92/100 #debsaristories #lessismore #100sareepact #100CholiCraze #iworkedout

Saree: white benarasi chanderi I suppose. Choli: wink, wink. It's a reversible jacket from @handsofindia. Multipurpose, versatile,  vibrant handloom! Can't ask for more

Story: watched Paramanu over the weekend and also this being Memorial Day weekend here,  thoughts of patriotism floating around. Being able to support one's country, being in frontline, armed forces and the like is a special privilege not many are bestowed with. I clearly remember the moment when my son was born my first thought was 'I wish you grow up to serve your country be in defence armed forces or administrative services'. ☺☺☺ life always has it's own plans but nevertheless all of us have an opportunity to contribute in any and many ways.

We may never certainly understand the pain and struggle to be free, but I think we shoulder the responsibility to use it wisely! I appreciate being around and aware of many other-wise common women bringing change and freedom to those deserving.  For choosing to stand up and do the right thing.
Many in this group and through my handloom interactions... I have a huge list of you role models and in depth of heart I soon wish to collaborate with you all , to partner and perhaps to spread the goodness! Will let you know when i am ready for my dream to take shape of reality.

Amidst all the Paramanu advancements , amidst our soldiers fighting and protecting our front line, those of us that are making tiny ripples of changes, bringing happiness and building confidence to our womenkind,  this is no less commendable.


Just a moment to thank all of you wonder women, world is good because we still have the likes of you around 👩‍🚀👩‍🚒👷‍♀️🧕🕵️‍♀️👩‍🍳👩‍🏭👩‍🔧👩‍🎨👩‍🎤👩‍💻👩‍🔬👩‍✈️👩‍🏫👩‍🎓💃💃💃

91/100: #debsaristories #100CholiTalk #100sareepact sari: muslin jamdani from ma's collection. Choli: @Queen of Hearts by Deepa Mehta

Story: slowing down is a beautiful feeling.. applies to many things in life. I am enjoying a bit of it now, and want to relish it before it's gone.

Growing up and around southern part of India my exposure to pastel shades at the time was very less and limited. I was more attracted to bright violets, red, magenta and royal blue. Those were the go-to colors and I always assumed wearing a bright colored sari saree with heavy gold jewelry is all one needs to look stunning.. I remember dressing up that way for school and college farewell parties as well. Sometimes my choices made me look older than I was but that did not matter to me at all .. I actually wanted to look older!! (I have no clue why though.. so pardon my ignorance 🤔🤔) there is still nothing right or wrong about that school of thought - to each their own except that as I evolved as a person my choices,  observations and lessons learnt evolved too. That's when I began learning the art of #lessismore

My first such lesson was when I first met ma. Way before my hubby and I had anything in common. Ma was wearing this exact shade of a beautiful fully woven dhakai jamdani. Simple blouse. Hair tied in bun (must have been three four rounds because she had REALLY long hair, touching her knees!), pearl earrings,  sindoor. That's all. I mean really that's it. Dang! That pic is still in my mind and I wish I had a USB to transfer it to fone! Oh well,  some things can never be captured ever, they live in heart! I wondered how this 'aunty' (as I would refer to her like the rest of my roomies and friends) manages to look stunning and be the show stopper without any jewelry.  I just couldn't figure that out. She oozed confidence,  charm. elegance,  dignity,.. everything I look up to in women.

Over the years maybe I borrowed a leaf or two from her books. She would instill confidence in me that my education is my biggest strength, my profession is my independence and kindness is my beauty.. all this went over my head .. totally. I understood nothing back then but would simply nod. She would tell how amma's dreams of me becoming an independent woman should never be in the backburner!

Ma, hope I am able to live up to the daughter you always wished you had! I hope I learn to bring you and amma smiles of what you wanted me to grow into!

Today I love pastels, i love minimal dressing. I truly realized that #lessismore when one is confident about self and carry oneself with highest regard. 

90/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact

Sari: I guess block printed chanderi cotton Choli: Kota with embroidery, creation from Arpita Saha

Story: phew! Can't believe I hit 90s!!! One of those pretty low key days when I talk so much inside that I am quiet outside. Something triggered me to wear the sari and I ended up randomly picking this combo!

