, heart-throbs heart-throbs and and overnight overnight stars, stars, the the Bollywood Bollywood actresses actresses who who once once reigned reigned the the tinsel tinsel town town of of show show business business gradually gradually faded faded and and were were forgotten forgotten about, about, only only to to be be spotted spotted by by paparazzi paparazzi in in sophisticated sophisticated gatherings gatherings and and expensive expensive parties. parties.

It's It's still still comforting comforting to to see see the the women women we we idolised idolised as as children children found found love, love, settled settled down down and and made made peace peace with with the the chaos chaos of of life. life. If If the the melancholy melancholy Juliets Juliets of of the the big big screen screen eventually eventually found found their their meaning meaning of of happily happily ever ever after, after, then then there's there's hope hope for for the the rest rest of of our our unscreened unscreened stories stories

BY HIBA WOKAL MAG

ALPVIRAM: RAPE IS NOT THE END ISSUE

2

| SEPTEMBER

2020

BY JASMINE SACHDEVA WOKAL MAG

WOKAL MAG

A show aired in

1998

raised a serious question to the Indian

masses: Is rape the end? It also highlighted various repercussions faced by the survivor Amrita.

Alpviram

, a

Hindi television daily directed by Vipul Shah, brought to the camera a much controversial theme of how a victim’s life is affected by the crime. An analysis by Jasmine Sachdeva reveals how it further builds the protagonist’s decisions, therefore proving that the story of life cannot be defined by a single semi-colon (alpviram).

BY JASMINE SACHDEVA

WOKAL MAG

R

ape is a hideous crime committed

by both men and women, across all

age bars, genders and

generations.

R

ape culture is not a

new phenomenon, it has existed

and has been justified across

Greek and

R

oman mythologies and

is continued even today.

Addressing this crucial social evil,

Sony Television aired their

production named 'Alpviram' (1) in

1

998

, almost 21 years ago.

By Jasmine Sachdeva

September

2020

WOKAL MAG It revolved around a female protagonist named Amrita who is raped and gets pregnant while she was in coma, under the surveillance of a reputed hospital in a metropolitan city.

What caught my attention was the fact that a show so forward enough in its approach to address this issue was shown on television in the early days of our parent’s childhood but unfortunately, shows like these are not readily available on TV or on YouTube currently. My curiosity in the series forced me to look it up at various online platforms however I was disappointed to find not more than 30 episodes online even though the entire program comprises

8

5 episodes. It

made me ponder whether our lives are actually narrowed down to the western concept of Netflix or to shows like Love

R

School and Splits villa, which steal T

P for

binding love into tiny hollow boxes that needs to be achieved in a relationship and are taking over social media sites like

IS

RAPE

THE

END?

Instagram.

‘Alpviram’ is beautifully carved giving us an insight of how our family and society can be the bearers for making

www.wokalmag.com

decisions and designing the rigid way of our life without even respecting our privacy or acknowledging personal preferences, interests and principles especially in the case of women.

However, Amrita’s fianc

é

e is shown in bright light towards

her choices even when everyone reinforces that abortion

is the only solution. He firmly stands for Amrita’s view

that every life is important and abortion is not the option

if not accepted by the bearer of the child. In the story

they have shown aspects to abortions through the eyes

of women. The show unfolds that every woman can have a

different point of view towards abortion, however

incorrect she might appear, she has the right to her own

body. On one side is the protagonist justifying how

important each life is, she tries to appeal to the viewers

that by giving basic resources we can make each life

blissful. On the contrary the character of Kismis is shown,

a prostitute who has a child because of her profession

and wanted to have an abortion because she couldn’t

afford to raise a chi ld financially and also does not feel

any attachment to the fetus in her womb. Across various

historical epochs, women have been tortured in the name

of abortion, leeches were put in their vagina, coat hangers

or knitting needles were inserted to detach the fetus and

many other such atroci ties. (2)

BY JASMINE SACHDEVA

Wokal mag

WOKAL MAG

BY JASMINE SACHDEVA

Women were asked to get abortion if they were raped or were convicted of adultery whether they were guilty or not. In the present context, these draconian methods have been replaced but however the choice of having an abortion is still lingering in the hands of our husbands, fathers, brothers or elderly men of the village. According to our patriarchal society rape is a crime, but not because it is a crime against the autonomy and bodily integrity of a woman(3). but solely because it has brought dishonor in the family. The victim has brought shame to the family and should be confided to the walls of the house but the rapist is supported to boast about his masculinity by talking about the rape he commits.

