The Beautiful Life

Daily soaps have a clear set of gender roles with patriarchy blatantly evident in them. Women characters are either submissive or there is an overdose of scheming vamps. The trend seems to be getting more complex as even educated women characters are shown working hard to impress the family members or win acceptance of society. With Ratris Khel Chale, a daily soap series telecast on Zee Marathi, it has hit a new low.  Shot in a Sindhudurg village, Ratris Khel...is a horror show toasting black magic. It showcases most of its women characters not just weak, powerless and stereotyped but extremely superstitious. It makes us wonder if the writers of the soap have tried to portray the real Malvan/Konkan, its people and especially the women? To read more please click  https://www.thebridgechronicle.com/lifestyle/art-culture/decoding-kanyadaan-an-insight-into-the-most-argued-custom-in-indian-weddings  

  In the last few years, many states in the country have witnessed an increase in the number of newly constructed toilets. However, several hundreds of these have remained unused or are being used by many for multiple purposes other than the reason they have been constructed for. Some people cite genuine reasons like unavailability of water for not using toilets, while for some, the saying ‘old habits die hard’ holds true. While the problem persists, there are a few examples of such initiatives being effectively implemented.  ; To read more please visit https://www.thebridgechronicle.com/opinion/changing-mindsets-people-usage-toilets-villages-40425 Published on  :  08 Sep, 2019, in Sakal Times