VIVA LA SAREE! <\/p>\n
Today is DAY 20 of the #100sareepact! Thank you dear Anju and Ally! I have made so many lovely new friends these past three weeks and I\u2019m having so much fun all because of you!<\/p>\n
Today I\u2019m wearing a printed georgette saree in Red, white and blue! I chose it because it reminded me of the colours of the FRENCH FLAG! . The costume jewellery, I\u2019m wearing in these pictures is a gift from my friend ROMA JOY, who features in this storyI wore this saree every year at the special event I am about to describe to you!<\/p>\n
Every year, during Junior College Week, my friend ROMA JOY, the French Teacher would host the Franco- Indian Food and Culture Festival, and I would help her! We decorated a class room with red, white and blue streamers and balloons. Students joined up several desks to create two, long Trestle Tables in the middle of the room, and covered them with pretty blue and white Table Cloths! One of them, had food commonly eaten in France, and the other one, had food from India! In front of the specially decorated Black Board, another row of Students\u2019 desks, draped in blue and white Table cloths, seated the Principal and other School Officials!<\/p>\n
Roma, a lady of great class, liked to do everything in STYLE! She would bring in pretty wicker baskets, in which she laid crisp, white napkins with piles of fresh CROISSANTS! She would have special Flower Arrangements on the tables. A tray with six, polished, long-stemmed wine glasses, had a crystal decanter that held sparkling Red Grape Juice!<\/p>\n
The Trestle Tables, creaked with an array of delicious food from both countries, brought in by the Students! It smelt truly scrumptious as their mingled aromas filled the air! Little flags , with the name of each dish, ensured that you knew exactly what you were tasting!<\/p>\n
On the FRENCH TABLE, you had a rich, creamy Black Forest Gateau, Fruit Custard, a wide variety of Chocolate, Cheese and Fresh Fruit, with Croissants, Petit fours, and Crepe Suzettes! On the INDIAN TABLE, you had the regular Biriyani, Pulao, Puris, Dahi-Vadas, Kheer and Carrot Halwa!<\/p>\n
A gastronomic delight and a feast for the eyes !<\/p>\n
Colourful charts in French, with pictures of important landmarks like the Champs elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the River Seine with its famous bridges adorned the walls! Charts with pictures of delicate, mouth- melting Brioche Confectionary from France and rich, spicy Mughlai dishes from India, created a special ambience and atmosphere!<\/p>\n
The Students who studied French wore Satin sashes in the colours of the French Flag! The girls wore little half-hats- confections of crisp, white cotton and lace, resembling French Bonnets! They formed a smart Guard of Honour to welcome the Principal and his entourage! When the Guests of Honour were seated, Roma made a Welcome Speech in French and the festivities would begin!<\/p>\n
The Students in appropriate costumes and make up ( including powdered wigs!) would present a short skit in French, which usually had Marie Antoinette in a Ball Gown, making her (in)famous speech: \u201c No bread? Then, let them eat CAKE!\u201d To end the Cultural Programme, everyone stood for LA MARSEILLAISE, the rousing French National Anthem!<\/p>\n
Roma issued a charming invitation in French ending with the words BON APETIT to which we would reply MERCI and the feasting began and recorded music by Enrique Iglesias played in the background!<\/p>\n
When it all ended, my relieved, slightly dizzy, lovable, absent- minded friend would reach out to give me a hug and say THANK YOU! Then, she\u2019d notice this saree that I wore EVERY YEAR for this event and say: \u201c Ooh! La! La! Red, white and blue on your saree too! Tres bien Barbara! VIVA LA SAREE!<\/p>\n
\u201c Merci beaucoup, Roma\u201d, I would reply. And we\u2019d both have a jolly good laugh!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
VIVA LA SAREE! Today is DAY 20 of the #100sareepact! Thank you dear Anju and Ally! I have made so many lovely new friends these past three weeks and I\u2019m having so much fun all because of you! Today I\u2019m wearing a printed georgette saree in Red, white and blue! I chose it because it…<\/p>\n