I always question whether it is the mind that thinks and heart that feels. I don't know for sure, perhaps it's a collective process. It is not one organ or other. Perhaps it's none of those organs that feel but an external stimuli triggers emotions?

I don't know. It's just one of those mysteries that Nature left us wondering about.

Despite technological advances and innovations, it's hard to replicate human brains! Even just eyes! How we adjust our vision to objects, the clarity, precision, ability to focus, see and store .. no camera can ever do justice to the beauty as seen and captured by the eyes.

The ability of brain to multitask, store, sense and execute is beyond the "man from ape" theory. It's a scientific creation designed to perfection with self improving, self replicating, self learning, sustaining model! Nah! This ain't an ape theory (If it were why aren't any more monkeys getting converted to humans?, although we see vice versa - humans behaving less sensible than they are capable of)

With it came the special ability to love,  care and  protect not just one's own but the planet in general. Wish we all used the ability as much as we can, as often as we could.

Ah! That's a lot of inner talk exposed! Will get back to my shell and let you all be ❤❤❤❤

Meanwhile I am waiting to enjoy my Cerelac  (Yes you heard it right!) Tomorrow morning for breakfast.. been my wish since childhood!!! Yummy!!

89/100 sari(s) . All are gadwal.

Story: me wearing Amma's sari,  Ma wearing her mom's sari, Amma wearing sari gifted to her by Ma. Hearty Love triangle of saris. Of moms and daughters 💃💃💃

Mothers - the lesser said, the better. Mothers don't expect celebration but worthy of celebration  every moment.

Not limited  just to the mother's by birth, motherhood  extends to all mothers by thought,  action and living by example.
Mothers that feel and extend compassion,  mothers that stand by you just to be, mothers that lend a shoulder and get it even when you don't say a thing, so on and so forth.

You can never thank them enough nor say much.

More than a 'being' (humans like us) or a 'form' (divine like many) , Mothers are like 'energy'. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed - it can only be transformed from one form to another.

Mothers' blessings are powerful than anything else in this universe. Such positive energy! 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️
May we stay blessed.

88/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact
Saree: manipuri silk with brocade border.  Choli: a random purchase couple of years ago.

Story: Finally I rushed to the mustard fields.. eree.. feels good saying sarson ka kheth instead before they will be chopped off!!

My first sight of mustard fields was enroute Agra (see the then me 😎). I was amazed and felt very very Bollywood-ish driving past them in an old Maruti Omni van carefully steered by Rana Saab . My colleagues cum roomies and I made point to stop by and take pics there First, Taj Mahal comes next!

I was beginning to write few words today and the gel pen ink started drying up. Flip, flip, flip.. in the air. Gosh I freaked out. Exactly like how I would when I accidentally flipped an ink pen without a cap and terrified it might spill on my answer sheet, my uniform,  the desk or worst of all my Classmate's shirt! The one sitting ahead of me. I paused. Nah! That ain't happening today. That was twenty or so years ago!!! Sigh! The boys used to play ink holi too! Gosh, those days the good old Surf Excel 'daag ache hain..' wasn't there too! I don't know if the popularly used Rin soap of my time was any good unless the shirts were beaten brutally on the washstone on the backyard!
Ink-ed shirts end you up in defaulters' line :( much like the poorly polished white canvas shoes from Bata.

A good Sunday is one when you get up wash your shoes, dry them by noon, polish and by evening you dust off the extra whites and be ready for Monday stick, span! Chammak challo!

An ok Sunday was one when you forgot to wash shoes (or were too lazy) and afternoon squeaked clean just the rubber sole part with an old toothbrush, polished the canvas and by evening somehow managed to make shoes look ok.

A terrible Sunday is one when neither you washed shoes nor some but blatantly applied polish on the brown sole.. poorly covering it in patches and somehow manage to escape the defaulter line

A "totally gone case" Sunday is when you forget all about shoes amidst chandrakantha, Mahabharata, national matinee movie,  regional weekly movie, super hit muquabla.. and Monday morning outside the school gate you borrow broken chalk pieces to bring some sense to your shoes hoping to escape the defaulter line.  Goodluck with that@!@

Hair, Uniform defaulters... another day. If you are lucky to have black shoes for uniform, argh you don't get this pain!! May Lord Almighty bless you with white canvas shoes for uniform next birth!

