a recent obsession

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, a 19 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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btw, feel free to reply with topic ideas you want me to write about for future posts.

onto today’s topic: a recent obsession🥻 

it’s heart-wrenching to see south asians mocked so vehemently online and in real life despite our culture being stolen and repackaged into parts of western society that everyone loves so much.

why are we the race that people would never date when it is our spices that brought flavour to their food, our meditation that became their yoga, our beliefs that became jewelry adorning their bodies?

do not even get me started on the recent influx of people calling a kurti + dupatta “trendy european fashion” .. that has been irritating me to the core. 

why are we hated for being comfortable in our cultural identity, when others wear the same fabrics, only stolen from us?

why is it that my childhood self felt the need to make a point of speaking perfect english loudly when there were non-south asian’s around? why did i need to prove i was “better” for being “less indian?” i’m ashamed at myself for ever succumbing to the hatred that is forced onto our community. 💔 

my recent obsession has been a symbol of resilience and comfort with my roots: wearing desi jewelry with my western outfits. i wore a pair of jhumka all the way up kilimanjaro and it felt empowering. my little collection has grown since and i make sure to reach for my desi jewelry before anything else to complete my western outfits.

i get a lot of compliments on them too, which opens up endless opportunities for a conversation and education. our culture is beautiful and rich — we should wear it with pride. (:

i feel most confident with a few bangles on my wrists and jhumkas dangling on my ears. ✨ 

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