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Gender Constructs In India Team Culture (2020-21) Amy Alexander, Anoushka Dominic, Aryan Kathuria, Prashasti Sarraf, Reva Chhabra, Sahil Kumar and Ujjwal Kumar Our deep dive into India’s gender constructs requires a comprehensive understanding of the significance of the word ‘gender’. Gender, against contemporary belief, is beyond chromosomes, customs, or checkboxes. In itself, gender is a social construct and is a product of societal views, to put it simply, it is what society determines to be your identity through its preconceived notions of femininity, masculinity or anything in between. This is why gender is something that we as a society create and enforce. Often used interchangeably with the word ‘sex’ that points to a more biological definition, gender is not independent of social and cultural context. Gender refers to the personal and social characteristics but not the biological traits that we associate with different sexes. Human behaviour tends to create a system that keeps society structured and functioning by organising society into distinct roles that complement each other. Indeed gender influences how we organize all of society and how we distribute power, ergo our society is largely stratified by gender. PatriArchives: How Yesterday’s Wrongs became Today’s Incorrigible Human civilizations have been experiencing major transformations since the Early Ages. The Homo sapien is often seen as a social animal adapted to live in communities from the very beginning. These societies have defined certain laws and customs meant to be practised by all. Most scholars attribute the long-standing disparities between the two genders to the lack of education and awareness in ancient times, although that does not entirely explain why we continue to exist in an unequal patriarchal society​, which is defined as a male-centric community where men are considered superior and more influential than women; moreover, women are not accorded equal stature as of men​. This system has been known to operate at the core of every sphere of many nations like India since ancient times. It is important to understand the role of power dynamics in forming and maintaining gender constructs which thrive in a patriarchal society that manufactures collectively shared norms about women’s subordinate role in society in order to perpetuate the power imbalance through both positive and negative reinforcements. The prevalence of harmful cultural practices like sex selection, child marriage, dowry-deaths, and honour killings remains high in several developing countries, reflecting the rigidity of perverse beliefs and norms. The continuation of these practices is often times supported by both women and men due to the internalisation of this power imbalance, making violence acceptable for the victim, who may be afraid of challenging shared norms out of the fear of backlash. In modern society, these gender-based differences stand out in the form of discrepancies in the income tax laws​, inequitable dispense of remuneration​, fewer job opportunities for women​ and certain​ binding marital laws​ together with ​unjustified​ ​divorce protocols​. These societal prejudices and stereotypes have such a strong and deep-rooted foundation that they continue to influence mankind by allowing male members to assert their upper hand in family decisions, whereas females are expected to subdue their thoughts and opinions, and affirm with the male decision. The working women of the upper-middle-class society are often denied permission to continue their jobs after marriage. In the rural areas, a girl-child is still considered taboo; girls are denied education and are married away at an early age. Moreover, the dowry system has been able to maintain its prominence even now, both in urban and rural societies. “Boys will be boys”- this is the phrase used to justify the pushing, shoving and aggressive behaviour of certain men. This kind of behaviour is accepted from boys and men because this is the symbol of masculinity. Boys are taught instrumental qualities such as being competitive, physically strong and confident to prepare them for the labour force whereas girls are taught expressive qualities such as empathy and sensitivity which prepare them to care for children in society. Society has specific constructs in their minds which characterise certain attributes with one gender, and then expect men and women to behave according to their respective gender roles. In India, people generally associate masculinity with dominance, strength and aggression, while femininity is often associated with nurturing, emotions and passivity. These roles are encoded within the minds of children straight from birth. We have colour coded gender labels that suggest dressing male infants in blue and female infants in pink. Be it dolls for girls or trucks and car toys for boys, gender labels could be found in every aspect of parenting. Generally, fathers are more engaged with their sons in “gender-appropriate” activities like sports, while girls are encouraged to get involved in household work. Boys are given more independence, fewer restrictions on clothing or curfew. They are often free from performing household tasks like laundry, cleaning or cooking which are supposed to be feminine. Girls on the other hand are taught to be nurturing, considerate and obedient. These characterizations continue later in life. Men tend to outnumber women in professions such as law, military and politics. This is while women tend to outnumber men in care-related occupations such as healthcare, childcare and social work. The question is, “Is this all justified?” Should certain roles be linked to biological sex and power structures? ​ Is it Structural or Conscious? Answer: Yes Gender conflict theory is a social science perspective that holds that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits men over women, transgenders, and other gender-non-conforming people. Gender conflict theory argues that gender is best understood as men attempting to maintain power and privilege to the detriment of women. Therefore, men can be seen as the dominant group and women as the subordinate group. While certain gender roles may have been appropriate in a hunter-gatherer society, the only reason these roles persist is that the dominant group naturally works to maintain their power and status. According to conflict theory, social problems are created when