For now no faults,  no defaulters!!
Only mantra - keep calm and sari-choli on!!!
#sanskritikolkatta

87/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact

Saree: White linen saree, amazing quality, amazing craft. Choli: it's Gamcha Time! From @Mohar

Story: the bright magenta reminded me of the school book binding. This time usually is when we would poay money to get new book set.  Siri and I always insisted on getting them early.. lovely smell of the new books. Brown sheets. Geometry box. We would go home and count "motta page" meaning empty ruled pages in our single or double ruled notebooks.

Amma would ready the textbooks to send to the binding shop. Wow! That was a privilege, not many families would do but amma was particular about such things! The magenta bound book always was a special one.. if we are lucky. 🌺

Notebooks were a different story.  Nanna had taught us very specifically, technically to cut and do the brown sheets. It had to be nearly perfect. The left out triangle pieces of brown paper from the corners show how how skilled you are ☻

I still do notebook covers the same way. Habits! I don't think kids these days have to deal with such things anymore.  My kid doesn't have a lot of notebooks as such yet, they deal with machines and there is no color binding or brown sheets involved😎😎.

The new book set tied in "purucose" rope string (God, how do we even spell it????) Also makes miss the news paper packing of groceries. Talk about reuse and resources.  Sometimes I used to get the privilege of checking the grocery  list delivered in the verandah from the local kirana shop. Obvious ones like toothpaste, oil are easy, the paper wrapped lentils are tricky. You need to be like an expert gynaec feeling the baby in tummy to feel the exact dal in paper. If you failed then you poke a hole with finger asnd drrrrrr pours the daal out. No plastic no waste, no carry bags nothing. The paper would be recycled or sold eitherr for cash or for steel samaan that Amma had been collecting for years for my and Siris marriage! Her favorite was collecting the "Amitabh Bachhan" steel dabbas. She still has a collection. 😄

Phew! That was lengthy story, but blame the magenta,not me!

86/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact


Saree: georgette bandhani,  Choli: of course it's a gota patti kurti today!

Story: there is definitely something wrong in the way my brain is wired 😉. I walk four steps straight and then take a detour! Here I go to team up kurti with Saree! Lo kar lo baat. I can hear Mr. Mashoor Gulati (pls Google) saying "aisa kaun karta hai bhai" 🤣🤣🤣

Mein karti hoon!

Speaking of Google I am sure i confused YouTube to it's limits. When I started the car the first song from YouTube autoplay was "Srirasthu subhamasthu" (Rajendra Prasad old movie.. title song) the next one autoplayed.. "Malarodu malaringu.." (Bombay movie. Tamizh song). Next it played "Dhunuchi naach 2016" (Bengali durga poujo pujo music).. then "Made in India " (By the pop queen Alisha Chinai..)

I think that was pretty round trip across the country and ended with the right spirit and right song!!! 😍

Do you remember those childhood days when new clothes are a privilege for once or twice a year? In my case it's during birthday,  Diwali and of course if I outgrew school uniform then a mid June uniform shopping! That's it. Wasn't that simple? Did not it feel more valuable?

I was thinking about it and more and more it leads to decide that perhaps I should resolve to good old olden days from next year on! We buy too many and wear too frequently.  Nothing wrong about it (thankful to the almighty for his generous abundance) . It's tough for me even as I think so because I am fabric lover, it's my breath,  it's gonna be tough...but it leads to think.perhaps I should be more giving and more caring? Too many consulted emotions at this time.. so need to wait to let muddy waters settle in my head and heart. But I sure do believe my next year will begin to be different than this in this aspect. What it will be, I will share with you of course as I figure it out ! But till then #keepcalmandsarion


Love all

85/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Saree: gamcha checks.. an unusual seven color combo, Choli:  finally a successful faux halter neck that I was searching from ages, both from Mohar

My humble thanks to the hands that wove seven different color threads into small checks for the saree!! 🙏🙏🙏

Story: after few crazy weeks got a unusual opportunity to connect back with myself. Spent the day at home, made quinoa dosa and araichu vitta sambar.  Ma and I relished or rather gobbled it with yummy pudhina chutney and garlic pickle. Washed it with strong filter coffee. BURP! BLISS!

