Kali

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय, तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय,मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय |

[hoshrubaa]

kali | 21 | india (maharashtra)

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about me:

Hello! You may call me Kali, named after the Hindu goddess— I’m a literature and art nerd, and am currently studying for a B.A. My native tongue is Marathi, and I am fluent in Hindi, Urdu, English and French, and am currently trying to learn Spanish. My interests include reading, listening to music, yoga, fashion, philosophy, languages and etymology, sketching and aesthetics.

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[hoshrubaa]

Kali Talks: Fashion and Styling

Random notes from a girl you don’t know:

Ethically sourced real leather will always, always be better than vegan or faux leather. I say this because vegan leather is polyurethane, which like plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose and harms the ecosystems/biomes. Invest in staple leather pieces, because good quality leather (top grain or full grain leather) will last you a decade or more if taken proper care of. Even genuine leather, which is the worst quality of leather, lasts a good six to eight years. Decomposition of real leather is easy. Sustainable.

Experiment. Don’t stick to a single aesthetic. Learn about the word ‘aesthetic’. Learn about the emergence and the history and the core values of the aesthetics you find interesting. See if they align with your core values and experiences and beliefs. Fashion is not just clothing, it is art, it is history, it is politics, it is visibility.

Get off your phone. Do not compare yourself to influencers. No normal person has more than ten pairs of shoes in their shoe rack, or a dozen jackets in their closet. Three pairs of jeans and four pairs of trousers are enough for a normal person. Influencers get brand deals and PR packages, which is why they have all the clothing and skin care and makeup. They do not spend much of their own money. Stop trying to chase after a life that is fake.

Stop following trends, wear whatever you like and whatever fits you best, rather than what other people are promoting. Most of the time, a trend stays for a few days, and then two years later you will dig through your closet and come across.. I don’t know, a bubble skirt that you wore only once and hated the feel of so you didn’t wear it again and it rotted in the back. Stop following trends.

In my opinion, Labubus are bullshit. Never in my life have I seen such widespread craze over a piece of plastic that is priced at hundreds of dollars only because they need to pay off the marketing campaign. And you don’t even get one you want. It’s about as useless as a rusted nail with a blunted tip.

When buying accessories, check the material. Jewellery, bags, shoes, watches. Try to buy good quality in less quantity, rather than the other way around. For example, I used the same white leather purse for seven years before handing it over to my younger sister. It is still in good condition, and absolutely worth the high price. I only have six bags in my possession, made either of natural fabric or leather, and I know how to style them. For shoes, check the sole material. Bags, again, dont buy vegan leather.

Watch Robert Wun and Rahul Mishra runways, I loved them so much, I hope you love them too.

Search up local brands and labels. India has been witnessing a boom in the fashion industry, find good brands. Personally, I like getting my clothes made from the local tailors, check if you can get it done too. Tailoring in India is cheap if you know where to go.

[sosuigeneris]

Hello! I recently came across the term “personal curriculum” and thought to ask you: do you have a curriculum of your own? It’s something I’ve been doing for years but only found a term to describe it a few days ago, and honestly it’s so fun! What would be a part of your personal curriculum, if you already have one or would like to make one some day?

that’s such a fun question! Do you mean like a cherry starter pack/ things I do to maintain myself physically/ mentally/ emotionally etc?

[hoshrubaa]

For me, a personal curriculum is like a college semester except I’m teaching myself the things in a set time period rather than attend classes for it, for example I taught myself personal finance and two other topics in the spring semester. PC differs from person to person, t can be anything from physical health to just reading a lot of books, and I’d love to hear about a cherry starter pack as you put it!

[hoshrubaa]

THE SECOND SEX: SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR

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Simone de Beauvoir was a Parisian writer, social theorist and public intellectual, feminist, and major existentialist personality of post-War France. Born into a fairly wealthy household with a lawyer for a father and a devout Catholic mother, she was intellectually inclined from a very young age, and with her father’s encouragement, received a good education.

She is well known for her contributions to the schools of existentialism and phenomenology, and was very active within philosophical circles and the French intellectual scene throughout her lifetime. Her various writings are an exploration of social, political and feminist philosophy, existentialism, ethics, and phenomenology, her views on them, and an observation of the reality that unfolded around her. Beauvoir’s life and writings inspire contemporary research and debate in the field of philosophy even today, but the most radical of these writings is, in my opinion, her work The Second Sex.

The Second Sex is an account of the treatment of and lived experiences of women in present day society and in recorded history, and an observation of the relation between Man and Woman. It delves deep into the concept of Femininity and the definition of Woman via an interdisciplinary exploration.

