Most of the women in Indian administered Kashmir never think of choosing theatre as a career option. Even if they want to be a part of theatre, the conservative set-up forces them to opt for a more “decent” career choice. In a place where no woman has ever dared to work for theatre, Ifra Kak took the first step. Born and brought up in Jammu, Ifra is the daughter of Mushtaq Kak, a well known theatre actor and director.

I was once talking to an Afghan man about living in Europe and America, about the advantages and disadvantages. Very unexpectedly, he said something which surprised me. He said, “I would never choose to live in a foreign country together with my wife because I’d lose all control over her.”

Marina Zaffari talks about her search for her identity as a woman and a wife in Afghanistan.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time to party. Our blogger Ronaq Zahoor is celebrating Eid ul Zuha, which literally means the “Festival of sacrifice.” Ronaq’s been busy cooking for the feast , so we asked her to send us the recipe for Rogan Josh, a tasty mutton preparation from her birthplace, Kashmir. Enjoy!

How does one find the right partner? Bhawna, an avid blogger herself, tells us her many experiences with traditional and modern ways  of finding the right partner.

One of our readers, Ridhi Rajpal, is very upset about how men treat her at the workplace. And no, it’s not sexual harassment she is complaining about. Women colleagues in the cinema industry are often considered “softer” than their male colleagues, their abilities are questioned constantly, but they are also pampered.

Khadija Hashmi’s “two-faced” woman

Crisis and conflict in Afghanistan often overshadows the innumerable achievements of men and women, who are striving to promote art and culture in their country. Until some time back, girls were not allowed to pick up a pen and write a single word, but now they hold painting brushes and use their imagination to express their feelings.

Marina Zaffari profiles some promising women artists from her country.

Electronic waste is a menace all over the world.  We keep hoarding new gadgets and don’t know how to safely dispose the old and faulty ones. Unknowingly, toxic elements in the gadgets like lead, mercury and nickel add up to the levels of environmental pollution.