dominant groups exploit or oppress subordinate groups. Therefore, their approach is normative in that it prescribes changes to the power structure, advocating a balance of power between genders. When we think about stereotypes that exist in our society we can conclude that most of them have a historic context. For example- Dalits in India were stereotyped as unhygienic on a pretext that they had to do menial jobs. Even if legally our society no longer enforces any work on a particular individual owing to his caste, creed, gender, or ethnicity, these stereotypes are mere generalizations that we are carrying with ourselves. Women face stereotypes on the grounds of being physically weak, people assume that they cannot protect themselves from societal elements that again think that they should stick to a patriarchal framework while choosing how to dress, where to work, and how to talk. Let's first think about why men have evolved to be physically strong. We have all learned in our history lessons that as cavemen females had a lot of offspring they would stay in an impregnated state for most of their lives and therefore men had to go out and hunt this requirement of being physically strong is what has led to evolution like that. ​ Initially, women in society were considered legally subordinate to men. Men were given the right to education and were considered the head of the family. They used to be their sole- earners, raising their families single-handedly. At the same time, ‘inheritance of property and fortune’ used to be the right of the eldest son in the family. On the contrary, women were ill-treated, were denied education, and were deprived of any share in the property; which made them lose their individuality. Their role in society was constrained to taking care of the household and looking after children. Most of the time, they were exploited and subjected to domestic violence, which ultimately led to their subordination in society. ​Child marriage, sati, polygamy, dowry and purdah systems​ were other manifestations of this evident disparity. Girl-child was seen as a liability because of the prevalent dowry system. And hence, as the ages pass, this gender stratification ossifies itself in the skeleton of our society. Gender stratification refers to the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege across genders. Economic and political power structures that reinforce traditional gender roles often cause more dysfunction than function. Like denying girls the right to quality education in India or keeping them from working outside has been one way that our society has kept power in the hands of men in terms of living a better life, seeking different opportunities and being financially independent. ​ Contemporary education in India is a relic of this gender stratification. According to the Census of India in 2011, the disparity in education due to gender inequality in India is easily visible through India's child literacy rates which is 65% for girls and which is far less than the literacy rate of 82% among boys. The reason for it can be comprehended from the fact that a lot of stereotypes and prejudices exist in Indian society against different genders. The benefits of a girl's education are generally seen as going to the family she marries into, thus providing little incentive to people to invest scarce resources, both human and monetary, into the education of their daughters. Also, given the relatively low educational attainment among people, especially in rural areas, the marriageability of an educated girl presents its problems. These factors combine to cement the attitude of inherently opposing education to females. However, if somehow some of them get a chance to attend the school in their foundational years, they often fail to continue their studies to the progressive years as the gender gap widens with progressive levels of education owing to greater barriers in education that girls face due to deeply ingrained social norms and gender stereotypes correlated with biological factors. Although India has witnessed substantial improvements in female literacy and enrollment rate since the 1990s, the quality of education for females remains to be heavily compromised and there is still a long way to go in ensuring that girls have the same access to quality education as boys. Due to the comparatively low literacy rate of females (59.3%) in our society, they have to be financially dependent on their male counterparts and this dependency is again exploited by them. Quite forlornly, gender stratification also manifests itself in the form of gender-based violence. Gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that seriously inhibits women’s ability to enjoy rights and freedom on basis of equality with men. It includes all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse. Gender-based violence finds its roots in the dominant male psychology of a patriarchal society. In the social structure of a country like ours, if one is born male, he is bestowed upon with special rights which women do not have. A male child has fewer restrictions than a female one and that’s where the seeds of superiority are sown into him. That child, when he grows up to be an adult, looks down upon girls and considers them to be mentally and physically inferior. Historically, gender-based violence against women is also prevalent because of the widespread socio-economic dependency on women and fear of banishment. Why it’s not just Zeroes and Ones ​ It is believed that well-functioning families need people to have complementary skill sets and gender gives us a way of pairing off these skills. Society in turn encourages gender conformity by making people feel that they have to fit these moulds if they want to be accepted and desirable. And by also teaching people to reject those who do not conform to these gender norms. Boys and girls are socialised to take on traits that are complementary to help maintain stable productive families. But there are faults in this idea. As not all families today are nuclear units with one man, one woman and a gaggle of children. We need to expand the definition of family to include same-sex couples, single parents, multi-generational families, or childless adults. So, it's less obvious to assume that a man works outside the house and a woman works inside the house. Secondly, the idea of complementary gender rests on there being two distinct and opposite genders. This idea of gender