A group that originally started as a saree appreciation group on Facebook, has over the last seven years, grown phenomenally and ideologically, under the capable leadership of Vedaprana Purkayastha, the dynamic founder of TSS (The Saree Saga!).
With the launch of The She Saga Magazine – a magazine that’s about all women, and The She Saga Foundation – an initiative to help underprivileged women, the TSS group is no longer just a cosmetic or beauty appreciation group. It has grown into something much more meaningful.
TSS Wings, an event on Equality and Inclusiveness was celebrated, coinciding with the TSS seventh anniversary meet of members. It wasn’t only about saree lovers, or even about women. The function welcomed and felicitated transgender performers, giving them a platform to make their voices heard.
Held on May 1, 2022 in a hotel in Kolkata, TSS Wings, a celebration of Equality and Inclusiveness saw the overwhelming participation of enthusiastic members along with members of the transgender community. The program started with a dance performed by a member on Ganesh Vandana. This was followed by the lighting of the lamp by Sayantani Ghosh, transwoman lawyer and dancer, and members of her troupe. She was felicitated by the group founder, Vedaprana.
Where the world is still divided on binary definitions of gender and sex, being a transwoman was understandably tough, but the level of discrimination can’t even be imagined. Sayantani gave a heartfelt account of how society has been treating transgenders, and how things can slowly change for the better with more such initiatives. Things we (males/females) take for granted have been a struggle for people like Sayantani, and her story made many eyes moist. The dance program by her Rudra Palash group dancers was astoundingly beautiful, full of natural grace and drama.
Since the theme was inclusion, how could men be left out?
Next came the male guests – Avirup Sengupta (Choreographer and Activist) and Saptak Das (Music Composer). Both these young “woke” men were quite vocal about the fact that women still have to fight for their rights in this day and age.
As half the world’s population holding up the sky, weren’t women supposed to be equal in everything anyway? Today, when most barriers have been razed, women’s empowerment should be inherent in society, not some kind of “privilege” granted by men.
Such an uplifting and enriching discussion raised the notches of the program quite high. And their performance that followed was the icing on the cake.
After the formal function was over, members let their hair down, bonded over saris, gleefully participated in lucky draws and quiz contests, and generally made merry.
It was the perfect celebration of beauty with soul, of style with substance, of entertainment with purpose.
Let us hope that initiatives of this kind usher in a more equal society – a society where no one is judged on the basis of looks, gender, age, financial or marital status.
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By Barnali Roy
Presently a Blogger and Content Writer, Barnali Roy has been a corporate employee and faculty for Business Communication, HR, and Soft Skills in the past. An avid reader, cine-lover, foodie, crossword and travel enthusiast, she writes on diverse niches ranging from food and health, to motivation, emotional growth and self-development. She can be contacted at barnaliroy18@gmail.com
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