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Anagha Rakta

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In September 2016, I was late on the deadline for my application, and I had almost begged the then editor, Shubham Kaushik, to give me an extension (which she very generously did). One and a half eventful years later, things have not changed a lot. My copy editor had to chase me for about a week to get me to write this farewell note (courtesy: my habit of never keeping up with deadlines). But procrastination and my routine of leaving everything for the last minute is not the reason for this delay. The thing is, my time in DU Beat will officially be over after this piece, and I don’t think I will ever be ready to say goodbye (courtesy: my closure issues).

Apart from the family I have found at this place, that I am attached to almost at an unhealthy level, this place has given me a platform to become a better writer and discover my love for social media management. Not just that, I have become a more efficient team member. When I joined the team, I was very apprehensive about collaborating with people or letting others edit my writing – but today, I have learned to trust my team more than I trust myself, and delegate responsibilities and duties with faith. Over the last year, my team became my support and my priority, and somehow being the Head of Web didn’t seem so difficult and stressful with them by my side.

In the last three years of my college life, it was this very place, that the highlight of it all – from attending more meetings than classes, losing sleep over incomplete work, and being occupied with deadlines, DU Beat took up most of my free time and creative energy, and I didn’t mind it one bit. Being a part of this organisation has given me a sense of belongingness, and has made me realise my passions, so I could work harder and harder towards my goals. Today, I can proudly say that DU Beat was the best decision I ever made and I can only hope that my career in the future is as giving as this experience was.

I don’t think I can ever thank this place enough for giving me the kind of opportunities, exposure, experience, knowledge, and skills, but the best thing I’m taking back from it are the amazing people I have had the privilege of working with. DU Beat has some of the most talented and brilliant minds from the University, and they will continue to inspire me long after I have left this place.

Signing Off
Anagha Rakta
Head of Web 2017-18

What happens when the elitist, neoliberalist type of feminism becomes the dominant one? Is everyone supposed to free the nipple and stop shaving armpits?

There are varying types and phases of feminism in our society. The f-word, which has become associated with so much negativity in everyday usage, is often synonymous with feminazi, pseudo-feminists, and manhaters. But this particular type of feminism brings the most negativity in the space about equal rights and the freedom to choose. Apparently, choosing to quit your job and be a stay-athome-mom is not “feminism” and is “succumbing to the patriarchy.” But what’s funny is that this kind of feminism that promotes having the right to “my choice”, at the same time, looks down upon women who actually do have a choice, unless it coincides with a specific idea of living.

Working in the fashion industry, wearing makeup, removal of body hair, getting a nose job done, taking your husband’s last name – all these things are looked down upon. However, there are women who can make these an active choice, something they do out of their desire and not out of pressure from the patriarchy. For some, it is hard to believe that a woman might want to save her virginity till marriage out of her own choice. It is as if there are a set of choices that are the only ones that are the right ones in every situation, for every person.

Often the choice is overlooked by other women, and that’s as problematic as the patriarchal norms. But what’s liberating to some, cannot be equally empowering for others. The entire point of this struggle to the right of free choice is to not be judged with whatever we’re choosing to do. The feminist movement carries the flag of inclusivity around with pride, but there’s no space for women who want, for example, to save their virginity till marriage.

Feminism and believing in equal rights does not mean every woman has to follow a list in order to be a “real feminist”. Women already suffer a lot of negativity in the society for the choices they make. “Too much,” “Too less,” – there are so many judgments we hear about our preferences on a daily basis. And this idea of a particular feminism (any kind), can’t become dominant in a world where there are different kinds of women and different kinds of struggles. The feminist movement needs to become supportive of the people they are struggling for – women.

 

Anagha Rakta

[email protected]

With a new year comes a series of promises and resolutions disguised as “new”, which are, in fact, the same old overused clichés that we never seem to follow.

 At the end of every year, emotional messages are sent out, bad habits are let go of, reunions are organised, and apologies are made, along with the promises of a fresh start. But there’s something about the first week of January that makes all of us go back to our old selves.  We turn back to the same old things we wanted to run away from in the hopes that the new year would bring a sense of closure. Who knew “starting afresh” came with an expiration date? The closure that every new year brings is only an illusion that comes with the ghost of a happy feeling; we smile and laugh as we adjust to our new routine, until we get tired and fall back into the accustomed pattern that we have been unable to escape from.

