8/100 #100sareepact
Today’s post is my tribute to the saree.
My parents have never enforced rituals n religion on us. In fact we were taught to be tolerant about all cultures, customs etc. from a young age.
But to them, service was very very important.
Today Amma was honoured for that. Her service as a volunteer in the govt children’s hospital, in schools, cleaning temples, cooking large quantities of food to feed the underprivileged n much much more. She refused any attention for several years, but people forced her to acknowledge it this time because they wanted the younger generations to be encouraged. She agreed. And my dad, sister n I came to show our support.
I was enamoured at the way my parents did this, quietly for all these years. I was 16 when I wanted to join her. The only rule tho…was to wear a saree and do the service. And to cover my shoulder with the pallu while doing so. At 16, I was clumsy & awkward wth the saree. How could I work wth it? Sigh. But watching women of all ages do it…I tried. And I managed. Somehow.
Today I asked a fellow volunteer (who’s is her early 80’s btw), why was the saree still a uniform here? (We’re good buddies…and she knew about the 100sareepact.) So you know what she replied?
Maybe we’re all secretly part of the 365sareepact! she had everyone in splits!
So…this is my tribute to all these women in sarees, who work with a smile on their face n a pallu on their shoulders-despite the hot hot hot summers of chennai!
Btw–the lil pug pup is a friend’s. And he was having quite the argument with my saree! In the end we know who won!