as a binary isn’t universal and it ignores all those whose identities don’t conform to a two-gender system. Any discourse on a topic like gender constructs would be incomplete without a reference to intersectionality and its role in identifying the deeper often hidden layer behind many of these constructs. People experience discrimination differently depending on their overlapping identities. To look at any two parts of one’s identity in isolation would take away the ability to fully understand their experiences in society. A Dalit women’s experience of the world will differ from that of a woman of privilege. In the same way, a trans woman’s experience of the world will differ from that of others. Intersectionality allows us to understand the complexities of an individuals experiences of discrimination and prejudice by taking into account the different social categories an individual falls into. That is to say, intersectionality is a way of understanding the different types of overlapping discrimination that an individual may face depending on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, class or any other characteristic that places them in a minority class. Understanding this intersectionality in the fight against gender inequality means not only fighting gender constructs but identifying other forms of oppression and taking an equal stand against all instances of unequal power dynamics and cerebral opportunities. ​ Featured image credits : Rhea Rose Kappan

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ABOUT US The Planning Forum is a student-led organization. We conduct sessions, workshops and webinars to help students explore careers and opportunities in the field of Public Policy. The Stephanian Forum is an initiative by a few students of The Planning Forum, St. Stephen’s College who aim to create a platform to voice their opinions without a filter. It is an open space where ideas, perspectives and experiences about everything, from a grain of rice to the dire situations we face today, coexist. If you’re wondering who we are and what we do, know this, YOU are us— you define The Stephanian Forum. From the articles you read to the ones you ponder over and finally, those you contribute to this space, all that we are capable of, starts with you. ​ ​ CONTACT US Contact Us The Stephanian Forum is always looking to collaborate with prospective writers and organizations to deliver the best content to our readers. If you have any queries or ideas that you want to discuss with us, send us an email at thestephanianforum@gmail.com or tpf@ststephens.edu each out to us via our social media handles! ​ ​

India’s Political Landscape is Ideologically Bereft Shilpa Mariam Joseph Around the world, right-wing populism is on the rise. Since the mid-2010s, we’ve seen one election after another ending in the victory of a right-wing party, typically led by strong, charismatic leaders who make tall (and often undelivered) promises. India is no exception, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coming to power in 2014 and then again in 2019. There is no question, voters everywhere are aligning with the global far-right. In examining why this happens, it is common for liberals to conclude that promises of jobs and economic growth are what drove voters to the BJP. Modi’s first term was marked by record-breaking levels of unemployment and an economy in downswing. By liberal logic, the results of the 2019 election should have been clear— a resounding defeat for the BJP. Instead, their vote share jumped by 6% Voters did not vote for Modi because of his economic policies, and they definitely don’t deify him for them. Modi’s almost cult status stems from one promise alone- his promise of pride. Modi ran on a platform that pledged to restore “Bharat” to its former glory, glory that 1000 years of foreign rule had sapped. He implied that the government would end reservations for historically disadvantaged groups and leaders from the RSS, BJP’s ideological parent, promised that Muslims and Christians would be “wiped out.” The overarching message was clear— Modi would return India to the “real Indians”, and anyone not Hindu wouldn’t fit the bill. An angry, resentful voter base responded. They were tired of what appeared to be almost institutionalised corruption, they felt abandoned by a government they saw as pandering to minorities, the rapid cultural change of globalisation creating an India they no longer recognised. They were primed for change, and it was change that Modi promised. India’s opposition parties have largely responded by attacking the BJP’s economic failings. And however sound their arguments may be, they simply do not resonate with voters. In an article for Bloomberg, Mihir Sharma argues that to defeat populists like Modi, “you can’t treat them like regular politicians. Voters will continue to support them until you change their minds about what sort of country they want to live in.” And given the results of our most recent Lok Sabha election, the Indian people have made their minds clear. The opposition has caught on, pivoting to an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach. The Congress, which has always painted itself as both secular and centrist, proposed the creation of a Brahmin Chetna Parishad that would exclusively address the concerns of the Brahmin community of UP. The Aam Aadmi Party, which rose to prominence as a potential third pole of Indian politics, promised to end corruption and serve the interests of the “common man”. After being unable to make a dent anywhere outside the national capital, AAP appears to be far removed from its origins. It has remained uncritical of the BJP, while continuing to attack the Congress. And its response to the Delhi Pogrom has shown its unwillingness to take any action against right-wing political actors, while continuing to drive out left-leaning ideologues such as Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. National opposition parties now peddle what political pundits call “Soft Hindutva”. This shift in politics gives the world’s largest democracy nothing more than the illusion of choice. Voters in India who do not belong to the right are unrepresented and the ruling party is allowed to run amuck without an opposition to check it. The role of questioning the government has largely fallen to civil society, but there are steep costs to pay. Dissent has found no place in Indian democracy. The government has used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to imprison anyone, from scholars to students, critical of its policies. It has been ceded that without opposition, there is no democracy. But what does it mean for democracy when the opposition is indistinguishable from the party in power? ​ Featured image credits : Khushi Dudi

