2017

Daulat Ram College

Sexual Assault Victim from DRC Resists Pressure to Change Statement in FIR

By DU Beat February 2, 2017

The student who was sexually assaulted by a bank employee in Daulat Ram College was under pressure to change her statement in the FIR.

A first-year student from Daulat Ram College was sexually assaulted by an employee of the Indian Overseas Bank branch on campus on the 18^th of January 2017 while commuting to college. The 52 year old accused, Devinder Kumar, had apparently helped out the victim when she needed funds for her mother’s treatment. He was arrested by the police under Section 354 for molestation, which is a non-bailable offence. The college authorities were informed by fellow students to whom the victim narrated the entire incident. The police investigated the case and the accused confessed to his crime. The victim underwent counselling after the assault while the guilty was held in custody.

During a personal interview with the victim recently, she disclosed that she had been under pressure to change her statement in the FIR against the guilty. Although she has not made any changes to her statement, she revealed that she was repeatedly asked by some officials of the bank, as well as the college faculty, to change her statement to lessen the impact of the issue. The accused is no longer in custody despite having confessed to the crime after having been granted bail by the magistrate. The victim revealed that Kumar managed to get bail within the first week of his arrest due to his contacts in the judiciary. She also revealed that she is only backed by a government prosecutor who, until now, has failed to keep the case going strong for her. The next hearing of the case has been postponed. The victim and her family are very disappointed with the lackadaisical attitude of the judicial system towards the case.

The girl shared her horrific experience and the superficial sympathy she’s being shown by her fellow college mates. She said that she had heard people talking behind her back, claiming that she was at fault because she chose to travel with the accused even after he made her uncomfortable earlier. The victim also girl expressed her anguish while talking of the students’ union of the college. The same students who stood up against the unkempt infrastructure before elections have now chosen to limit this case to a petty issue because of the focus on the upcoming fests in the college. These events have garnered more attention than supporting a victim of sexual assault in their college by an employee of the college. “College and court hearings are a part of my life now but I won’t step back,” she said. She boldly stated that she wants her case to be re-examined so that she can get justice.

Image Credits: nyccriminallawyer.com

By Radhika Boruah ([email protected])

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Features

Perceptions: A Medical Musing

By Shubham Kaushik February 1, 2017

With due apologies to Charles Dickens, the time has come to tell a A Tale of Two Stereotypes of Students-Medicos and Non Medicos, or a Maulanian and an ideal Delhi University student. The opening of the Tale of Two Cities sounds eerily contemporaneous: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times- it was the age of masti and friendship, it was the age of seriousness and studies, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of dillagi, it was the season of exams; it was the spring of fun, it was the winter of tutorials..”

Although they are a part of one of the most coveted and happening universities of the county, that is, Delhi University, medical colleges like Maulana Azad Medical College have always been treated as a hub of bespectacled Homo Medicus. We have often been looked upon as boring nerds. Maybe the dreadful sizes of our books and our never ending medical talks, which are not even comprehensible to our non-medical friends, justifies it to a point. But don’t judge this book by its cover.
The intricacies of a life of a medico can’t be described in words – one second you are cutting open the chest of a person, and their relatives thank you for saving their life, and in another second you are partying hard with your friends at the most happening location in the city. The transition isn’t as smooth as it seems.When bones break, organs burst and flesh tears, we can sew the flesh, repair the damage and ease the pain. But when life breaks down, there are no hard and fast rules. We just have to feel our way through.

Often branded as extraordinary amalgamations of grey matter, Maulanians are not the same as they were when they first entered the college.This place has a charm which leads to the evolution of everyone in its premises. Welcome to the first hand experiences of medicos – where through the years, we not only grow as humans, but also into distinct entities.

