Latest news with #Naani
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Buzz Feed
South Asians On Hollywood Scandinavian Scarf Trend
Note: This post is an Op-Ed and shares the author's personal views. Suppose you've been browsing TikTok looking for inspiration on what to wear to your friend's upcoming garden wedding. If so, you've probably noticed one particular item has been making the rounds on everyone's vision board for the season. Stroll through any women's clothing store and you'll spot it. Every celebrity was wearing it at award shows, and it looks like it's the accessory of the summer. I'm of course referring to those fab little chiffon scarves that the girlies have been draping around their necks. So chic, they've almost been impossible to escape. But if you have a South Asian friend, you might have had to sit through a rant or two on FaceTime where they tiredly explained their frustration with this particular accessory. My friends sure have had to put up with a couple of vent sessions over the past months. But you might be wondering what the actual issue is, if there's any at all. A little background for those who might need it: if your feed looks different to mine, you might have missed the discussion around the ironically named 'Scandinavian Scarf' micro-trend. The discourse has permeated the online cultural zeitgeist of the South Asian community over the past year, and it's been rampant. In case you missed it, here's the rundown. In a since-deleted TikTok video, the Bipty employee attempted to describe the style of sheer scarf worn as a shawl, saying it was 'very European and effortlessly chic.' While some agreed, the video was quickly spread in South Asian circles online, where viewers instantly recognized the style as something pretty distinctly Desi. In South Asian women's cultural clothing, more often than not, a scarf will be worn. This scarf, called a dupatta or a chunni, is a very prominent feature of traditional dress. It dates back literally thousands of years to the Indus Valley civilization, which was around during the Bronze Age. So it's not exactly something new. To this day, dupattas are worn by South Asian women, both in cultural clothing and in everyday life. You'll find them everywhere from Bollywood movies to Naani's wardrobe. They symbolize a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but it's a pretty distinctive marker that ties the community together. At least, that's what it means to me. After the original video went viral, Bipty founder Natalia Ohanesian took to social media to apologize for her employee's actions. 'The fashion aesthetic my teammate was fawning over in that video is very clearly not European,' she said. 'I understand the deeper conversations of cultural appropriation and all of the hurt that comes from these conversations.' 'I'm seeing this as an opportunity to really enrich Bipty's community, so thank you,' she continued. 'We are very sorry to the South Asian communities that were offended.' The video is currently unavailable as of May 2025, and it looks like Bipty has removed their TikTok presence entirely. Since last summer, South Asians online have been poking fun at the 'Scandinavian Scarf' trend and have been using it as an excuse to post themselves in their gorgeous cultural clothing. As they should. But despite awareness of the issue online, the scarf trend has only grown in popularity. Last year, during awards season, we saw a number of celebrities donning a scarf around the neck, and this year was no different. I counted 7 at this year's Oscars alone before I got bored and stopped counting. The style was sported at the SAG Awards, the Gotham Awards, the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and pretty much everywhere else you can think of. Now, I definitely can't claim that there's anything inherently wrong with wearing a floaty piece of fabric around your neck. A number of fashion outlets covered the trend and credited it to certain 'Old Hollywood' moments: most notably Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief, and Princess Diana at Cannes in 1987. While all of these are instances of the style being a Hollywood staple for a while, it's not hard to imagine how the '50s look gained popularity in the West, especially considering that India only gained independence from British rule in 1947. So gems and spices were probably not the only things the Brits took home. Many brands have also been getting a ton of flak for now selling pieces that look distinctly South Asian. Reformation, VRG GRL, and Oh Polly are among the labels that have faced criticism for their recent designs. The Oh Polly one was kind of my favorite, because in what world is that not a sharara? South Asians online have had varying reactions, but the overarching feeling is definitely one of dislike. Some creators have declared that all they want is credit, and that it's fine to wear South Asian inspired pieces as long as they are referred to by the correct cultural names. However, I feel like I'm getting flashbacks to Coachella 2015 when I was fighting for my life on Tumblr, arguing