RAPE CULTURE IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON A crime like this can never be compensated. In the series, the signatories of the hospital offer compensation to the grandparents of Amrita. The word Social deal is used to indicate this offer made by the hospital, the grandmother is shown asserting again and again to the grandfather that it is all that they could have, and by having this money in the form of compensation at least some of their problems will be resolved.

Throughout the sequence of events, different stakeholders look for their own profit from Amrita’s situation, the nurses get excited to work near her bed as everyone knows about her case and has got the stage, the editor of the publishing house wants to cover the story so that it is profitable for her company, the authorities of the hospital care for nobody but the reputation of their institution. The irony is that no one really cares for her well-

BY

JASMINE

SACHDEVA Wokal mag

being, yet justify everything they do in her name.

Women are often considered as

Crime against women.

subject of honor in most patriarchal societies and restrictions are imposed on their sexuality, chastity, virginity and conformity to societal norms in order to control them and their behavior, trying to moderate and modify it according to the liking and disliking of men. Crimes such as rape and issues such as abortion have existed from the beginning of time, however, through the course of time they have just aggregated. It is high time that we actually see them in a more mature and sensitive light and revisit our ideologies for the

Wokal mag

same.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WOKAL MAG SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE 2

(1) Alpviram, directed by Vipul Shah and produced by Sony India Ltd, was aired in 1998.

(2) Scoopwhoop’s, 23 of the Most Torturous Ways in Which Women Were Forced to Have Abortions (3) Seeing like a Feminist, Page no.

113 By- Nivedita Menon

BYJASMINE SACHDEVA

SEPTEMBER 2020

Counting Colours In The RAINBOW

ISSUE 0 2

Together

BY MEHAK AND KRITI

WOKAL MAG

When one fine day it comes knocking at our door, looking for us, little do we know that it is love because we are made to believe that it looks a certain way. So when it isn’t what we thought it should have been, we tend to close the door on it. But love will always find a way to sweep you off your feet.

Read on to discover the sweet magic, in the words of Mehak and Kriti.

WOKALMAG 2020

LOVE WILL FIND A WAY!!

"Little did I know I was about to meet that person who would make me realize that I am anything but straight." Says Mehek*, as she shares with us her journey and tells us how she took that leap of faith with her partner, Kriti*.�I remember precisely how it felt the first time I realized that I am attracted to a girl.

It was something I never ever imagined in my life and trust me when I say this, I actually thought that I was straight, until I met this girl."

"I was talking with one of my seniors and I randomly asked her a question, 'how do you figure out that you are not straight?' to which she replied, 'when you meet the person you know it'. Little did I know I was about to meet that person who would make me realize that I am anything but straight.

She was from a dance society and their production was super amazing that year and I distinctly loved the part where a girl used to do a lift so I was telling this to one of her team members."

"I didn't know it was her, and that was the first time we ever talked.One day we went out for coffee and spent hours talking, that's when she told me that she isn’t straight.

I didn't know what to say so to break the awkwardness, I said: 'oh, so do you like me, I am very charming, I know' and that is one of the many embarrassing moments."

WOKALMAG.COMR

A few days later, we met again. We spent hours talking and beating around the bush. When finally it was time for her to go, I asked her if I could kiss her. To which she replied yes, but at that moment my body froze. Maybe she sensed my nervousness and anxiety so she asked me not to move and gave me a peck on my nose. I kind of freaked out because it was all so new for me and I was not able to process it. I just felt something, and right at that moment I went ahead and kissed her. It was followed by an awkward silence and no eye contact, we just said bye and left.

That day I discovered my sexuality and felt a huge change within myself. Coming out to my friends wasn’t hard because they were the ones who helped me figure out who I am.

ISSUE 02 SEPTEMBER 2020

Everything was perfect, we were hanging out every day. One particular day I was really tired after practice, it was a little late at night and we were sitting and talking when I kept my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. At that moment I felt a million things at once, I didn't know what to do, what not to do. I realized at that moment that I wanted to kiss her, but something stopped me. I started telling myself that I am straight and I am not into her. I questioned the emotions and my feelings. I went to my friends for advice regarding this and asked them what it is to be a bisexual? To which they replied, "when the person is in front of you, you just know it, and If I am confused I should really go ahead and explore my sexuality". I am very thankful to my friends for giving me that advice.