I wanted to enjoy the moment and couldn't wait from the time I received the gamcha saree (yesterday!) Its like kid waiting for dawn to burst fire crackers for Diwali. It's like kid waiting for cake and balloons for birthday. It's like unable to resist the new geometry pencil box!!

As I was draping the Saree,ma and I were recollecting that today's weather was perfect for a pujo pandal visit,  the saree was perfect for a shasthi arati

Its my wish to visit Secunderabad and Hyderabad pujo pandal once again to be around the familiar faces (known and unknown) that smile or greet, the familiar smell and food, those stalls, those mashis and the adda sitting around the shamiana.. the chaa. Ah!

one thing lead to the other.. and ma got the shantiniketan beads garland to match the saree... I did end up dressing like I am going to pujo pandal 🤗🤗

Sometimes it's hard to believe and accept that the roads once crossed are those we wish could go back but cannot! We don't realize that until much later!

Nevermind! No day is lesser for a celebration! No moment is dull, life is just as colorful as the gamcha checks

I took the moment to enjoy my chaa outside amidst birds chatting with one another, branches swaying to the gentle breeze, and at one moment ma, baba and I were conincidentally quiet as though relishing the beauty gifted by Nature.

84/100 #debsaristories  #100sareepact #100CholiCraze.

Me: Saree: satin crepe in my fav combo, choli: red! Cape: from the darling Sayanti Ghosh. Omg ..loved the drape of cape..🌷🌷


Story: it's that time of the year.. when I say.. "Happy bday " and she replies "thanks same to you ka".  Yup. Twins, just five years apart, so to speak.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU Sis 💥🌷💥🌷🎉🎂🎈

Our Childhood birthdays were never about cake balloons and parties. It was about gulab jamun, rasna, summer vacation, temple visit, Amma nanna blessings. Siri and I had matching dresses for the most part until later years when we intentionally decided to go hybrid do we could mix and match ours.. for college..

Coincidentally after many many years today we ended up wearing a Salwar Kameez that Amma picked for both of us when she visited Lucknow last year.. lucky we both had it stitched!! 😍😍😍

And today for a Change my little sis obliged to my request to wear saree (she's a tough bull to nudge) and surprised me in her Saree pics.

Our little bettus showered love on mammas and the entire family blessed us .. what more. Life is bliss. Thankful God.. for the space on earth and the goodness around.  I hope to make wise use of the opportunity and done something worthwhile while I am here.

Sis ... I will always want to share my birthday with you .. and wish we get to celebrate it together again.. it's been ages.

83/100 #debsaristories  #100sareepact #100CholiCraze
Saree: forty five year old Saree purchased from Benares by ma when on visit with her parents.  She then saved the Saree to wear it during her wedding few years later. Choli: it's jute cotton I suppose... very comfy and very easy to carry.. from Roopkatha

Story:  I was going through all the wonderful saree posts of Akshaya Tritiya across social media, the tired body woke up to find solace in Saree.

As I was feeling through the sarees and wondering about the "gold rush" for Akshaya Tritiya and the marketing around it.. I recall I havent been a strict follower of the routine.. I definitely consider it an auspicious day but don't limit it to gold! Gold is here today and gone tomorrow.  If I really had to multiply something that would be happiness, love and blessings.

That's what I tried.. as I draped the Saree in a giffy and walked down the stairs I could see the sparkly smile in ma's eyes as much as her lips. I promised her I will treasure this Saree much like the others for nextgen.  She's worried that the delicate Saree may give way by then and perhaps rip off .. nahhhhhh. Not when I am around ma!

Baba stopped by and said "you look besutiful chinni", bettu said.. "ma tomake khoobh shundor lagche" (ye he speaks bangla at home).
Ma recalled her trip to Benares and how Deedha had saved this Saree for ma's wedding celebrations.. I secretly wished ma blessed me as she always does... because that's what I want to multiply today and always. That's my Akshaya Tritiya right there!

I don't have any idea of material wealth I could pass to nextgen.. those are perishable.. however I certainly bank on the blessings I collect and am more than happy to give them 100% to nextgen!!! Its like collecting pebbles and sea shells. It's a childish thing to do.. but filled with fun and content.

Happy Akshaya Tritiya to you all. May whatever you wished for today multiply and bring you happiness.

