Jaunted

Even though the New Indian Express's front page was mostly given over to the bombings, it found room to cover the national problem--appropriate for women's day--of dowry deaths. Dowry has been illegal here for decades, but that doesn't meant it doesn't go on. Sometimes, when the husband's and his family's demands aren't met, or those demands increase, the new wife ends up abused or killed. If the bride's gone, then the groom is free to find another wife -- and dowry.

In need of something more upbeat, I flipped to the entertainment section. One of the ads there, for I-Bar at the trendy Park Hotel, proposed that women "behave appallingly" and "get in touch with their inner male. Watch Hot male models strut their stuff on the ramp and let the male in you out as you wink and make comments." It didn't seem likely that many Indian women would want to celebrate in this way, but who knows?

Spinn Pub, one of the cooler nightclubs in town, also had an odd-sounding promotion: "On March 8th, Dump your old clothes. And your men!" You were supposed to bring in your "old clothes by the bundle, for they'll provide a bundle of joy to the needy." Fair enough. But as far as dumping the men, I couldn't see when the women would have a chance -- the small print at the bottom said "Couples only. Free entry for women."

As far as jarring cultural contradictions go, first prize must be awarded to HBO. It filled its early morning slot today with the Morgan Freeman serial-killer vehicle Kiss the Girls. I mean, does that say International Women's Day or what?