It is a man's world alright

Some time back we saw our very first Men's fairness cream adverts. And quite a few of us women rejoiced at the sight of it. It didn't change anything in our lives but felt good that finally fairness (in skin colour atleast) was not just the woman's most desired virtue (it isn't a mistake skin colour is a virtue in this country) anymore.

Couple of days ago I actually noticed one of the ads. The difference between the men's fairness cream ad and the women's hit me.

"Fairever" Ad: Asin is getting no attention from this boy because she isn't fair and Ta daaa this cream with kumkum flowers comes to her rescue to win the boy. The boy who had earlier torn her picture away from his now wants to pose with her and the girl very coyly agrees.


Switch to Nivea's ad for men's fairness cream. Here again the boy is rejected because he is dark and then post cream intervention he's almost Brad Pitt and the girls are falling over each other for him. And he gets to play the cool dude and actually shakes his head and walks away from them.

What the?????

I think it was last year or the year before that about the time Kris Srikanth endorsed Fair & Lovely ad that NDTV had "We the people" discussion on this whole fairness cream madness. And one of the Ad gurus (I forget who) said these ads are meant to be empowering women. At the end of each ad the girl gets what she was denied earlier. That being the star hunt and commentator's job if you remember. But I wonder how he will explain this difference that I just talked of?

It is a victory for a woman when this shallow as a spoon, man who earlier rejected her comes back to her. But the man's victory lies in walking away when the woman who was as shallow as one can be has a change of heart!

PHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT

Same old story.

Two men and two women went out to have a good time on a sedate Sunday evening. After 5 hours of shopping, mall hopping, opinion flaunting, basically a very fruitful shopping outing they get back home. Once home they all freshen up and change into night clothes. Till now the story is very boring I know. Whats happened next is also not very dramatic but bear with me I do have a point. After they freshened up one of the men opened his laptop and got busy while the other engaged himself in some very important conversation over the phone. Meanwhile the two women take to the kitchen and prepare dinner thinking how exhausted they are and they wish there was some magic in life which would come in handy at moments like this. 15 minutes later the men are called to the table and served dinner. The women help themselves too. And then the day ended.

Do you see my point? You don't? In that case testosterone plays a HUGE part in you so don't bother trying to figure it out.

If you understood my point it means ladies you've been there and my sympathies with you. I just wonder how many generations do I have to wait to see a change in that story?


PS: If some man did get the point of my little boring story then its a good start and I do hope you change the story some day.

Undoing the Myths

Myths aren't new to any of us. Especially if you have grown up in an environment full of grand parents and the such who can conjure up stories to entertain, teach and just to keep you out of their hair. They can tell you stories of every kind gods, demons, good, evil, stupid, intelligent, just fun - every kind. I am not about to undo any of those. They were fun stories. I am talking about the kind you and I conditioned are to believe through out our lives and then suddenly one day it occurs "Hey that's not true"

Myth #1>

Women spend too much time shopping - Absolutely baseless.

Try this. I went shopping with this guy once, who wanted a white shirt. We stepped into Commercial Street at 11am on a Saturday morning. At the first shop he looked at every possible shade of white in all brands. Fairly simple choice - Seven shirts, five brands. Did he buy then? No. He just moved on to other shops, looked at the same shirts for next three hours and came back and bought the first white shirt he set his eyes on from the very first shop we stepped into. Exasperation is a gross understatement! Compare that to shopping with a girl friend of mine. She called me up and said she needs to buy some white top. We went to Cool Club in Chennai, bought one and were back at the hostel in flat 2 hours (which included travel time in peak traffic hour).

Myth #2>

Women spend too much money on clothes, shoes and everything - Oh Please!

Yes girls do buy a lot of clothes. That's because the love dressing up and they have so many things to try out compared to men's wonderfully boring stripes and checks variety of clothes. Same goes with shoes. But that doesn't mean they spend too much. I am not saying it just like that I've got facts for you.]

Woman's wardrobe

Unbranded Jeans that fits her like its made for her (the hunt is not easy let me assure you)- 350/-

Top - 125 -

Shoes - 150/-

Total - 625/-

Man's wardrobe

Levi Jeans (that needs altering and is ironed every time!!!) - 1200/- (I am sure its more than this)

Lacoste T-Shirt - 500/- (If he's buying a shirt then minimum price is 545/-)

Woodlands/ Red tape shoes - at the least 1800/-

Total - 3500/-

You do the math.

Myth #3>

Women gossip too much - Yeah right!

So it is the women who have created Page 3 eh?

Myth #4>

Women cannot save - Ha ha ha.

You will be astounded by the amount women manage to save. Even when they do not have bank accounts or mutual fund advices.