The Stephanian Forum SOCIETY "Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both" -C. Wright Mills Team Stephania (2024-25) Sep 1 Exploring Socio-Psychological Concepts in Everyday Life Drowning in the endless deadlines accompanying academic life, it is often easy to lose sight of how our academic pursuits fit into the... Avaantika Vivek Mar 2, 2023 Framing Women’s Sports Rethinking How We View Our Female Athletes Why is it that so many people think women’s sports are intrinsically less interesting than their male counterparts? ‘Framing Women’s Sports: Rachel Elsa Jude Feb 7, 2023 Don't We Keep Coming Back? We are all chasing our dreams, or maybe are on the journey of finding them. Although not necessary, it does require moving out of our... The Stephanian Forum Nov 14, 2022 Towards a Greener Menstruation In a scenario, where safe menstruation for every female is imperative, the amount of steadily growing menstrual waste is an equally acute... Rachel Batra Oct 31, 2022 The Juncture of Nature-Nurture Unveiling our connection with the divine, the curtain of nature-nurture. How we are connected with not just each other but the cosmos.... Maria Charles Nov 29, 2021 The Power of Harmless Flattery Flattery is a word with a bad reputation, often considered in a negative context. But is it always that bad? Allen Mathew Sep 25, 2021 Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: What is it and how you probably have it. It’s pretty darn dark outside, and raining; I’m in my room, with the fan running and the tube light switched on... Jane Eliza Cyriac Sep 16, 2021 The Impact of COVID-19: Refugees. According to reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 1 person is forcibly displaced every 2 seconds. Drona Sharma Sep 8, 2021 We are Grateful Dear Corona Warriors, greetings on behalf of your anxious yet grateful human family. Renee Jose Nov 8, 2020 We Need To Talk! The increasing dialogues on mental wellness, in lieu of the rising numbers of suicide cases among the youth, has urged many of us to... Jasjeev Singh Sahni Sep 30, 2020 From Desks to Desktops: The Virus’s Undoing of Education The biography of education in India foretells a constant state of flux in the medium of teaching. From the slate-chalk, the blackboard-chalk Aishwarya Mukhopadhyay Sep 25, 2017 Surviving in a Post-Truth World: Shoma Chaudhury on the needs of the times Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Vrinda Sharma Aug 13, 2017 Freedom of Expression and Netiquette Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Shreemayi Samujjwala Jul 30, 2017 Unfetter those words now, shall we? Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... The Stephanian Forum Sep 24, 2016 Comedy is a blood-sport I live to see times when a comedy show that means no harm to any individual, religion, god or the society as a whole, is crucified. To... Pragya Jat Oct 15, 2015 On Secularism and a Happy Co-Existence. Secularism, a term as intrinsic to my understanding of India as electoral competition. But, apparently for some in the current political... The Stephanian Forum Sep 19, 2015 Of gendered spaces and absolute equality. An interview of The SUS President for the year, Aina Singh. The interview team comprises Rishi Bryan (IInd English), Urvi Khaitan (IInd... Vikram Grewal Aug 17, 2015 FIFA 16: Snowballing Feminism into Football. Ignoring the ‘fratricidal’ FIFA wars over Sepp Blatter, the officials at EA Sports gave the masses something unprecedented earlier this... Soumyajit Kar Jul 28, 2015 How much of feminism do we understand? “She feels good when they split all expenses, but also when he buys her flowers. Inside the modern feminist lies an archaic desire.”... Prerna Geeta Manian Jan 10, 2015 Following a Religion- A Façade? “You are a black stain on Hinduism if you love a Muslim man.” “I won’t let you marry a Muslim.” “Muslims are terrorists.” While studying... Soumyajit Kar Dec 16, 2014 Gender and the Epics “Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.” — Joseph Conrad Hinduism is probably the...

The Stephanian Forum CULTURE "Cultural differences should not separate us from each other but rather cultural diversity brings us a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity" -Robert Alan Silverstein Rhea Rose Kappan Oct 25, 2021 SOS: Indian Art and Culture India’s history is steeped in rich culture and tradition. And yet, we are caught unaware; Unaware of the beauty that exists within those.... Team Culture (2020-21) May 2, 2021 Gender Constructs In India Team Culture (2020-21) : Amy Alexander, Anoushka Dominic, Aryan Kathuria, Prashasti Sarraf, Reva Chhabra, Sahil Kumar and Ujjwal Kumar... Nanditha Elizabeth Roy Nov 29, 2020 The Recipes of Life It was like any other morning- I woke up to the sound of my dog barking and reluctantly got out of bed to let him out. The sun was... Abhishri Swarup Sep 30, 2019 Paperboat By Abhishri Swarup, I History Dear Ammu, I will meet you soon. I set my letters afloat as paper boats for you to find wherever you are.... Nitya Chopra Aug 5, 2018 Automation: Welcome The Future One of our editors delves into the fast-advancing realm of Artificial Intelligence to analyse its staggering impact on our personal and... Arshad Muhammed Aug 27, 2017 The Politics of Language Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Vrinda Sharma Aug 13, 2017 Freedom of Expression and Netiquette Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Shreemayi Samujjwala Jul 30, 2017 Unfetter those words now, shall we? Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... The Stephanian Forum Sep 24, 2016 Comedy is a blood-sport I live to see times when a comedy show that means no harm to any individual, religion, god or the society as a whole, is crucified. To... Ishita Blest Dec 15, 2015 Onam 2015: a celebration of diversity One can be found whining about the alienation on the part of certain groups in St. Stephens college, and about how cliquey communities... Vikram Grewal Aug 17, 2015 FIFA 16: Snowballing Feminism into Football. Ignoring the ‘fratricidal’ FIFA wars over Sepp Blatter, the officials at EA Sports gave the masses something unprecedented earlier this...

