#debsaristories #nomakeup #therealme #madrastalkies #summer #marinabeach The real me - no makeup whatsoever, simple garden vareli saree hand painted by ma 30 years ago, velvet blouse 20 years old from platforms of pondibazaar madras (yup it's always madras for me). This is all I dreamt of growing up. Ek acha sa family, the saree draped me, loving people at home (again not nuclear but joint family) happiness, garden, kitchen and kids (I dreamt of baby girl but now nothing can take bettu's place from my heart 🥰)

#debsaristories #shiva #power #shakti #slipofthetongue "I dont believe in looking pretty, I believe in looking real" I blurted impromptu yesterday in a work meeting. Radio Silence in the entire room. And the men folks (who are actually the nice kind to work with) go.. "ouch, that was a killer and super powerful Shalini ". The funny thing is I wasn't giving motivation speech or even talking about gender stuff. We were discussing our program status.

Some people have the mindset to believe that changing dates (pushing the problem to later) or changing the status color (sugarcoating) makes the problem vanish. Nope it doesn't. Others (I, me, myself) fall in this category like to see things ahead, worry ahead and try to solve ahead. And now read the above sentence again. That's what I meant, although the men couldn't stop giggling and i did say, "ok guys i take credit for this power punch of the day, move on"! Apt timing! As a kid I wondered how Mrs. Durga the beautiful, powerful, strong, badass woman ever liked a not so hep, unclean, almost unshaven, "ashes" for body odor instead of "Magnetic Axe" and especially when his job is to be the keeper of a graveyard. Look at his peers, they were well dressed, match gold ornaments with their wives, lived in heaven etc. Crude immaturity of course. It took me a decade or more of married life and bouts of "growing up" to see the "shakti" in their relationship. This Mr. Shiva is what many women seek in their partner. He is cool, doesn't care much for external looks, does his job really well and with sincerity, let his empowered spouse be in all ways possible. Let her be the forerunner for wars and victories, trusted her abilities, managed their individual tempers by dancing the anger out together (isnt that cool.. couple goals!?) and thereby gifting the world, the amazing bharatnatyam and shiv tandav, by nurturing a good family and yes valuing her personal space and let his wife visit her mom's place every year where she is celebrated for ten whole days by millions. That's a very different perspective. Needless to say he's my fav and also because I am married to such a person who lets me be and trusted my abilities even when I dint believe "I" had any (forget rest of the world) To all menfolk that are the Shiva's of the world today a big shout out for being our friends and walking by our side instead of expecting us serve at your feet! And that's the non-poser posing for Shiva and Parvati alias Durga today. #sotd is a hybrid linen.. perhaps jute mix. I like the fact it doesnt cling and wrinkle and I can repeat it again without any effort