#stareback

When I was in high school and college in Kerala, I used to hold my books close to my chest as if it was some kind of protection. Over the years, I have become more and more irritated with the way women are stared at- this is one place where there is no age bias!

I don't know what is it with Mallu men! They stare and stare!!

As soon as we start preparing to go to Kerala, the question of what to wear comes in and at the end my mother in law passes the verdict- wear only dresses with duppatta (https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupatta). I want to scream and tell everyone that you get stared at regardless of what you wear! 

On the first day of my vacation, I wear my running clothes and go out for a walk with my husband. Then I changed to a Salwar (though it looks ridiculous with running shoes). Then came the realisation that you would get stared at regardless of what you wear, regardless of who you are with and regardless of your age!!!

Much to the disappointment of my daughter who is going through the same pain, I have started #stareback !

Clean Kerala

I was always proud of the fact that I am from Kerala, one of the cleanest states. Though, we have been noticing small changes over the years and multiple trips home, I never felt that there is a garbage problem in Kerala. We were busy preparing for our niece's wedding at home, when I heard my mother-in-law speaking loudly outside the house. She has recently been asked to separate her garbage into wet and dry by the "kudumbashri" team (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudumbashree) who picks up garbage twice a week. What upset her that morning was a large bag of garbage left just outside her gate. Yes, of course, there was a heated debate about who left it there - starting from thattukada owners (street food) to creepy neighbours who didn't want to pay the paltry monthly fee of Rs.100/- for garbage disposal. 

This made me look around more carefully and I realised that we have a significant garbage disposal problem. The canals and the once clean open drainage system are filled with plastic bags and other junk. Open spaces are strewn with plastic bags. People throw garbage into empty plots which are plenty in Kerala.

How did we come to such a situation? The 100% literate state does not any more care for cleanliness?

May be the gulf money and the prosperity that it brought in, have made people more selfish and careless? 

We are reaching a situation where multiple contagious diseases like a dengue fever and chicken guinea are spreading too fast. 

We need more awareness among the literate Keralites! We need strong waste disposal arrangements. I haven't seen single dust bin in public places! Shouldn't we have those? 

Kerala is slowly moving into a city culture away from individual houses to large apartment complexes. Waste management needs to be thought through and implemented faster!