#debsaristories #kanthastitch #shantiniketan #durgapuja2020 Sewing? Stitching? Tailoring? Or artists that get less credit? . . . I was fond of quick jugaad and stitching during childhood. Meaning cut sleeves short or attach long sleeves or tighten or loosen the fit . Etc. Normal jugaad stuff on my Amma's (gifted by her mom) foot pedal singer Sewing machine. Amma never used it much so I got to play with it. My younger sister wasn't into these funky things. In fact I once stitched a salwar kameez top for ma. And if you are novice like me, you know how hard it is to even hem or stitch a straight line sometimes. It hurts. It pricks. It can go messy. Right? And then forget about complex stuff that requires cutting and tailoring and the art of measuring well. And yet we complain. Often, we do. Fall pe stitches shows or hem isn't well done or the blouse cut isn't great etc. We forget they are artists too. They are creating something we flaunt. And then there is yet another level.... example this kantha stitch. What can you say possibly? Imagine the design process, the thinking of play with colors, the choice of art, the actual execution is such detail. Just thinking of it makes my eyes hurt! Imagine those hands and eyes working on a piece for weeks and months! I can only do shashtanga dhandavath pranaam. I mean it. . . This masterpiece kantha stitch saree was handpicked by Ma during her visit to Shantiniketan (one place in my bucket list). Again I sneaked into her closet today and draped it.. had been eyeing for a while. In my durga puja mood again, this is like hot flushes to me now. Every now and then there it comes! 😪🤦♀️ . . Teamed it with a begumpuri blouse from another bengal beauty weave. All eyes on the weave . I merely am a dummy mannequin. . . Aaj meine #Foodspeak join karne ki galti ki.🤦♀️🤦♀️ hey bhagwan tum log wahan pe bhi expert ho. What amazing pics. I started feeling hungry and rampagedbmy kitchen although I had nothing that looked as good, I ate whateverI laid my eyes on (glad my familywasn'taround else yummy yummy they willbe in my tummy). I am in #Fitnessspeak too but there i am on the sour grapes side. (All I need is excuses to sleep extra). I won't join any more speaks... is level pe I need a BIG hugspeak and chillspeak from Vini! . . In the frame with me are also the tiny miniature sewing machine decor item I picked for keeps. And the sewing machine patideb gifted few birthdays ago hoping his once artistic wife creates fabric wonders (apparently this does some amazing embroidery).. but oh well the wifey hadn't done anything productive yet. Meh. Maybe I can tighten some of my blouses now that I got this down the attic! Will let you know how it goes.
Every sari has a story. This space is one such storybook.. it's a tribute to the hands, sweat, blood that tirelessly create wonderful six yards of fabric making such stories happen. Humble effort to say THANK YOU! Plant to yarn to fabric to sari - weaver to wearer. It's a child in creation. 💖 Pictures and content solely copyrighted to this blog owner. Misuse, replication without permission treated as violation and strictly prohibited. Trolls pls excuse. Keep calm and sari on.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Sunday, September 20, 2020
Pujo bajaar memories and Ma
#debsaristories #DurgaPujo2020 Ghar bhaite bhaite kya kar rahe ho Shalini? Durga pujo memories refresh kar rahi hoon, aur kya! Like the story behind this saree from over fifteen years ago. . . . This was the year before my marriage. A month before pujo, the pre-patideb asked me.. do you know good saree shops around? We were working on Gurgaon and ma baba had just migrated to Gurgaon to join their son and were completely new to the place (I was two years senior 😝 living there). He wanted to shop for Durga pujo and wanted to keep everything a surprise for ma baba (oh coming to sweet surprises nothing like this cancerian! Very thoughtful and selfless) So yeah, of course I have done my research already. It doesn't take a fish two years to find water! I immediately said yes of course. He said.. would you come with me? I jumped in joy because I love the smell of new sarees and enjoy being with them even if its not being bought for me. So off we went to South Ex market Delhi.. and no guesses which renowned shop it is.. given the Madrasi that I am. We from Madras feel good when we have two shops, this one for saree and the other one for idlis (will let you guys guess the names!) So we arrived. He explained that during pujo ma wears new sarees everyday (n my mind I was like pick me pick me to be your wife.. shhh besharam).. and he explained ashtami one must be the showstopper and then dashami a simple one because sindur may spill etc. And I have no idea of pujo whatsoever it is. I thought it was a very religious and very serious affair for five days of chanting etc. Anyways.. I wasn't acquainted with ma very well but the first time I met (with other colleagues she