#debsaristories I am back without a gap. Fully in namma madras mode. It's a silk cotton saree with jasmine flowers to adorn my hair. What is special about our des? Listen then.. me and amma were walking our road towards the temple to get flowers and then a house help from another household stepped out and said "kannu... (love).. your blouse back is very beautiful, but it seems to overturn. Stop for a min so I can fix it" I stopped and she out her safety pin from her thali chain (mangalsutra). Amma was nervous.. she dint want that unwanted attention on the road.. but I was like who cares. I gave that lady her own time to make sure she felt I looked good and then moved on.

Many of those homes were my childhood friends' and so all their moms and dads remember and adore me. I pretty much stopped at each house to meet greet and get their blessings. It happens only in India.


 I took the pics outside our home where this make shift hut was stood up to support some adjoining construction activity and I took advantage of it for.my background. Love is powerful from our own or from strangers and can fix a lot, wish people understood and accepted it. Let's keep trying

#debsaristories Visiting beach is definitely a must in Madras (yes it's always Madras for me, never Chennai) The weather was pleasant although humid as usual. The wild wind at the beach kept pulling my drape away, as I tried hard to remain modest. Phew. Then I remembered that I am just as wild as the wind too, so I should stop pretending to be the gentle breeze and then 💓💓 I Let it go! I be myself. Wild, unpredictable yet lovable. 💓💓

 This saree is something ma gifted amma one of the Durga pujas... a yearly ritual between our families. I wanted something comfortable to roam around temples, beaches, streets and malls (pretty much that order actually). Oh btw, after a long time I had time to watch TV this morning and I was embarrassed by the fair and lovely ads.. seriously we still preach this concept? Who even believes in it anymore and why the hell do they? I was of course a victim to fair and lovely and femina bleach too in college days, although I knew nothing changed (except that I would have looked weird I suppose with a facial skin tone that didn't match the rest of me !!). However I did appreciate the wisper sanitary napkin ad that showed how young girls can manage periods better.  As a kid it was the opposite! I would be embarrassed watching sanitary napkin ads but look awestruck at the fairness cream ads... how much we change (hopefully for right reasons) What actually made me "fair and lovely " was not the creams, but my character and confidence. Figured that out as I exited my teens. Sigh, its definitely tough to teach kids the right thing when there is so much negativity around. Mommies you are doing great if you are raising kids above and beyond all these ideas. You should be proud The good part? I am listening to few songs after perhaps twenty years or more but the lyrics flow out of my lips fluently like I learnt them yesterday :)

#debsaristories haath mein makkhan and I was searching for ghee #smallvictories #thedressthatfits #desividesi I read couple of articles about sunflower fields around 100mi from home. Of course it got me excited and I dreamt of beautiful sunny sunflowers and me amidst them and secretly packed a saree too although was wearing dress.... (Manisha Koirala song?) Patideb as usual is ready to drive and explore so off we went. I wore this dress after almost three years, thanks to getting back to my workout routine. I was more excited about that than anything. I almost gave up on myself and was resorting to black tees and unfit Jean's just to hide all the flab that settled only and only around my tummy and hips. I knew I had ignored myself for too long. I took my bettu's warning seriously and started working out. First of all, I dont feel guilty of neglecting myself anymore. Second it definitely feels good after all that pain and hardwork to smile and dress the way I used to once! In India, exercise and workout are not culturally normal. We haven't seen moms and others working out so we havrnt grown up in the culture that the body needs to be conditioned. We take it easy when we gain extra pounds after marriage and childbirth. We think mothers need not worry about looking young and fit no matter what the age is. That's ironic considering we are the land that gifted yoga to the world but I guess over time yoga was left out of any daily routine. I think that needs to change, there is awareness today but many of us (including myself) dodge it taking the "oh yea u look fine what are you talking about", "teek hi lag rahe ho... gym jaake kaun sa kareena kapoor banna hai", "you look good in sarees, khao piyo mast raho.. kya workout diet etc. Bachon ke peeche daudna hi exercise hai".. and so on. But deep in our hearts we know, that's just to convince ourselves temporarily and that we are not doing justice to our health and long term goals. So if you have been contemplating, pls pls pls do what it takes to hit the gym or workout at home or do yoga. Never give up on you. Back to sunflower fields drive.. well the sunny babies are tiny and even if I kneel down they would be shorter than me. Nevertheless we enjoyed the drive and soon after coming home, I headed to the backyard to get couple of pics in my own garden. Seen in the background with me are nectarines, apples and pomegranates I would have taken these pics amidst sunflower, so old do imagine that as well until I get lucky to do so real time The saree is a silk kotha yardage I picked from Chennai couple of years ago