"Two to three months into the relationship, we used to watch each other during practices and I just love the way she dances.

We used to run to the college canteen to meet each other whenever we got our 10-minute break and we used to wait for each other after practices just to get that one hug.

Every day we had something different and we were just in the moment, together. We knew the time we talked we entered a new world with unconditional love for each other and the greatest friendship of all time.

We never realized when and how we fell in love with each other, it just happened. We just know that we help each other to be a better person every day and every day of our life is just as beautiful as the day we first met."

"Even thinking about it now makes me feel all the emotions at once and I can feel the butterflies in my gut.

We both believe that we don’t have a definition of love, it's merely a literary word for us." (*names changed as per request.)

SEPTEMBER 2020

NOT JUST SKIN. GLASS SKIN. YOUR CRAZY HACKS!

WOKAL MAG

BY HITASHI

S E P 2 0 2 0 I S S U E 2

Shine and Rise : The Glass Glow Effect !

The K-beauty Trends Glass skin is basically a term used for very lustrous, smooth and glossy skin, it’s so beautiful and flawless that it almost looks like glass. It’s originally a Korean skincare regime and of course, as with most K-beauty trends, glowing, glass skin isn’t something found overnight, but guess what? You can easily achieve it with makeup. Our in house make-up enthusiast Hitashi does not only wear the looks but also shares her dazzling make-up hacks with us!

2 WOKAL MAG | SEP 2020

Achieve a glamorous glass skin look with few easy steps!

Step 1 : Start with a clean face and apply your favorite essential oil, rose gold oil is the best option to work with.

Step 2 : Apply a good hydrating moisturizer , because moisturized and super hydrated skin is the key to achieving this look.

Step 3 : Apply your favorite primer, preferably a dewy finish primer because a matte primer tends to mattify our skin and defeats the whole purpose of glass skin

Step 4 : Take a dewy finish foundation and mix it with a liquid illuminator or a liquid highlighter, make sure you use just a little amount of foundation with your illuminator because we want to have a skin-like finish, (1:3) proportion suits best.

Step 5 : Use cream blush and bronzer and try to avoid any powder products because they can act as a shine killer and you don’t want that to happen after coming this far.

Step 6 : Finish up your base makeup with topping on your favorite highlighter on the highest points of your face, don’t be scared to go overboard with highlighter this time and just shine bright like a diamond !

WOKAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

ISSUE 2 SEP 2020

DIY LIQUID ILLUMINATOR IN LESS THAN 5 MINS

YOU WILL NEEDÂ 1. A lightweight moisturizer 2. A shade of shimmer eyeshadow that suits your skin tone or powder highlighter 3. Mixing container

PUT YOUR MOISTURIZER, POWDER HIGHLIGHTER OR SHIMMER EYESHADOW IN A MIXING CONTAINER AND MIX THEM WELL TO AVOID ANY LUMPS, ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF SHIMMER BY ADDING IN MORE POWDER HIGHLIGHTER OR MORE MOISTURIZER TO MAKE IT LESS SHIMMERY.

CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT LOOK TO PAIR WITH YOUR GLASS SKIN MAKE-UP? HERE ARE SOME OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS.

Shimmery colorful eyes Take any of your favorite coloured metallic eyeshadow and do a messy colourful eye-shadow look, because why not give your eyes a touch of shine too! Pair this look with an off shoulder dress with super curly messy hair, to give it a more hippie touch, add a septum ring too !

WOKAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Korean Rose Glow

WOKAL MAG | SEP 2020

Bronzed ethnic look

IISSUE 02

WOKAL

Wet sleek look We all know the famous red carpet look which is the sleek hair and wet makeup look and it’s the perfect look to go for with this glass skin To achieve the black glossy eyes put on some metallic black eye-shadow and then apply some clear gloss. To get that sleek wet hair look straighten your hair and make sure it’s completely dry, comb your hair back and set it well with some hair fixing spray and hair wax, to add shine and wetness to your hair use a hair shine spray or a serum.

Pair it with a black or beige dress with minimal jewelry.

