45/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories

Saree: kanjivaram Choli: pale white and gold brocade blouse

Story: How many of you are lucky to have grown up in claasic 80-90s middle class families? Raise your hands! I go first !!!

I can't be thankful enough for that golden era which bridged the gaps of blooming dreams,  aspirations and also seeing them come true. After India's independence,  perhaps it's the next revolutionary period ever!

This Saree is from more than fifteen years ago purchased so I could wear it for my college farewell party. Amma had been saving money from tuition classes so we could purchase it on installments from the Saree vendor that would come home. It costed 3500/-.  It was big deal. I wasn't sure if I really wanted such expensive Saree but had loved it. Amma said she will somehow manage from her monthly expenses and we decided to get it. After my farewell day perhaps today is when I wore it again. Precious.

The middle class life was classy yet complicated.  You had enough but not more enough. You knew you could stretch limits but always aware of the upper limit. You would go shopping, once in a while eat outside but never extravagant. Amma would give me and sis ten rupees each month (new note from bank). Sometimes we would spend that to eat at local iyengaran bakery.. veg puff (rs. 2.00/-) and sunday special (rd. 2.50/-) cutlet. Other times I would save it for a trip to pondy Bazaar. (1.90 bus ticket each way) and leaves will around 5.00/- for perhaps sugarcane juice around the corner.. at times two or three months money would be saved so we could shop on the street for earrings or hair clips.. (wow.. lots of shopping)

Somewhere amidst all that we learnt to be content in small things although God might have been gracious to bless us with abundance. We learnt to share, even when we had less. We learnt to smile even with pile of challenges hugged us. We grew like the tiny seed that crack a tough ground and found it's life and made it's way into the world.

And of course thanks to all those moms that saved money in masala dabbas, underneath old newspaper shlves on kitchen racks only to fulfill our wishes.

Love you all moms.. Amma ho ya ma.. mother ho ya mother-in-law.. every mom had been there and done that.

All these thoughts draped me while I was draping this Saree. And in that journey I forgot that I had very tough tiring day at work, did not eat all day and did not use restroom for almost ten hours!! Well...the drape made me smile. Like i always say, every Saree has a story.