The Stephanian Forum IDEAS Stephania View Culture View Politics View Society View Team Stephania (2024-25) Sep 1 Exploring Socio-Psychological Concepts in Everyday Life Drowning in the endless deadlines accompanying academic life, it is often easy to lose sight of how our academic pursuits fit into the... Team Stephania (2023-24) Dec 18, 2023 Semester Snapshots THE PLANNING FORUM ORIENTATION The Planning Forum’s orientation on August 24, 2023, inaugurated a new year of events for the society by... The Stephanian Forum Nov 6, 2023 Education, Elections and Expectations: Student Elections as a Case Study in Psephology Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed are those of the author/authors’ and are not indicative of views held by The Stephanian... Team Stephania (2023-24) Oct 26, 2023 An Interview with Mr. N.K. Singh Mr. N.K. Singh, a distinguished Indian politician, renowned economist, and former IAS officer, presently serving as the Chairman of the... Arish Isa Oct 2, 2023 How the British and French sent the Middle East to the noose Throughout our lives, the Middle East has been a region synonymous with warfare and instability. Regardless of our age, we’ve heard of a... Team Stephania (2023-24) Sep 15, 2023 The Hidden Gems of St. Stephen's In the hustle and bustle of life, one rarely pays attention to the myriad of treasures that one passes by regularly. The St. Stephen’s... Avaantika Vivek Mar 2, 2023 Framing Women’s Sports Rethinking How We View Our Female Athletes Why is it that so many people think women’s sports are intrinsically less interesting than their male counterparts? ‘Framing Women’s Sports: Rachel Elsa Jude Feb 7, 2023 Don't We Keep Coming Back? We are all chasing our dreams, or maybe are on the journey of finding them. Although not necessary, it does require moving out of our... Inderpal Singh Nov 27, 2022 One Week, Two Elections, Three Lessons My first month in college residence introduced me to the phenomena of college elections. If there is something in the college close to... The Stephanian Forum Nov 14, 2022 Towards a Greener Menstruation In a scenario, where safe menstruation for every female is imperative, the amount of steadily growing menstrual waste is an equally acute... Rachel Batra Oct 31, 2022 The Juncture of Nature-Nurture Unveiling our connection with the divine, the curtain of nature-nurture. How we are connected with not just each other but the cosmos.... Priyel Kumar Oct 17, 2022 Garlands An unlikely comparison between wars and garlands, a heart-breaking state of affairs and the complete breakdown of a system. The war widow... Anoushka Dominic Jan 28, 2022 The Age of Anthropocene The words Climate Change and Global Warming are often bandied about. Phenomena, deadly enough to wipe out our entire species and yet, in... Maria Charles Nov 29, 2021 The Power of Harmless Flattery Flattery is a word with a bad reputation, often considered in a negative context. But is it always that bad? Rhea Rose Kappan Oct 25, 2021 SOS: Indian Art and Culture India’s history is steeped in rich culture and tradition. And yet, we are caught unaware; Unaware of the beauty that exists within those.... Who We Are The Stephanian Forum is an initiative by a few students of St. Stephen’s College who aim to create a platform to voice their opinions without a filter. It is an open space where ideas, perspectives and experiences about everything, from a grain of rice to the dire situations we face today, coexist. If you’re wondering who we are and what we do, know this, YOU are us— you define The Stephanian Forum. From the articles you read, to the ones you ponder over and finally those you contribute to this space, all that we are capable of, starts with you. DISCLAIMER The Stephanian Forum is an independent initiative taken up by a group of students of St. Stephen’s college. It is necessary to note that this is not the official website of the college and has no correlation with it whatsoever. The content published on this site is entirely based on the independent and subjective opinion of the writers. ​ ​

The trials and triumphs of virtual college: A Stephanian Experience Team Stephania (2020-21) Tasha Ahmed, Kevin Joy Varghese, Jame Thomas Mathew, Rhea Rose Kappan It was not about turning a handle and pushing the door. A mere 'join with audio' was hair raising enough. "Ah, you're finally here, can you hear me?" was the war cry. College interviews are never not an ordeal. Having this year's interviews online meant that the preparation ritual also involved appeasing the internet gods. First-years sharing their experience conceded that it was rather singular. Those having the misfortune of a power cut sizzled and shivered simultaneously mirroring the oscillating nature of the interviews. While there was hardly anyone without cold feet, some are of the opinion that the online format facilitated calmness. "I minimised my window so it was just me wooing my dark academia background to get me into college" declared one. The professors turned out to be quite patient and empathetic and regularly checked on the interviewee. Which of course didn't stop them from the infamous grilling sessions– "What similarities do you see in your position