W O K A L

M A G

I S S U E

2

Red lips

BY HITASHI

This is the sexiest and the quickest look to achieve in this list of makeup looks. Just take your favorite deep red shade of lipstick and put it on and voila!

Pair this look with a red dress and a messy updo. Add a heavy but classy pair of earrings to balance out this minimal look. This classic look is perfect for a dinner date or any special occasion where you want to look your best.

We hope you found the latest glass skin trend interesting as well as the looks that goes amazingly with it, make sure to experiment with your look this quarantine to level up your makeup games and have an amazing glow up!

GRAPHIC LINER CHALLENGE Featuring

Nivedita Singh Makeup is not just my hobby but it is my passion. It is a way how I express myself. I love to create and when Wokal Magazine came up with a challenge to create your own unique graphic liner, I had to do it.

I did this look because it is bold and colorful just like me. I totally love this look and it will be close to my heart. Thank you so much Wokal Magazine to give me an opportunity to create something of my own.

@nivii_beauty_love

WOKAL

Sep2020

g n i r u t fea JENNIFER RAO I’ve just started doing makeup and one of the reasons why I love it soo much is that it makes me feel more fierce!

This look that I created demonstrates it quite well. I know makeup is still considered as a layer to cover up our insecurities, but what people really need to know is that it EMPOWERS many & it makes us HAPPY.

@makeupbyjenzengen

WOKAL MAG

VIRTUALLY VOGUE: ONLINE MEETS SHENANIGANS. B Y

S N E H A

B A R U A

SNEHA BARUA PRESENTS

WAYS TO LOOK BEST EVEN IN QUARANTINE

I S S U E

2

S E P T E M B E R

2 0 2 0

“Dresses won't be worn out in the wardrobe, but that is not what dresses are designed for.”

Who would’ve thought that online meetings would be our only option. Meetings, conferences, educational classes and even dates, have to be online amidst the pandemic.

But for fashion enthusiasts, every day is an opportunity to put together a bombshell outfit and look their best. Sneha Barua, our very own fashion buff, brings you ways to look best, even when in quarantine.

COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, and the world has come to a stop. Functionality of offices, schools, colleges have been hampered, our personal lives confined to the four walls of our homes. Work from home is the new normal, and as much as it is monotonous to stay home, and work, styling and putting a little effort into your outfits for the online meet, can get you a little hyped up and enjoy this quarantine period. Dressing up when you’re not feeling yourself or motivated, can actually help you brighten up your day and mood.

Here are some outfit ideas which are comfortable yet super presentable for you to grab some attention during that online video meeting.

By Sneha Barua WOKAL MAG

â—?

A O M C

BY

Video calling conference is a major aspect of the work from home life While you want to look presentable you ve to keep in mind the long schedules of work and sitting at one place for hours Wear a wide leg palazzo to be comfortable and chill pair it up with a tube top and put on a shrug kurta for a nice elegant look The kurta would bring the look together white keeping it easy breezy and comfortable To give it an extra jazz for the video call where only your face will be visible mostly wear a statement jhumka smokey eye look and a bindi to bind it all together The look is a perfect look for working women and you could even wear it for your first day at office after the pandemic /

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O U T F N O N L F F I C E E E T I N O L L E A

SNEHA

I T F O R I N E G W I T H G U E S

BARUA

WOKAL MAG

ISSUE 2

Even if it s online you are you ’

,

.

● OUTFIT FOR A BUSINESS MEETING/ MEETING WITH THE BOSS

You always have to make an impression when you re with your boss even if it s for an online meeting Looking shabby or underdressed might not be an option here Similarly when you re in a video call with a client doing business you have to look like someone ’

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who means business too Once you start power dressing there s no going back It is fashion style that enables women to establish their authority in a professional and political environment traditionally dominated by men It is all about making a statement wearing blazers classy jewellery formal pants etc Since on video calls only your upper body is noticeable generally you need to make the most of it Take a solid coloured top for that pop of colour wear a blazer over it and add a belt around your waist for a statement Pair it up with some black cycling shorts because those are trending and comfortable Wear a statement handpiece some hoops and you re ready to ace the meeting Wear minimal makeup but a dark lip shade and you re good to go .

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BY SNEHA BARUA

WOKAL MAG

ISSUE 2

● OUTFIT FOR

ONLINE CLASSES

BY SNEHA BARUA The education system has been heavily affected by the pandemic Sudden cancellation of exams closing schools and colleges left the students worrying about how further classes would be conducted Thus online classes have started It s the perfect time to bring out the Lara Jean in you .