So what’s the point of celebrating something that’s so short lived? Do we seek satisfaction in finding temporary closure through the same old clichés? We make our resolutions based on our insecurities that surface the year before, in the hopes that we will overcome them in the coming one. But the end of a year isn’t going to stop bad things from happening to us – there will still be problems and situations and stress we don’t want to deal with. And we will learn, cope, and overcome as we go, because that’s how life works – not because you made a list when you were half drunk on the last night of the year.

We make a list of things that we think lead us to the “right” way to live life, but we forget to add the things that actually make us happy. The pressure of “new year, new me” forces us to set a time limit to improving ourselves, but being a better version of yourself doesn’t come with a change in the date. A minor change in the calendar doesn’t mean you have to leave everything behind, uproot your existing life, and become a “new” person. What matters is if you’re a better person. I believe in celebrating my growth at the end of the year. Was I kind to my loved ones? Did I push myself to my best? Am I proud of my achievements? These are some of the questions I ask myself, looking back at where I was a year ago. Our list of resolutions for the new year should only have one: do everything that will make you proud of yourself at the end of the year, and then do it again.

 

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

Whether it is for a business, a client, or even for yourself, social media platforms can be a helpful tool to reach out to a wide audience. But maintaining reach can be tough, so here are some handy tips to help increase engagement!

The term ‘engagement’ in the social media world refers to the measurement of likes, shares, and comments, and it is an important aspect within digital marketing because more engagement gets the user more reach. Engagement in social media is a powerful instrument that can help achieve a larger viewership for your venture, and for young students like us, it is difficult to splurge money on sponsoring posts. So here are some tips to organically increase engagement on your posts –

  • Call to action: Adding a simple instruction at the end of your post can get the viewer excited, assigns a purpose to your post, and brings attention to the highlight of your content. The call to action in your everyday post could be a simple hyperlinked ‘Click here for more’ to your website or can be an elaborate content or promotional activity.
  • Engaging images: Visually pleasing posts with mediocre textual content catch a viewer’s attention faster than mediocre pictures with brilliantly written text. Make sure the images you post are clean, follow the rule of thirds, and with adjusted contrast. Any sort of text on the graphic or picture should be as minimal as it can be – more text can be added to the post but the images best look neat.
  • Ask questions: Likes are easy to get as compared to comments. Hence, asking an open-ended question at the end of your post can spark a viewer’s interest and make them leave a comment, or even tag a buddy. Fun, light questions can be a part of the copy or the post for this purpose.
  • Hashtags: An important tool for reaching out to more people (than just those who follow you), hashtags may seem overdone in today’s time but are still extremely useful with engagement on social media. Pro tip: don’t use more than three hashtags on Twitter and use a maximum of 30 on Instagram.
  • Check insights: A vital ritual to practice frequently, checking insights and stats on your posts can prove to be very helpful. Figure out what works and create more of that content, and also note down what doesn’t work and avoid making the same mistakes again.

 

Feature Image Credits: ActOn

Anagha Rakta

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Our generation is called out for many things, but it is mostly looked down upon for being selfish in relationships. Why is it considered so wrong to put your needs ahead of someone else’s?

It is 2018, and no one in our generation knows how to date. What’s more interesting is that they are aware of it and making the conscious decision not to step into a relationship at all. It is 2018, and dating is now only casual. Why is that? We are the products of a generation that gave up most things, including dignity, to sustain a relationship and having seen how exhausting it can be, we choose not to date. We are currently living in an era where we are trying to change the essence of relationships from needing to be selfless and forgiving to giving equal importance to ourselves and our goals first.

How is this a bad thing? Why is this transition from unhealthy relationships to self-love looked down upon? We’re in our 20s, not knowing what the future holds in store for us, not being sure of what we need – is it fair to add a relationship to the list when we don’t even know what we want? Our 20s are the only time we’ll get to experiment, to try new things, and to know ourselves better. Whether you decide to date or not to date in this time and age, you will realise how tender this age is to understand others before you even understand yourself.

Gone are the times when people would choose love over their career; it almost feels like there isn’t even an option of “love” anymore. And that is selfish, but being selfish isn’t wrong here. Thinking about yourself first is a sign of maturity that the previous generations were alien to, and putting your needs before someone else’s is a concept that they don’t understand, but should. Don’t let them make you feel bad about your dating life. We’re doing a favour to the next generation by building a foundation of healthier relationships.