stunned me) so I knew she isn't the jhatak matak taste but very classy. My eyes laid on this saree. There was something unusual about it.. especially to me.. who was used to picking on zari sarees for puja occasions. I could only imagine ma (then.. aunty) and how gorgeous she would look. I asked the pre-patideb if he liked it and he agreed. There were three other sarees we picked (will share pics of them one by one). He took home these beauties and MA LOVED IT. He later mentioned that I chose them. She wore this on Ashtami for anjali. She looked stunning and that was my first pandal visit too. I was mesmerized at the energy, the happiness, the elaborate art, I can't tell, but I immediately felt I belonged. I felt this was so much me. And I am glad that Dugga ma made me part of her family. After my marriage saree shopping has always been me and ma's best stressbuster and best memories too. I had been always wanting to drape this saree and for some reason it never happened. After fifteen years I found the chnace today and honestly there is no occasion today except that I remembered this story and wanted to share.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Shubho Mahalaya
#debsaristories #DurgaPujo2020 #ShubhoMahalaya Mahalaya is here and no one can keep the bengali tigress under control. Not even the great Shiva could control the great Durga. She is happy, carefree and ready for a holiday on Earth with her kids. So aren't we the quintessential followers of Devi Ma? Here it comes. Pujo is here. I know the Ma knew it already. She took a month between Mahalaya and the Pujo so she can make sure her family goes through all the necessary precautions and tests before she could enter the fully pandemic hit planet Earth. If international trav
el requires two weeks quarantine, space travel requiring four week quarantine is understandable... hence the delay.. But mom is a mom, she WILL come and take care of her children. I know she will. And I know we can't wait to see her and break down and share all thats going on with(in) us. Hang in there, she isn't far. Momma gonna be here any minute baby. ❣ Ma and I did our own little Mahalaya dress up. We listened to the Birendra Krishna Bhadra Mahalaya on YouTube twice. Once 4:00 am 🇺🇸 time and again just now 04:00 am 🇮🇳 time. Every pujo I wonder how i am such a bengali. I love everything about pujo, my hubby wonders why and I wonder why not. The first sound of dhol as we enter the pujo pandal first for a season is best sound and memory. And then it starts, the familiar faces and automatic smiles at strangers, the flowers, the deity, the laughter and joy and the positivity. This year is so different. Most events have been canceled due to obvious reasons. Hoping to get a glimpse of Ma atleast for once, else would resort to the various virtual options. I have a feeling I may be able to view India pujos online too which I otherwise wouldn't get a chance. Ma is in her favorite light weight silk with bandhani print. I wore my sheuli linen saree to official kick off the season with my jasmine blouse. A favorite combo.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
I scream ice-cream
#debsaristories #sareelove #icecream #indianrailways Hai Garmi! It's over 115F, close to 44 Celsius! I sat in the backyard assuming the heat will "burn" calories and "melt" my tummy fat. Nope aisa kuch nahi hua, phir what's the point. 🙄🙄 I simply came indoors disappointed. But but I dont give up easily right? Tadaa! As it cooled down, I draped my beautiful pink saree, and went ice cream shopping (Luckily bayarea has so much to offer to keep close home).
Yes I dressed up, to go buy my favorite sitaphal ice cream and paan ice cream for ma, pista kesar for patideb and mint for bettu. (Baba likes chocobar). Imagine the scene! Most women in shorts and spaghetti tops, whereas my summer comfort dressing for evening always has been a comfy saree! This particular ice cream parlor is popular amongst desis. So I got quite a few curious stares (who cares)! ❣
I was telling Patideb, when bettu chooses a beti for us, she would freak out.
1) I dressed up like for a dinner event, I was simply buying ice-cream.
2) We bought fourteen dabbas of ice-cream. People would have thought we are having a party at home, but no.. hum khudh hi party se kam nahi, aur aise hi khatey hain 🤗🤗🤗. But yeah whoever my future beti is, she should know she will be the apple of our eyes too, just like bettu. Pyar ki kami kabhi nahi hogi, that much we can guarantee! Oh well, long time! Till then I will continue to save my sarees for her! Whenever people ask me why I don't have a second child my answer has been consistently simple. You planned for kids with age gap of 2-5 yrs. My second child will be entering our lives in 25-30 years after ourfirstchild, that's all ❣ Yesterday we went on a steam train. The choo choo sound takes you back to India 🇮🇳. Patideb and I were reminiscent of how there are few "special characters" .
