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Kashmir - Heaven on Earth , was on my travel destination list from God knows when. Maybe from the time I watched " Kitni khubsurat yeh tasveer hai " from the Hindi film Bemisal? Or maybe those picture-perfect images they showed of the Dal Lake, shikaras, the impossibly green valleys surrounded with white peaks on Doordarshan? Or was it earlier, since the time I watched Shammi Kapoor serenading Sharmila Thakur with " Yeh chand sa roshan chehera " on  a shikara, from the film Kashmir Ki Kali? And who can forget " Yeh haseen vaadiya, yeh khula asmaan " from Roja - the first mainstream film to address the elephant in the room - that of growing terrorism in this beautiful paradise? To me, Kashmir symbolized the ultimate natural heaven, that elusive chimera that remained out of reach for ordinary people like us for more than thirty years. And when something is unreachable, it becomes irresistible. So, for my silver jubilee anniversary,  it was obvious that I wan...

Looking good is important, no one will deny that, especially in today's appearance-crazy times. But does it override everything? Price of unconventional looks If one doesn't conform to regular beauty standards (especially women), what is the outcome? When one is overweight, or has rough skin, or has alopecia or excessive facial hair?  Does one go into hiding? Or does one desperately try every cosmetic procedure there is to "fit in "? Or does one develop an excessively thick skin, pretending to be unaffected by jeers or taunts?  Class 10 topper from UP, India- Prachi Nigam has amply proven her academic merit, as well as her nerves of steel. When she topped the board examination, she had expected some brickbats (how can you be okay looking like that?). In any case, living in a country like ours, she must have had more than her fair share of taunts and jeers throughout her growing years. Blatant Body Shaming Yet the unprecedented, abusive body shaming is obviously getti...