I think I'm Not the Only One

 I don't know how many people will relate to what I'm about to share in my today's blog.But yes, I have seen people having that habit, so those people can completely get me while reading this piece of writing.

Why do we wear slippers?

To protect our feet from dirt, hazards, and sharp objects. We can't really walk barefoot on roads or rough ground all the time. Historically, there have been many reasons why people started wearing footwear.

One of the aspects that I am aware of is how footwear was tied to the caste system in India.

The history of footwear in India is deeply tied to the violence, humiliation, and control exerted through the caste system.

For so long, wearing slippers wasn't seen as a personal choice but as a strict symbol of authority reserved for the upper class.

I also read about how people who were at the bottom of the social hierarchy were forced to do hazardous work, including making and stitching leather slippers. Yet, the irony is that they weren't allowed to wear them.

Those who were labelled "untouchables" were made to walk barefoot through roads and streets occupied by upper-caste communities. Something which is ordinary as wearing a pair of slippers today was once a hard-earned right for many people, achieved through years of struggle,  resistance and finally through revolution.

Even when a few of them started wearing slippers, they were forced to remove them, hold them in their hands, or balance them on their heads, and walk with a bowed posture.  Lower class people deciding to wear slippers was seen as a dangerous attempt in the eyes of  upper class people as they felt like they try "act equal" to them. ( THE HINDU).

I would soon like to write in detail about all these social discrimination in my coming blogs.

Coming back to the present, wearing slippers has become a normal part of life for most of us. From simple slippers to Crocs, shoes, and many other kinds of footwear, we have countless options today.

Since my school days, I have always felt uncomfortable wearing shoes. In my classes, I would always remove my shoes and sit in my socks.

The worst part was when I was the class leader. Often, teachers would call me, and in that hurry, I had to wear my shoes and run to them. That's the reason I shifted from lace shoes to slip-on/cut  shoes, but the sad part is I didn't feel comfortable in those either.

Not only in school, even when we went out or for a walk, I would wait to free my feet from the cage called slippers. Sorry if it feels too much, as if I'm putting it in an exaggerated manner... but most of the time, that's how I felt. But yes, I shouldn't call slippers a cage, because for many people who were placed at the bottom of the social hierarchy, wearing slippers was itself a way of breaking a cage built by DISCRIMINATION. 

And it's not a surprise that this habit came with me into my adulthood as well.

Even when I'm in college, I prefer staying barefoot rather than wearing slippers. And here, the comforting part is that I no longer wear socks. Also, our college floor kind of makes me feel much closer to nature. 

It gave me a strange sense of connection.

During exams, when I go to get additional sheets, I would just walk barefoot. Even those bare footsteps make a sound which is just pleasant to hear.

And now, when I go to my internship, the best part is that before going in, I'll remove my slippers like kids do, so that the floors and their toys would be clean. 

This whole blog's idea began when I went shopping with my mother yesterday. We bought a pair of slippers for me, and when I came home and tried them on, I said:

"Ahhh... I don't want to wear slippers at all..."

That moment made me realize how comfortable I feel being barefoot.

Yes, I know that during summer and rainy days, going without slippers is impossible. But I think, at least indoors, I prefer being connected with the ground.

I hope I'm not the only ONE!