82/100  #debsaristories #100sareepact #100CholiCraze  saree: Assam cotton with woven rhino motifs. Choli: gujrati stitch blouse from BEAS my tailor remixed it with red ikat patchwork.

Story: Shubho noboborsher shubecha o shubashish =  Iniya puthandu nalvazhthukkal =  Happy New year!!

It was gorgeous and sunny outside. Perfect new year time! May life always be such sunny and bright!! Baba (FIL) was born and grew up in Assam. Although I haven't visited Assam.. heard many stories of Shillong (Meghalaya), Silchar, Guwahati.. some day perhaps I will get a chance 💖

Watching Hichki gave me such a nostalgia trip that I can't explain. Do you remember how it feels when everyone else starts getting additional sheets and you haven't finished the main sheet yet 😲😲😲 the night study, the last minute "revision" which often includes first time reading.... shhhhhhh. Don't tell mom about it!

That also reminded me of the small self deserving targets we had to meet

- Eclairs for special occasions versus the round orange toffee
- Good Day biscuits versus the regular Marie biscuits
- Rasna versus Bournvita
- Chocobar (that's REALLY big deal) versus the regular stick ice cream
- Hero pen versus regular ink pen (been ages since I saw one of those)
- Reynolds pen (scratch the writing off to personalize it 😉) versus the leaky ball point pens..

The targets were simple, not always expensive but our commitment to get there was innocent and were dedicated now that I think of it. Somehow it became a habit.. even today I mentally and heartful'ly keep little targets for myself.. like... "I will buy myself this Saree when I do that".. it helps me few ways. 1. To set mini targets 2. To work towards them 3. To indulge myself when I meet those targets. It's a fun way!!

Once again life's all about small things. It better be that way. Its easy to hate, because it doesn't need effort- to choose to love takes effort, trust, purpose, need, commitment and most of all humanity...

Similarly it's default to be sad about things we don't have in life, but it takes effort, contentment, gratitude to choose to be happy with what we have because many others don't have this either!

jeena isi ka naam hai.

81/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact

Saree: Linen, matka silk with sequins pallu, Choli: Umbara Designs cholimaker white custom choli with Chudidhar sleeves and back bow.

Story: the bangali in me is awake when it rains to enjoy khichudi, begun baja (brinjal fry), papad. That's what it was for lunch today. And the much awakened saree spirit is always there.. I was feeling like wearing white so cudnt wait until Durga Puja to release the white Umbara choli.. out it came of the closet today!

I was browsing through some old evergreen pics yesterday and as always life amazes me. The zoom in and out of lens aside, I never imagined how much ever few years would change anytime ahead. About coincidences,  about Destiny and about how everything happens for a reason.

Isn't that true for all of us?

I even look around and observe how families have evolved over generations. My parents generation was different when they grew up.. joint families, cousins, wealth or lack of, education etc. Their bonding isnt limited to own siblings but aunts uncles and cousins as well. Relationship between spouses was different back then. Mine of course was different as a child .. and very different as a parent.

Even in marriage, couples have evolved to be friends besides doing spouse duties.. there is a level of awareness and adjustment at times that helps nurture the relationship and also essential for the times we live in. At the same time, the fast food world has also brought with it tendencies of ego, lack of tolerance, arrogance of wealth which often leads to broken marriages.

I have seen my colleagues go through the turmoil,  some sustain, some break.

When in such discussions, the closest analogy I can draw is that if blood relationships.  Not all are blessed to get perfect parents, siblings etc. Sometimes those relations are far more messed up than the marital ones. However you would never hear a son divorcing a dad , or sister divorcing a brother. ! It is accepted as a fact, given chance and sometimes that itself along with time gives power to heal and mend.

Just because someone entered someone's life  little later (so do our kids!) And makes bunch of mistakes(not blunders that damage the core) in the process doesn't automatically qualify to disqualify them from life. I mean you can separate water from milk, but you can't separate milk from milk! Something heavy like a ship can sink and hit rock bottom or can dive up like a life boat!

Whenever you feel like giving up, pause and think why and how it all started. That's all matters. For anything in life.

Like today when it rained all that mattered was to feel some of it. To stop by puddles, to watch the bright green side of nature. To think of those "no school days, no uniform shoes days, bajji pakoda days, paper boat days ..."

