Dear Domai I grew up in a part of the world where just 8-10 years back, a woman wearing sleeveless tops was labelled as someone lacking in character. It was not an uncommon practice for woman to be draped in 9 yard long 'sarees', leaving just the face uncovered. I entered into my adolescence in the late eightees and I was friendly with a guy with a beautiful aunt. A remarkably beautiful aunt. I was a regular visitor to my friends house from childhood. Till that fateful day, my friend's aunt was just another woman for me.

I was invited for lunch to my friend's house on some family function and for a better part I was alone with that lovely lady. The lunch was delicious, until all of a sudden, the upper portion of auntie's saree (also called pallav) suddenly decided to give in to the gravitational forces. She was wearing an itsy-bitsy blouse leaving the better part of her alabaster bosom open for admiration. I forgot all about the delicious lunch and cast numerous furtive glances at auntie's chest. Aunty made no move to cover her top portion and for 15-20 minutes I stretched my lunch, chewing and re-chewing the same single slice of Indian bread. As first encounters go, it was truly a memorable event.

After that day, my visits to my friend's house increased and aunty did not disappoint me. Somehow, I always 'managed' to catch a glimple of her ample cleavage and boy, I will never forget those fine moments. This happened almost daily for two years till my friend's family shifted to a distant part of the city.

Illustrating aunt's beauty is not the reason behind this letter. As I grew up, and as wisdom dawned that it was not I who had stolen my way to aunt's treasure, but rather it was aunty herself who had made my job easier with full knowledge of my 'unholy' interest; my prudish upbringing made me cast a negative shadow over aunt's character. I somehow felt that she was not a nice 'godly' woman as woman were supposed to be in the images projected by society in general and media in particular. In my mind and my holier-than-thou outlook, she was just an exhibitionist getting her cheap thrills.

As I crossed my teen years, I came in contact with several enlightening works of noble men and somehow I reached the underlying principle behind all great men. Great men teach to look at things and events independently, with clinical detachment from your past beliefs and viewpoints. Look at a thing from different points of view, and remove yourself from the picture for the time being. Put yourself in the other person's shoes and then judge....

How will you re-construct aunty within the framework of the above enlightening words??

I will explain my beautiful aunt with the help of a masculine example. Suppose I have been gifted a luxurious Red Ferrari, the latest model from Italy. However, I'm living in a city of impoverished, backward people, who are jealous of other people's prized possessions. I take my Ferrari out for a ride and instead of appreciating the engineering and aesthetic marvel on wheels, the stupid, primitive people throw stones on my sweetheart. Due to the fossilized beliefs of my co-inhabitants, I am forced to keep my baby in lock and key, away from prying eyes. Of what use is this Ferrari to me, if I cannot take it out of the garage and drive it on the streets?

If people would not have been so narrow-minded, my red Ferrari would have inspired them to better stations in life; to reach a higher goal. Also, what's so wrong in being desired and marveled at? Instead, all people can do is throw stones and feel morally indignant for themselves. Such people are worse than animals. Living in such an environment, life would truly be a very traumatic experience.

Like the genuine red roses that they are, most beautiful woman smile and somehow manage to enrich lives of those around them even in the face of such brutal oppression. Also, contrary to media depictions, most beautiful woman are also quite intelligent. 'Dumb blondes' exist primarily in the minds of sick, stupid, mentally challenged individuals.

Imagine the Taj Mahal or the Eiffel Tower draped in a black cloth so that other beings uglier in body and spirit do not feel challenged or their 'tender' sensivities are not hurt. What will you say to such people ? Go to h... !!

A beautiful woman is endowed with something many times more appealing than a mere Red Ferrari. Beauty is meant to be respected, to be admired, to be appreciated. If a woman due to society's backwardness is made against her will to cover herself, it's a sin and a black blot on society. A beautiful woman comfortable with her body and who wants to make her comfort public is the biggest gift of mother nature.

Aunty, please forgive me for doubting your character. If anything, it was me who was 'cheap'.

Ashish