Varisha Tariq

Varisha Tariq is an Independent Journalist and writer working with the intersectionality of culture, travel, and gender.

Articles

Explore a featured selection of my written work below.

Condé Nast Traveller India •

Eight years photographing the Bara Imambara, in 10 stunning images

The most defining silhouette on the city’s skyline, Lucknow’s Bara Imambara is a beloved city landmark. Its history roots itself in the generosity of Nawab Asaf-Ud Daula. A monument, unlike any other, was constructed not to demarcate the period or its glory, but rather to provide employment to the famine stricken population of Awadh in the 1780s. For locals, the monument is a symbol: of hope, legacy and tenacity. One photographer’s deep and enduring love for the monument led him to photograph th...
Condé Nast Traveller India •

12 places to visit in Lucknow that are not tourist traps

My home, Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh popularly known as the city of Nawabs, is a charming city that is often overlooked on the tourist circuit even though it is only three hours away from the Taj Mahal and a few hours away from Delhi. A city with a culture defined by its leisurely attitude, Mughlai cuisine, chikankari work, and literature, Lucknow is a sufi poet's dream. In the heart of Lucknow lies Hazratganj and from here, if we were to take a walk to Rumi Gate, we would be eclipsed...
Condé Nast Traveller India •

In Lucknow, literature is a love language

A city of literature, of poetry and the birthplace of seminal works like Umrao Jaan Ada, Lucknow’s history has always been steeped in words; a culture that can be traced back to the 18th century to the time of Nawab Asad-ud-Daula. Recognised as a poet at heart, he often wrote poetry under his pen name, Asif. In his court, he invited and nurtured poets such as Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, Saadat Yaar Khan, Ghulam Hamdani 'Mushafi' and so many more, and built a library of over 30 lakh books. Under his patronage, poetry and shayar thrived. Eminent writers, poets, shayars, and lyricists including Mir Anees, Safi Lakhnavi, Munawwaar Rana, Yashpal Singh, Bhagwati Charan Verma, Ismat Chughtai, Javed Akhtar and Gulzar have lived in Lucknow or received education at universities here. Centuries later, change, inevitably, has crept in, but Lucknow is still a city of languages, of words, of poetry.
Vogue India •

The death of my younger sister made me a terrible friend. I spent years trying to change

I remember my younger sister being able to pronounce only the first two syllables of my name, dancing with me to Bollywood songs and sleeping between my parents while I slept on the side bed. She was safe and three-year-old me was a good elder sister, happy to give her my place. I remember her saying her first word, smiling her toothy grin and being an assertive baby.I also remember—all too well—the hospital visits and my heart hurting. My two-year-old sister in a hospital bed throwing away all...
HARD COPY •

The Beauty Stranglehold: how deeply repulsive is a woman to the world? — HARD COPY

The cosmetic surgery industry is predicted to balloon from $59.77 billion in 2024 to $81.66 billion by 2032. In a world ruled by algorithms, almost everyone is getting something done. A popular Instagram influencer, who would frequently receive comments telling her how beautiful she looked, shared her journey of her addiction to getting plastic surgery done. Not only did she spend $30,000 on herself, but she got her first surgery when she was 16. While she kept things transparent, it's important...
Naked Politics •

Should a Private Insurance System Replace The NHS? These NHS Doctors Are Against It

Free healthcare is a right we take for granted - but is the UK's NHS safe from private hands?Varisha TariqThe UK’s National Health Service - which provides universal healthcare for free - is something Britain can be proud of but it isn’t entirely safe. Increasing privatisation of our public health service is leading to a creep in business interests, with a private insurance system being just one proposed aspect of this.NHS doctors and many other healthcare professionals, especially those who owe...
Vogue India •