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Pair up a dungaree dress and wear a cute colourful top underneath Have minimal to no makeup just a lil bit of a pink lip tint Pair it up with some spectacles for fun ,

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Wokal mag issue 2

● OUTFIT FOR A

FACETIME DATE

Quarantining can be really hard especially when you’re missing your friends, your bae, hanging out with them and going on cute li’l dates. Whether it’s your 1000th date with your love, or the very first date with your crush, it’s always a stress to look your best.

Video dates are nowhere near what an actual date feels like, but you gotta put in the effort of looking cute anyway because, eventually it’s you spending time with that one person. Going for a cute, comfortable and elegant look, pair a bright top with some detailing, like puff sleeves in the picture. Wear high waisted jeans and tuck that top in for an effortless look. Go for a pearl necklace with it because it adds a bit of softness and elegance to the look. For makeup, you don't want to look over the top, go for a subtle pink look, blush, highlighter and glossy lips. Don't forget to put on a smile because that eventually makes everything better!

”The clothes we wear say a lot about us”

WWW.WOKALMAG.COM

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TRAVEL SERVING YOU VIRTUAL TOURS

V A N S H I K A

S E T H

2 EUSSI GAM LAKOW

THE GREAT MALAYSIAN VACATION

TRAVEL DIARIES

0202 REBMETPES

B Y

!

While seeing is believing, 2020 made a meme out of travel enthusiasts. All of us lost the chance of going on a vacay this year.

Nonetheless, we can still share our travel experiences and remember the good times. Vanshika Seth shares her travel diary of a visit to the Malaysian peninsula.

Let’s take a virtual tour of these places, sitting at home!

WOKAL MAG

PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS A Must-Visit Engineering Marvel

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers, are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A popular tourist attraction, receiving thousands of visitors almost every day. After completion in 1989, they were declared to be the tallest buildings in the world. At the base of Petronas Twin Towers in Suria KLCC, an upmarket shopping mall that is very popular with tourists.

NO PLACE IS EVER AS BAD AS THEY TELL YOU IT’S GOING TO BE

ISTANA NEGARA

The Modern Palace of Malaysia

Istana Negara is the official residence of the Yang di Pertuan Agong the monarch of Malaysia The Palace opened in 2011 and replaced the old Istana Negara which was located at a different compound in central Kuala Lumpur The Istana Negara grounds are spread over 28 acres within the compound is a beautiful garden swimming pool six hole golf course lake and an indoor badminton and tennis court -

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Keeping in mind the safety there is a guard house of members of the Royal Malay Regiment at the main entrance similar to Buckingham Palace The Palace is not open to the public Visitors are only able to catch a glimpse of the magnificent and ostentatious complex from outside its entrance gates ,

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BATU CAVES A ROCK-SOLID MYTHOLOGICAL SHRINE Batu Caves is a limestone hill that has a series of caves and cave temples in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. It takes its name from Malay word “Batu” meaning “Rock”. The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India and is dedicated to Lord Murugan.

To get to the temple cave, you will need to climb the steep 272 steps. It definitely is worth a visit when travelling to Kuala Lumpur. Batu Caves lie at a distance of 12 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.

GENTING HIGHLANDS A ride for Adventure Enthusiasts!

Genting Highlands is a cool hill station set amidst the cool mountain air and a majestic 100 million-year-old rainforest. Just 45 minutes away from KL City, it can be accessible by car or by two different cable cars, Genting Skyway which at its opening was the world’s fastest and South East Asia’s longest gondola lift, and the newer Awana Skyway. It offers indoor and outdoor theme parks, an 18hole golf course, a casino, and Malaysia’s biggest strawberry farm, all of which are set amidst a majestic 100 million-year-old rainforest. Genting Highlands is also perfect for adventure enthusiasts as activities such as abseiling and flying fox are available.

MERLION THE QUINTESSENTIAL TOURIST SPOT!

