This was my last post of 2014 on my Facebook timeline…<\/p>\n
“Many of us are busy trying to make up our minds about the new year resolutions for the year ahead…<\/p>\n
And for me, the most unique resolution that bowled me over in 2014 was Ambika’s… though half the year had gone past by the time I learnt about it…<\/p>\n
She decided that in 2014, she would wear sari on 100 occasions… I think she called it “The Hundred Sari Project”… Now, for a young college going Delhi girl, thats quite unusual..<\/p>\n
College, evenings, parties, openings, birthdays, festivals – saw her in the seamless drape, much to the wonder of many of her peers…<\/p>\n
And this Christmas, she sent me her selfie in a sari… Her 60th outing in the six yards…. Quite commendable….<\/p>\n
She is my inspiration for 2015….<\/p>\n
Am taking it forward – Ambika Singh….<\/p>\n
My Hundred Sari Project – 2015…..<\/p>\n
All credits to you…”<\/p>\n
So, I was pleasantly surprised when a dear friend drew my attention towards a #100sareepact post sometime in March… And then began the numerous tags, by various friends who are well aware of my love for sari…<\/p>\n
Being a sari designer, I have often used facebook over the last few years, to lament on the fact that many women found it too cumbersome, inconvenient and too much of a bother to tie one. I would often be asked why I couldn’t translate the same designs on to kurtas and dupattas… They would talk about the number of saris lying unused, never worn, in their closets – from their trousseaus, heirlooms, gifts and impulse buys.. Some are apprehensive about not being able to handle the drape, suffer from a constant fear of it falling apart, some have absolutely no time or patience to learn the drape, some feel they look too fat in it, some have eternal blouse issues… the excuses were\/are never ending… I remember once, we even took a poll on the last time each one of us sported a sari… the results were interesting – ranged from today, yesterday, last week, last month, 3 months, last diwali, a wedding… to as much as 1 year, 2 years…. and more than 5 years… There was only Laila Tyabji who mentioned – “today and everyday”….<\/p>\n
In such a scenario, #100sareepact is such a welcome initiative… The fact that its gone viral is absolutely delightful..Every other day, at my store, I hear women talk excitedly about this new pact that’s caught everyone’s fancy.. Suddenly, wearing a sari does not seem like an impossible task anymore. There’s much curiosity and intrigue that makes the once-shy sari wearer reach out to it more, to master the drape, and enjoy the feeling of being a woman…<\/p>\n
With so much focus on our national drape, its happy happy times for the six yards.. There’s hope… We just can’t have our sari go the kimono way.<\/p>\n
And I’m overjoyed.<\/p>\n
Coming back to Ambika who set me thinking about the target figure of 100, we keep exchanging notes and keep track of our sari outings…Sometimes she’s ahead of me and sometimes I’m ahead of her, and I feel a childlike glee when I’m ahead even by one… So when we realised that our 25th was coinciding, we called for a celebration together… I don’t think there are many 23 year olds who’ve signed up for this pact, though… Ambika, you are a trend-setter and a sari warrior… and as you said you can tie a sari in 3 minutes flat, please tell your friends too, that its actually not rocket science….<\/p>\n
Would also like to share what Anita Menon wrote on “For The Love of Sari” page –<\/p>\n
“To all the Young Ladies-make the Sari a natural choice and on par with your other youthful apparels.
\nWe Indian women look our best in a Sari.
\nAnd please, may all women(of all ages) unite to eradicate and abolish that”behenji\/auntyji,”tag, given by women to women( sadly so) for wearing our national and elegant costume everyday or just casually.
\nIts about time, the Sari, is freed from the shackles of festivities and the wedding ethos.”<\/p>\n
Looking forward to more such evenings, sari celebrations and sari warriors…<\/p>\n
Three cheers to the six yards…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This was my last post of 2014 on my Facebook timeline… “Many of us are busy trying to make up our minds about the new year resolutions for the year ahead… And for me, the most unique resolution that bowled me over in 2014 was Ambika’s… though half the year had gone past by the…<\/p>\n