Lost Space

I wish this country had more spaces for women to sit by themselves without being harassed by desperate teenage boys or hooligans in general. 

walking down QUT, into the city gardens

It's kind of sad. Lovers can't meet in the park for fear of the cops. Women can't find a quiet spot and read a book for fear of being eve teased. And families, who seem to be the only ones crowding the city's green space think of it as just another garbage dump. You'll find everything right from peanuts and bhel puri to empty plastic bags scattered all over, except for women sitting by themselves. It takes a seriously determined lady with either a harsh tongue or a can of pepper spray to claim her quiet spot. But then if I must resort to that, I might as well spend time looping the city on a bus. 

                                                                          

the pool at the heart of the garden

For all the progress we've made as a nation, it's quite disheartening to know that the only way to spend time with yourself at a decent location, is by shelling out a minimum of 300 bucks. Anything less than that and it's the price you pay for being harassed. 

Instead of directing valuable and scarce police force towards chasing lovebirds, why can't there be enough protection for women in public places?! Lovers don't tarnish the country's 'sabhayata and sanskriti'. It's the narrow outlook towards women that takes us back everytime we claim to be a  progressive nation.                                                                                             

lost

As a woman in India, today I have only these many options if I want to read a book by myself,

1. Stay at home (basically stay confined)

2. Go to the nearest Barista or CCD outlet (and keep ordering junk for the next two hours)

3. Have a male companion with me (say goodbye to reading unless he is looking for some quiet time too)

4. Ask a few girlfriends to tag along (a blabfest which defeats the whole purpose of being alone)

5. Sit in the premises of a temple (totally boring, totally Ekta Kapoor)                                                    

                                                                                    

6. Manage to get into a premium club (which requires me to be either seriously rich or seriously cash strapped)

7. Join a library (that confines me to four plain walls again)

Jenny & I on the installation art at the garden

6. And..., well I wish there were more options I could think of. 

It's quite sick really. 

It's in situations like these when I wish I were living in a different country. I remember munching on sandwiches while studying under a tree at the Brisbane Botanical Gardens. Walk out the classroom at QUT and you'd find yourself amidst squirrels at the park. It was so delightful. 

There were students, families with dogs (and children), and lizards to keep me company. But the best part was being ignored and invisible. Who'd check out a brown girl anyway. God I loved that sense of freedom. 

Garden views