We actually enacted those characters throughout the ride!
🌻Me: idli, vada, sambar! The hawker who is better equipped and knowledgeable about train timing and platform info than the announcers
🌻 He: The typical "train kabhi time se aata hi nahi, ab to doosre platform oe aayega!"
🌻 Me: The "Indian Railways bekaar hai, bathroom dekho! Foreign men bathroom bhi mast hote hain..". He: "Modi ji kuch nahi kar rahe"
🌻 Once train starts Me: "Train is late now", He: "Raat ko speed pakad lega, Rajdhani hai na" (raat ko train udta hai kya🤔🤔)
🌻 The aunty that "interviews" your khandaan and almost fixes your marriage before you reach destination (my aunt us one!)
🌻 The other aunty that has food to feed the compartment
🌻 The uncle that wants to exchange lower berth and upper berth!
🌻 The gang of Friends that play cards and catch up
🌻 Some lone traveling girl's women who worry leaving their luggage, purse or even themselves alone in the train and worry even using the restroom (this is the one and only thing I wish had changed, because having done many solo train journeys between Delhi and Madras before marriage, I do have few unpleasant memories)
🌻 The chai, chai, the train, the excitement of destination, the fun of watching grazing cows, early morning sunrise, the beauty of India. Nothing comes close to the experience The world's biggest railway network had certainly been part of our lives as many as millions others, poor or rich... hope it continues to deliver high quality service and be part of our lives. Honestly if the restroom can improve i will be the first one to hop into a train with bettu! When was the last time you did a train journey and what was your experience? Is it worth a family trip when we can? Chalo my sitaphal ice-cream has melted and became milkshake! Will enjoy it before it becomes chai❣
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Apna khayal rakhna
#debsaristories No filters, No edits, No fake backdrops. It's pure me today! Tadaaa! Oh! How i missed the crisp fresh air! ❣❣Do what makes you happy! ❣❣ Its my "I am feeling low and I really need to cheer up" day today. Log gham bhoolne ke liye daru ka adda jaate and gulp a baatli, I go to my closet and pull a saree! I get the same effects, I am high, I forget my worries, I "feel on top of the world". Ok gals, shortcut banane se pehle, you should have taught me better! I saw theme as #AMUAN . Believe me, I thought that was the name of a hurricane or tornado, and Googled for the word. Found nothing. Checked trending news sites yet found nothing, I checked everywhere and was wondering what on earth is it and I decided I can't do the theme.🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ Later I was humming the "aaj mein upar..." song. You know (well actually I don't know) how the brain somehow magically remembers something although you weren't even trying ? Yup that's what happened and lo eureka my bulb jala, that the full form of AMUAN is actually from the song! Oh. My introspection today was around validation!
🌞 "Free" or "Giveaway" always doesn't mean poor quality.
🌞 Not being old enough doesn't mean you are not mature enough to do amazing work I am a witness of my bettu's dance class. Although he doesn't charge anything the effort and quality he brings to his workshops are truly professional level. But people write him off! "Bacha hi to hai"
🌞 Education and Forward Thinking aren't same . Not all educated people have broad minded thinking and vice versa. You simply can't assume! For all that matters the multiple Masters N PhD holder might have taboo of Black cat crossing, or eating leftovers or treating people as untouchable! You know what I mean?
🌞 Professional experience and certification! OMG i can't even explain this. I can't speak for other industries but in IT many are savvy about certification. I love the intent of improving your knowledge and bring able to apply at work to improve productivity and enable better business. You will be amazed (shocked?) That its not the case. I have come across so many with a kite load of suffixes but struggle to solve simple problems, lack maturity of thought, can't keep cool, unable to show creativity and most importantly can't figure out the way to make things better. Ab bolo.. what's the use of "earning degrees " if you can't use them in need. This is like buying a set of blunt knives that can cut nothing!
nahi, sirf haddi hi haddi hai!
Pujo 2020. Shubho Bijoya
#debsaristories #durgapuja2020 🌺🌺 || Shubho Bijoya! ||🌺🌺 Hmm.. One more year, one more Dussehraand Bijoya. This year indeed had man...
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