Avatars of today

Embrace the world of avatars to escape reality and explore endless possibilities in a digital realm.

Who cares for disproportionately pouted selfies now when we can don countless avatar guises in seconds? For almost a month, I resisted social media tactics from entrapping me in avatar-making sites, as they sprang up unabashedly while swiping the mobile screen. Once alive, they refuse to die. So, I finally succumbed to wishfulness and curiosity and opened the doors to embrace my new avatar.

Gaping at my cousin and friends’ artificial intelligence-delivered images as brides, “desi blond” figures, sportswomen, Barbie dolls, and jacket-borne bikers, looking down at me from social media platforms, was allure enough for a straight-faced pony-tailed teacher, hungry for adventure. Moreover, I told myself it was time to play hide and seek with myself. Perhaps the avatars will unravel my charisma and present it to the world. “Can they rescue me from the bin ‘forgettable’ and churn out something remarkable?”

Reality has a penchant for taking a toll on human lives, making them forget the “who, what, where, why, and how” of existence. But those avatar people are doing a fantastic job, saving us from the condemnation of life-long philosophising on what to make of ourselves and our lives. Having curated some readymade choices by sneaking up on our social media handles, they offer us a “new you!” Let the avatars be the change we want to see.

I was flabbergasted at my friend’s stunning avatar and makeover in a red bridal sari, flawless skin, and finely sculpted features that put the greatest painters, artists, and sculptors down history to shame. I saw her resurrection as one who smiled with brilliant, hypnotising eyes and velvety skin. Tresses flowed. Nothing flawed. What finally broke the waters was the stunning avatar of my sister, winking from a distance, mischievously hooting. I remembered how she would tell on me as a child to bring me some good spanking from mom. It seems the avatar furthered her powers.

I began scrolling, looking for a perfect avatar to represent this bundle of chaos — teacher, wife, mother, dreamer, rebel, wanderer, all in one. I scrolled for the choicest and trendiest avatar. First appeared the bridal avatars, in jaw-dropping Kanjeevarams and jasmine-adorned braids. The minutest of sensual details and ensemble were taken care of. This must pose a significant challenge to real-world brides, with make-up and photographers worth a fortune.

I wondered and regretted cutting a hole in my husband’s wallet and buying glamorous saris and lehengas for weddings. These avatars give everything for free. But then, I need not have gone to flashy wedding destinations, as the AI apps and games also take care of them. A famous socialite and her cook accidentally donned the same avatar and posted “accidentally” on media on the same day. Or was it an accident? A toast to the historic social revolution of the century!

Within minutes, I was done with my bridal avatar, in which my eyes looked puffy and strained and gave in a drooping jawline. I told myself to stop worrying about the snakes and ladders of life. But even then, I was disappointed in the AI-birthed avatars, for they, as everyone else, failed to look beyond the temporal puffiness of eyes and unravel the real me.