that no, it wasn't okay to wear a bindi and a tikka, yes, even if you were Vanessa Hudgens. As for me, I am of the camp that if you can't pronounce dupatta, there's no reason that you should be wearing one. However, I can't even bring myself to care that much. We really have bigger issues to focus on as a community right now. Have you seen the turmoil that our countries are going through back home? What I'm feeling is exhaustion. After years of the same arguments getting hashed out over and over again, my gut response is just fine, screw it. You win. Wear whatever you want. But I'm also exhausted because I know exactly how this is going to end. The most frustrating part about seeing your culture get co-opted for the trend of the week is knowing that it's on a time limit. With how fast micro-trends run in and out of the social sphere, it's now a matter of minutes before something goes out of fashion. In a year or two, people will look back and laugh about how everyone and their mother were wearing a neck scarf in 2025, and how they wouldn't be caught dead in one now. Meanwhile, my family and I will still be wearing dupattas on Eid, because that's what we do every year. But God forbid I wear one in public, lest someone think I'm following a dead trend. The very idea. Up until literally this year, long, decorated nail extensions were everywhere. Stiletto acrylics were so common that it really seemed like people forgot the origin — which was Black women from the early '90s onwards. At the time, the style was looked down upon as 'ghetto,' but as always, it was adopted by non-Black folks a couple of years on. But now, it seems like it's run its course, as many online creators have been talking about how short, nude nails are here to stay. Now, long nails are outdated. Another cultural look, taken and discarded with little remorse. We can't control trends. I certainly participate in them. And I can't really fault anyone for wanting to wear a scarf around their neck with a pretty dress. It's cute, I get it. But it's tiring, knowing the outcome. Knowing that when something is in, it's in. And when it's out, it's unthinkable. We're not able to change that. But if you see me wearing a scarf with a dress in five or ten years, at least don't act surprised. Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
India Today
20-05-2025
- India Today
The lost summers of 'Naani Ka Ghar': What 90s kids had that Gen Z doesn't
In the India of the 1990s, summer vacation didn't begin when the last exam ended. It began with a question whispered in excitement-"Kab jaa rahe ho Naani ke ghar?"That one destination held the power to transform two plain months into a magical saga. Whether it was Kanpur, Coimbatore, Bhubneshwar or Bhopal, Naani ka ghar was the annual pilgrimage of joy. Trains were booked months in advance. Cousins were counted. Gifts were packed. The smell of mangoes and pickle-making would hit you the moment you entered the house. There were no resorts, no five-star itineraries. Just a floor to sleep on, ten people in one room, and a kind of happiness that came from shared meals, shared stories, and shared TRAIN JOURNEY WAS THE VACATION Back in the 90s, the summer vacation didn't start at the destination-it began the moment we boarded the train. Mothers would pack steel tiffin boxes with aloo-puri and mango pickle wrapped in newspaper. A bottle of water from home and a stash of Tinkle, Champak, or Chacha Chaudhary comics kept us entertained long before smartphones ever was always that one chatty co-passenger who would share stories, snacks, or sometimes even life advice. And then, as the train neared the final stop, the real excitement kicked in. We'd stand by the open door two stations before, faces lit up with the rush of wind and anticipation, looking out for familiar landmarks, shouting, "Agla station Naani ke ghar hai!" That thrill-the kind that came with no seatbelts, no selfies, just pure, unfiltered joy-is what many kids today might never THE FIRST AND FOREVER GANG advertisement Cousins weren't distant relatives; they were your friend , philosopher and guide. Summer was your yearly reunion-one long sleepover that lasted weeks. You didn't need a Netflix account when you had seven cousins, each funnier than the played cards, you fought over ludo, you took turns on the bicycle with a broken pedal, and you never needed an adult to keep you THEN, CAME THE ULTIMATE GAME: DARK ROOM. A game that turned ordinary rooms into haunted mansions. Lights off. Curtains drawn. One person blindfolded. Everyone else hiding behind curtains, under beds, behind doors. Shrieks, giggles, accidental bumps, and the thrill of being "caught" - all in the name of innocent NIGHT SHIFT: GHOST STORIES UNDER BLANKETS Once the power went out (and it always did), a new ritual began. You gathered under mosquito nets or on the terrace, under a blanket of stars, listening to someone-usually the eldest cousin-whisper ghost stories. Some were made up, some inherited from older cousins, all older cousin would whisper ghost stories that he claimed were true. We were petrified, but no