Indian Dark Academia?

Yup! You read the title right.

Dark Academia subculture is born in European Western culture. Naturally incorporating the idea with Oriental one will be difficult. And as a South Asian, especially Indian it is quite difficult to incorporate the style especially in fashion. The dress codes are impossible to follow due to the weather, the aesthetic is difficult to maintain. So is the colour code. Just shades of brown and grey? Sounds depressing to me. India is the place where we celebrate festival of colours. How can I live with just a few dark shades?

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So I asked myself how can I follow DA subculture in India? How can I assimilate Oriental and Occidental? And here are my suggestions-

Let’s follow Dark Academia as a concept rather than just aesthetics. So I emphasis the point of Academia the most –

• The thirst for knowledge. The most important aspect of DA.
• Wearing a mix of dark and bright colours. Red and Smoky blue? sunshine yellow and black checks, black geometric patterned kurta with black salwar, kaajal on the eyes along with Gold or Gold plated jwellery? Sounds fantastic!
• Study the languages. India has 22 official languages and total more than 19500 languages including all the dialects . It’ll take whole life just to master the Indian languages for me. Sigh!
• Classical age. Vedas are among world’s oldest texts. Let’s study them. We have 18 mythological puranas and thousands of scriptures! For any DA lover these are paradise.
• Study Rabindranath Tagore’s works. This man needs to be included in the list for just the sheer volume of his notable works in nearly every fields of art.
• Visiting college street. Based in Kolkata, this place is one of the best place for book lovers. Thrifting through old books, skimming through the pillar of books (I’m not joking) is another level of experience.
• Reading books in Oxford Bookstore, Park Street. Another posh book place for book lovers.
• Making a list of Indian feminist writers.
• Visiting national museum
• Bookfairs guys?
• Watching the art films (Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal are must) and writing your feelings about them.
• Setting up a lantern on the desk and writing a letter.
• Music by Anupam Roy. I know that his music is more livelier than what we here in the DA culture music but it’s the wordplay, symbols and underlying meaning that’s what make him different than others.

There are so many things we can create right? DA is all about creativity, writing, and seeking knowledge.

What is your ideas on creating Oriental version of Dark Academia concepts? Share with me in the comments below. It can also be your own regional concept, be it any.

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