#debsaristories #sfosariparade #incredibleindia I know it's been a while and what more better way to come back.. sharing the awesome feeling participating in the first ever saree parade here at San Francisco
 Special occasion marks a special saree, so I wore my pure silk kanjivaram with seven wonders of the world woven in border and pallu, this to me is no less than an eighth wonder of the world... to weave seven wonders in thread by skillful hands is magic. Teamed it with my favorite wonder of the world - Wah Taj! I know the pic doesnt do any justice at all, and I am not good at posing either, so feeling terrible about the injustice. This saree is perfect for an indoor and choreographed photoshoot, alas I never get a chance to do that! Wish I were a saree model. Sharmistha Deb, Ma is in her authentic kantha stitch saree, something that never goes wrong! We enjoyed being a part of "one of the firsts", wishing many more to come. I had been meaning to write, but couldn't. I understand that our culture is all about respecting elders etc. But recently I am guilty. When people look at ma as an individual they completely understand she is young and definitely a respectable and charismatic lady. She's Mrs. Deb then. The moment I (or hubby) enter the scene immediately she becomes "aunty" , "mashi" even those that are her own age (those that have witnessed late marriage, late kids etc) call her aunty. Well, shouldn't they know that just by calling her aunty neither she becomes old, nor do they become young. Ma doesn't mind, I do. She says that's a side effect of early marriage! Recently a gentleman of her age addressed her aunty, I immediately retorted "ma is young, perhaps younger than you!". I thought if I was rude, but then he was too. Isnt it a better idea to ask her how she likes to be addressed? Maybe Mrs. Deb, maybe Sharmistha, whatever ! I know this could happen to many others we know closely too, I know its tiring to correct each one, I know they should know better. I know, right?

#debsaristories #desividesi This one's a shoutout for patideb, pukka! Mid summer Christmas feel!! This was meant to be no-plan-long-weekend. But that's never the case. Patideb had been indicating plans to do a quickie to Lake Tahoe (he's every ready for a drive anytime). Ma me and bettu had planned to oversleep so we skip the trip idea. Nope.. patideb woke me up at almost 11:00 am (yea! Late night Aladdin movie effect) and said we are set to go. Well, it means the plan is on and I got ready in thirty mins. Since its noon I suggested we carry clothes in case we plan to stay overnight there at Tahoe (yea again we go with the flow and over the years have learnt to be agile). Just when we were exiting garage, he reminded me to carry the camera. I said there isnt much we need to take pics for .. so we could manage with our mobile phones. He repeated couple of times and I wasnt in listening mood. Then he said.. "well, apparently its snowing at Tahoe so I thought it may be a good idea to take few saree pics in that back drop". Do I need any more clear ishara? DUH! I was sooo dumb not to get it until now. I ran upstairs and in thirty seconds I was back with this red saree which I thought I would drape over whatsoever I wear, who cares! Rest is for you to see.. When you have less to ask of life, whatever it gives you seems more than enough. When you wish lots from life, anything you get seems less. Kal kya hoga kisko pata, aaj hi zindagi ka le lo mazaa.

#debsaristories #desividesi #iworkedout #inspiration #chikankari #phulkari Long weekend around the corner. And gorgeous weather outside! Cant miss the chance to drape. I wore Jean and Top to work and draped a saree over it when I came home. That my desi videsi combo for the day! Guess how it feels when you are trying to start the car after gap of one year?!! Drrrrrr, grrrrrr, drrrrrr. Yup it doesn't start easily. That was my condition getting back to the gym after a year! Honestly it's all thanks to bettu and his inspiration that he wanted to see "ma back as how she was before". That hit me straight in the heart. I was his first P.E. teacher so to speak. When he was five we would go to the park every evening, I would run or jog while he bikes next to me. This was everyday routine during summer. This continued almost every year.. he would race and I would win.. until perhaps couple of years ago when of course he became the cheetah! (He calls me cheetah..). We learnt together many sports including soccer, basketball and even galli cricket. His definition of beauty is fitness and I had set that baseline in him unknowingly. So after ten days in gym at least there is some reduction in my guilt of not taking care of myself and having let down bettu. Yes, I do have a goal but it's long way to go. Like they say, first step towards your goal is to get your butt up and start acting on it! I am on that step now. Off late, I havent been able to comment as much as I would like to - so taking the opportunity to give a BIG shout out to all amazing ladies, the wonderful posts and outstanding pictures! I usually take mental notes to come back to look for the post and post comments, guess what at 3:00am when sleep breaks.. I completely forget which posts to get back to! It's a phulkari on net saree, teamed with my chikankari fabindia top and Jean! Love you all, love you tonnes