one left the circle. That's how memories were made-no filter, no phone, just fear and fun," -laughs Maitreyee Ghosh, a writer and mom of a result? Nobody wanted to use the bathroom alone, and everyone ended up sleeping in a huddle. But oh, this fear created memories instead of THIS GENERATION IS MISSING Fast-forward to today:Naani ke ghar is now a video are scattered across cities, countries, and school is filled with structured productivity-online courses, hobby workshops, and carefully planned of playing dark room, kids play Call of of ghost stories, they watch horror shorts on real loss? Connection. Chaos. generation may have better gadgets, but they've missed out on the warmth of sleeping next to five cousins on a mattress on the floor, stealing mangoes from the kitchen, or laughing until your stomach hurt because someone farted during the 90s, the extended family played a central role in raising children, and summer vacations were often seen as a time to strengthen those bonds-especially through long stays at grandparents' homes with cousins. But with rising urban migration, the growth of nuclear families, and increasing career demands, many parents today opt for experiential or aspirational getaways-be it resorts, beaches, or amusement parks-as a way to compensate for limited family time," explains Ms. Kshitija Sawant, University Psychologist-Counselor at Somaiya Vidyavihar adds, "We are living in a hi-tech, AI-driven world where aligning with global trends has become the norm. This shift toward Western models of development has restructured traditional family systems-many children now grow up in nuclear or single-parent households, often without siblings or close relatives nearby. As a result, the focus for parents has moved away from fostering extended family bonds to prioritizing physical growth, personality development, and skill-building. Enrolling children in courses, bootcamps, or summer camps is now seen not just as productive, but also as a marker of economic prosperity and modern parenting."advertisementWHY WE STILL CRAVE THAT TIME Ask anyone who grew up in the 90s, and they'll tell you: no vacation, no foreign trip, no five-star experience compares to the joy of a summer spent with your entire ecosystem under one roof."The things we remember from childhood aren't the gadgets. They're the moments. The stories. The mess. I want my kids to have that,"-says Nidhi Arora, a schoolteacher in We Bring Some of That Back?Maybe we can't fully recreate those 90s summers, but we can revive parts of that train ride. Visit Naani without an cousins together for a few days, no screens, no your kids to dark room, chor-police, or storytelling fix their boredom-let them sit in it. That's where imagination is born."We recently stayed with my wife's family for a week. My 9-year-old daughter said it was the best part of her year-just being with her cousins. That made me realise how starved this generation is for unstructured joy,"-shares Abhishek Dubey, a 90s kid-turned-parent from themselves, when given a taste of the old-school summer, light Can't Stream a Memory Today's kids may never know the joy of getting 5 rupees from Naani to buy orange bar ice cream, or the mischief of secretly using her talcum powder to play 'shaadi shaadi'. But maybe, if we pause, unplug, and let go of the urge to fill every hour with a purpose, we can give them a taste of what we the greatest summer memories are not made in malls or on tablets. They're made under fans with no speed regulator, in homes with too many people and too little space-but hearts overflowing with Reel
New Indian Express
18-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Caring for the incarcerated
MADHYA PRADESH: Her four-and-half-year-old grandson is not the only one who calls her 'Naani' (maternal granny); for the countless women inmates and their children in Indore jails too, 59-year-old Vinita Tiwari is the most-lovable 'Didi' and 'Naani'. An Indore-based social activist, Vinita is on a mission to change the lives of women and their children embroiled in conflict, inhabiting prison cells. Back in 1997, her NGO Manu Memorial Shikshan Samiti worked with street children in dire need of aid, running a school for them in Indore. A few years later, while tying Rakhis on wrists of inmates as part of a Raksha Bandhan function at the Indore Mandaliya Jail (present Indore district jail) she broke into tears when she witnessed the agony of the women inmates and their children living with them inside jails. In India, female prisoners are allowed to keep their children with them in prison until they turn six years old. After that, the children may be placed in boarding schools or with other relatives if the mother consents. 'I was in tears when I saw the pain of the women inmates who lived with their small kids inside the jail. The children didn't know anything about the outside world; many of them had not even seen stars and the moon on the night sky. They only came out with mothers during the day. This was the time in 2002 when I decided to dedicate my life for their well-being,' Vinita recalls.