The book itself began as a question that Beauvoir asked herself: “what does it mean to be a woman?” She pursued the answer to that question by regarding her own situation and the situations of women’s lives in general through a philosophical perspective, and surmised that the world has always been more in favour of the masculine. To prove that this world is not accepting of women, she analysed various myths that were taken to be the definition of Femininity and the part they played in influencing the societal impositions on women, and used it to prove the truth in the central assertion of the book: in this society, Man is the essential being, and Woman, the Other.

The Second Sex is divided into two volumes— ‘Facts and Myths’, and ‘Lived Experience’. In the first volume, she explains the biological and physiological differences between male and female, and challenges the assumption that women are weak simply because they are female. She states that the facts of biology must be viewed in the context of ontology, economy and society, and not through the mythical concepts of what constitutes strength and what constitutes femininity. She searches for logic, and in doing so, exposes the inherent bias in the criteria that are used to prove the “strength” of a man or a woman. Men are centred, while women are Othered.

Beauvoir highlights the performative nature of gender throughout the second volume, where she speaks of the conditioning that boys and girls go through, with an emphasis on her and other girls’ experiences with being told how to act, how to speak, and how the “feminine” destiny is imposed upon her. She speaks of the different ways women employ to come to terms with the definition of femininity that prevails under patriarchy, and how a woman is trapped by her own ability to reproduce. This explanation boils down to the difference between sex and gender in the most famous line of her work: “On ne naît femme pas, on le devient,” which is literally translated to “we are not born woman, we become it.”

Here, whether it was knowingly or unknowingly, Beauvoir drew the line of distinction between sex and gender, and thus changed the trajectory of feminist debate towards a more nuanced existence by giving us the vocabulary needed for the better analysis and critique of societal norms forced upon the Other sex, the “weaker” sex.

The Second Sex was highly controversial during the time of its release, and continues to be so even today, albeit less so than in the mid twentieth century. Describing female sexuality in such a widely published book was practically unheard of at the time, and it faced tremendous criticism from many men and women across the European continent. As such, this critique resulted in the rise of feminist dialogue and led to the birth of many thought-provoking works in feminist theory.

Feminist philosophy as a practice, even today, employs Beauvoir’s writings in analyses of various concepts and lived experiences, and her impact will no doubt continue to be felt decades into the future.

[hoshrubaa]

Things I did to destress this week

Yes, I am aware it’s only Thursday, but this has been a week from hell and quite frankly I did need to relax. Pulling three all nighters should not be done but I was stupid enough to do it, so. Here are things I did to deal with the stress of college life.

I took naps. The days after I pulled all nighters, I took three hour naps in the afternoon, and after waking up, I did twelve Surya Namaskar. The all nighters were on Sunday, then one on Tuesday, and then another on Wednesday. And then, I slept properly last night. I slept for a whole eleven hours, as opposed to my usual 7-8, to make up for the sleep I lost. If there is one thing I’ve learnt in my school years, it is that sleep is the BEST way to destress. Ever.

Yoga. Surya Namaskar, Padma Sadhana, Pranayama. I got my period last night before I fell asleep, so I didn’t do any yoga today, but other days I was consistent and stuck to it.

Art! I put away my phone, picked up a fountain pen and devoted half an hour to sketching a crow and then a butterfly. Easy, no real technique required, just something to take my mind off of everything that was happening in my personal and college life.

Music and dance. I spent an hour on Tuesday just stomping my feet on the floor as hard as I could during Bharatanatyam practice. It felt good, like physically shoving all the worries out of my body and into the ground. As for music, Raag Megh Malhar by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Scène (Moderato) from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake have been on repeat, along with Aayat by Arijit Singh and The Blade by AURORA.

I haven’t been able to read much this week, to my immense annoyance. Hopefully, the next week won’t be so stressful, and I will be able to finish rereading The Da Vinci Code.

[hoshrubaa]

The press on nails that I ordered have arrived! I will try them on later, but for now I have to reach class. Before that, let’s plan out my to do list for the week!

Drafting my final proposal for the field project and handing it in, preferably today itself, otherwise I’ll forget.

Internals tomorrow, so studying accordingly before going to sleep.

Friend’s birthday on Wednesday, so I need to buy a gift. I already know what to buy, I just need to go out and get it.

Another test on Friday

Mandatory seminars on Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Getting a new haircut, but this can be postponed since it’s not really urgent.

Dinner with friends on Saturday after dance class! Something nice to look forward to at the end of the week!