80/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact

Saree: kanchivaram silk with threadwork border: choli: gamcha blouse

Story: if any of my sarees could tell a story, it will be this one. This was the first Saree ma chose for me from @Nalli Delhi as part of "biyeh r tatva".. gifts to bride. I LOVE this Saree. I have worn it many many times and never get tired, I love mangoes,I love jackfruit, this shade is perfectly in between my two fav fruits. The saree "auto drapes" on me (you know what I mean righr?) ... it knows me very well ! It has seen me as a new bride, growing into a wife role and then mommy role, daughter (censored the inlaw suffix!) Role and I bet it will see me in my next mom (again censored inlaw) role when bettu chooses beti for me and also in my grandma role!! God. Makes this happen, pls, pls, pretty pleaseeee. I'll promise to be good :) 🤗

Have you ever wondered how our eye pupil adjusts it's lens to zoom in and out objects pretty quickly and amazingly.  No camera invented by (hu-man)ush can ever do that. I bet.

Can you correlate that to how we deal with people?

Zoom out your pupil, Sometimes we tolerate a lot of unwanted sh@$ from people at work or otherwise because our job or role expects us to. Because we are paid (money I mean), we are employed, we oblige.  We have a motto at times - promotion, hike, appraisal or at times we are nice to people in neighbourhood - to keep up with social image, status etc. Different reasons but point being at times our tolerance to people that do not (significantly) matter in our lives in long run is much higher.

Zoom in your pupil, see what's right in front of you. Your family and extended family! Our tolerance and sometimes acceptance is lower, we are critical more and less nicer (maybe!). And mind you.. this applies to all in the family not just us...  if we apply some of those tactics we use from those "zoomed out" people to our "zoom in" core, don't you think life will be more meaningful, slowly steadily increasing real wealth (besides money) like love, trust, respect and sense of belonging, eventually leading to values and blessings... something that we truly can pass to our next gen.

I try to walk this talk as much possible but err at times only to quickly course correct.

I dont know why I felt like sharing this with you... hope I did not bore you. It was Madras thali,  dosa and filter coffee time today:)

79/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories #iworkedout #100sareepact

Saree: the evergreen unbeatable  classic dhakai, from ma's  treasure box. Choli: Kalamkari. When east meets south. Yup my story!

Story: it's simple, very very very simple. It's about simplicity. It's how some beautiful creations don't need to tell atop rooftops to announce their arrival, instead can command attention just by being.

That's this Saree. Needs no excess accessories,  needs nothing fancy and gaudy. Just by itself it's a masterpiece.

If sarees could talk this one would go on and on.. right from when ma and her sister bought similar sarees.. may be twenty five years ago.. or so.. this saree saw my husband grow up (ma has a pic of that) .. and saw me pregnant with bettu when I  wore this to work and many other occasions even after.

When in doubt I pick this. Because it can gel with times and blend into any occasion. Beautiful weaves!!!

Today is again the perfect summer afternoon.

There is a saying .. that even the garland string becomes fragrant just by being in the company of good  flowers.. so true for life. Just by surrounding ourselves with goodness we are influenced with goodness as well. And the converse is true as well. When I look back.. I am the string that was lucky to have had the company of such wonderful flowers that enriched the fragrance of my life at every step.. that's an amazing feeling.. yes there were few thorns on the way as well, but the string adapts itself and doesn't let the thorns cut or rip the garland apart.

No matter where the flowers come from and ni matter what the garland is finally used for.. the journey itself is beautiful, colorful, fragrant. Life. Ditto.

Wish you gorgeous flowers in the garden of life for your garland. ⚘⚘🌺🌻🌼🌷⚘🌾

78/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Saree: kota saree, choli: tunic! (#desividesi)

Story: I wrote a post,  it got deleted accidentally.  Re wrote the same post, hit delete text accidentally again

I believe in karma and Destiny.  I also believe in perseverance and hard work so one more try. Let's see what happens.

When the temperature meter turns from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit the die hard Saree lover in me of course is awake and all charged up. Who could ever dare stop me from draping a Saree is what i thought as I was in shower getting ready to go to work. Nobody.
Kabali da, vandhuteynnu sollu!

