By Shweta Bhandral “It is important to have discussions where you can be critical of not only the other but oneself too.” – Dr Devika Mittal “Peace needs empathy.” – Saadia Gardezi “Peace that is not built on justice is no peace at all.” – Kirthi Jayakumar These were some of the thoughts voiced during […]
Author: shweta
“Borders Are There But Stories Can Bridge the Gap” – Cinema’s Power women at eShe Peace Summit
What powerful women directors and producers from India and Pakistan had to say at eShe Indo-Pak Peace Summit Led by Women By Shweta Bhandral “The more the content travels the more empathy it builds.” – Mehreen Jabbar “Art reflects society not just by mirroring it but by mirroring it with some perspective.” – Alankrita Shrivastava […]
How a Youth-Led Team Is Using Virtual Reality to Help Partition Veterans Find Closure
Saadia Gardezi and her teammates at Project Dastaan use technology to help the Partition generation revisit the land of their birth. By Shweta Bhandral Jinne Lahore ni wakheya o jamiya ni (one who has not seen Lahore is not born). Saadia Gardezi grew up in Lahore, a city of history, art, culture, and literature. “Working with […]
Loss and Labour: The Effect of Lockdown on Rural Indian Women
Rural women in India have never had it easy, and the Covid lockdown has further increased their workload while leaving them financially vulnerable. Text and photos by Shweta Bhandral Past few months have been exceptionally brutal for India’s economy. With GDP contracting by 23.9 per cent from April to June, as many as 21 million […]
This Fashion Artist’s ‘The Almirah’ Project Captures Women’s Emotions During Lockdown
Fashion artist Sharmila Nair’s new project links women’s emotions during the pandemic to the tradition of parents gifting almirahs to daughters. By Shweta Bhandral Entrepreneur and fashion artist Sharmila Nair’s latest project The Almirah is a fashion art installation that showcases the emotions, Indian women went through during the Covid pandemic. “There’s a tradition in Kerala where […]
Natural Beauty Brands That Care for You and the Planet
With more people investing in health, these five women-led brands are creating a niche in the growing market of natural beauty products. By Shweta Bhandral Natural, organic, herbal, Ayurvedic, vegan – these are the terms you often see connected with beauty products these days. In fact, these products are driving growth in the personal care […]
Teaching, Healing and Creating Joy with Their Art
Pottery isn’t just about making functional or decorative products but also an avenue to heal and create beauty. Two potters weigh in. By Shweta Bhandral Digging your hands in clay, spinning the potter’s wheel, and finally dipping your pieces in colourful glaze to form creative designs. Pottery is not just a source of livelihood but […]
The Story of India’s Community Libraries – Spurned by State, Struck by Lockdown
Public libraries have been low on government priorities in the past few years; now COVID is threatening our few brave community libraries too. By Shweta Bhandral There was a time when India had a robust system of public libraries. However, in the past few years, more than 5000 public libraries have shut shop. Maintaining a […]
Survey Result: Did Relationships Become More Equal at Home During Lockdown?
By Shweta Bhandral The COVID lockdown created unprecedented crises in people’s lives. Naturally, intimate relationships have been impacted as well. With families constricted within homes for long periods, domestic helpers unavailable, schools closed and children stuck indoors, and adults working from home, the load of housework has also gone up. eShe conducted an online survey last […]
Cheer Up Your Home During Lockdown with Ideas from These 4 Instagrammers!
Lockdown has kept us all home, so why not use the space to express one’s creativity? These four Instagram influencers have some brilliant ideas! By Shweta Bhandral These four interior designers and Instagram influencers have cool ideas to brighten up your home and add a bit of creative fun to Lockdown 2020! KRUTI BADIANI, NOIDA […]