Now, this one has a couple of stories attached to it.
First, it is extra special as it was a sari my mom fell for and picked up many moons ago on one of our Southern sojourns ( we were an indefatigable bitten-by-the-travelling-bug Bengali family!). It had lain, since her demise, unused though far from forgotten, in my closet, as for all these years, I could not bring myself to don a piece of my mom’s life. Didn’t seem to be able to muster up the courage.
But this morning, a call from my friend and fellow pacter, Anju Kadam, changed all that. We were going to be interviewed by Headlines Today, she informed me…”Sorry for the late notice, but can you pease make it?!”
I could hardly refuse, this was much too exciting, as sarees hold a very special place in my heart.
So, my mind was in a whirl for a bit: simple or flamboyant, silk or cotton, woven or printed, light or heavy, threadwork or zari? No answers popped out from anywhere, so I decided to throw open the doors of my saree closet and then make my decision. The moment that happened, this gorgeous old Ganga Jamuna telia seemed to silently peek out at me from among all the other tantalisers…almost beckoning to me to pull it out! It was as if Ma was talikng to me and saying that since it was my first day out on national TV for the saree pact, why not go with her humble but stunning telia? One she had worn on several occasions, memories of which I still cherish.
So there you go! My second saree on the pact, one that inextricably and happily ties my past to my present… Many compliments were received and it was much appreciated. As I wrapped this stunning six yarder around me, life seemed to have come full circle. I was no longer afraid of keeping memories of Ma close to me. Instead today, I revelled in it.