Hopefully i will manage to get my hair cut before the week, but it’s not a priority so I’m not too pressed about it. As for the friend, she likes rose gold jewellery and I noticed her old necklace lost its polish and turned silver, so I bought her a new one. Hopefully she likes it.

[hoshrubaa]

Reading Jane Eyre as someone who is used to on the spot literary analysis is such a trip. Jane’s character is so very complex but at the same time Charlotte Brontë has described her in such a way that she is easy to understand. Her motivations, her inexperience with life in the first volume, the impact of Christianity as a religion not just on Jane but also on 19th century English society in general, the setting of various scenes in the book… yeah I do not regret picking up the book, for sure. For now, I’m only a quarter of the way through, but it’s still quite good.

[hoshrubaa]

I have exactly four months to prepare for the SLS AIAT for the 3-year LLB that I want to do after I finish my B.A… I really should have thought this through. I really should have decided to commit to Law right after 12th instead of doing a B.A.

No matter, I’ll just have a stricter and more hectic study schedule than usual, but I’ll get through it. It seems neither too easy nor too difficult, I’m mostly just worried about the current affairs because I don’t remember much of the national news from the early half of the year, I was more focused on the global news. So, thus is the plan:

Three months of brushing up on essay writing skills, current affairs, any general knowledge I might have skipped.

Interview training, because there is a Personal interview section and that sort of intimidates me, but I’m positive I can ace it with practice.

The last month is purely for mock tests, questionnaires, more essay writing (because one can never have enough essay writing practice), solving PYQs if they are available.

Tomorrow, the festivities for Ganeshotsav begin, and so do my studies for SLS.

[bloomzone]

Motivation is doing a 2-hour workout, walking 15,000 steps and study for 5h then do absolutely nothing the following week because you went too hard and burned out. Discipline is doing your standard 45-minute workout and 9,000 steps today, doing your standard 45-minute workout and 9,000 steps tomorrow, and doing your standard 45-minute workout and 9,000 steps next week because that's simply what you do and with discipline, you gradually add more to your routine maybe 15 more minutes to your workout, maybe 2,000 more steps, maybe one extra healthy meal an extra hour to study not because you feel motivated but because you've built the foundation to handle more. This is why discipline beats motivation

@bloomzone

[hoshrubaa]

Reading Recommendations

I used to be the sort of person who read everything I could get my hands on. Nowadays, I am more selective of what I consume, but I try my hardest to ensure that I do not limit myself to merely one genre or two. So, here are a few basic reads spanning across multiple genres that I found interesting!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: one of my all time favourite murder books that I believe everyone should have the pleasure of reading at least once in their life. Christie, with her creative genius, crafts a truly gripping story that has you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails throughout.

1984 by George Orwell: anything by George Orwell is worth the read. This one in particular put me in a very disturbed state of mind and gave me much to think about, especially with the current political climate in India and several other countries. Orwell makes you question everything in the book, and in the real world.

The Laugh of the Medusa by Helene Cixous: a feminist essay published in France in 1975, it is an intriguing piece of writing that talks of women taking back their power over their own autonomy and sexuality through the act of writing (Écriture Feminine). An essay that sent shockwaves through the world , I read it for a project in university, and today, months later, I still go back to read it every once in a while.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: one of those pieces of literature that has occupied a space in my mind for years. I first picked up the book in 7th grade, and I reread it in college. A piece of fiction that deals with the flaws of the world and the people that live in it, and a number of other themes such as classism, love, and revenge. A savage tale of savage characters, and one that I return to every once in a while just for the drama.

Natasamrat by Kusumagraj: how could I not include one of the greatest pieces of Marathi literature ever written? A play, inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear, that deals with the themes of fame, family, and spirituality, it is one for the history books. It is also a film, if that is more accessible for those who wish to experience it.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: a book I have held dear since I was eight years old, it delves into the wartime struggles of four sisters with wildly different personalities who still find it in themselves to grow as people and find the purpose in life.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: the story follows Santiago, a boy who travels vast distances to find a treasure before he realises that it is within himself. It is a story of self discovery, of pursuit of ambition, packed full of imagery and symbolism and allegory. I will admit that it is not everyone’s cup of tea, however, I happened to enjoy it.

Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu: a novella, one of the earliest pieces of vampire fiction that is said to have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is another fantastic read. Carmilla explores desire, femininity and sensuality, and is known for the portrayal of lesbianism. The supernatural element is blatant, and so is the gothic atmosphere.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang: it is a disturbing book, one that explores the themes of violence, freedom, social pressure, conformity and the refusal to subscribe to it, through the eyes of a Korean woman who stops eating meat. A few of my friends did not finish the book due to the unsettling prose, but i was invested throughout.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: one of my favourite fantasy books. I would have recommended that one begin with the Lord of the Rings, but that one is well enough known, so this one it is. Dragons, Kingdoms and Secrets, all compiled together in a riveting story that sucks you in and doesn’t let you leave until you’ve finished the book.