Myth 5>

Women are pathetic at sports - Phrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttttttttt

Men aren't exactly fantabulous in our country are they? How do you explain just one world cup victory in Cricket. For men have been playing this game for what about 80 years now? Not to forget we have not even qualified for the foot ball world cup. I would like to certainly add that although women took to sports much later we will still beat you soon. And we didn't take to sports late because we were not physically capable (as one of my classmates once suggested. He said to me 'women aren't biologically made to play cricket!' Sometimes I wonder why I didn't kill him then) but because of men. Pl. don't get me started on that. You will regret it.

So there I've said it. Pl. feel free to add to the list or undo my undoings.

Sincerely Yours

Mangalyam tantunaanena...

This is the beginning of sacred mantra that is chanted during a marriage ceremony. It is chanted when the groom is tying the sacred mangalasutra around the bride’s neck, an act that seals the deal. If you are married you will know it. Actually even otherwise you will know it thanks to our philums. But do all of us know what it means? Well, I didn't know till today (!!!) This is the only mantra the poojari did not explain in the whole wedding process. (seriously, he was testing is English proficiency by explaining all the mantras to us while we were trying to concentrate on the fact that it is actually happening to the two of us in front of at least 400 people!) Coming back to the subject, the mantra goes like this "mAngalyam tantunAnena mama jIvanA hethunA kaNThe: badhnami subhahe! sanjIva Sarada: Satam" (pardon the ignorance if it isn’t accurate to the T, I am reproducing it here based on my auditory memory). Apparently it means "This is a sacred thread. This is essential for my long life. I tie this around your neck, O maiden having many auspicious attributes! May you live happily for a hundred years (with me)."

I am not sure how accurate this translation is, but this is explanation is widely accepted. Now what strikes me the most of this very sacred mantra is that it says "this sacred thread is essential for my long life" That is the bride groom's long life! And since you (the bride) have special attributes to keep me alive and prosperous I wish that you live for a hundred years with me. Very interesting indeed.

This was probably written to mean that "a man cannot live his life without a woman" And so they need to be united in a sacred (?!?) bond. But in today's context and after years of living in man's world it comes across as very selfish statement to me. It comes across as if a man needs woman ONLY because she can give him a long and happy life. Doesn't it?

I am suddenly interested in Vedas...I want to know read the scriptures to see what is actually written and how it has been interpreted or misinterpreted by Man.

GRRRRRRRR

This article is on rediff!

"There's something about a perfect female posterior wrapped in a tight red skirt that just makes time and space melt away. There are airlines and there are airlines, and then there's a breed of bearded business moguls who like to admirably concentrate their energies on making sure they have the finest stewardesses in the land." for more read http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/23don.htm

PINK PINK PONK!

I've always liked Saif Ali Khan, even in his ridiculously long and floppy hair days. He's a very regular guy. I mean he is not overtly macho, easily admits to being scared and even manages to be a good loser - all on screen of course. I'll never know what he is like in real life. One thing that looks like its going on and off screen though is his ability to swoon women. Mention his name and there's a happy sparkle in the eyes of girls, women and older women alike. Now why am I going on and on about him? Well, last week there was a piece on why men should look to pink in The Hindu - the pic they carried was of Saif in a pink sleeveless t-shirt. Mind you he was the guy who appeared in the climax of “hit film” Salaam Namaste in a tiny t-shirt that said "Girl Power" in glitter! I can't remember if the colour was pink or not. Two days later I saw his leading lady in the same movie, Preity Zinta featuring in an ad that said something like go pink - a TVS Scooty in pink! On one hand I am very glad that pink is no more just for "girls" and on the other hand I am a little overwhelmed by all the pink around me. Have you seen the new VIP ad that says "bye bye men"? It has this woman walking around with a PINK travel bag! All the fashionistas must have pink, male or female! I don't mean the regular baby pink shirts we used to have but the bright happy pinks. Once I think I was talking to S about something very serious on phone and she suddenly let out a scream. She had just seen a family of three - man, woman and child dressed in PINK! Even my female friends have only joked about wearing pink. I do have a pink capri, bought strictly to shock! P bought a pair of pink slippers again only to shock. I suggested KB to buy a pink saree and she thought I was nuts! But out on the streets you see a lot of pink. ah yes fuchisia pink is the name for those bright pinks. Yeah even brands like Allen Solly have PINK shirts and jackets. Mind you pink trousers aren't completely absent. You see them in every store, branded or not.

And we thought Salman Khan and Govinda had ridiculous dressing sense. If you ask me they were just way ahead of their times!

PS: Do women really want to see their men in pink?