 

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

Stand-up Comedy is the new “in” thing on YouTube and its sister channels and Indian stand-up acts wouldn’t  disappoint you, for sure.

India, or for that matter Urban India, is slowly awakening to a newer, fresher, and unusual yet creative professions; despite the rant of becoming a doctor and an engineer continues to perpetuate. Spreading awareness is an important thing but doing that through wit and humour makes it all the more scintillating and this is where stand-up comes into play. University of Delhi has been a host to many of the artists, be it Abish Mathew, Biswa Kalyan Rath or Kenny Sebastian, or the very recent case of Zakir Khan gracing the SRCC Youth Conference intrigues us into finding out the best stand-up acts of India. Therefore, we bring to you our own set of favourite comedians who, really sometimes make more sense than our politicians:

DISCLAIMER: We know there are some great stand-up comedians missing from this list, but in our defence, we couldn’t add them all!

  1. Daniel Fernandes: If you are looking for dark humour, wit, and sarcasm mixed together with thought-provoking satire that’s based on social issues, Daniel Fernandes is the man for you. His takes on feminism, Syria, Trump Elections, rape, and all will give you chills, apart from making you laugh. Also, he never shies away from speaking his mind out on controversial topics –  watch his stand-up on why he hates Fawad Khan, for this example.
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
  1. Abhishek Upmanyu: For lighthearted and light-minded comedy, Abhishek Upmanyu is the typical, Delhi boy-next-door for you who thinks faster than he speaks, and his body language and tone will win your heart all over. His famous stand-ups on the likes of Delhi, Mumbai, comebacks, and insults will get you rolling on the floor laughing.
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
  1. Zakir Khan: With his every show getting a standing ovation, you should definitely stand up for Zakir Khan because he just stands out in all his performances. The “sakht launda”  has his own cult of fan following and his hilarious take on a Delhi girl, failing in an exam, airport rules, etc, will make you wanting more of him. Also, he once shared a video for his father online which made all of us cry with tears in the same way he makes us laugh with tears. This man can do it all.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
  1. Abish Mathew: “The Son of Abish” show is a major hit online and his sense of humour and adorable smile never fail to amuse us. He became extremely famous from the AIB Video, A Man’s Best Friend and yes, whenever you watch this guy, he will surely leave you in splits.
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
  1. Aditi Mittal: The stand-up comedy world is also, like any other world, male–dominated, but this woman outshines them all. Her witty take on sanitary napkins , bra shopping, and breasts will get you hooked onto her for life. She uses humour to raise awareness about issues in a way that will make you think twice.
Source: Aditi Mittal
Source: YouTube

6.  Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath: Yes, these guys perform separately and their individual performances rock the entire comedy industry but after watching their Pretentious Movie Reviews (You are living under a rock if you haven’t watched these), it is very difficult for us to separate the two of them. Both have their own charm and make sure to watch all of their videos, including their individual ones.

Source: Indian Express
Source: Indian Express
  1. Kenny Sebastian:“Chai -Time” with this guy is just the best time of our days and yes, Kenny’s understanding of middle-class restaurants, middle-class Dads, North Indians in America, will make people fall off from their chairs. His live shows, as well as his videos, are an equal pleasure.
Source: news18.com
Source: news18.com
  1. Sorabh Pant:When he left the East India Comedy channel, we all were heartbroken but this man never disappoints us. You can watch ‘The Rant of the Pant’ on his individual channel as well. He is one of the coolest stand-up comedians in India and one of the most intelligent and politically-aware as well.
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube

9. Vir Das: He is our very own blue-eyed boy whose shows in America are a major hit (online and offline) and he is one of the most cherished comedians of India. If you still haven’t watched his videos, you are missing out on all the fun.

Source: Film Companion
Source: Film Companion

This was our list of favourite Indian Stand-up comedians. If we missed any of your favourites, please tell us in the comments below!

 

Feature Image Credits: news18.com

Oorja Tapan

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Everyday magazines, TV shows, celebrities and the entire fashion industry sell us the idea of the perfect body. Who decided what was the “perfect” body? And when did we start shaming others for not fitting in a size?

