Goddess or Puppet?

Wednesday, September 10, 2014





This article was written by me as a part of my college magazine but it became much more than just that. Magazine Ground Zero's first edition talks about women as power houses and while we spoke about powerful women, could not however ignore the condition of rural women in our country.

This photo shoot is the story of a young girl from a small village in India. At an age where she should have books in her hands, she is being forced into marriage. According to the indian traditions and culture, a girl is the Laxmi  (goddess of wealth) of the house. She is to bring luck, success and wealth to her husband's home even if it becomes the very end of her own dreams. Her life. Her identity. This is her story. And many, many other's. Have a read. Share your views.



Woman is not born. She is made. In the making, her humanity is destroyed. She becomes a symbol of this, an example of that. Mother of the earth, slut of the universe. But she never becomes herself because it is forbidden for her to do so. The Indian woman fights each day to survive in this male dominated country. For a developing nation on its way to greatness, India’s treatment towards its women is appalling. 

It is ironical how we live in a country where women are worshipped as goddesses yet they are abused, shunned and killed in the womb. It is said that medieval India was considered to be the ‘Dark Age’, due to the foreign invasions it was one of the worst periods for women. A lot of new rules were made and old ones broken. Women were asked to stay in the four walls of their houses. They were treated as the property of their fathers, brothers and then their husbands. They were raped and beaten. Misogyny existed then. It exists now. 

A country whose father of the nation gave the slogan ‘Nari Shakti’ struggles today to protect and respect their very own. Sexual abuse, sati, child marriage, are not merely stories narrated to us from our history textbooks but are more real than our deepest, darkest fears. Indian marriage is sanctity. Bliss for women. It is the marking of a new life but not when you’re under 18 and definitely not when you are forced into it. Especially when it comes to rural women, they do not rebel against their spouse in the fear of losing their economic support. There is also a lurking fear of rejection which makes them put up with abuse as their ‘destiny’.

In its true sense, a woman straddles between two extreme ideologies of conscious imprisonment, downsizing them to be either or both a Goddess and a slut. Anything in its extremity can conspire upon a woman with its shadow of enslavement. Reputation and respect both in a famous and an infamous manner cast down upon her like waves on shore rocks, breaking them patiently with every conscious blow. Amidst the conspicuous normality, one which in itself is a matter of debate among many, lies a whole spectrum of other staggering disempowerments mellowing down a lady’s womanhood to the bare tatters as it can now be seen. Girls are made to feel like a piece of meat, made to feel if they walk out of their house wearing short clothes, they are all harlots enticing ‘the man’ to rape them. 

To think a girl isn’t capable enough of taking care of herself in the 21st century when she has literally reached the moon and back, shows how corrupt and hollow our mindset really is. It is time we stand up for what rightfully is ours. Rabindranath Tagore in one of his poems said, “O Lord Why have you not given woman the right to conquer her destiny?Why does she have to wait head bowed, By the roadside, Waiting with tired patience, Hoping for a miracle in the morrow?” And we keep holding onto that...




“Her eyes are mirrors, stare deep into them and you might find where you lost yourself on the way. She can stare right through your soul, right through your broken pieces and mend you as if you were made of clay. She’s a miracle if you’d believe her to be”




Model- Arya Vijayan
Photography and Styling- Avisha Chaudhary









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26 comments

  1. Nice pics I need to say :)
    Thank you for visiting . Sure we can follow other. I am new follower, your turn now :)
    http://theoverpowered.blogspot.com/

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  2. Beautiful pictures!!!
    Thanks so much for your lovely comment on my blog, I’m following you on Bloglovin and GFC, I hope you can follow me back to stay in touch.
    XOXO

    Milu
    www.hellolupi.blogspot.com
    $50 STORE CREDIT AT WHITE PLUM GIVEAWAY!!!!

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  3. Goddess, definitively! Because no matter how the mankind abuses her,
    a woman remain the soul of the Earth, without her there is no Life!
    Love the vintage look of the pictures, beautiful model, and nice post.
    PS: Thanks for your visit on my page, now following you. Keep in touch
    xoxo

    www.auxcapricesdeflore.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. lovely pictures, and i would say that that shoes on your header totally haunts me now.

    followed you on bloglovin !!

    xoxo,
    Dee
    Slumber Talk

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely pictures !
    I followed you on GFC, hope you follow me back <3
    xx
    ~nicky
    My blog: Pixie Ave | Instagram

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful pictures<3
    Thanks for checking out my blog, dear:)
    I am your follower on GFC(67)
    Kisses
    http://fashionsecrets-oksana.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey I'm Maria From M&MFASHIONBITES! Followed you on gfc and on bloglovin...hope you will do the same :) BLOG : http://mmfashionbites.blogspot.gr/ BLOGLOVIN : http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/4493219 :)

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  8. Wow!!! Nice foto! Love it!
    Thanks for the comment on my blog)
    Follow you onGFC and Bloglovin
    Follow me back?!
    ^^
    http://ann-kos.blogspot.com

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  9. Very beautiful picts!!! Thank you for comment on my blog! I follow you now via GFC.


    Fashion blog Shoponista

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful pictures!

    You have give away on my blog: http://kapege23.blogspot.com/2014/09/paris-london-and-new-york-give-away.html :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. of course! following you via GFC! hope you follow me back!
    <33
    http://www.duffymossdaily.com

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  12. yes, I would like to follow each other, and I follow, I hope. Lovely post, I loved it.

    Sibaritismosdeinma

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful pics I am speechless !! :)

    http://tabicibeauty.blogspot.com/

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  14. thank you for your comment! wow, so interesting post, keep on writing! I follow you, now your turn! check out new post on my blog :)

    www.blondeallaround.blogspot.com

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  15. Awesome photography Avisha and loved the way you write! Hatzz off <3

    Love
    Charu
    http://www.myglossyaffair.com/
    http://www.myfashionfootprints.com/

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  16. What a beautiful post..loved the way you have written it and amazing photographs! <3

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by my blog!! I'm following you now on gfc and bloglovin! Hope you will follow me back on bloglovin too!! :)

    Keep in touch
    http://www.myfashionfootprints.com/

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lovely pictures!

    Please follow me via GFC if you haven't
    New Post Up On The Blog: Out of Sight | www.TIDESTORE.com

    With Love,
    Monique (The Slim Kid Inside)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love this! Photography is on point. Thanks for stopping by & I have followed you on
    GFC & Bloglovin as you had asked. I hope you follow me back!


    X
    http://subhamrai.blogspot.in/

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  19. lovely pics
    would you like to follow each other?
    i'll follow back too ^_^

    www.miharujulie.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. i've already followed your blog
    hope you can follow me back ;)

    www.miharujulie.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Followed you via GFC.
    Please follow me too.

    New Post Up On The Blog: Carpe Diem

    With Love,
    Monique (The Slim Kid Inside)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Really gorgeous pictures, so impressing! Thanks for your lovely comment, now following you.

    <3
    http://zazzish.blogspot.pt/

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