Because every day should be Women's Day

While International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8, it stops short of being a marketing phenomena, with men being expected to gift women (and women gifting themselves) spa sessions and chocolates

But as author Sagarika Chakraborty points out in her book, A Calendar Too Crowded, there are certain dates throughout the year which are devoted to women’s issues — be it National Day for the Girl Child (India) on January 24, Anti-Harassment Day (Egypt) on April 18, or World Daughter’s Day (India) on July 1.

Author Sagarika Chakraborty

At the start of each chapter, Chakraborty lists the important days in that month and proceeds to shed light on the plight of women through her poignant stories and poems. In the process, she discusses everything from the neglect of widows to the discrimination meted out to working women by conservative families. My favourite is the gut-wrenching tale of a prostitute who has to keep her daughter at arm’s length to save her from ending up in her profession. It’s a must-read for the sheer laughter and tears it elicits.u00a0A Calendar Too Crowded, Sagarika Chakraborty; Niyogi Books; Rs 295. Available at leading bookstores.

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