Saree Challenge

Few weeks ago, I woke up to a few tags on Facebook inviting me to accept a challenge for a saree post. The challenge was to post one photo of myself dressed in a saree and tag other women and challenge them to do the same. I was reluctant. I have not participated in FB challenges ever. But I decided to accept it anyway because I was tagged by two wonderful women I absolutely admire. I followed the instructions and soon my FB page was filled with beautiful women draped in the most beautiful sarees I had ever seen. Happiness - that is what I felt.  

For once my news feed was not filled with hate posts. It was not filled with xenophobic, racist, and intolerant posts and comments. I was not waking up to see fake news from people shooting them from the comfort of their homes. I was evading fanatics who believed that the other was bringing the country down. And for once I was relieved to not see Facebook politicians shooting suggestions to the government without thought and logic. Instead all I saw was women draped in traditional, chic, modern, and / or ethnic sarees. Some like me dug up old pictures from their wedding albums and posted them. It was a relief.  

But with everything positive there are bound to be critics. Soon there were memes (some were hilarious though) showing how Indian women were more concerned about their sarees. There were sarcastic posts mocking women who participated in it. And some took it to another level by trolling women. Like several others I was trolled too. I laughed at these memes, and the people who threw it out there. That is the most they deserve. I wondered to myself where do these people hide when hate is spooned out on FB? I have never seen them shutting down racists or homophobics. They crawl back to their caves then (I am guessing). 

I also had friends who chose to not participate and politely asked me untag their names. I immediately did. To participate or not is a personal choice and we are absolutely free to choose. As long as the world does not judge / harm the other we can all chose to do or not do things that suit/don't suit us. But to be cruel and mock someone is unfair and needs to be called out. 

The saree challenge was meant to divert our attention from all the negativity that surrounded us with the current climate. The war that is being fought out there. It was meant to make us smile. It was meant to bring our attention to the little joys of life while keeping our spirits high. And that it did. The fact that trolls and critics took notice of the challenge meant that it was a success. It made anger and hate filled individuals take cognizance that sarees had taken over Facebook and that they had little to no space for their hateful and divisive living room politics. 

Each post shut down avenues for negativity. It made FB a pleasant place instead. And it opened doors for more such happy challenges throwing hatemongers completely out of business. The pictures I saw had stories to them. Some filled with love and some with warm memories of loved ones. 

To everyone out there who participated and has been participating in any of those fun challenges - more power to you. Thank you for making this virtual world a happy place. This virtual world is what is keeping us sane in such desperate times. And if this is filled with negative posts and comments it makes a desperate situation much worse. Don't let trolls shame you. For each troll bring up a new happy challenge. Spread the cheer and be merry.

In case you are curious about the saree challenge, it painted the town red, purple, yellow, and in all colors of joy and hope. 

I had to dig out a decade old picture for the challenge. This is from a wedding ritual in 2008.