in the pandemic and a nineteenth-century women writer?" was a bouncer an English hopeful received. "Half my interview consisted of me arguing why sports has no prospects, while the interviewer fiercely differed, and in the end, I got in through basketball," chuckled another. One shared that “ due to poor connectivity, I couldn't hear anything that the principal said. I just smiled and nodded along which seemed to work". Were there any significant advantages though? The attempt of one candidate to seek sneaky help from a sibling backfired since even two minds couldn't find answers to the trying questions. On the other hand, others sat on the edge with harrowing thoughts of eavesdropping parents. For everyone, it was a memorable experience. But would you like to have such an interview again? “Only if it is for Stephen’s.” winks A. The wait for the interview results was nerve-wracking, but it was a proud moment when one finally became a ‘Stephanian’. Be it classes or assemblies, the excitement among the first years was palpable. “Online classes were fun in the beginning, I remember everyone being so enthusiastic and asking questions constantly. I even used to dress up just so that I could turn my video on,” says one. The weirdest part of the whole online experience was talking to people one has never met. Bonding with classmates online was tough and awkward at first, but in the end almost everyone found reliable friends. “Zoom calls, online games and the endless Whatsapp groups are our daily routine. I even remember waking up to 300 messages one day,” says another. “But nonetheless, now that everything was conducted online it was a bittersweet moment.” How would you describe your online classes in one word? “Chaotic”, says one. “I chose the word chaotic because my experience has been everything but mundane. There is so much going on at the same time which is very exciting as well as confusing.” “It is disappointing that I am not able to experience the beauty of college life in its truest essence. I would have loved to be on campus, mingle with my friends, and enjoy it fully,” says a student. When the number of questions in class was reduced and the videos were turned off, it was clear that the students' enthusiasm had waned. College classes became exhausting after a point and the excess screen time did not help. “Earlier I would be on my phone throughout, but now I make sure I keep it aside for an hour or two because I am so tired of just staring at a screen.” Another student says that it was hard for them to concentrate, “ I zoned out occasionally and when I could finally come back to my senses half of the class was already over. It's just that I had set my expectations so high that this online scenario almost feels disappointing ” Well, who would you blame for these insanely high expectations? “ To be very honest, I for one would blame “Student of the Year," she chuckles. The weeks went by, and the college experience was limited to a 14-inch screen when one January afternoon, Residence opened up. Tired of being confined at home for almost a year and a burning curiosity to explore the hallowed corridors of St. Stephen’s brought the uninitiated first years from all over the country to college. It was a dream come true. The months spent attending classes online felt like a trailer, and now finally, it was time for the movie. “A lot of my seniors texted me when I arrived asking how college was and whether I had been to the Jarvis Pond, Parnshala, or knew who Chandni and JPji were. Their questions would not stop! The incessant badgering convinced me that college was much more than what I could see through my isolation room’s window,” says a Mukh-West resident. The next couple of weeks were spent unravelling all the mystery that was St. Stephen's College. As time went by, away from the safety and comfort of home, first year residents now found solace and company among their batchmates who were curious enough to grab the opportunity of living on-campus. Innumerous days were spent sprawled across the lawns, chatting away and cracking jokes while eating the infamous mince-anda-maggi from Science Dhaba. While most of the freshers agreed that college had been great so far, the seniors had a different perspective. “You have not experienced college in its totality. You have just seen the campus when in fact you have missed out on so much: the company of your classmates, the mere cacophony, running after your professors, trying to calculate how much attendance you have to bunk the next class and go to Hudson Lane, engaging in intellectual discourse with strangers you meet in the hallway. Trust me, there is so much more,” says a third-year. As more batches of junior members arrived, the mess hall started filling up, yet the menu remained a love triangle between dal and aloo with us being the third wheel. Life in college was slowly becoming what it would have been like a year ago. For a while, it all seemed perfect. As COVID strikes again, the fear of spending yet another year at home was creeping in. Stephen's still remains a mystery to a majority of the first years, but the hope of walking through the red-bricked corridors one day is what keeps them going.