Lucknow’s monuments bear witness to the hidden love stories of its many visitors

Residency, counted among the most popular of Lucknow’s monuments, famous for the Indian Rebellion of 1857, is a couples’ haven. It’s fascinating to see what once was a battleground for our country’s quest for freedom is now a place where the revolution of love takes place every day. Couples in Lucknow escape into many of Residency’s nooks to spend time with each other—a secret they believe their families are blissfully unaware of. In a world that defines privacy as closed doors and password-prot
HARD COPY •

Dismantling Oppression with Love — HARD COPY

Women have begun to claim public spaces, as something we can see in the changing relationships with their friends.  In the cultural attempt to restrain women to their houses, an overthrow has already begun. For many, the motivation behind this is that they have seen their mother struggle in her life without friendship. We see it in popular culture where shows on feminist friendships have begun to take space, or in solidarity movements, instagram and tiktok reels. However, for women belonging to...
Business Insider •

My parents had my youngest sister when I was 17. Helping care for her made me feel older than my peers.

"I feel like she is my child," I said out loud to someone my age for the first time. It was 2014, and I was about to enter my final year of high school. I was sitting in my purple room, on my purple chair, talking to a friend about my baby sister who was just seven months old at the time.

She bursts out laughing. "Your child?" She guffawed. I was slightly startled by her reaction. After all, the adults I had shared this sentiment with had always seemed to appreciate how caring and helpful I was...
foyer magazine •

Pursuing Freedom in the Land of the Dalai Lama: Dharamshala

Five years ago, I took my first solo trip to Dharamshala. The trip redefined my perspective on what life was supposed to look like. What I found there laid down the foundation of my 20s; pursuit of freedom, love, and opportunities that create social impact and facilitate friendship. Life at 21 had started seeming both incredibly big and jarringly small. On one hand, I was grappling with the real-world understanding of caste, religion, class and gender inequalities and on the other, I was failing to see what impact my insignificant self could have on this. To Dharamshala, I had ventured out simply to answer these questions.

This piece, which my lovely Editor Fiona Livingston commissioned (and I am such a fan of all the work she produces) for Foyer Magazine has written work that has been directly transferred from the travel journal of a 21-year-old as she was forced to confront her big issue; what does the world mean and what is going to be her role in it.
Missing Perspectives •

Pursuing adventure in Goa as a plus-size woman... and healing my heart

My entire body is shaking. This is so stupid, is the only thought in my head. Why am I even doing this? Why am I an adventure junkie? What was wrong in sitting on sandy beaches and staring at the sea? Behind me, the instructor is getting impatient. I am going to dive in the air and it sounded absolutely ridiculous. Looking down, for what felt like looking down from the tenth floor, my soul was slowly leaving my body. At least there is water down below, if something were to happen. I said this to...
Missing Perspectives •

Embracing Self-Love Beyond Body Positivity

When I was 16, after struggling with body dysmorphia for over half a decade, I remember thinking that I wanted to love my body, instead of constantly hating it and wishing for it to change. That was when the body positivity movement on social media really picked up. One piece of advice I saw repeated everywhere was asking you to look at yourself naked in a full-length mirror, an act that can encourage self-love.

So every time I would come back from a shower, I would just look at myself. My moth
Refinery29 •

Everything I Wore For My First Diwali In The UK

Since childhood, I’ve been obsessed with looking at calendars, particularly because there are so many holidays in India. I remember one year we had more holidays than school days because of the number of festivals we celebrated. Indians honour a multitude of holidays, irrespective of the religion each one belongs to, but if there’s one that we celebrate with everything we’ve got, it’s Diwali

For me, Diwali (also known as the festival of lights) was the time when all my friends were home for the
Stylist •

“As a Muslim Indian woman, Ms Marvel makes me feel seen at last”

A Muslim South Asian girl as a superhero? In some multiverse, there’s a teenage me squealing with joy at Disney+’s newest Marvel show, Ms Marvel. As an Indian Muslim woman who has grown up watching Marvel movies, I’ve waited a long time for this representation, and in the character of Kamala Khan, it has been worthwhile.

