The Black World

The Black World

A concept that intrigued me the moment I discovered this place. I was eager to experience this at once. We jumped at the first opportunity to visit this marvelous place. Writing about this place, I have to be really careful as I want to reveal just enough to intrigue you, but not to be a spoilsport for your experience. I truly want everyone to enjoy what we did.

The Black World India, Xion Mall, Hinjewadi, Pune is a theme restaurant, where you sit in a dark and you will be served food by blind waiters. You have to deposit most of the stuff including mobile in the lockers. Please do not sneak away anything that can emit light, the loss is yours. Also, just one tip I may want to share is, don’t stress your eyes by trying to see things in the dark. You won’t see anything, so even keeping your eyes closed could be a good idea.

Before we proceed, let me tell you something about myself. I am that person who used to be petrified if I have to walk in a movie theatre. This was a pretty big adventure for me. But don’t you worry as the place is designed for blind people and you will be guided by them. I was apprehensive about eating in the dark as I am not capable of eating food without spilling. Believe me, I was spotless when I came out. If I can do it, anybody can.

What you experience there is surely going to be unique to each one of us. Your mind will wander in the directions you won’t know, you will imagine the world with your eyes closed.

My experience could be divided into two parts. One, when you are busy eating and other when you are not. When I was not eating, my mind was full of curiosity, I wanted to measure the whole place with my hands. But while I was eating, blindness suddenly seemed normal. I could carry on with such an ease. I could see my food with hands and aroma of food. Guessing what we were eating was a fun game. Trust me, you have never been this aware of what you ate in past.

There was so much peace in the darkness, it was blissful. Something you cannot enjoy with your eyes open. My imaginations were running wild.

What if there was a village for all blind people, designed especially for them to live their life independently. They seemed so self-sufficient, maybe they might end up teaching us how to live smartly and happily too.

While we were being served by blind people, we were the ones who needed help. And they did everything to make us comfortable in their world. How about we realize that our world is not designed for them and offer some help and no favors.

How good might this place be for the dating? You may be able to see the person beyond physical appearance and get to know them. How imaginative is our mind when we just stop seeing a thing.

So many thoughts, the mind was full of pleasure and gratitude. I recommend this place strongly, just as this might be an experience you will treasure.

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

Taken for Granted

A few years back, I stumbled upon a Marathi TV series Uncha Maza Zoka (loosely translated, my swing goes high). It was the life story of great Ramabai Ranade, who fought for women education. I am a bit embarrassed to acknowledge that I didn’t know about her before watching this series.  

Of course, I am aware of the struggle for women education. But what left me disturbed was one particular incident, fight for citizenship. This was around the start of 20^th century, Ramabai Ranade was fighting for women to be given the status of a citizen. Yeah, take a moment let that sink in. This was almost 75 years before I was born.

I was haunted by this, I wondered What do you mean, we were not citizens? I was so affected by this, but then I happened to discuss this with a friend, a man. He maintained the safe distance when he explained, Look, you were like cattle. Don’t worry, he was injured but survived.

Though that was a joke, maybe that was the reality before these movements. It really took me a long time to come to terms with this. I must say in short time, India has made a great progress.

When we get it easy, we tend to forget the struggle behind it. It is so important to know and remember that some great people believed in a cause, fought for it all through their life so that we could live a life we are living today. We take it all for granted.

On this Women’s day, let us educate ourselves about all such men and women who have fought for the cause of gender equality. Read about how they did it, what kept them going. Not only for the pleasure of reading and gratitude but to understand and learn. There will be new battles, but the struggle will be same. History will help us in dealing with them better.

In future, whenever I feel like giving up, whenever I feel my efforts will go vain, I will remind myself that Savitribai Phule and Ramabai Ranade didn’t give up. I am reaping the fruits of their lifelong struggle. I will not take it for granted. I will celebrate my freedom and use my education to help others rise.

Above all, I will not shy away from calling myself a feminist which means nothing but a believer in gender equality. As I wouldn’t have existed and wouldn’t be able to read and write without it.

On this women’s day, let’s build each other.