The first day of transition of a student into a ‘med student’ is marked by putting on a white coat and taking selfies with it. 1st year is all about getting to know a human being- not philosophically, but biologically. Mind you again, it is not introspection, it is dissection! This is the period where the seed of passion for truly learning medicine is sown. 2nd of MBBS is a crucial time, wherein you start becoming a budding doctor. It is real patients with real diseases and real drugs to give them. It is the addition of the stethoscope to your attire. This is the time where something as little as a running nose or headache can make you think of all the possible causes and complications of the same. You leave nothing from consideration – seasonal viral or tuberculosis or even cancer! You are your own first patient. Even the first lubb-dubb heard on the stethoscope is first your own, and a normal heartbeat gradually becomes the favourite melody of a physician. The last two years are countless hours spent taking histories of our patients – running our brain endlessly to figure out what went wrong, and more importanly, ways to make it right. This is when we start forming long-term goals and considering post graduation and practice. It is also the time where we realise that doctors plays a much greater role in the society than just healing. It is realising that huge responsibilities rest upon our shoulders. Doesn’t sound fun, right?

However, this is a profession where our decisions directly impact someone’s quality of life, and sometimes even their existence. We may seem dangerously over-educated but there is another facet to our personality, a perception which is generally hidden and that only a few can look into. Just like a coin has 2 sides, so does our life. For it’s not all work and no play, and there’s a pretty good reason why we guys are a part of DU! The adrenaline rush of walking into a medical college was not all in vain. Yes, the endless torrent of exams does confine to the library for long hours, but that doesn’t keep us from partying once it’s over. The hours of our ‘formalin laden’ dissection hall prove to be the foundation of the strongest relationships (believe it or not!) You may get high by those round the clock booze parties, but for us, just an acquaintance asking for some medical advice seems to suffice. We may be cut off from the rest of DU, but our celebrations engender envy even in the wildest of parties. Agreed, we have to read fat books, undergo ward rotations, are caught up in serious attendance issues, and above all, try to pass our exams with a legible handwriting. Finding time for non medico friends is a challenge itself. But we are courageous enough to follow our dreams into the storms they takes us to.

We still paint when we come back from classes, watch all the latest TV series and movies.We watch House MD with the same interest as we watch Suits.We can talk about the episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S in just a timespan of 2 mins after it begins. We groove to Honey Singh’s and Badshah’s latest tracks, BYD is among our favourite hangouts, we do flock Mystery Rooms, and indulge in late night parties and night outs. We even sneak out of the lectures through a proxy and also have the gossip mongers who keep on entertaining us with the latest updates around the campus.

True, a stethoscope around the neck and the trust of a patient entail a humongous responsibility on our shoulders. But, as we live up to that, we work hard and party harder. We leave no inch of Delhi unvisited, no pubs untouched and at the same time, no tasks unattended. For life doesn’t always give you a second chance. Being a medical student involves working hard, but just like our counterparts of DU, it is nothing short of a roller-coaster. There are plenty of off-putting myths about being a medical student, but in reality it’s enjoyable and highly rewarding, especially in light of what we are working towards. Often people cannot think of a single reason why we should follow such a struggle, but they can think of a thousand reasons why we should quit. The thing is, things are made harder for us on purpose. There are lives in our hands. There comes a moment when it’s more than just a game, and you either take that step forward or turn around and walk away. We could quit, but here’s the thing- we love the playing field.

Proud to be a Maulanian!

Featured Image: bostinno.streetwise.co

Guest Post by the students of Maulana Azad Medical College

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DUB Speak

Good news – your TV is getting more diverse!

By Shubham Kaushik February 1, 2017

We live in times of political turmoil and multicultural clashes fuelled by polarising and divisive rhetoric, even as the people of the world become more diverse and their identities less water-tight. This diversity and crossing of cultural, linguistic and other social boundaries is evident in the television most of us watch today – and that’s great news! In today’s context, when there is suspicion surrounding the “other” communities, and when they are being portrayed as external threats to cultural mores and security of nations by the political classes, this representation is not only a statement but also works to normalise the existence of these communities.

