TARSHI set up a booth at the Sounds of Freedom concert held at Amity University, Noida. At the booth, we set up there was a corner for ‘Love Letters to the Body’, inspired by the ‘Love Letters to the Body Project’ by Yamini Deenadayalan and Bhamati Sivapalan. At the corner, we set up a few sample love letters from before and made space for people to visit and read other people’s letters and also write letters to their own body, if they were willing. We got an overwhelming response from people who both read and wrote letters. They shared that they had never before taken part in an activity such as this and been urged to think and express about their bodies in a positive manner. And that, doing so was a wonderful feeling.

Here are a few typed-up letters.

Dear body. You are unique. You might not be perfect, but who decides what is perfect anyway? It doesn’t matter if you are tall or short, dark or fair, skinny or curvy, you are beautiful in your own special way. Never forget that! It is okay to feel insecure, but don’t believe that someone else’s eyes, nose, ears, legs, breasts or any other part of their body is prettier than yours. What is most important in the end is that you love yourself.

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Dear body. You are mine and the only thing that is and will forever be mine. So, I wish to accept all of you forever and ever.

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Hey body, yes my very own body. It’s me who is inside you writing this piece of message. I always wanted to thank you for being there with me and also for the upcoming days where you are going to be with me. You may appear different for different people on their different point of views, but you are always my visible soul. You are one who helps me to express my feeling through you, thank you so, so, so much for that. I’m sorry if I have hurt you anyways, but I always wish you to be with me and I also wish you to be the way however you wish to be. Don’t listen to others. Just be how you want to be. You are seriously awesome. My chubby, chubby, I love you lots and take care.

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