Two years ago, the “perfect” body consisted of a thigh gap; however, currently in 2017, being “thick” is the new “perfect” and thigh gaps are looked down upon. The rules of fashion change every week and it is hard to keep up – but it isn’t hard to ignore. We usually don’t see what happens after that. With the rules of fashion, the definition of the “perfect” body also changes and with that, comes the eating disorders, the insecurities and self-hate, the suicidal tendencies, and body-shaming. “You can’t wear that,” “This doesn’t suit your body type,” are just some things we hear, and say, on a regular basis. “You have lost weight,” is synonymous with “You look better than before,” and it is taken as a compliment instead of a concern like it should be – but what was the problem with that extra weight before?

And it isn’t just about the extra weight, it is also about the lack of it, the incorrect placement of it, the exact number on the scale, and the relation of that to one’s beauty, that makes body-shaming such an easy thing to prevail in our society. The industry has made us hate almost anything natural about the human body – from stretch marks to love handles, is there anything even left to appreciate about a non-airbrushed body?

Sure, we have plus-sized models in the scene, who are slowing making way on to ramps and magazine covers, but our feeble minds are so used to seeking smooth, tight skins on those ramps and covers, that we forget how to appreciate a natural body. Plus-size models, although inspiring, amazing, and necessary, are called out for “promoting obesity and living an unhealthy lifestyle.” There’s a difference between fitness advice and body shaming, just like there’s a difference between fashion advice and putting people down for their body type or their weight.

Mindy Kaling very rightly said in an interview that sometimes people don’t realise that they’re going back to square one on this issue when they tell her stuff like “you’re setting goals for unconventional body type people.” Calling someone an “unconventional” body type when they’re not medically obese is just factually wrong. Forget about being insensitive, that’s inaccurate.

This, obviously, does not in any way imply that people can’t set fitness goals for themselves. It just comes down to not imposing the same on others and, especially, shaming them for being confident in their own skin (whether it is to your taste or not). Well, like they say: charity begins at home. Our battles against body-shaming can only be won when we look at ourselves in the mirror without cringing, without finding a single flaw in our natural selves.

Image Credits: The KN Clan

 

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

Called ‘The Queen of Bollywood’ for her exceptional talent and multitude of prestigious awards,  yet branded ironically as the Drama Queen of Bollywood for always being in the centre of a controversy, Kangana Ranaut is anything but a mere “love interest”. She has definitely carved a niche for herself as a self-sustaining actor who doesn’t need the presence of a male actor on-screen to support the movie; a phenomenon that is quite rare in the Hindi film industry. If you have been up to date with the latest happenings on this issue, you’d now that Kangana has been bashed numerous times for the things she says during her interviews. When she tagged Karan Johar as “the flag bearer of nepotism”, she was called out at a major award function, in front of thousands of people, by Johar himself. When she called out Shah Rukh Khan for putting the actress’ name before his (while still getting paid more since he is always the male lead) in AIB’s latest video, she received hate from his fans on Twitter. She is often said to have the “balls” to say “bold” things like these (as if having a vagina automatically means that you’re timid and meek), but there is some truth to the words she speaks. On more than one occasion, she has spoken up against the unfair treatment that female actors are meted in the Industry, and how one needs to keep “adjusting” to all the male dominance in order to make it ‘big’ in the industry.

No amount of hate or backlash has caused Kangana to hesitate while making headlines with her “daring” statements about the biggest names in the Industry. And why should she hesitate? She has proved all her opposition wrong by continuing to be a great actor, by choosing movies that are independent of any male presence in the lead roles, and by not caring about what Karan Johar has to say about her views on nepotism. In short, Kangana Ranaut didn’t back down – and there is no reason for her to do so.

I don’t write this article to defend Kangana or justify her very public spat with Hrithik Roshan, but to defend a woman’s position in a professional space, especially in the Hindi film industry – a business that basically runs on the actress’ cleavage and skills to dance to nauseating lyrics. Bollywood’s sexism is not only limited to objectifying a woman’s body though, as this industry even looks down upon a woman’s talents as an artist. Financial equality is another forgotten basic human right, amongst many others, and these unfair means of treatment are reflected in other professional spaces as well. When women are only seen as objects of desire in the most successful movies, year after year, would anyone treat them differently in real life?

Anagha Rakta

[email protected]

 

There is something that makes one stand apart by using the art of minimalism in everyday fashion. Auburn decodes the mystery behind staying minimal and yet not looking boring.

