To grow up as fast as possible had always been a fantasy for the UKG girl!
While playing in the balcony of a
sun-kissed Sunday morning, she used to make sure all her students ( read Dolls!
) complete their home-tasks on time and be ready for Monday classes. After all,
it was her responsibility to pay meticulous attention to each student of the
class with no exception. With plastic-framed toy glasses on, she could happily
step into her cherished role of a teacher , still something was amiss!
Playing a role of a teacher ( exactly
copying her mom who happened to be a teacher by profession ) was incomplete
without wearing a saree , the little heart could feel the void intensely. The
dream of becoming a big girl or a lady one day, was absolutely fantasized by
the thought of wearing a saree everyday with a matching blouse! Her heart leaps
up with joy. How lucky Maa , Mashi ( maternal aunt ) & Dida
( maternal grand-mom) have been ! They have so many sarees, each with a
matching blouse and that too with a wider range of petticoats that go in unison
with sarees. Little girl took an attempt for a futile alternative of wearing a
maxi and at times a towel underneath but it did not impart the value-add
intended for draping a saree. With a heavy-heart she went to sleep , becoming a
big girl remained a long-cherished dream indeed.
If growing up means to be at least in Class-X, the journey from Class-I to Class-X would take minimum 10 years This seemed to be too long to wait for wearing a saree. Then what could the little girl do , so to justify, that she has become big enough wearing a saree everyday ? The instantaneous joy and the beam of pride engulfed the little one from within , she could figure out something, so easy to be accomplished!
What about an idea of getting married at an
early age? may be by the age of 6 or 7 - doable enough! Sarada Devi ( wife of Saint Ramakrishna
) got married at the age of five only and the little girl read their stories in
her story books already. Being married , if Sarada Devi could adorn Sarees at such an early age, what else
could stop this little girl from doing the same if she could follow her
footsteps?
Yes! such an irresistible craze, this Six yards of elegance, had been showering on the little heart. She could leave her
studies at the very moment and other daily chores to get married just for
making her dreams into reality - 'Wearing a saree everyday, of course with a
matching blouse, neatly pleated , just like her mom' !!
While playing in the balcony 😀 !!
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After so many years , when I look back, I still cherish this childhood memory , being that crazy for wearing a saree and I must admit, it is still there as-is, with me, might be a little more, not less, even today !
From such an early age, I was so much
fascinated about draping myself in my mom's saree - just to step into her
shoes.
Over the years, with the touch of grey (
grey hairs! ) I have realized , stepping into mom's shoe is not just pampering
myself with the wavering Pallu but to extending support and
responsibilities towards family , near & dear ones and work-front,
inclusive all from a larger perspective.
Anyways!, childhood fantasies are
everlasting, child in me tends to immerse in the grandeur of this appealing ,
feminine , unstitched , exotic yards!
'Baro mashey tero parbon' - Thirteen festivals in Twelve months did give me ample opportunities to adorn myself in Sarees , of my mom, specifically during Durga Pujo and Saraswati Pujo. Though not a thumb rule, from Bengali tradition perspective, draping oneself into Yellow/Green combination of Bengal Cotton Saree during Saraswati Pujo , a signature Bengali festival at the onset of 'Bashanto' ( Spring in Bengali ), does allure us with a mysterious , secretly-nurtured, diversion of that young age!! You never know when would cupid strike us making life blissful forever 😊 . And no need to despair in depression , as they rightly say, there's always a second chance . If it does not happen this year, something might be awaiting in the coming years , same time!. So be ready for that magical moment , and Saree has to add to that extra zeal! No Saree, no Chemistry for this mutual attraction ,much required for a romantic lead !😊 .
Traditional Bengali Taant and Kantha Sarees do need a special mention, being an intrinsic part of Bong wardrobe.
Both types of sarees have been my all-time favorite since childhood, specially Bengali
Taant Sarees as it has been one of coveted possessions in my mom's
Almirah . Whenever one used to make an entry into mom's wardrobe, I used to
wait with an eagle's eye to grab the right opportunity to flaunt it even before
my mom could drape herself in it. But one thing I could never imbibe from my
mom - the ease and the elegance with which she can manage absolutely a new Bengali
Taant Saree and adorn it with perfect Pleats and Pallu in
minutes. No wrinkles or crinkles in the saree, that results in clean and neat
finish outfit altogether.
Bengali 'Pujo' ceremonies can never go without Red-bordered Tussar silk Sarees, beautifully adorned in a traditional Bong draping style which many of us might have seen in the movie 'Devdas'. I am no exception overcoming this deluge of elegance, but my attraction towards 'Dhakai Jamdani Sarees' and 'Khadi Silk Sarees' is inevitable as they happen to be my mom's precious possessions too !
It is not about wearing a Saree but how one can carry herself into the elan and grace of the whole Yards , which , in turn, spell out a different personality so beautifully - Yes a complete transformation , any woman would happily plunge into. I clearly remember I used to be the most diligent and attentive student ( Definitely not in my other activities, though! ) while watching my mom - step-by-step how she used to drape herself into a saree, standing in front of mirror and lastly accessorized it with a small Bindi . I blindly follow the same practice today, some knowingly and the rest unknowingly 😊 !
Maintenance of Sarees happens to be another
aspect as Cotton Sarees tend to fade out and lose the glaze sooner because of
detergent-based washing. Till today , I follow exactly the same process I used
to see my mom practicing during my growing years , be it dry cleaning , hanging
the sarees in organized manner inside cupboard or even getting them soaked in
the sun during 'Bhadro Maash' ( Just before autumn ).
In the morning of my Pre-Wedding celebration , this is how I draped in Bengal 'Taant' Saree 💕💕
And in drapes of 'Dhakai Jamdani ' from Bangladesh , in the morning of my Wedding Day 💖💖💖💖
Time flies! and it is evident now, I might had developed an inherent immunity towards the strike from a potential cupid during festivities around Saraswati Pujo, but that had never deterred me from wearing a saree, be it any Pujo or Parbon ( festival! ). The golden touch of heritage and the ethnicity a woman carries herself in a saree is unique. For me , it has , always, been a happy-go-lucky attempt , to be just like my mom, for getting a glimpse of her persona, scrolling down the memory lane, the same imaginary set-up of a class room , black board , chalk & the duster, my students ( the grills of the balcony and my dolls I used to play with 😊 ), and last but not the least , me standing being clad in a Saree!
Draped in Kantha Saree, one of the signature sarees of Bengal , very unique and intricate weaving style imbibing rich heritage of Bengal
At the cross-roads of life, without having
sufficient data points to substantiate that long-cherished , drop-dead moments
of diversion of the young age, I feel something is missing that I could have
grabbed attention of my readers with. Only one thing has come into reality as
per my plan I chalked out long back - to have collection of sarees from each
state of India in coming days. But that is never fulfilling unless I snatch one
from my mom's well-maintained collection!
The elegance of Tussar Benarasi has been captivating forever 😊😊
Mundane routine of corporate life might not give me ample opportunities wearing a saree of my choice on regular basis ( it is not impossible though! and just needs a small prior planning ). Not that , for the sake of wearing a saree everyday, did I get married at an early age ( the way I used to think in my childhood, Huh! ). but given an opportunity, I always tend to cling to my childhood aspirations of immersing myself into 'Six yards of Elegance' connecting my childhood emotions with a flowy gracefulness of culture , belief and heritage I need to pass on to my next generation.