The Merlion is the national symbol of the city state of Singapore It is depicted as a mythical creature with a lion s head and the body of a fish With the completion of Esplanade Bridge in 1997 the statue could no longer be viewed clearly from the waterfront So in 2002 the Merlion was relocated 120 metres away from the original position to where it stands in Merlion Park today in front of Fullerton Hotel and overlooking Marina Bay Spouting water from its mouth the Merlion statue stands tall at 8 6 metres and weighs 70 tonnes This icon is a must see for tourists visiting Singapore -

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MALAYSIAN

ISSUE 2 • SEPTEMBER 2020

Tea With Sib DAKSHITA MITRA & SARAH WASIM

WOKALMAG

GET TO KNOW THE CUTE SPECIES

SEP 2020

Let me spill some tea, a beautiful poodle asked me out on a date *blush* and I've planned to take her to a cool doggo café (PS: I’M SO EXCITED). I'm sorry I got so happy meeting you all that I got distracted again. Getting back to the interview, a lot of humans and goldfish approached me and thanked me for the last article because it helped them a lot, so I’m back with a whole new interview with my friend, Ginny, a Guinea Pig. He’s been recently having some issues with his owner and is now being taken to a new home, so he’s here to give us some important information about himself.

WOKAL MAG 2020

1

Q) In order to know you a little better, I’ll be asking you a few questions.

Let’s start with telling me something about yourself?

My name is Ginny and I’m a very social animal. I require daily interaction with other guinea pigs, and would suffer if deprived of such regular opportunities. I also like chewing things; it helps me keep my teeth down to a healthy size.

And I’m cute, yes, that’s it.

2 Q) Elaborate on some of your behavioural changes which might happen due to your mood?

I love “popcorning”, I do it when I’m happy. It’s like a signature dance move of Guinea Pigs.

A very common thing I do when I’m afraid is hiding behind things, but otherwise freezing, fidgeting, or head tossing, means I’m scared or uncomfortable.

Teeth baring and hissing, often are signs of aggression.

Often, I’v e noticed some of my depressed friends become very restless and not display much energy, it’s best to consult a veterinarian in this case.

WOKAL

3

Q) What kind of diet do you prefer?

I eat only vegetation, like pellets, hay, fruit and veggies. Hay is something that I require a supply of at all times. It’s good for my digestive system as it requires a high-fiber diet, and also for my teeth as chewing hay keeps the growth of my molars under control. I enjoy having different fruits and vegetables every day.

I also require a fresh supply of clean drinking water continuously, without which I become seriously ill.

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Q) You look fit and pretty well groomed, would you like to share the secret for your fellow friends out there?

I’m an active animal, during the day and night and I need frequent opportunities to exercise daily to stay fit and healthy.

This also means that I should be given free access to an area with pipes or shelter to get encouragement for exercising and also enough space to run, stand fully upright on my back legs or stretch out when lying down.

My owner grooms me regularly, it’s a necessity. Since I am shorthaired, I require brushing only once a week, whereas for longhaired breeds require daily grooming is required.

And my front teeth and nails are checked every week as they grow quickly. I’ve had overgrown and misaligned teeth in the past, but my owner did the right thing by consulting a vet during those situations and see, now I’m perfectly okay.

WOKAL

5

Q) What kind of a cage do you prefer, and along with it what sort of bedding?

A cage should have access to everything from food to toys, basically it should be having enough space to store everything that I need. It should be thoroughly cleaned every week.

Also, since I’m sensitive to temperature changes, I require protection from extreme temperatures, above 26°C can cause heat stroke; below 15°C might be extremely chilled for me.

The bedding should be warm enough and, to be on the safer side, safe to eat.

Small bits of wood, paper, or dust inhaled by a guinea pig may cause respiratory problems or be a bother to their sensitive eyes, and these might not also be the cleanest option.

WOKAL

6

Q) You look fit and pretty well groomed, would you like to share the secret for your fellow friends out there?

I practise coprophagy which means I eat my own poo, not entirely, but just a special soft pellet in order to consume some left out nutrients. It is actually very healthy and beneficial for me.

Also, I sleep very less, I’m active up to 20 hours a day and sleep only for short periods, no more than 10 minutes each. In fact, sometimes I even sleep with my eyes open, due to constantly being on alert for predators.

Frosted Crumbs

E U S S I

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2 0

SEPTEMBER 2020

SUBHOMITA BAKSI

W O K A L

FOOD STORY My story with food isn t a love story at all I don t call myself a foodie nor someone who has loved to eat throughout her childhood I enjoyed food but I never saw it as something extraordinary for the longest time Back in 2014 was my first try at baking I made a cake out of an Éclair recipe because I forgot to write down an important step while watching Sanjeev Kapoor Well the outcome was definitely not a cake but something that was hard unsweetened and ended up in the trash ’

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In 2015 , I tried to make a cake again and followed instructions thoroughly.

