“The beauty of a woman with passing years only grows.”
-Audrey Hepburn
And we can’t agree more!
All through her life, a woman dons many hats. A daughter, mother, friend, daughter-in-law, and wife. But if there is one relationship that she stays true to till the end is with her own self. With her mind, body, and soul. However, over the years, it has been proven time and again that a woman’s age takes precedence over a lot of things. Whether it’s marriage, becoming a mother, or even her beauty. Most of the times, and this isn’t specific to Indian society, women are appreciated or discarded on the basis of their looks. ‘Tere chare se nazar nahi hat ti, nazare hum kya dekhe’ is an anthem. And sadly, that nazar is only for external charm and omph. While this narrative needs to change, what needs to alter more is the understanding of what beauty is.
The word beauty is usually attached to being youthful, vivacious, and energetic. But as a woman grows old, the term beauty becomes elusive in her life, and wrinkles begin to define her. And that’s the reason why it is imperative to create this narrative that beauty is a far deeper concept than what we see on the skin. The person beneath the skin, the aura, the grace, and the thoughts are the telling tales of her beauty in the very true sense. And if one could dig a bit deeper, I would say, the beauty of a woman is the treasure trove of myriad experiences that are buried in the deep recess of her heart.
The women we see in these pictures are the epitome of beauty beneath those wrinkles. Women who have weathered LIFE! The women who have been there and seen it all. Have cried, laughed, raised kids, nursed old parents, lent an ear to an aching heart, earned a living, and whatnot. And today on the other half of life, as they find themselves in front of the camera, posing with their friends and daughters, they are tasting yet another flavour of life in the most earnest way.
What makes them so elegant today? Perhaps just one thing – their unrelenting love for their own selves, which nudges them to discover their inner beauty and strength over and over again.
Let’s celebrate them. Let’s celebrate women. Let’s celebrate beauty in the truest sense.
Subhra Basu is a retired teacher and a social worker for over 50 years. Born in Dhaka in erstwhile undivided India, she had a difficult childhood as a refugee family settled in West Bengal. With a large family and many mouths to feed having a widowed mother and political activist brothers she shouldered responsibility from a very early age and started her job as a teacher at the age of 19. She was also a gold medalist from CU while completing her Masters. It is around about that time that her association started with Bharat Scouts and Guides and is still going strong at the ripe age of 76. Retirement, osteoperosis, nerve ailments, rheumatoid arthritis – nothing absolutely nothing could deter her from serving the society. She is the former District Commissioner of South Calcutta District Association (BSG) AND Assistant State Commissioner of BSG West Bengal. Currently, she is holding the position of Vice President of South Calcutta Local Association, BSG. She has received numerous awards, the most notable being the Bar to the Merit ( BSG, WB) handed over by the Governor of WB, Special Leadership Achievement badge from the Asia Pacific region – Scouts and Guides and the Silver Star award for rendering exemplary social service for more than 50 years handed over by the erstwhile President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Mayashikha Chakravarty was born in Khardah into a Zamindar family. She is related to the family of Nitya Nanda Maha prabhu. Her father was into politics (District Congress Secretary) and the Headmaster of a school by profession. While pursuing her Bachelors with English Honours, she got married to a man who was in Indian Navy then.
Despite being a very good student, she couldn’t study further as she had to look after her new conservative family.
She became a full-time mother after giving birth to three beautiful daughters. Had just started living for herself, after they all got married, and had just started traveling and going on foreign trips when her husband got diagnosed with cancer. Her life came to a standstill and she became her primary caretaker till he passed away in 2019.
She was always fond of music and literature. And has finished writing two short novels which have been now published in the book ‘Padma Theke Ganga’ from ShopizenBangla.
Her published works are Padma Theke Ganga and Hiyar Majhe Pancha Diya.
Also, her poem and short story have been published in ‘Ek Mutho kabita’ and bengali magazine Balaka Bitan respectively. She is coming up with a travel book Sudurer Trishnaye and a collection of short stories which is yet to get its title.
Shipra Ghoshal has always been a housewife though she was extraordinary in her studies and music. But as most mothers did, she never prioritized herself or her career. For her, it was all about us and other family members. She never lived for herself and never knew her worth.
Today she is 61 and much more energetic than her daughter who is 34, as her daughter shared with us.
She has given free tuition to needy students throughout her life and helped everyone, as much as she could in every possible way. Compassion and empathy are the two qualities that she is an epitome of.
She has been an inspiration for many. A happy and giving soul with a firm personality, her smile has been her biggest accessory.
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