February 2013: This was one proud moment for me. And I can easily say, that along with pride, (please note, the proud tilt of mommy\u2019s head!) I felt a surge of a gamut of emotions. Happiness, love, gratitude, elation, fulfillment, aspirations, dreams, fears, and the excitement of untold possibilities yet to unfold. You see, when your beautiful, strong, grown up daughter graduates from a national law school, it\u2019s understandable, and yet a little intangible, inexplicable, magical too. Other than being a huge milestone in a child and parents\u2019 life, it also comes with the realization that she now truly is on her own, all set to spread her wings and fly away and build her own life. As someone rightly said, \u201cThere are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots, the other, wings.\u201d How strongly I associated my own beliefs with this quote that day.
\nIn addition to the other gifts we gave her to celebrate her \u2018debut\u2019 as a legal eagle, the inimitable Dr Seuss \u2018 book, \u201cOh the places you\u2019ll go!\u201d played a significant part. One of my favorite parts from it, is the opening:
\n\u201cCongratulations! Today is your day. \u2028
\nYou’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! \u2028\u2028
\nYou have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. \u2028
\nYou can steer yourself \u2028any direction you choose. \u2028
\nYou’re on your own. And you know what you know. \u2028
\nAnd YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.\u201d
\nThese words resonate with me to this day. On many occasions, every time I watch life\u2019s celebrations, I\u2019m keenly reminded of these words. Occasions on which my friends \u2018send off\u2019 their own young ones out into the world. Or when another \u2018baby\u2019 of our group takes their vows to spend the rest of their life with their chosen one. And these occasions keep recurring, as that is the turning of the wheel of existence.
\nBut, getting back to February 2013. Now, all this was happening long before the saree pact had come into our lives. Sadly, sarees were largely a part only of my celebratory life then. My daughter had treated herself to a \u2018hues of the peacock\u2019 (as I love to call it) Bhagalpuri from Vastrabharana. And I donned a silk telia rumaal masterpiece from Shilpi Chennai teamed with good old dependable chunky silver jewellery. Ganga Jamuna borders et al. I was in ikkat and mommy mode heaven! (Both places are by now, favourite haunts of mother and daughter in their unquenchable thirst for beautiful classic weaves.)
\nSo, yes, today our sarees are such an intrinsic part of our lives. By remaining silent, yet making strong and beautiful statements, they remain unmistakably \u2018present\u2019 in all our significant moments building memories that are a treasure trove for the future. Face it, love it and live it: sarees and us pacters are inextricably linked. Now every time I cast my eyes on this one, my mind mutters the words I\u2019ve christened it with \u201cTanya\u2019s convocation one!\u201d That\u2019s the power of the 6 yards in a saree pacter\u2019s life.
\nSo there you go! That\u2019s my story with this Andhra stunner and the Bhagalpuri beauty.
\nAs I leave you now, if you can, do take the time out to read the rest of Dr Seuss\u2019 classic. It\u2019s such a powerful piece, that even today, each time I read it, I discover something new to inspire myself with. I now find that most of the words also apply to what we aim to achieve through our beloved pact. A coming together of like minded women, who thanks to their love for sarees, have passionately generated so much love and hope for this unstitched, hitherto unsung, garment all across the globe. Amen! Thank you Anju and Ally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
February 2013: This was one proud moment for me. And I can easily say, that along with pride, (please note, the proud tilt of mommy\u2019s head!) I felt a surge of a gamut of emotions. Happiness, love, gratitude, elation, fulfillment, aspirations, dreams, fears, and the excitement of untold possibilities yet to unfold. You see, when…<\/p>\n