Annie has her own take on the chadar. From a reminiscence on a trip to her maternal ancestral house, to concepts of swimwear, evening wear and societies that restrict access to people who don't follow the norms of the place - she reaches the British classroom where a female Muslim teacher refuses to take of her veil in language class.

"...I find myself recoiling from both ends of the extreme - the injunction to wear the veil, and the insistence on banning it..."

"... After all, a teacher's job is to teach and teach well. Besides, the burqa serves no purpose in the classroom (if it serves any purpose at all). If your religious beliefs prevent you from working properly, well... too bad. Make a choice...."

Yes to that. I still cannot come to terms with France's aggressive secularism as well as the veil. Just becuse, you know, something that identifies someone as a person so 'apart' makes me uncomfortable. Yes, the ghoongat makes me feel strange and trapped in some period drama too, and I want to run.

Read more at Known Turf by Annie Zaidi