The annual Where We Are On TV report by GLAAD, which tracks the representation of LGBTQ+ characters on television, shows promising times ahead for diversity in media. While 2016 was the year of the Brexit, the shootings in Pulse, Orlando, and Trump’s election, it was also the year that television saw the highest percentage of LGBTQ+ series regular characters on broadcast television with respect to popular American TV shows. While there are still harmful tropes and stereotypes surrounding representation of the community, the report by GLAAD notes that there are visible efforts by most platforms to include characters that are also “…LGBTQ+ people of color (who have long been underrepresented), transgender men, characters living with disabilities, and people who live at the intersections of multiple marginalised identities.”

As someone who identifies as a queer woman, I understand the immense satisfaction of having your identity validated by a TV show, or seeing people you relate to making it big in the mainstream media. There has been a notable increase in the number of TV shows with LGBTQ+ characters in recent years, evident by the splashes it makes on social media. In the past few months, I have had the great pleasure of watching several TV productions of diverse genres, in numerous languages, and with LGBTQ+ characters from all walks of life. Skam, a Norwegian TV phenomenon that took the social media by storm in late 2016, was an absolute treat as it portayed a heartfelt coming-of-age of the 17 year old Isak Valtersen who had to come to terms with not just his sexuality but also his troubled relationship with his mentally ill mother. Another major character on the show was the mentally-ill bisexual love interest of Isak. Eyewitness, a USA Network adaptation of a Norwegian show, showed two teenage boys battling internalised homophobia and coming to terms with their relationship, while also embroiled in a police investigation for a triple homicide they witnessed.

Isak and Even in the third season of Skam

Merlí, a Catalonian show about an unconventional philosophy professor in a high school, has a major plotline involving the relationships between the professor and his gay son, and the relationship of the latter with his best friend. Popular TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Orange is the New Black, Shadowhunters and Supergirl also have major LGBTQ+ characters and plot lines.

Merli, the Catalonian TV about an unconventional philosophy professor

While it’s important to be conscious of the struggle of marginalised communities for their rights and identities, their increasing representation in mainstream media is most certainly a joyous realisation, and one that will, hopefully, fuel the fight for diversity and soon pervade into other realms of society.

Feature Image Credits: US News

Shubham Kaushik

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The invoking of patriotism

By DU Beat February 1, 2017

Over the entire course of the evolution of humanity, patriotism has been the tantalisingly sensitive concept which has held together the very fabrics of co-existence. At the same time, even its slightest manipulation for the parsimonious politics has created the greatest of unrests in the world order, making the phenomenon detrimental at both cause and effect ends; something which the world realized in 1914 and again in 1939. But certain lessons are never learnt.

Today, as the world bears witness to the gradual shift from the conventional to an era of neo-realist politics sugarcoated in the theories of post truth and alternative facts, it is intentionally made to overlook a global conspiracy of implied xenophobia. The election victories are shaped on hate speeches on any line which demarcates a set of majority from a minority, or at least appeases the former.

A section of people in India and Pakistan believe that a war will solve all their problems. Donald Trump’s America believes that creating a wall at the Mexican Border will end all their misery. Many British believe that Brexit will once again make them the rulers of the world, and a section of Australia and many other European nations believe that the immigrants are better left to perish due to cold and starvation. Remarkably, according to their local leaders, they all are the true patriots.

Howard Zinn in ‘The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy’ writes that, “If patriotism were defined, not as blind obedience to government, not as submissive worship to flags and anthems, but rather as love of one’s country, one’s fellow citizens (all over the world), as loyalty to the principles of justice and democracy, then patriotism would require us to disobey our government, when it violated those principles.”

It had never been as important as today to rise above this politics of segregation, and identify oneself beyond the selfish lines of race, religion and nationality, because at the end of the day, as Zinn writes, it all boomerangs.

With inputs from: The Zinn Reader – Writings on Disobedience and Democracy, Howard Zinn, Seven Stories Press, 1997

Nikhil Kumar

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The ‘Nasty’ Women’s March

By Vineeta Rana February 1, 2017

The day after Donald J Trump’s inauguration saw millions of men and women not only in the United States, but around the world, protest against his power by staging the Women’s March. Organised several weeks in advance, its initial intent was to be a street protest in Washington DC. However, the outrage over Trump coming to power led to the mass organisation of such events in most major cities around the US, as well as solidarity marches in other parts of the world, from Jordan to Antarctica.

