Short Story: Good Women and Red Lipstick by Arundhuti Das Gupta

In this short story, Arundhuti Das Gupta shares an eye-opening story about women and the burden of womanhood.

Sayani didi was my role model while I was growing up.

Clad in kurtas of the brightest colours (with flared jeans, not salwar) and always surrounded by the comforting scent of talcum powder mixed with Lacto Calamine, Sayani didi was the best companion an eight-year-old could ask for. Everything about Sayani didi captivated me: her gracefulness, how she lit up any room she walked into, how hard she worked as a medical student (the first in the family!) who had just started an internship at a reputed hospital and most of all, her kindness. Sayani didi never had a cruel word to say about anyone and was always the first to offer help when needed, whether it be by assisting Ma and Masi with the cooking helping Dadu up and down the stairs or braiding my hair before school because she was the only one who could do it just right. It goes without saying, Sayani didi was everyone’s favourite in the household, the ideal child, the light and joy of the family.