The Shiva Trilogy by Amish: anything written by Amish is worth the read, and the reread. The Shiva Trilogy, beginning with The Immortals of Meluha, is Indian mythology turned historical fantasy, with a heavy dose of politics, war, spirituality and action. I thoroughly enjoyed the two days it took me to go through the trilogy, and i hope you will too, if you pick up the books.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown: this book, and the ensuing four that together form a series, belong to the list of my all time favourite books across all genres. Genius antagonists, historical conspiracy, centuries old secret societies, scientific discoveries, and so much more is compiled into one extremely thrilling adventure across the western world. A must read if there ever was one.

I hope you enjoy these recommendations, and please, drop by in the ask box if you have a book you enjoy, so I can enjoy it too! Happy Reading!

[khwxbeeda]

Happy Independence Day India!

Happy Independence Day, to the woman who got groped by a man on the women's carriage of the train.

Happy Independence Day, to the girls who aren't allowed to leave the house after 7pm because "tum ladki ho".

Happy Independence Day, to the 19yo "lower" class boy from who committed suicide after being brutalized by "upper" class men for wearing clothes similar to theirs.

Happy Independence Day! To the students and educators who protested against SSC only to be beaten back by the police.

Happy Independence Day! To the woman who got shot to death by her own father because it is shameful to let your daughter be the breadwinner of the house.

Happy Independence Day! To the people who got beaten up for not being able to speak Marathi.

Happy Independence Day to the dogs men that roam Delhi's streets, that are a safety hazard for everyone around them.

So yes.

Happy Independence Day, to everyone but Indians.

@caterpillar-in-disguise @yehsahihai @mad-who-ra @humsuffer @bambioleo

[hoshrubaa]

A few habits I want to build by the beginning of December

Journalling. I used to journal everyday, but I lost that habit in senior secondary. I want to pick it up again, and I’m beginning today itself. I shan’t skip a single day of journalling.

Yoga. Another habit I built up over a time period of over fifteen years only to lose it in senior secondary. I really want to get back into it, make sure I stay grounded and spiritual throughout my journey in life.

Reading. To be frank, I already have developed this habit, but I want to continue it, so on the list it goes!

Getting reacquainted with Classical Dance. I had to quit a few years ago due to health complications, but now I’m back! I’ve already joined classes, and I remember most of the basics, so it’s only a matter of few months before I’m back up to speed.

Sleeping early. My sleep schedule is all over the place right now because of college and extracurricular activities and other things, and I’m going to fix it by hook or by crook, I swear on all the books that I own.

For now, these are the ones I can think of. Let’s see where the weeks take us; hopefully, I achieve all my goals.

[hoshrubaa]

hey i saw ur ask on sosuigeneris and thought id drop the link for this other bloggers post on dubai bc its super cute and helpful lol hope you dont mind 🥺 https://www.tumblr.com/pure-ablution/786503457213464576/youre-so-well-traveled-so-i-directly-thought-of?source=share

Hi! I sent that ask before March lol, I’ve been back from Dubai for a couple months now. Nevertheless, I do appreciate that you found me something! I’m going back in a few months, I’ll be sure to check out the places and everything then. Thank you so much!

[scorpionlafemme]

[velvetarchivejpg]

if you asked me what my favorite things are... i'd always say books 📚🕯️

[hoshrubaa]

The Elle Woods Mindset

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Legally Blonde is a film duology released in the early 2000s (2001 and 2003 respectively) that trains the spotlight on the vivacious and fabulous Elle Woods, a college going young woman from a rich household, and her journey to become a successful, formidable lawyer. Although I was born after the films were released, I watched them with my cousins at the age of eight, and since then the character of Elle Woods has been fascinating to me. Even all these years later, I will never turn down an opportunity to rewatch the films, simply because they are just so good.

Elle Woods, played by actress Reese Witherspoon, is introduced to us as a seemingly ditzy, pink obsessed stereotypical blonde who believes she is about to be proposed to by her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III. However, contrary to her belief, Warner breaks up with Elle, because “if I’m gonna be a senator, I need to marry a Jackie, not a Marilyn”. This sets off a series of events in which Elle proves to be one of the best written characters of all time, and her mindset is the driving force behind her actions.

So what is the Elle Woods Mindset?

