Imaan Sheikh Profile picture
Apr 13, 2021 8 tweets 3 min read Read on X
Most English nursery rhymes have horrifying backstories, so I've been wondering what the origins of our favorite Urdu nursery rhymes are. Because honestly? Some of them MAKE NO CENTS, LUV. The story progression? Wild.
This one is normally used for a game but:

Chai ki pyali posham posham
Bangle ka taala toot gaya
Sau rupay ki ghari churaayi
Ab toh daaku pakra gaya

(what happened to the teacup though)
My fave political banger: 1/6

Chham chham chham
Aath aane ki chhaaliya aath aane ka paan
Chal mere ghoray Hindustan

(sudden but good start)
2/6

Hindustan ki pehli gali
Usme rehte Shaukat Ali
Shaukat Ali ko goli lagi
Sari dunya rone lagi

(Goli? Was this originally Liaquat Ali who was shot dead? A case of the telephone game perhaps?)
3/6

Rote rote bhook lagi
Kha lo beta moongphali
Moongphali mein dana nahi
Hum tumhare nana nai
4/6

Nana gaye Dilli
Dilli se laaye billi
Billi ne diye do bache
Allah Mian sache
5/6

Sache sache jayenge
Bhai ki dulhan laayenge
Bhai ki dulhan kaali
Sau nakhre waali

(come on colorism, let's get sickeniiiiiiiiiiiing)
6/6

Ek nakhra toot gaya
Bhai ka moo soojh gaya

THIS STORYLINE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY ON TRACK WITH

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More from @sheikhimaan

Apr 1, 2021
FRIENDS.
Friends.

I have a BIG bisexual/sapphic/WLW theory about the "Kaliyon Ka Chaman" remix. It has made one too many women feel umm... new feelings growing up.

Since this is a theory, yes, I WILL be reaching unabashed. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
We all remember the dancing and stuff, but do you remember how the song begins and ends?

We see our leading lady, Meghna Naidu, reveal her face from under bed covers. She's sleeping next to a man — we only see his feet.

Meghna sneaks out through the window of the apartment.
She walks in the shadows and into a glowing room full of beautiful dancing women. She joins them in dance.
Read 11 tweets
Jan 31, 2021
Wanted to come in here and dissect a trope in our homes — the "safai-pasand mard" (man who likes everything neat and clean).

Thread:
How many times have you heard a woman say (or said yourself) that their husband, father/FIL, or son is very "safai-pasand"?

"In se toh zara bhi gandagi bardasht nahi hoti. Bohat safai-pasand hain. Ganda glass, maile kapre, phaila kamra dekh ke ghussa hojate hain."
Sometimes, you'll even hear women say this about the men in the household as if it's something to be proud of. But nearly always, being a safai-pasand mard comes from feeling entitled to the labor of women in the home who must clean, dust, wash, and sweep.
Read 7 tweets
Feb 12, 2020
Menstruation as "Starboy" lyrics: A Thread

I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah
Breakouts worse than a teen dude, ah
Big red clot just to hurt you, ah
Big red spot when you sneeze too, ah
None of these pads are leakproof, ah
Ruined your month in a week too, yah
Tampons not even cheap too, ah
Diva Cup lodges too deep too, ah
Womb so empty, need a centerpiece
Which is why prepped it, but this fuckin week
Your uterine lining's falling out in pieces
'Cause there is no fetus here, you want no baby.
Read 5 tweets
Jan 6, 2020
Don’t be mistaken. The Venn diagram of asshats who justify state-sponsored violence when a protest gets heated and the asshats who mock peaceful protestors calling them shit like “mombatti mafia” for quiet candlelight protests is a circle.
A big “us vs them” factor they use to incite hatred towards protestors is targeting them for speaking English, being gay, being women, being feminists, while possessing wealth &/or privilege themselves.
They’ll even call them “elites” and “rich brats” when most protestors are NOT
They use these points bc whether they’re true or not, they’re seen as “anti national” values. English? Doesn’t respect mother tongue. Gay/feminist/sexually lib? Anti family values. Educated? Daddy’s money.
EXCEPT the ppl who incite the hate often have far more power & privilege.
Read 5 tweets
Sep 13, 2019
Just got followed around uncomfortably closely in a @CanadianTire store, and escorted to taken to customer service to hand in my bag, even though I’ve been to this exact location before many times with a backpack, but I was not alone. I was with white or white-passing people.
This isn’t a super busy store location. I saw at least three people with satchels and bags who weren’t taken to customer services (through the exit gate) like they had stolen something.
After completing my shopping, I passed the customer service desk folks & moved to cash. Paid for my items. Was told by the cashier I can just go and get my bag from customer service with the tag I was given. She remembered me obv bc she got my bag before I handed the tag
Read 11 tweets
Jun 10, 2018
In honor of #PrideMonth, here's "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" through a rainbow lens:
Anjali Sharma was a popular, grade-A student at St. Xavier's college.
She liked playing basketball, dancing, and girls.

Yeah Anjali was gay.
She was also in the closet. She couldn't come out. She feared her family would be devastated and her friends would distance themselves from her.

She was, after all, in a country that criminalized people like her.
Read 25 tweets

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