Saree-Wearing Women Can Be Athletic Too: Gymnast From Viral Video

The gymnast has been training for 14 years and hails from Ambala in Haryana.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia

Watched the viral video of a woman performing a front flip in a blue saree? Now meet Parul Arora – a national-level gymnast – whose video has garnered more than half-a-million views on social media.

“We wanted to do something new and creative. My friend Michael Hoshyar Singh told me that I should flip in a saree. First, I thought how can anyone flip in a saree. For women, it is often a challenge to walk in a saree. But I accepted the challenge and tried it. The first one or two times I did the flip, I slipped and fell,” Arora told The Quint.

How the Costumes Gave Her Confidence a Boost

The gymnast has been training for 14 years and hails from Haryana’s Ambala. She says that successfully performing the flip in a saree made her try it out in different costumes – be it a dress, gown or a mundu.

“I’ve been trying flips in different costumes. And after that, my confidence only increased. And when I saw my videos, the flips would look more beautiful in different costumes.”

Parul Arora to <b>The Quint</b>

Making a Feminist Statement by Defying Stereotypes

Narrating the reason behind her videos, Arora says that society judges women based on their clothes and often thinks that women wearing a saree are not athletic or powerful.

“People judge women based on their clothes. If someone is wearing a saree, it is assumed that they are delicate. But it is not like that. If a girl is wearing a saree, she can be athletic as well. She can be powerful and she can do anything at any stage. So, this by itself, is a feminist statement.”

Parul Arora to <b>The Quint</b>

On Online Trolling & Her Message to Women

As her video became popular, Arora was at the receiving end of the usual trolling against women. When asked how she deals with such comments, the gymnast said that she chooses to ignore them.

“I want to tell those girls, whether they want to become a gymnast or not, whatever you are doing be dedicated and work hard. Everyone faces challenges, take them in your stride and move forward,” she said.