#debsaristories #stereotype Today we performed puja at home, so naturally me and ma are draped in six yards. #kanjivaram #garad Me in almost twenty year old kanji.. ma in a traditional garad.. IT millenials are usually envisioned as geeky dressed in hoodies.. when I first joined my IT job, as a fresher showed up in saree on the third day at work (it was my birthday) at gurgaon. It was absolutely uncommon so many stopped by at lunch to congratulate me for my engagement (?) Wedding (?) Anniversary (?). I said.. none of the above. It dint make sense to them. Many eyes rolled some in confusion. But then I dont know why and how, I had the guts to wear sarees very frequently sometimes weekly too to work. While IT jobs gave many young girls an excuse to wear Jean and Tee on Fridays, most of my Fridays were in sarees. Seventeen years later, I realize that I dint fit the stereotype then and even today. Even after moving to USA I would show up at work in saree for no reason. That dint make a less smart coder or leader. Those are skills, this is my passion. There are many such stereotypes we have built in our minds (unintentional bias) I know by now many of you are nodding head acknowledging what we could possibly change within ourselves to cleanse that part and become little Better

#debsaristories Thank the children that gave us the opportunity to become mothers! This one's for them. I am more thankful for my kid than expecting him to thank me today. That said, ma tujhe salaam. After a late night movie yesterday night my physical self was hesitant getting up from bed, hey! Woke up my soul.. "remember the days when amma would wake up when I would prepare for exams so she could give me glass of cold milk at 3:30 am so I dont get acidity!". I called amma and wished her happy mother's day, I wish them thankfulness several times besides mother's day. But dint want to miss it today either. Later When Ma Sharmistha Deb came into my life, she took mother(inlaw)hood to a different level. She would stand like rock about my career. Anytime I feel like giving up she would very clearly state that's unfair completely for my mom and her dreams and hardwork and she wont let that happen! She has set high standards for mother-in-law-hood and I strive everyday to become that person, starting with being her daughter first When bettu came into life I completely understood what both of them meant by mom's dreams. I live by them now. By amma, ma, mine and bettu's dreams. Mommies don't forget being yourselves in the run for being others! Wear the organza or lace saree tou wished, the halter neck or bustier, the Bermuda or shorts... becoming a mother or motherinlaw shouldn't mean dropping your dreams, you are still yourself and be so rightfully. These words of wisdom are from my own ma - mother(inlaw , although no laws between us) Mother's day saw us both relaxed and chilled. I had purchased the halter neck blouse which I knew ma would kill and look gorgeous so here she is! Chanderi saree with halter blouse. I am in tussar and cotton mix saree with a beautiful hand block blouse and surrounded by all the roses men at home toil year around so they bloom and add color to our lives! 💓💓💓💖💖💖