Back then I did not even have proper measuring cups or a scale to weigh out my ingredients but I managed and succeeded.

It turned out to be a cake and quite a successful one.

SUBHOMITA BAKSI

W O K A L

Fast forward to 2017, I had baked a ton of cakes, tried other pastries, techniques and all of this through YouTube. Like I mentioned earlier, I was never a food fanatic however I loved the joy when people tasted what I made. This feeling gave birth to the idea of starting something of my own in the distant future. It also urged me to start my food blog and so I designed a logo, opened a Facebook page and named it ‘Frosted Crumbs’ but never posted a thing or invited anyone to like the page. There was no specific reason for doing this but I never got around to doing it. However, by this time, I had realized that this is something I love. I always wanted to do more or learn more about this.

"PERFECT FOR PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS"

Frosted Crumbs came back into the picture and I couldn’t turn it away this time. On 6th August 2020, my brainchildFrosted Crumbs came to life.

Starting a business isn’t as easy but it is surely very rewarding. Every morning when my first job is just to bake, it still feels like a dream and just so special. And after every order, when a client sends in a positive review, every ounce of effort feels justified and the feeling is priceless.

While the entire world was adjusting to COVID-19, I doodled ideas about a cloud bakery/kitchen. It made sense to me because people like me did not trust food from a restaurant and probably wanted to enjoy something safer.

From a girl who was insecure to post her food pictures for a blog to someone who sells her food or her kind of ‘art’ now, I have progressed. It's safe to say that food will always welcome you back, no matter how many times you mess up.

CHOCOLATE CAN MELT FASTER COMPARED TO OTHER SWEETS"

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W O K A L

THE FUSION DISH CHALLENGE

F E A T U R I N G

T A I Y A B A

A N D

F A T E M A

Tornado potatoes with Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks served in White Creamy Schezwan sauce garnished with mint leaves.

This piquant fusion cuisine has a combination of elements from four different regions. Tornado potatoes were originally developed in South Korea, the expression 'Fried Chicken' initially appeared in the American Cookbooks and White Creamy Schezwan Sauce in itself is a Chinese take on the Italian White sauce.

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@easy_recipe_book on IG

WOKAL MAG

Binging with Baksi

BY SUBHOMITA BAKSI

THE INTERVIEW Of Tanya Joshi

by Subhomita Baksi

FROM THE POWEHOUSE OF

THE SWEET SOUR EXPERIENCES

DoodeFoodle

Of various food bloggers!

WOKAL

1. Tell us a little about yourself I am a student who is about to finish her graduation from IHM Pusa and I'm looking forward to entering the industry as soon as the Covid situation improves. I've been blogging and also for the past three and a half years actually and I won’t call myself a blogger but just a micro blogger and I have a very small role right now. I am not yet an influencer but I hope one day I will be. My interests are mainly the Indian cuisine as a whole, why, because it consists of regional cuisines and also the endangered lost recipes as well.

September 2020

WOKAL

2. What inspired you to join a hotel management college?

So before joining IHM I was actually pursuing B.sc physics honours from one of the reputed colleges of Delhi University. I had completed 1st semester when I realised that this is not where I was meant to be, it wasn't giving me the satisfaction I wanted. I was always thinking about food and put up food stalls there and in the social functions in my society. I realised that this was not the field for me.

When I dropped out from my previous college and before joining this college, I was free for like 6 months and I was completely thinking about food at that time as obviously I didn't have the pressure of college at that time and assignments as well

September 2020

WOKAL MAG

3. TELL US ABOUT YOUR INITIAL IDEA OF FOOD BLOGGING AND HOW IT HAS BEEN SO FAR.

I started Instagram to post my recipes and what I cook and slowly I started putting Street food and the generic ones like chole kulche and gol gappe. Then things started getting bigger for me. I started getting invitations and all. I was strict about giving honest reviews and didn't do any paid collaboration with any brand. So my idea was to contribute to food society and initially in 2017 I used to rate food but I realised that I was nobody to rate food as the chef in the kitchens of the places I visited were far more experienced than I was. So, I stopped rating food but I continued getting food invites. Shreya and I used to do it together back and we got these food invites wherein we would go and explore food rather than eat free food as being students we did not have a lot of financial freedom. We explored a lot of places and tasted so many beautiful things and learnt a lot from this experience

Wokal

4. When and why did you start?

I started on 4th Feb 2017 with an Instagram cage but soon I discontinued that page. Post that I made a page again with the same name and idea named @doodlefoodle_ in October 2018.

