Skip to main content

Not Just A Saree


The saree is one garment that I never took to effortlessly unlike my mum for whom it is like second skin. 


Memories come gushing and I’m trying to give these myriad of emotions some structure. Always a difficult task but I will try...


Maa’s saree was like a comfort blanket that I’d hold onto while willing sleep to take over me..


Maa’s saree would efficiently absorb hot tears that would make their appearance every so often..


Maa’s saree had smells which were a heady mix of masalas, coffee and flowers. A smell that I still seek out when I’m stressed..


Maa’s saree had a magical palloo that produced sweets and other treats at her beckoning.. 


Maa’s saree had the ability to transform our mundane afternoons into an adventurous cave or a fancy tent..


Maa’s saree would always come to my rescue when playing a game of hide and seek..


Maa’s saree drying in the hot sun would become so crisp that folding it was a fun task in itself..


Maa’s saree lent itself beautifully to a boisterous game of tug of war..


Maa’s saree was my saviour as a shy child, it was my very own invisibility cloak..


Maa’s saree would be used to dry papad, fryams and other yummy food accompaniments on the building’s terrace during hot summer days..


Maa’s saree was my first fancy dress outfit, no prizes for guessing who I was dressed up as..


Maa’s saree doubled up as a soft bedsheet for her newborn children and now her grandchildren..


Today, I stand and stare at Maa’s saree which has taken a place of pride in my wardrobe. It sits there with beatific elan amongst my normal, everyday clothes. Clothes that I wear in a jiffy to help me accomplish my role as a stay at home mum. I truly believe Maa’s saree sends my clothes positive energy. My mum and me maybe 5000 miles apart but merely looking at Maa’s saree melts the distance away. 






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comfort Food

Today, as I hurriedly grabbed the pot of plain yogurt from the fridge to scoop into my boys’ plates, I was reminded of an incident during my early days in the UK. Having recently arrived in the UK, I was wistfully in the quest for something that reminded me of home, of Mumbai. I distinctly remember that cold winter’s day in the year when the financial recession combined with thick inches of snow made for a grim state of mind. A mind like mine then wasn’t bereft of existential questions. And so, I braved the biting cold to step out into the freezing afternoon, dressed as a novice would – just a jacket, thin woollen gloves and an ill fitting cap.  I walked into the local supermarket as I often do when I am feeling a little glum. The general buzz of activity along with easily accessible food aid in calming my overactive thought processes. I sauntered into the dairy aisle without really meaning to as who in their right mind would consciously enter the cold storage area without having a...
Post a Comment
Read more

It’s Ok To Not Be Ok

Whilst the motherland struggles with the worst covid surge yet, I feel like a helpless outsider, constantly on edge, always worrying about my family and friends in India. The images flooding the news are heart wrenching to say the least. I recently read a poem by Meera Kandasamy and the line “my country is a crematorium” shook me because it couldn’t be further from the truth. As adults we are conditioned to say “I’m fine “, “I’m ok” when in reality we are not. The admission of not being ok is somehow equated to being weak and this unhealthy dialogue serves to damage our mental health. Also saying you are not ok makes the person who asked uncomfortable and we have learnt over the years to always try and steer clear of awkwardness. As moms we are expected to just get on with it and we do because many a times we don’t have a choice or we assume that we don’t. A lot depends on us doesn’t it? So how do we help ourselves in such distressing times? Here are a few things (for lack of a better ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Validating Vulnerability

Being strong and brave has always been admired whereas expressing any sort of vulnerability is looked down upon. When someone is articulating their feelings of vulnerability, our first response is to say “oh you are so brave” or “you are a fighter”. We say this perhaps with the intention of making the other person feel better. However by saying this what we are doing is that we are indirectly telling this other person that their feelings of vulnerability are in fact not valid because hey remember you’re strong right ?  We need to change the conversation here and it needs to happen now. The person who is accepting their vulnerability and speaking about it is in fact very strong. It takes a special kind of strength to be vulnerable. So yes they know they are strong. They didn’t ask for your validation about it . What they did ask was for you to acknowledge their feelings of vulnerability rather than trying to put a “positive spin” on everything. Because sometimes , it’s important to ...
Post a Comment
Read more