What do I desire? A little free write

you call me the pious one, 
you see me as the temptress

you are entranced my beauty, 
you applaud my agile limbs

you gamble with my life, 
you offer me your kingdom

you snatch my endless sari, 
you lust for flesh beneath my veils

you strip me of my dignity, 
you blame me for your trespasses

I am Draupadi, 
I am Salome

What do I desire?

I became curious about the intersections of these two figures, Draupadi and Salome.  They seem parallel and opposites.  This is a beginning exploration, keeping in mind my interest in who has agency, who is the subject and who is the object etc.

Retreat Day 1: Courtesan Cliche studies

Hari Krishnan, our director gave us an assignment to each come up with 5 cliche of courtesans and then make short studies of each stereotypes.

The password for them all is "cliche"

Anj's cliches in the following order: seductress, servant of god, cheap prostitute whore, beautiful, Man’s servant

Cynthia's cliches in the following order: STD, crass, Gungat/veil, powerful, money hungry


Shyamala's cliches in the following order: exotic temple dancer, Shameful, innocent victim of society, Oriental fantasy, loose woman


Sandra's cliches in the following order: fetishized; commercially sexualized; past; attitude

Sandra's study 1:

Babli Cliche 1- draft from Sandra Chatterjee on Vimeo.

Sandra's other cliche studies:

Sandra other cliche studies from Sandra Chatterjee on Vimeo.



And Cynthia made a monologue that might insert into "Tell me, Sister" after the sand video is projected on her sari and before the wrist video is projected on her back.

password is "tell me"