#debsaristories #desipana #reuse #madrastalkies Day starts with Google YouTube autoplay old telugu movie classic songs, followed by impromptu madras thali lunch (with filter kaapi) with team, followed by more Tamil songs in car autoplay, ... what next? Out comes my old nalli kanchi cotton, my faux malli poo jasmine string, jhumki set, bottu...the only thing which I always know doesnt suit me well.. but I dared today.. my kajal.. kann maiy. I don't feel bad to fail in this group! I look at the doe eyed, kajal lined eyelids of friends and try.. and I end up looking funny. I do have a good laugh at it though, that's about it. Ye, this isn't for me!🤣🤣 I recently committed the crime of holding it tight, squeezing it between the door hinges tight until it was no more. Suffocation! It's the fate of the leftover toothpaste tube I am talking about. What were you thinking of? I was talking to a non desi colleague about our cultural habits and concepts of reuse.. we dont like to waste the waste even! We always find purpose to reuse until a point where nothing is left. Karma, Destiny all intertwined. Deb Saab wanted to top his icecream with raisins and when he spotted the jar (wow!) He opened to find red chillies in it. Ye, he should know better! Bahar so jo jaisa dikhta hai.. zaroori nahi andar se bhi wohi ho! U know what I (deeply) mean? Once few years ago another friend of mine saw a jar on the counter and told me.. "refrigerate it.. it will spoil otherwise ". I was confused and asked "do you refrigerate ghee?" Her reply "the label reads ginger garlic paste... ?!!" And of course ghee and gi ger garlic paste look alike. We laughed. Aqsar jo dikhtha hai woh hotha nahi hai aur jo hotha hai woh dikhta nahi hai. My kitchen has many such adla badli jars. I feel so proud that I can tell the contents even if the container labels something else. Its the "pehchaan kaun" game. Although often times it leads to non stop sneezing because I try to smell dhania powder or garam masala just to make sure! What fun! Similar is our concept for relationships. Once committed, No exchange, No warranty, No refund and of course absolutely no loan! In some other cultures there is this concept of try before you commit, know what you are getting into etc but for us the whole village their ancestors decide the fate and destiny! Both concepts work actually, which leads me to believe.. if you believe whether something will work or won't, you are always right. Welcoming the weekend thus.. my chai is ready.. gotta go!

#debsaristories #sareenotsorry #desividesi I am immensely overflowing with happiness today. My colleague at work Ms. N chose to retire and today was her last day at work with us. I had always been telling her she would look gorgeous in saree (I know everyone does). So I chose to gift her a saree for her Retirement party today. It's a kantha stitch on tussar I picked for myself last year when I visited Kolkata. Her happiness is evident. Just so she isn't alone, a few of us (Ms. D, Ms. C, Ms.M) chose to drape (my) sarees too to give her company! My team is such a sport and they all jumped at the idea. I carried three more sarees (and my strip of big colorful bindis) so they could drape on their jeans and tee, crop top, blouse , whatever! Arent they all looking gorgeous? I was sharing with them my passion for sarees, they urged me to think about taking it to a professional level.. and bingo they all got excited and volunteered to model for me if that ever happens! None of them are Indian origin, but they were so proudly carrying the drape and spoke how they could manage all day in it, and they would wear it everyday, everywhere! It's one thing to show off your own pride, but its incomparable happiness when someone else speaks highly and proudly of what's yours. Like someone praising our kids instead of us singing their praises..the feeling is amazing! More pics in comments. They are pro models at it! Gosh, hard to match their energy!

#debsaristories "Happy birthday Siri (my sis)" I say. "Thanks same to you ka!" She says. 💖
We are twins born five years apart is what we joke all the time.
It is so much fun to share birthday with your sibling.

 Busy day at work, so tried best to step out earely than usual to drape this simple taant teamed with cotton halter ng neck blouse I picked up from Kolkata last year. Perfect for the amazing 95F weather outside. I was waiting for this weather so I can bring the cottons out!
 While amma and Siri made the customary gulab jamun, I enjoyed that virtually while I am waiting to cut the cake (supposedly organic, zero calorie healthiest cake of the era) Debsaab baked for me before leaving to work.


 When you have a lot to say, you remain silent. I am thankful for everything life gave and did not. No regrets, no asks. Life's good. Oh btw my life will I officially begin next year per the popular saying! Cant wait.

#debsaristories #vineyardsmeet #california

What a day! I ended up hosting an event for saree enthusiasts, an entire group of positive people who are all sportive and motivating, and a wonderful team that stood together to make it memorable. I am actually at loss of words and just have a swollen heart of memories, laughter, thankfulness, sarees, laughter and the huge family of saree lovers.

Growing up as a kid, I never thought that one doesn't need bling, sari, jewelry to look confident in a saree, going by what I saw around me. In traditional south Indian homes all our important occasions revolve around kanjivaram. Pattu pavada (lehenga), pattu cheera, pattu podava.. it's all about it. The little less popular ones being dharmavaram, arni etc..and mysore silk a distant cousin. Ikat and uppada were unheard of commonly then.. basically if its not pattu then either it isnt an important occasion or it isn't a saree at all. Forward to my first meeting with ma - she had flawless skin and gorgeous hair. But what caught my attention was that she wore a pastel cotton dhakai jamdani and zero jewelry and I couldn't take my eyes off her at all. I was trying to keenly look what was it that made her the showstopper even in a crowd dressed without zari and jewelry. She wasnt ma to me then so I could not ask much, but over the years I discovered and hear her saying a million times, it's your heart, your thoughts, your inner beauty and your self confidence. That's what makes you attractive not physical features, expensive clothes or jewelry. My dream drape organza teamed with brocade blouse perfect for the occasion and the venue, an ode to the queens like ma and my other inspiration Maharani Gayatri Devi!

