With the year drawing to a close (finally) it’s that annoying phase where everyone’s stepping back and evaluating the year that was while subconsciously planning a New Year’s resolution that will probably be given up on by February. The year’s headlines provided infinite fodder for both celebration and despair, for better or for worse, there was never a dull moment. And with all the drama going on, you probably didn’t have a chance to keep up with all the amazing stories that made it to Homegrown’s front page this year. To simplify things we bring you a collection of our very best work from the last 12 months, something to stimulate your mind before the NYE excesses start killing brain cells. Start 2018 with some interesting stories to share, Happy New Year!
Check out Volume II for more great stories from Homegrown.
While sex and everything connected to its pleasure is seen as taboo in Indian society, female sexuality is viewed to be even more problematic. We found 11 Indian films that unflinchingly put female sexual desire at their forefront and allow their female protagonists to breathe as independent sexual creatures.
When it comes to comfort, there’s little that can top the simple, timeless combination of jeans and a t-shirt. But just because you want to be comfortable doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your signature style. Here are 9 companies that with their original designs, sustainable credos and individual identities, are taking the world by storm.
When you picture tea gardens in India, it’s easy to form a picturesque image. A sea of green leaves perhaps, being picked by slight women with pleasant faces as the sun shines over heads, but this is far from the truth. It’s this reality check that Ashutosh Shaktan provides most poignantly in his photo narrative titled ‘The Ugly Beverage.’
Masturbation’s gotten a bad rap over the years for both men and women included. But there is still a glaring discrepancy in the way male and female masturbation is referenced in mainstream conversation today. We can only hope that ordinary, young women getting real about masturbation might inspire others to either understand their own bodies better, or stop feeling shame about enjoying them.
V. We Spoke To 4 Indians Who Are Using Cannabis Oil As Medicine
For generations now, we have had wisdom to heal the body, however, it is bewildering that we have restrained ourselves in the field of discovery in what the marijuana plant can do as far as medicine is concerned. We tracked down four people who have been using the herb extract for various reasons to better understand its nature, the possibilities of its medicinal use, and the blurry legalities that surround it.
VI. Meet India’s ‘Raelians’ - The Cult Who Claims Aliens Created Us All
What is the proper way to react when one tells you human beings were created by a benevolent race of extra-terrestrial beings (read: aliens) who is referred to as Elohim? Very few would encourage you to consider it a legitimate possibility and actually question and analyse the information presented to you. Raelians, however, would.
MN Roy was a complex man, one that journeyed from being a wayward ‘terrorist’ with a nationalist fervour that travelled the world, to being a broad-minded, global-thinking intellectual whose ideas moved beyond the boundaries, regional and international identities. Learn more about his varied past and the nightclub in Mexico that stands testament to his legacy.
VIII. The Indian Origin Nude Art Model Who’s Challenging How We View The Female Body
We used to be one of the only cultures that tied sex to the sacred, as can be seen through the epic text Kamasutra and the elaborate art and murals of temples like Khajuraho. Although our tolerance levels today are at an all-time low, making us extremely sensitive as a country, there are people like Sonia Parecadan whose uninhibited creative expression doesn’t waver when it comes to breaking societal norms.
For those who stumble across the grand, colourful world of Korean Pop whilst on a trip through sidebar suggestions...there’s no turning back. From Korean dramas, friend suggestions, popular YouTubers giving K-Pop shoutouts, a Billboard nomination and of course, Psy’s Gangnam Style, the advent of Korean Pop music in India was inevitable. Learn the origin story of the craze that’s sweeping the nation.
X. The Magical Library In Chennai Everybody Needs To Visit
While the city has transformed, not just by name from Madras to Chennai, there are certain structures that have stood the test of time as historical landmarks of a bygone era. One of these architectural wonders is the beautiful Connemara Public Library. Right from its inauguration in 1896 it has held a special place in the collective memory and hearts of the city’s citizens.
While live-in relationships are hardly a new phenomenon in India, very few couples were willing to share their stories publicly, convincing us of the strong social stigma still attached to it. However, here are the perspectives of five couples who between the challenges of self-doubt, pesky landlords and few disapproving parents still chose to defy the social convention of romantic togetherness so they could come home to the person they love the most.
A cursory glance through the first two pages of results for a Google search on ‘gender and the workplace in India’ reveals a distressing reality. There’s no dearth of information - article after article talks about gender inequality at work but in regards to transgender people in mainstream employment, we still have a long way to go.