As an Indian Muslim, my first reaction to watching the show was of scepticism; would a Western audience tolerate this much south Asian-ness? Yet at no point has it felt that th
Vogue India •

Are dating apps in India designed to make us swipe right on privilege?

Bumble, Tinder, OkCupid, Happn, Hinge, TrulyMadly, Woo and Badoo are just a few of the many dating apps in India that have become all the rage in recent times. We all know the gist: Modern life leaves hardly any time for organic connections to grow, and apps are convenient to fight off the ephemeral feeling of loneliness. You have the information required to assess an individual and see whether you can connect with them at your fingertips. If you have been on the apps, you know it’s a split-seco
Vogue India •

Bollywood item songs are being reclaimed by women to strip them of their sexism

At an all-girls college, sixty small groups of teenagers are scattered across the hallway. The teachers have all left, likely in search of some semblance of peace for a few hours, as the girls continue to sway to the beats vibrating throughout the auditorium. Presently, the music system is commandeered by a student body representative, and without warning, the thumping strains of Sheila Ki Jawaani are blasting through the hall. Everyone from the age of 15 to 18 is fervently singing along to this
Missing Perspective •

Meritocracy isn’t working for Muslim women in India - Missing Perspectives

Women with Hindu-sounding names received twice as much attention from hiring recruiters than women with Muslim-sounding names, studies show.


In June 2022, a social organization called Led By that offers professional mentoring for Muslim women, conducted a study where researchers sent out resumes with the names “Priyanka Sharma” and “Habiba Ali”. Over a period of eight months, every call back Habiba, the Muslim woman, got, Priyanka, the Hindu woman, got two.


The hiring bias, comparing majo
Missing Perspectives •

Outrage at jail sentence for UK woman who had late-term abortion - Missing Perspectives

In Britain, abortions are only legal up to 23 weeks and 6 days. The woman terminated her pregnancy later than the 24-week legal allowance by using pills that she ordered via a telehealth-style postal service that offered patients at-home medical .

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said that the mother kept her actual pregnancy term hidden and claimed it to be under ten weeks. A court heard that the woman was unsure of how far along she was when she took the pills. She was imprisoned for 28
TheQuint •

'No One To Help Us': Why Indian Students Are Struggling To Find Jobs in UK

"When I moved to the UK to study, I was not expecting the political situation to be so anti-working class. It makes me feel that I am not wanted here for anything apart from my money – neither for my work nor as a student," Kriti Singhal (name changed to protect identity), who is working part-time while completing her Master's at the London School of Economics, told The Quint. Every year, the UK has the highest number of Indians (whether students or job-seekers) migrating to the country – more s
Metro •

I've spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I’ve spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I’ve spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I stood still on the central London pavement as I tried to work out the cheapest way to get home.

‘I live in Islington, so I could walk to either Warren Street or Tottenham Court Road station and get the Tube,’ I thought to myself. ‘But that is almost twice as much as what the bus would cost.’

It would be a 27-minute walk, but I had already walked 6,00
People place project •

People called Lucknow (short story)

Popular definitions of Lucknow refer to its famed etiquette, refined culture and gastronomy. After all, for a long time, Lucknow has been one of those few cities in our country that have been a safe haven for great architecture, literature, music and food; where various forms of art and craft have blossomed. However, the newer times have opened up this Awadhi melting pot to fresh aspirations and negotiations. People called Lucknow characterises this rich multifaceted mosaic of the city, with 45 stories. And one of them is about a Prince residing in his castle in Lucknow and his deep connection with the language of the city and the world.
Desi Books •

#DesiBooksReview 2: Fateema’s House of Her Own

“We don’t want to sell this house to a Mohammadan.” My father was too shocked to respond and a sob escaped my mother. She kept repeating how this was not the India where she’d grown up. I sat there disappointed, but not surprised. My parents had found their dream house after five years of searching but, more than the loss of a house, this served as a painful reminder of a Muslim’s place in today’s India. It broke our hearts to be reminded that there is a huge population in our country that would
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