#debsaristories Vikari nama samvatsara Ugadi subhakanshalu. Happy gudi padua. The day when neem blossoms, raw mango, jaggery, tamarind, chilli pepper and salt come together in harmony to remind the flavors of life. I was always big fan of ugadi pachadi. It's like a preview of the upcoming year! My tongue tasted bitter sweet today so that's my year to come!?

 Google reminded me of memories 8 years ago. Visit to Marina beach was inevitable all through my childhood. As the humid summer sets in, we all would look forward to the biggest outing of the year (nope not Europe, not cruises or Alps) the visit to Marina beach by 9 kids and 4 moms. It was necessary to be back home for when dads return from work so our battalion used to leave at 02:00pm, taking the direct bus to Gandhi Square. The excitement as the bus approaches the destination cant be expressed in words. The fact that one cant see anything except blue sky and blue waters and the slush of waves would make us want to jump off of running bus. The afternoon beach sand would still be hot to walk barefoot, but who cares, this was our annual outing after all. We would get one hour to play in water. And we wouldn't turn back to yelling moms if it were beyond an hour. We would instead hold hands and walk deeper into the waves knowing moms would not want to mess sarees and drag us out. Finally when we reluctantly get out after that salty bath, the sun dries us in mins (remember it's still only 04:00 pm ish). Each of us had the opportunity to use our 50 paise to buy mangoes with chili and salt or a popcorn bag. I loved both but allowance unpermitting would pick popcorn to munch the entire trip back home. That part was painful, the fact that the next visit would be a year later. But hey, summer has other plans for us too. Like picking the tiny mangoes that fell off the trees (vadu manga), watermelon, no homework, report card in a postcard (public display of performance). The postman would even go through the results before asking for bakshish. He knew about the neighborhood kids' aptitude better than fancy Tutoring institutes. The morning breeze, dad with newspaper, mom with filter coffee getting ready for her avakaya session or vadiyalu project, the me that used to to sketch and paint on the terrace, sister tugging along with much excitement for the amazing summer holiday ahead .. .. made me drape this mangalagiri cotton sari today.

 It was mango pulihara, radish sambar (with a pinch of sugar), papad, ugadi pachadi (mine includes patali gur) mishti for lunch today. The telugu bong tadka.

#debsaristories #ninetieskids #personalcomputers Remember to remember rocks and springs! These are two powerful tools for life balance. When life pulls you down to the bottom of the ocean and gives you pain, remember to "spring up" so you don't settle down and fret forever, instead spring up to the surface! When life pushes you up to the sky and gives you success and happiness, remember to stay grounded like a "rock", and not get carried away. Just a word of caution - please dont mix match the above. "Springing up" during happiness leads to pride, "Staying rock bottom" during pain and testing times leads to depression!

I was collecting unused printouts to be reused for notes and other stuff. And zoomed back in time to the nineties. The time when the superpower only next to God visited earth. It was called the personal computer. I remember the first time our suburb school had established a "computer room" which was treated more sacred than a temple. We removed shoes, tiptoed quietly into the only air conditioned room in the entire school campus besides the chairman's office. Fingers trembled as we pressed any key on the dull creamish keyboard. The black screen was scary too. With much care and extreme caution after many stares and warnings from the sophisticated-of-all computer teachers at school, we would successfully get a circle or square on the screen. The amount of "programming" was overwhelming and the results almost gave us noble prize feeling. Who cares the black socks stink as we sit there in that 'temple' without shoes, working on the invention of our century and the newly entered being into our lives. Those who could afford to have a home computer automatically upgraded themselves into the wealthy elite category. The air conditioned room in their home was maintained with utmost care and hygiene so as to not infect the most precious possession with "virus". Yup we took it literal then. The bright clear monitors with spectacular resolution without flicker was nothing less than magic to us. After all our balck and white television sets (close comparison but distant cousin) had grains all over, needed an antenna (and someone to yell from terrace) to adjust picture quality and most often would blank out with buzzing noise. This marvel creature called computer did not! As for me, I completed my computer engineering without owning a computer. Like there is no mysore in mysore bonda right? 🤗🤗 chalta hai. Jugaad pe duniya qayam hai.