For anyone with access to any form of media in the past year, Trump’s election has been a highlight. His unabashed insults directed at anyone who was not a cisgender white male have left most of the world reeling. When the popular vote was very clearly in Hillary Clinton’s favour, but Trump still managed to come into office, such disdain by the population was to be expected. The masses descended onto the streets for a range of demands, such as reproductive rights, access to healthcare, and immigration reforms. Nevertheless, the marches around the world, which were filled with ordinary citizens as well as a range of celebrities, were critiqued on the basis of their futility.

No popular movement is free from criticism, especially from cynics who accept power relations as a given. This becomes a point of concern when democracy, a basic structure of society, is undermined by this cynicism. Protests have become legitimate sources of change throughout centuries of civilisation, in the same way that people’s awareness about their social and political culture has changed in recent years. Basic rights such as the right to vote or national sovereignty were only achieved through dissent. In a global society where right-wing policies are on the rise with the manufactured consent of the masses, such shows of widespread dissent are not only a boon, but a necessity. These methods empower the disenfranchised and pave the way for a more inclusive and self-aware society.

As individuals, we often feel powerless when we are engaged in a conflict with the state. However, it is essential to remember that the state is influenced by us in many implicit ways. We may face backlash from those who believe that simply marching will do no good, but we can be sure that even someone as egotistical and self-righteous as Trump is unsettled by the masses at his doorstep. When we are proud to be the “nasty women” that Trump accuses us of being, we are, in effect, robbing him of the power to rule us. He will govern us and force us to bury our aborted foetuses, but he will not make us believe that this behaviour is acceptable.

Feature Image Credits: Metro UK

Vineeta Rana

[email protected]

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Events

LARGEST-EVER MASS CLEANATHON ORGANISED BY YOUTH IN DELHI

By Arindam Goswami February 1, 2017

Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) Foundation is a not for profit youth movement working with 22,000 college students from 110 college campuses of Delhi NCR. LFT to awaken their social consciousness and encourage them in volunteerism and skill development. LFT in the campuses conduct social action events and leadership programmes to create active leaders for tomorrow.

The largest ever mass cleanathon that brought together over 3000 youth was organised in Delhi University’s North Campus on Thursday, 31^st January 2017. Youth from colleges across Delhi/NCR, including University of Delhi, Indraprastha University and other private colleges came together to clean prominent locations of North Campus, University of Delhi.

The event that saw excited youth joining in large numbers saw the presence of Assistant Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of North Delhi, Mr. Ravinder Saini, Sanitary Superintendent, K.C. Sharma; Ms. Bhanu Prabha, IAS and Leaders For Tomorrow Founder, Mr.Binoy Job. The event was organised with the support of the Delhi Police and MCD.

The guests of the day along with founder of LFT, Mr. Binoy Job.

The students who were divided into various groups walked around the campus, cleaning the roads and preventing others from littering. A freeze mob was also organised near the metro premises to motivate on-lookers to join in.

The ‘mass cleanathon’ was part of Leaders For Tomorrow’s endeavours to encourage the youth to become responsible citizens. The cleanliness drive is also being organised in 110 colleges of Delhi/NCR in an effort to engage college students to be a part of social action.

“It is a symbolic event aimed to inspire the youth to be the change and create a litter-free environment. The presence of so many youth here today, who have voluntarily come together shows that the youth want to make a difference and that we are willing to work towards creating a better world.” said Neha Tewari, one of the lead organising team members of the event.

The cleanliness drive is a part of a series of social action events that Leaders For Tomorrow organises on a regular basis in college campuses, including plantation drives, donation drives and visits for compassion.