Everything was the same regarding concept, experience and ideas.

5. What is your niche in food blogging? Like do you focus just on Indian cuisine or baking ... and so on.

Initially my niche was street food then restaurant/ cafÊ food and something unique but now it has completely shifted to whatever I'd make at home. I love to post about Indian stuff and cooking them as well however I love to try other cuisines too because food cannot be limited to boundaries. So even if I make a very weird combination, I would love to post about it even if people do not like it. I believe that certain things reveal a person’s personality and posting fusion food or something unique reveals mine and I should embrace it. As of now I don’t have a niche but something meaningful that will contribute to society!

Wokal

6. What were the challenges you faced?

It has been a very extreme up and down thing because of ups and downs in terms of getting time at all because initially we were very busy with college stuff and then IT (Industrial Training) happened in second year and we barely posted anything. So, I think whatever challenges we’ve faced has been in terms of engagement. If you see that I have almost 650 posts up until now and I do not have that much following which I should have according to the number of posts. It gets very much into your head sometimes but I think you got to rise above that

7. Has the thought of posting constantly or creating content intimidated you?

Yes! It did intimidate me a lot inside it still does especially during lockdown there are people who post a lot. So when you are on social media there is this competition and intimidation when you see people like you posting a lot like a lot and being active and the platform but then there is you who is not able to keep up with all these things because you may not want to or not in that sort of a mental space to do that. Social media is just 5% of a person's life and probably even less but it does get intimidating. Personally, when I stop posting I lose 100 followers in about 2-3 weeks but I have started realizing that I need to stop torturing myself with the continuous thought of posting.

8. Lastly, what is your message for the upcoming food bloggers?

I WILL NOT SAY THAT ESTABLISHED ONE IF YOU WILL SEE IN TERMS OF FOLLOWERS BUT IF YOU WILL TALK IN TERMS OF EFFORTS AND EXPERIENCE AND TIME CONTRIBUTED THEN YES, I CAN SAY SOMETHING WHICH ARE JUST ONLY TWO THINGS Firstly, be who you are and you do not have to post what people are liking all the time. There is one percent of that thing where you would want to post what people would like but then it doesn't mean that you will shift your focus from posting what you want to. For example, for me people really like street food posts because they relate to it but they cannot relate to any regional posts or information but then that is what I want to do and pursue. I don’t want to do street food any longer and I would shift according to what I want to post and suggest upcoming bloggers that follow your heart even if it means shifting and asking your audience to adapt to the style of content you post.

And secondly, don’t criticise anybody and everybody on social media when you don’t have complete and perfect knowledge. If you do not like a particular dish then don’t rant about it on social media. Rather ask the chef their idea as they have greater experience and knowledge about what they are cooking. Similarly stop hyping everything. As a food blogger you may not even have perfect knowledge about the entire dish and you may rate it as 5/5.

However, a 5/5 in the food industry is not just the taste, there are so many things ranging from aroma, authenticity, concept to visual appeal and so much more. It is really a good gesture to appreciate however I feel that I do it in a gentler manner as a food blogger

Issue 02 September 2020

The Chef's Kiss: TANYA

JOSHI

RECOMMENDS

5 street food places in DELHI that every one should visit!

1. Padam Chaat Bhandar, Chandni Chowk 2. Chache di hatti, Kamla Nagar 3. Kulcha Junction, CP 4. Fateh Kachodi, Civil Lines 5. Giani di hatti, Chawri Bazar

5 MUST VISIT cafes/dine-ins TANYA JOSHI RECOMMENDS

1. Saravana Bhawan, CP 2. Ama Cafe, MKT 3. Berco's, CP 4. Burma Burma, Saket 5. Plum by Bent Chair, Janpath Road

WOKAL ISSUE 2 FEATURING FOOD BLOGGERS

WOKAL SEPTEMBER 2020

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ISSUE NO. 2