Very soon banks were "computerised" The print out paper from banks would sometimes end up home for our rough work, when dad would bring them. The dot matrix printer had typed something we could not comprehend but the neatly hole punched margins were amusing to me. Little did I know then, this day would come where those devices in several quantities would become part of lives, storing our memories as photos, storing our knowledge in folders and drives, storing our lives in emails and cloud .... like how one day in future I could imagine a robot making me masala tea and also sitting with me to sip as I narrate these stories to it (him/her? Unisex?)

For now its chai time for me and my chai buddy - baba (father in law).
I humbly chose this drape that ma picked during her last visit to Puri.

#debsaristories #womenofsareespeak #lifeisexperiences One is just a sum total of one's life's experiences. Dont you think?
Do you notice how some people assume way too much about themselves over others? I wonder why.. I mean if you zoom out from space, this individual is just a speck of dust. Life here, gone tomorrow!
But while around, the air around ego is huge than a mountain. And that leads me to think through that somewhere in the journey of life, the head starts behaving heavier than the heart.
Life starts beating in a womb around five weeks of its first creation. The heart knows its job and does it well. It beats till death and tries to keep us warm moist and human. It teaches us to feel. It reminds us in every beat that the unbeaten are gone. What then remains is the "body"
I try and remind myself to stay true to the order of creation. Heart first. Use brain to help the heart. Use it for wisdom, use it for others.

Switching topics! Did you have to deal with ex? Nope not just the broken courtship relationships.. ex-friends I mean? People who were once close to you but not anymore. And the worst thing is you still know how to interpret what they say (or they dont say) and sometimes you know they dont even mean what they say! But you dont care to care anymore. Hmm. Life!

To everyone that wishes me, I keep telling I am so very un-holi! I love colors and that's evident in my drapes, but that doesnt equate to me smearing color powder on my or anyone's face! See? Jo dikhta hai woh hotha nahi hai aur jo hotha hai woh aqsar dikhtha nahi hai. However I definitely wanted some gulal so chose to drape this gulabi pale pink organza and stood close to blooms.

#debsaristories #themiddleclass India's destiny wasn't and isn't just being written in air conditioned well furnished boardrooms. It's actually written in the kitchen of middle class home by the simple unassuming cotton sari clad woman who created world class designers like Sabyasachi, the shikakai, rita washed wet hair wrapped in gamcha towel creating the best hair dressers of the world, the kajal lined eyes that not just created but delivered vision of India, from the tea selling prime minister to the nuclear scientist president Indian economy isn't always decided in the parliament and assembly. It starts as humble savings in masala dabbas (my pocket money back then would smell like methi :) ), under the old yet memorable smelling newspaper lined shelves in squeaky handled Godrej almirahs (the 1,2,5,10,20..notes smelling of naphthaleneballs), in the knots of saree pallus, and the "aate ke gola" were the first cricket balls for great batsman. That's India, that's the India that made me who I am and many of you I guess.That's the woman that created me and my husband and millions like us. Whether or not they went to corporate offices, their practical thinking and implementable strategies could far beat the best theoretical analysis from universities. That's the woman that would secretly help my "pocket money " wished when the newspaper reading dad STRICTLY refuses to give some. The special pocket money that is smeared with sometimes turmeric, oil, ghee or masala. Pure love and pure visionary.

Thats the woman we all know as mom, mother in law, sister, aunt, grandma, friebd, neighbour. That's the India that created the gems that we gifted to the world, the Pichais, the Nooyis, the Modis, the Kalams, the Chawlas... and the list is endless. That's me today. Summers are orgasmic. It gives me the high that no drug could substitute. The warm breeze invokes the best childhood memories tucked in the deepest pockets of my heart. My madras and the telugu girl effect fully awake today! The white venkatagiri is perfect with my temple jewelry jhumki, the lakme kajal pencil, the red shilpa bindi, the gamcha for my wet hair. All I missed are my glass bangles, will get them in my next trip to India. And this is my humble salute to the quintessential 'aam' indian woman

#debsaristories #irepeatsarees

 I have heard a story that mahouts tie baby elephants to a tree or post so they dont run away. Growing up even though the elephant is more powerful than the rope, it doesn't run away assuming the rope is stronger.. childhood memory and influence that runs deep in mind.
I tried wearing glasses to complete the look. Oh no! You should all thank me for not posting that disaster here! I looked scary as hell.