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DUB Speak

Cartoon Blasts from a Nostalgic Past

By DU Beat February 1, 2017

Do you miss the cartoon legends which defined our childhood stories to the highest degree? Have a look at some favourites which continue to float in our minds and smiles!

In the world of Netflix, Hotstar and countless online streaming sites at our disposable for watching shows new and old; one wonders how the age of entertainment has evolved with us. Before we were intrigued by and binge-watched the likes of Game of Thrones and FRIENDS, there existed a land within the television which was presented to us for only a few hours in a day but managed to etch a mark of memories. The mere mention of these shows unfurls a trail of giggles and fond remembrances. With characters and stories which assuaged our hopeful hearts, here’s the journey of some of the cartoon blasts from a very nostalgic past!

Tom and Jerry

The incessant pursuit of the mouse, Jerry, by the tenacious cat, Tom, became a story ingrained in our hearts; to the extent that Tom and Jerry is the first show to grace our list. Often coupled with unsuccessful tricks and traps along with frying pans and mayhem in the house, the show defined an era of madness!

Bob the Builder

…karke dikhayenge!” The recent controversy which involved the visual overhaul of the team wasn’t received well, for the masses liked the animated-ness of Bob. The adventures of the builder (obviously) Bob, Wendy, and their equipment and vehicles where they went to fix anything and everything was the source of some co-operative joy!

Oswald

The titular character, Oswald the octopus, along with his dog Weenie live in the Big City to give us moralistic storylines and comforting vibes. Painted in colours, Oswald’s everyday tales with Henry the Penguin, Daisy the Flower, Madame Butterfly, and a host of characters lends the show an affinity towards kids!

Make Way for Noddy

The endearing stories of Noddy with his blue hat being lauded for special appearances, the show was based on Enid Blyton’s books originally published between 1949 and 1963. Living in the Toyland with Big Ears, Mr. Plod, Tessie Bear, Bumpy Dog, and others, Noddy with his energy and impulsiveness sets out to be the town’s taxi driver to give way to all shades of fun!

Strawberry Shortcake

The beautiful and delicious Strawberryland was the daily box of lessons and some very palatable shortcakes! With their names renditions of food, the tales of Strawberry Shortcake, Ginger Snap, and Huckleberry Pie and their explorations added to the aesthetics of our screen!

Dragontales

Raise your hands if the Dragon Tunes has occupied the realms of your mind! As Emmy and Max discovered the Dragon Land, they set out to face challenges with the dragons Ord, Cassie, Zak, Wheezie, and Quetzal, and have some magical fun on the way!

The Flintstones

Portraying a time that made generations believe that the dinosaurs and humans existed together, the two family story in Bedrock is an all-time favourite. Fred and Wilma, along with Barney and Betty, was the everyday tale of work and family and their eventful days in between!

The Adventures of Tenali Raman

Inspired by the Indian folklore, the Adventures of Tenali Raman was a confluence of Indian heritage, interesting tales, and foot-tapping music! The jester poet in the city of Vijaynagar, Tenali’s every day encounters with the King Krishnadevaraya to solve issues of all kind were appreciated for the fast pace and intriguing stories!

Akbar and Birbal

Names synonymous with each other, and tales’ renditions of legends and greatness, the animated show provided a bundle of traditional folklore. The rich court of Akbar and his Navratna were portrayed with all grandiose, with Birbal emerging as the wit-master and the perfect person to complement the ruler!

Scooby-Doo

Talking of greatness, the cartoon with our favourite dog and its four friends perfectly fits the bill. Their supernatural mysteries and eccentric personalities amalgamated the two genres, and made it a Saturday morning treat! As we miss the dapper Fred, the gorgeous Daphne, the brainy Velma, and the indomitable friendship between Scooby and Shaggy, it makes us wonder: Scooby-doo, where are you?