Usually, in an attempt to look different, people make the fashion faux pas of doing too much – wearing too many prints, donning too many colours, or mixing too many styles. The art of minimalism in fashion is easy and effortless (especially once you get the hang of it) and has the aesthetics of what is called ‘impersonal austerity’. Here are some tips to remember while curating a minimalistic wardrobe:

  • Colour: People generally think that whites, blacks, and greys make a minimalistic outfit, but don’t be afraid to experiment with colours. The trick is to use colours from the same palette and/or with the same undertones.
  • Print: Minimalistic fashion usually has subtle print patterns, also called ‘non-emotive design’, which have geometric elements in the design, such as lines and linear shapes. One can never go wrong with stripes, plaid, and even floral. These designs can easily be paired with the other items in your closet.
  • Fit: This is the most important aspect of putting together a minimalistic outfit. Unlike other forms of style, this does not have extra elements to distract from a lousy fit. A simple piece, such as a white t-shirt, can look a hundred times better with the right fitting. So, spend some extra time in the dressing room figuring out which is the best fit for you.
  • Accessories: A simple wardrobe doesn’t only mean simple clothes; accessories add an elegant and delicate touch to the overall look. Also, having the right bling can do wonders. Look for dainty necklaces, bracelets, rings, and sunglasses in a neat finish for that extra oomph factor.
  • Buy: To curate a minimalistic wardrobe, one needs to know where to curate from. The Basics section in Forever 21 and H&M are staples; their leggings, tees, blouses, and camisoles are a must have in one’s everyday wardrobe.

Incorporating minimalistic elements in everyday fashion makes one look effortless and casual, and draws attention in the best possible way. There is, however, a fine line between simplicity and not trying. The skill of using the art of minimalistic fashion is said to be achieved when it is possible to balance both sides. As they say, “Less is more.”

Feature Image Credits: Pintrest

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

With the onset of the election season in the University, there are students who distance and disassociate themselves from the whole process because the politics of DUSU are too “dirty” for them. How problematic is this? Why do we forget about the students who cannot afford to be indifferent to the “dirty” politics?

Often, when the election season prevails in the University of Delhi, social media are flooded with posts and pictures of how campaigning by the parties cause inconvenience for students. The posts are usually captioned with something along the lines of: ‘This is why I hate the election season’ or ‘This is why I chose to be apolitical.’ A lot of students in the University decide to be indifferent to the politics because they think it is “dirty” and “tiresome” and that the political parties are the reason for a lot of ruckus within the University. These students chose to distance themselves from everything and anything related to the elections by not exercising their right to vote, amongst other things. This is problematic for a lot of reasons. The first and foremost being that being apolitical in a democratic location is equal to being indifferent to a flood in your city because you live in house on stills.

The voter turnout for the DUSU elections of 2016 was merely 35.3%, and it is evident that the rest made a conscious decision to stay neutral. Desmond Tutu very aptly said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Students decide to remain apolitical even after injustice and oppression has prevailed in the campus for years; they don’t turn up to vote because they feel both sides – the left and the right – are iniquitous. But these students often forget that they hold the power to choose NOTA (none of the above) in the election polls. NOTA is quite a convenient way to tell the student parties that they aren’t the right ones for the job, even with their money, muscle and political backing.

As students, the right to vote is the power that we hold to choose who works for us. Often, amongst our privileged background, settled family and a stable financial income, we forget what it is like for the other people of the equation. There are colleges within Delhi University where metros, or even local buses, aren’t available, where there aren’t any hostels and where many basic facilities aren’t accessible. There are a lot of concerns within the University that concern the colleges outside North Campus that we aren’t even aware about. So, with every student who declares him/herself as “apolitical”, there is also a student who has to wait for hours just to get on a bus to a college that is on the outskirts of the city.

Granted, the election season does cause a lot of inconvenience for everyone; the protest marches cause traffic, the entire campus is covered in pamphlets and party posters, and classes are interrupted on a daily basis because of the campaigning. But that shouldn’t be a cause to hate the entire political procedure. If you don’t support paper wastage, then vote for a party that has a paperless campaign; if you think the ruling party did not make any progress in the last tenure, then vote for the opposition; if you think none of the parties deserve to win, the cast your vote as NOTA. The point is: go out and vote. It might sound like a cliché but every vote counts, and help make a huge difference. Your privilege may allow you to become indifferent to which party wins, but privilege can cause you to become silent in the times of need. And silence is just another word for a death sentence.
Anagha Rakta
[email protected]