So back to the baby elephant story, I was a dark skinny pimpled teen with huge glasses. Forget crush and smiles, boys would stop by and compliment "soda buddi" alias "chashmish" 🤓🤓. That continued into college and by then I hated the chashma-on-me. So much so that even after I switched to contact lens I would not take them off at all. I didn't want to wear sun glasses either, it took me a while to gain any basic level of self esteem!

Each of us have something tied to us like the baby elephant and the rope. We limit ourselves and don't try to break free. Things might have changed. Each of us grow every moment .. I think we need to try to break our ropes once in a while.. perhaps.... The bright pink bandhani cheered me up. No back pose today, blouse was too revealing for social media post I felt 🤭🤭

#holyweaves

#debsaristories #mysareetwin "Hey, how's it going?" "Good!!" The mechanical pleasantries! Standard greeting, some dont even wait for your reply, they move on. And I stand there wondering as I fill my glass of water (half and half, hot and cold) .. do you really tell people the truth when they ask the question, most likely not Like I dint tell them,
.  Tired! I feel exhausted already and it's not even 09:00 am
. Annoyed! I felt the meeting previous day was crap where bunch people talked and nobody did anything productive
. Worried! I was worried how my kid would do his history and science test
. Frustrated! Oh shit , its gorgeous outside and here I am in jean and tee, whereas I should be in saree amidst spring bloom
. Nervous! Duh, the eastbay saree meet is coming up soon and I have few more EventBrite tickets to send
  Smile! My colleague had brought lunch the previous day because I lost track of time amidst meetings and work, blissful
. Happy! Ma's bday coming soon and saree ready for her (and me 😝!)
.

So yeah, the short answer to that question was "Good"  I dint have an orange silk, so draped orange linen instead!!
#roopkatha

#debsaristories #lovewomanhood Mein aa gayi! (Gosh , I sound like Nobita from Doraemon!) Birds of same feather flock together! ❤and hence we are here. Period. This is my kinda twitter! 🤣🤣 Happy every day girls! I wanted to thank you today more specially for "watching my back". Literally 😘😘

I get mixed feelings about women's day. Every time someone at work stopped by to wish, happy women's day, I said. Everyday! I think it's on us to celebrate or crib about womanhood. I think womanhood isnt just about men respecting and acknowledging our merits and worth, I think it's equally for women to respect their our kiln. I have seen that by force or by nature men seem to be getting there but women still need the nudge. What they ask for themselves they dont always give to their kind. So today I reminded myself to ensure I stand by and more importantly support and enable my kind in any and all ways.

 Thank God for sending all the feminine Angel's in my life. I am what I am thanks to all of them. I loved myself today and added one more pic on top of the two usual! Self pampering is important part of women's day celebration you see. My fav of all the women's day watsapp forwards is this: Did you know.? History of Women's Day: Initially Women's Day was planned on 6th March... Women took 2 days to get ready. That's how it got postponed to 8th March!!! 😜 Men's Day was also planned... But as usual, they forgot the date!!! 😜

#byloom

#debsaristories "Wow, she is hot" is a common thought that crosses many men's minds. Nothing wrong in it. But I often wonder what is the definition of 'hot'? Do they see the large heart behind the small breasts? Do they see the deep mind behind short hair or is it just the physical appearance and sizes that matter? Largely and sadly, it's just the appearance that attracts! After all, someone drool worthy is anyday taken over someone intelligent, how much ever the world may "progress". Sab bolnewali baat hai 🙄🙄

These were the thoughts crossing my mind, as I watched the green pastures around and how beautifully nature had made this world look for us. At times, it feels as though time stands still on those hills and the only race around is of the humans, like puppets in a show. Its worthy being a blade of grass on those pastures and be the fodder to cattle that give us milk, than being unworthy in a world of inhuman expectations of human beings. Ah! I should try to do good karma to get lucky next birth, this one's a miss already! ye!