Feature Image: Popcornin

Image Credits: Wikipedia, ABC, YouTube, Wallpaper Abyss, www.mobygames.com, TV Tropes, The Hindu, Google Play

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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DUB News

Monumental tricolour hoisted at Hans Raj College

By DU Beat January 30, 2017

On the eve of Republic Day, Hans Raj College under University of Delhi hoisted a monumental flag on its campus, almost a year after Central University Vice-Chancellor decided to fly the Tricolour atop a 207-feet mast in all their premises to evoke nationalistic sentiments on campuses.

According to the CEO of The Flag Foundation of India, Shahnawaz Khan, Delhi University is the first public university to have a monumental flagpole. The flag pole on the premises of Hans Raj College is similar to the one installed in Connaught Place’s Central Park, according to Khan.

On February 18th 2016, former HRD Minister, Smriti Irani chaired a meeting of around 39 vice-chancellors of central universities and decided that all universities will hoist national flag atop a 207-feet mast. The aim behind this move was to instil a sense of ‘nationalism and pride’ amongst the student community of Delhi University. This meeting was called by Smriti Irani in the wake of Rohith Vemula’s suicide in Hyderabad, which triggered a national outcry over social discrimination amongst students in educational campuses. The decision was reached in the backdrop of the controversy created around Jawaharlal Nehru University where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

The 100-ft high flag was hoisted at Hans Raj College by Naveen Jindal, who is a Member of Parliament and the President of the Flag Foundation of India. Accompanying him was his batch-mate, actor Parveen Dabas.

Last year, in August itself, Naveen Jindal, had announced on the college’s Foundation Day that he would hoist the national flag in the college campus. On this event, Naveen Jindal said, “Being an alumnus of Hans Raj College, I am extremely elated that it is the first college in Delhi University to have installed a monumental Flag. Tiranga belongs to all of us equally. When a person displays his national flag, he rises above political, social or religious affiliations.”

Joyee Bhattacharya
[email protected]

Image credits: The Times of India

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Arts & Culture

North East Cell of Daulat Ram Colleges hosts its Annual Fest

By DU Beat January 30, 2017

The North East Cell of Daulat Ram College under the aegis of The North Eastern Council hosted its annual fest on 27th January 2017. Mr. Jitendra Singh, hon’ble Minister of State for The Ministry of Development for the North Eastern Region was the Chief Guest for the event. Prior to this inter-college cultural extravaganza, there was an inter-college Poster Making and Collage Making Competition held on the 18th of January 2017,where students from various colleges of Delhi University participated. The topic of both the competitions pertained to the natural and cultural heritage of the North East of India and both the events saw large-scale participation. Students of Daulat Ram College and Ram Lal Anand College brought glory to their colleges respectively by bagging prizes in both the competitions. The award winners of both the competitions were announced on the day of the fest.

The eight colourful North Eastern states of India are so rich naturally and culturally and thus people from the eight sister states came together to put up stalls exhibiting the food, ornaments, art and accessories of the region. The cultural programme began with the performance of the traditional Garo dance from Meghalaya by girls of Daulat Ram College. It was followed by the Sikkim-Bhutia dance performed by students from Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, Maharaja Agrasen College, Amity University, Ambedkar University, Lakshmibai College, Zakir Hussain College and Swami Shraddhanand College respectively. The pretty faces and the silken attire lit up the event. Then, the much awaited Cheraw dance, also known as the bamboo dance from Mizoram was performed by the students of Jesus and Mary College. The amalgamation of 12 bamboos, 6 dancers and the beats of the bamboo was very lively to watch. The Maring War Dance,a tribal war dance form from Manipur was performed by students of St. Stephens College, Shivaji College, Hansraj College, Hindu College, Swami Vivekananda College and Indraprastha College for Women collectively.

With vibrant colours and typical tribal get-up the audience got a chance to witness the celebration of tribal art form and the integration of the eight sister states. In the end, the Students’ Union of Daulat Ram College presented special dance performances by Dance India Dance (DID) contestant Suraj Sharma and Rohit Bachi from IIT Bombay.

Radhika Boruah
[email protected]

Image credits: Sepia, Photography society of Daulat Ram College

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DUB Speak

Decoding Fashion Society- It’s more than just a strut in stilettos!