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The Recipes of Life By Nanditha Elizabeth Roy It was like any other morning- I woke up to the sound of my dog barking and reluctantly got out of bed to let him out. The sun was playing hide and seek with the curtains in my room, and I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to bed; I could feel the last remnants of sleep slipping away. As I sat down at the edge of my bed, with my dog nibbling my feet, I closed my eyes for a moment and the events over the past few days flashed before my eyes… I was jostled back to reality when Amma called out for breakfast. The euphoria was momentarily broken- nevertheless, I could feel the excitement creeping in. I was fidgety during breakfast, and Amma kept giving me her signature death stare. I couldn't blame her- I tend to get very annoying when I'm excited. My brother kicked me under the table and said and said, "Gosh chechi (sister), will you stop it!?” But I was too distracted to retaliate or even register what he was saying. My brother did not understand that it was no ordinary day for me- for the first time my mother was going to voluntarily cede control of something to me. For 18 years, Amma was an active stakeholder in all the decisions of my life. It frustrated her to no end when I decided to go to college 3000kms away from home, where she had absolutely no influence. The lockdown, for her, came with a silver lining- she could have the family under one roof again, right under her nose and Amma was happy that her daughter was back home. Me? I wasn't very happy with this new arrangement. Having tasted complete independence for 8 glorious months, I dreaded my mother micromanaging every aspect of my life again. However, it wasn't as bad as I feared, but there were some things my mother just refused to let go. One of them was my access to the kitchen. It was a cooking disaster way back in 9th grade that led her to believe that I shouldn't be left alone in the kitchen. I was finally able to get back to cooking and exploring my culinary interests during the lockdown but, Amma just wouldn't let me do it on my own! She disapproved of the way I chopped onions, shook her head at the way I stirred- she was breathing down my neck every time I stepped foot in the kitchen. But that did not stop me from trying- whenever I wasn't actively cooking, I was thinking of various dishes in my head- looking at the available ingredients at home and trying to come up with something new. Unfortunately, all of this was in my head and none on the plate. So one day, I worked up the courage and went up to my mother. "Amma," I said. "Hmmm…" "Amma," I repeated. "Hmmmmm…" "Amma!" "What do you want, child!?" "I want to cook something." "Not now, I'm busy. We'll do something tomorrow." "No, Amma, not with you. I want to cook something on my own. Without you. Just me." Amma did not say anything for a while- I was on the verge of panic. Screaming and angry Amma, I could understand. But quiet and brooding Amma? She scared me to death. After what seemed like an eternity, she said, "Okay, but you will have to do everything on your own. From going to the grocer to cleaning the utensils to chopping all the vegetables; you will have to do it all by yourself." "Yes, Amma." "Okay then,” she said, with a smug smile, “You can have the kitchen day after tomorrow. But let me make this very clear- if you break any of my plates or burn anything, it will be the last time that you would ever step foot in my kitchen. Have I made myself clear?” "Yes, Amma, thank you," and I turned to leave. "By the way," she said, "what do you plan on cooking?" "Mutton Biriyani," I said and ran away before Amma could change her mind. ____ I entered the kitchen at around 9:30 in the morning. I figured I would need at least 3 hours to cook, plus an additional hour as a buffer, in case something went wrong, and Amma had to swoop in to make some khichdi for lunch. But that was the worst-case scenario. Why did I chose such a complicated dish, something that even experienced cooks have trouble getting right? Well, I did not have any reason as such except that I loved biriyani. It wasn't something that I ate often, but, when I did, Oh boy! It was closest I could get to achieving ‘nirvana’. The tenderness of the meat, the aroma, the flavour- it was an emotion on a plate. I will fight anyone who says it is an overhyped dish. Plus, I knew that if I nailed it, Amma wouldn't have anything to use against me, and we would finally be able to move past the Great Big Fiasco of Grade 9 (sorry, I'm too embarrassed to say what it was). I had all my ingredients ready- the mutton was defrosting, the onions were in the sink, so were the tomatoes, chillies, curry leaves, mint, and coriander. Theoretically, I was an expert biriyani maker- I had watched the YouTube video a million times and even wrote the recipe down on paper. But I had to prove it practically. 9:45 a.m- I took the mutton out, and it was the most beautiful piece of meat I had ever seen- tender and glistening under the light. I cleaned it thoroughly and marinated it with just salt and pepper, the basic flavours, nothing too fancy- to balance the taste at the end. The satisfying crunch of the pepper grinder was music to my ears. The mutton went into the pressure cooker, and I set it on high flame. The first task was done and I was off to a good start. 10:10 a.m.- Chop, chop… snap, snap.. zrrr I was falling into a steady rhythm. Onions were chopped and sliced, tomatoes were cubed and kept in a separate bowl. The satisfying snap of coriander and its earthy smell, the heat from green chillies, the tanginess of mint leaves… It was exhilarating! Even the mutton had cooked perfectly! Everything was going well… till I encountered something that could potentially derail my entire cook. 10:45 a.m.- Garlic. Ugh. Whoever decided to use garlic in food must have been a sadist- never before had a vegetable given me so much trouble. After what seemed like a lifetime of peeling, I had exactly four cloves of garlic in front of me, and I needed at least ten. I had almost chopped my finger off, trying to get the damn peels off; I was sweaty, and I was irritated that something as trivial as garlic could throw away all my plans when my mom decided to pop in to "see how it was going." Oh no no no- I could not let her see me like that. I shooed her away and got back to peeling. I now understood why garlic was used to ward off evil- even Satan himself wouldn't want to be stuck peeling this vile vegetable. 