It is quite simple, really: if you want something, go get it.

You might ask me, “what do you mean, Kali? It can’t be that simple!” and you would be right. Of course it is not that simple. The trick is, the Elle Woods Mindset makes it that simple.

Elle Woods, in her misguided attempt to get Warner back, decides to get into Harvard Law School, a notoriously difficult goal to achieve. She talks to her counsellor, notes down what she needs to do to be accepted into Harvard, and she simply… does it. A “heck of an admissions essay”? No problem, Elle is on it! A minimum 175 out of 180 on the LSATs? Elle scores 179 out of 180. The minute she hears the towering heights she needs to reach to even set foot into Harvard, the only thing she says is, it can’t be more difficult than having to judge a tightie-wightie contest, and honestly, that is so obnoxiously fabulous of her.

Elle Woods décides to do something, and she just does it. She works hard to get the 179 on her LSATs, reading textbook after textbook and solving mock test after mock test in the loudest and most active environments she could find, foregoing parties and hangout’s with her friends in favour of studying. She works and works, filling notebooks and notebooks with her practice, and she earns that 179. Hard work— effort— is a core tenet of who Elle Woods is, and it shows throughout the two films.

This effort, this ability to work hard for what she wants, stems from her belief in herself. Elle has incredible confidence and self-assurance, and that leads to her belief that she can get whatever she wants. Now, if she does not doubt herself, if she believes that she will get her way, why would she ever hesitate to work for it? That’s right, she would not. She is optimistic about everything, despite hitting a few bumps in her road, and even if she does sometimes doubt other people’s motives and actions, she soon shakes it off and reaches for her dream with even more determination and grit than before, and that is what makes her so successful in everything that she does. She never lets anyone’s opinion of her shape who she is or what she believes, and does everything with the mindset that because she will achieve her goal one way or the other— because there is no possibility of her not getting what she wants— she has no problem working to get it.

No matter how many people try to come between her and her dreams, she never lets anyone’s harsh words or actions affect her confidence and her faith in her own abilities and strengths. Her will to work stems from her faith in herself.

Of course, that is not the only trait of Elle Woods that is admirable. Elle is unfailingly kind to everyone she meets. Time and time again, we see her helping people in any way that she can, we see her intelligence in the way that she handles everything life throws at her, we see her creativity, her liberalism, her compassion. These same qualities attract people to her, and her friends are genuinely the best, always ready to help her just as she helps them. Elle is, I repeat, one of the best written film characters of all time.

I hope this little piece of writing encourages both you and I to go for our ambitions and work for our dreams, to embody Elle’s kindness and determination. I hope we all learn this lesson and utilise it in daily life, and start believing in ourselves just like Elle does.

Thank you for reading!

[khwxbeeda]

Choke On Your Choices

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Where does your anger sit, child? In your body, where does your anger go? Where does it accumulate? Where does your anger burn you from the inside?

Does it sit in your heart, where it heats up your blood right at the source and makes you want to cough up your lungs?

Does it go to your stomach? Tear through the lining of your stomach and release the acid into the rest of your body?

Does it gather at the base of your spine, raring to propel you forward and act on the burn that courses over your nerves?

Your navel, perhaps? Deep inside your belly, in the intestines, where it roils restlessly and churns viciously, where it makes you want to vomit up your meal?

Your hands? Does it make your palms scratch, does it make them itch, wanting to be wrapped around someone's neck? Does it make your fingertips crackle, wanting to dig them into someone's jugular and rip it out, spraying crimson everywhere?

Your anger, child, tell me where it sits! In return, I will tell you where mine collects.

My anger sits in my throat. My anger clogs up my windpipe, makes it impossible for me to speak the things I want to speak, and I thank whatever deity I can think of; if I were capable of speaking out all of my anger, I would wreak destruction.

My anger collects and sits in my throat and shows in the snarl of my lips, in the flexing of my fingers, in the sudden stiffness of my spine. It gathers and gathers and gathers, and I don't let it out.

I don't let it out, and I have people say to my face "you're always so happy," and "you're so cheerful," and I want to scream in their face.

My happiness is deliberate. My anger begins in my core and sits in my throat, but I stuff happiness down my gullet with greedy hands in a desperate attempt to drown out that anger.

I grab onto happiness with clawed fingers, deliberate and obstinate and contrary, because the world might have wanted me angry and raging but I refuse to be anything other than exactly what I want to be. The world might have thrown disaster after calamity after catastrophe in my face, but I will smile because I can, because I want to, because I refuse to let my anger overtake me.

And so my anger sits in my throat. It can thrash all it wants, but I won't set it free.