By Niharika Dabral January 30, 2017

Delhi University has all sorts of societies to accommodate various talents, be it drama, dance, debate, photography or even the most glamorous of them all: fashion. When one visualizes fashion, one thinks of spotlights, high heels and flawless models. Anyone who has had the luck of witnessing a DU fashion society perform can affirm that such performances scream confidence and ooze glamour. However, underneath the makeup (and what phenomenal make up it is!) and costumes, simmer hours of rehearsals and meticulous conceptualizing, a fact that people are unaware of.

Themes and Dresses
Before preparing for the ramp, it’s the dresses and props that are designed and this is not about randomly assorting an array of garments.Rather, everything is made exclusively on the basis of a theme.

The Institute of Home Economics’ fashion society Poise has won praise for their awe-inspiring and graceful performances on themes such as ‘Palace of Illusions’, which showcases the Mahabharata through Draupadi’s eyes (it must be inspired by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s book of the same name) and ‘Naqaab’, which depicts multiple personality disorders.

‘Prophecy’, the fashion society of Lady Irwin College prides itself for interesting interpretations of topics such as ‘Circus’ and ‘Gods and Men’. Their most famous creation was ‘Contemporary Cleopatra’s Eviction’, which is a recreation of Egypt’s iconic pharaoh Cleopatra’s descend and demise.
‘IVogue ‘, the fashion society of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce aced almost all the completions last year with the theme of the liberal and much needed rendering of LGBTQ Rights.

‘GLITZ’, the fashion society of Kamla Nehru College have performed on themes like ‘Androgyny’, ‘Feminism’, ‘Fifty Years Of Fashion’, ‘LGBT’, and very recently- ‘Rape’, where they showcased the journey of a rape survivor who must fight the stigma of society and earn justice.

Bhavya Atreja, President of ‘Prophecy’,says, “The hardest part of running a fashion society is to make a theme and then present it accurately thorough our dresses, props and expressions so that the audience can understand it. It takes a lot of creativity since we don’t seek help from any choreographer.” “For weeks I’ve been taking trips to Shanti Mohalla, Katran Market and Chandani Chawk to get desired fabrics. Once you get the cloth, it’s another challenge altogether to convince the tailor to stitch it accordingly within a limited budget.” Chitra Dabral, Secretary of ‘Prophecy’ sighs.“But at the end it’s worth it,” Medha Singh from ‘Glitz’, reveals, “We not only have to walk effortlessly in high heels, but we also have to plan and portray a theme relevantly through a fashion show which is not an easy task as a fashion show isn’t as expressive as say, a dance sequence or a play. Designing an entire collection, creating props, doing everything in a fixed budget- everything is a challenging task in its own. But all said and done, the end result makes all the hard work worth it.”Talking about themes and dresses Sarthak Kathuria, President of ‘IVogue’,points out, “I would really like to mention the fact that fashion societies should understand the difference between fashion and fancy dressing. While everyone’s different taste in fashion is appreciated, fancy dressing kills the vibe of what fashion is. Also, plagiarism is another issue that is in play and must end in order to have a healthy and fair environment for the fashion societies to exist.”
Plagiarism is a pertinent problem and has increased manifolds, especially after the practice of hiring the same choreographer by some societies has started taking place.

Rehearsals and sequences
It is usually assumed that fashion societies don’t have to do anything in terms of rehearsals. “It’s just about looking good and walking” many people are heard saying. However, to be honest, it’s just a stereotype.
Addressing this issue Bhavya Atreja, says “We get to hear this always- you guys simply walk in heels. But I want to ask them, can you spend even two hours in heels without complaining? We practice daily for two hours minimum and it takes lots of sweat to master our walk, expressions, sequences and poses. It’s very calculative in terms of timings and music beats.”Sarthak Kathuria, echoes the same sentiment, “People have a misconception about the work of a fashion society, because all they think we do is ‘walk’. What they don’t know is how much practice goes in to perfect the kind of walk that looks good on stage and is acceptable for a fashion show. Understanding the right posture of the body, the right kind of poses, switching between paces, to name a few. Working to create a theme altogether is a great task in itself. From designing the garments to developing a great choreography and music are all important things that need to be taken care of. So we practice 5 days a week, for a minimum of 3-4 hours, which increases to sometimes 5-6 hours if we have events coming up in the near future. The more time one invests in practicing the right way to walk, the better the body gets adapted to walk easily on stage, especially for girls since walking with poise and confidence in a pair of heels is no joke!”