11:10 a.m.- I was done with the prep, everything was chopped, and the ginger-garlic-chilly paste was ready. I was in a much better mood, and I could feel the excitement creeping in again. My next task was to get the rice ready. I had to fry it in ghee before boiling it. I added a couple of bay leaves, peppercorns, cardamoms, and cinnamon- the aroma made me giddy, and the crackling of rice was just perfect. It was hard work, but I was happy. 11:30 a.m.- The big biriyani barthan (bowl) never looked more intimidating. I had to start with the mutton soon. Otherwise, Amma would barge in and take control. I felt as if I was in MasterChef (Australia, obviously!), racing against time while I made up scenarios in my head where Gary, Matt, and George would ask me what I was making, taste everything and leave with a smile on their faces… Moving on. I had to sauté the onions in ghee and goodness! I never knew how much of it was used in making a biriyani- I could feel my arteries clogging up. The Youtube video said to sauté the onions till they were translucent, but ten minutes into it, they were nowhere close to translucent. Sure, they had become soft and mushy, but I had no idea how translucent onions looked like. And I was tired of stirring. So I took a call, went ahead, and added the ginger-garlic-chilly paste. Sizzle! It. Smelled. Divine. 12:00 p.m.- Cooking in itself was an upper-body workout- I needed every ounce of my core strength to keep the vessel on the stove. Never before had I stirred so much, and my arms were aching. I was nearing the end of the cook and I could see the biriyani come together in front of my eyes. But wait… …I felt like I forgot something, and I couldn't recall what to do next. I added the tomatoes and went to check the recipe. I had forgotten to make the cashew-curd paste! I had to add it right after the mutton went in, which was any moment. I grabbed the mixer-grinder and put a handful of cashew nuts and curd into the bowl- I didn't have to panic; I could do it. The paste was almost the right consistency, it needed just one more quick round on the grinder. I put the bowl back in and turned the knob when I heard the most unholy screech ever! It was from the mixer-grinder. I knew I had broken it. 12:15 p.m.- Praying to God that Amma hadn't heard the noise, I added the mutton pieces and the paste. While that was simmering, I put the mixer back in its place and cleaned out the bowl- I would have to deal with that later. I got back to the mutton gravy, and it was time for my favourite part- adding the spices. I knew the recipe mentioned the types and quantities of spices to be used but I always liked to taste and tell, something which annoyed Amma to no end. In went salt, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, meat masala, asafoetida, and pepper- it was as much aromatic as it was a visual delight! The different colours swirling around, blending in with the mutton… but it lacked something, when I tasted it, something to bind all the flavours together. Hmmm… I took a couple of limes from the fridge and squeezed the juice into the gravy and gave it a good mix. Yes! It tasted perfect. And I was done! The rice and mutton were good to go! Carefully, I spread the gravy into a pressure cooker, alternating it with layers of rice, and I let it cook together for a while, to allow all the juices to mix, to bind the biriyani together. 01:10 p.m.- The biriyani was ready- I had never felt more satisfied… ___ I had a smug expression on my face when I served Amma. I knew the biriyani tasted amazing, but I wanted to hear it from her. “Kollalo (good job),” she said grudgingly, "It tastes good." My life, dear friends, had come to a full circle. ___ I was still basking in the glory of this personal achievement the next day when I heard that god-awful noise again. "Screeeeeeeeeech!!" Amma came out of the kitchen and said, "I think our mixer-grinder is out of order. Go to Minna aunty's house and ask if we can borrow theirs for a while." I was more than happy to comply. __________ Dear Reader, Since you were patient enough to read the entire article, I figured I should at least share the recipe as a 'Thank You' gesture. Happy Cooking! Mutton Biriyani Onions- 4 large ones + 1 for garnish Mutton- 500 grams Biriyani Rice- 3 cups Tomatoes- 3 ripe ones Spices-Cloves, Cardamom, Bay leaves, Peppercorns, and Cinnamon Cashew nut- 1/4 cup for paste+ 1/4 cup as garnish Curd-1/3 cup Green Chilly- 4 nos Ginger- 1.1/2 inches Garlic-10 cloves Curry leaves Coriander Mint leaves Powdered Spices- Chilly powder, Garam Masala, Meat Masala, Coriander powder, Asafoetida Limes- 2 nos Salt and Pepper- To taste Instructions Cook the mutton with salt and pepper in a pressure cooker for about 15-20 minutes. Once the meat is tender and soft, keep it aside in a bowl. Heat some ghee in the pressure cooker (for better flavour, use the same one) and add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. When it turns aromatic, add the rice. Once you hear it crackle, add 6 cups of water and close the lid. Drain excess water once it is cooked and spread it out to avoid clumps. Heat adequate ghee in a large pan and sauté the onions. Once it turns translucent, add the ginger-garlic-chilly paste. Add garam masala, mint leaves, curry leaves, and coriander. Allow it to simmer. Meanwhile, grind the cashew nuts and curd and make a thick paste. Add tomatoes into the onion mixture and stir it till they become soft. Add the mutton pieces and make sure they are well coated in the gravy. Add the cashew-curd paste and mix it well. Cover and let it cook for 5 mins. Once the gravy is done, take the pressure cooker and add a layer of the mutton gravy at the bottom. Add rice on top of it and repeat the process of alternating the gravy and rice. Garnish it with caramelised onions, roasted cashew nuts, raisins, and fresh coriander. Close the pressure cooker and allow it to cook for 15 minutes. The biriyani is ready! Serve with raita and enjoy!

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