Modern Enough for You?

 "Aunty"

That’s what someone called me recently. Not as a mark of respect. Not as a term of endearment. No, this was meant to mock me to suggest that I no longer fit the definition of "modern."

And why? Because I wear chuda, sindoor, and mangalsutra. Because I embrace my culture. Because I don’t feel the need to prove my independence by rejecting my traditions.

But hang on modernity isn’t about what you wear, it’s about how you think.

  • I am modern because I choose my traditions, not because they are forced upon me.
  •  am modern because I respect my roots without being shackled by them.
  • I am modern because I can sit at a boardroom table, make critical decisions, and still go home and light a diya.
  • I am modern because I don’t need external validation to feel confident in my identity.

And if tradition and modernity were truly opposites, how do we explain the women who changed history while proudly carrying their culture?

  •  Savitribai Phule - who fought for women’s education while wearing a saree.
  • Sarojini Naidu - who led the freedom movement draped in tradition and spoke of progress.
  • Mother Teresa - who dedicated her life to service, wrapped in the simplest white sari.

They didn’t need to shed their identity to be modern. Neither do I.

And while we’re talking identity I have five tattoos, an eyebrow piercing, and an unshakable sense of self. I wear my mangalsutra and my ink with the same pride.

Also, why stop at "aunty"? I’m already a granny to my cousin’s daughter’s son! If age and relationships define modernity, then I suppose I crossed that threshold long ago.

So, if being modern means knowing who I am, standing by my choices, and embracing both my progress and my heritage, then yes, I am modern, In my own way. And that’s enough.

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