Like it takes choreography in dance and direction in theater, fashion also requires sequences to be orchestrated. When to enter and leave, where to take a position and how to strike- a pose all these things are diligently thought of and now with the invention of chair arrangements, horizontal-vertical – cross formations and dangerous lifts- everything should go as per plan.

Dealing with harassment
On 21st January 2017, during Aurobindo College’s fest ‘Mehak’, ‘Poise’, the fashion society of Institute of Home Economics was performing. In the middle of their performance, due to circuit failure the music stopped. Hoping that the music will resume soon, the models stood in their positions, whereas it took about five minutes for fixing the glitch. Meanwhile, the rowdy elements in the crowd started passing lewd comments such as “Khadi kyu hai? Naach na!” Some of them even threw coins on stage. Somehow, the models kept calm and ended their performance. When they were leaving the stage, one particular voice shouted another expletive.Unable to take it anymore, Srishti Panday (member of ‘Poise’) turned back, showed that guy her middle finger and called him out from the stage.

Regrettably this isn’t an isolated incident; eve-teasing and name calling are frequent occurrences during fashion shows.Medha Singh from ‘Glitz’,Kamla Nehru Collage, agrees, “Unfortunately, every girl in a fashion society has dealt with something like this on stage at least once. The advice that we give to our members is- Do not let them get to you. You’re stronger, and better, than one mean comment passed on to you by an ignorant member of the audience. Slay them with your confidence!”

Sarthak Kathuria, President of ‘IVogue’ resonates “We have seen a display of rowdy behavior happening and heard various lewd comments too but I believe it has reduced over time. Although, we train our members to deal with any such instance that might occur when they are performing. We can’t really change the mentality of the person passing any unwanted comments, so we usually ignore such things or simply laugh it off.”

Bhavya Atreja, President of ‘Prophecy’ reiterates Sarthak’s view but also insists on taking a stand, “We have always faced such unruly attitude from anti-social elements in the crowd. Although we concentrate more on our performances while on stage, if something like this happens off stage then the whole team takes a strict stand.”

What it takes
What exactly does it take to run or become a part of a fashion society?
According to ‘Poise’,a person has to be confident and willing to stick with the team in through thick and thin. Bhavya Atreja, values “regular practice, sincerity and creativity.”

Sarthak Kathuria has valuable advice for those who want to work in this area,“The only suggestion that I would want to give anyone who wants to be with us is- join only if you’re ready for all the work that goes in developing what’s being showcased on the stage. And removing all preconceived notions about a fashion society before joining one is a must. To pursue glory only for yourself won’t take you far. You must work as a team and for the team.”

If you think only certain body type and height can get you in, then Medha Singh from ‘GLITZ’ has some insights for you, “Freshers are often intimidated by a fashion society, and they are wrongly led to believe that we only pick people who fit in a certain body type or height requirement. Our advice to them is to not give in to these myths. Anyone with a passion for fashion and creativity is welcome in our society, despite the way they look. We’re all about cultivating fierce girls who feel comfortable in their own skin. Pro tip for auditions: Confidence is the key.”

Now you can imagine that with designing, choreographing and practicing for long hours, a ramp walk is certainly not a cake walk and that being in a fashion society is more than just a strut in stilettos. All that glitters is truly, not gold!

Niharika Dabral
[email protected]

Image Credits: Gerush Bahal for DU Beat
Image Caption: Lady Irwin College’s ‘Prophecy’ showcases ‘Cleopatra’s Eviction’

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