Things to do in summer!!
1. Watermelon from roadside
2. Nungu or Taati munju
3. Rasna
4. Marina beach and manga,  sundal
5. Malli poo, jaaji for evening
6. Vadu manga and avakaya
7. Powercut and antakshari with mosquitoes in company
8. Water from earthern pot with vettiver smell
9. Birds chirping early at dawn
10. Aunties draped in crisp starched cotton sarees evening after shower

Of all the above I could just do one thing today! The aunty in Saree :)

As me and ma sip our filter coffee from davara and tumbler I hear old ilayaraja songs that I haven't heard in long time play in the background.  Ah childhood!

We have limited time in the galaxy,  we all have a chance to contribute to it's happiness. Why not do it now instead of waiting for the right time? Why not pick up the fone and say I love you to someone that we are uposet with? Why not gift mil a Saree and choli as surprise? Why not talk to friends like we did before? Why not accept that we are here only for a while? Why not today to spread more love? Why not us to start with it?

I understand that the brain thinks using neural and electric signals,  but do we feel really from our heart? Maybe the entire body and soul could feel.. maybe

Love all.

77/100 #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Ma in linen saree teamed with full kantha stitch blouse from BEAS. Me in chiffon floral teamed up with a crop top  (Will share Videsi look another time)

Story: Happyyyyy b-day to you, happy bday to you, happy birthday dear mamma,  happy bday to you! Clap clap clap. 👏👏👏🎂🍰🎉🎉🎉🎁

Its ma bday today, so I broke my rule and posting ma's pics to share the joy with you all. I made ma dress up and join my craziness going around looking for beauty to humbly picture amidst amazing backdrops. Ma's a true sport! At 46 degress Fahrenheit, extreme chilly wind, ma posed for pics because I love those moments. Such is love. Touchwood. Ma, the word means exactly that - forget self, love unconditional!

Growing up I figured out that I woulkd only marry a guy  that loves his mom to moon and back. "If a guy can't love his mom, how can I trust that I would be ever loved truly?!" That was and still is my point of view. Most moms, including Amma, and others I have seen, met, interacted or even distantly known or read about have sacrificed their lives, their happiness, their future for the sake of children. If one is ungrateful and forgetful to overlook that divine emotion, there is no way the person could respect any other emotion. Period. 😱😱 I don't buy the logic of comparison between mom, wife etc. The guy doesn't have to choose between two pure forms of love, those are complimentary and never a competition.  There is no role replacement with one other. Mom will always be mom and wife a wife! Once there is trust, confidence and all insecurities vanish, comes bliss, peace and simple for the family. The less we bring definitions of "-in-laws"  into our lives the better off we are.

Life is short, universe is huge, vast. One billion trillion events happen every nano second and we choose to worry about insecure emotions.. really?  Not worth it. Let our memories be the stars that twinkle subtly and not the meteors that  rush to crush.

Shout out to Deb saab, for the first best marriage gift - Ma.

76/100 #100CholiCraze #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Saree

two decades old garden chiffon Saree, hand painted by ma.

Choli

Kantha stitch blouse.. my tailor added creativity and teamed it with purple brocade

Story

Phew! When I started my day I wasn't planning to wear a saree today .. however as the day unfolded and my story kept building I knew I had to share it with you all.

I was thinking in the morning about privilege our kids enjoy these days. Many of us that are able to afford smartphones,  fast internet and the like are also able to provide such a lifestyle to our kid's. It's called going with the flow. When we have a certain comfort it's not practical to expect them to know hardships only via imagination or hear-tell stories of our lives and not by their own experience...however I do believe they should go through that experience of "starting  from scratch" so they value our values as well. To know what it means to hold what's given and also let go when ithers are in need.

... later this evening I had to take public commute on way back from an office conference.. and my seat mate in train was smoking marijuana right there. It took me a while to realize but then it was disturbing. Privilege is one thing, responsibility is another. Rich or poor, young or old, east or west, freedom and privilege come with great responsibility.  Not a moment was I tempted,  neither was I influenced ... that act of addiction did not impact me.. mostly because I am stubborn! The good thing about being stubborn is no one can "make you do" anything unless you want to, bad thing is.. well... you are STUBBORN! I watched the mom with twin boys trying to keep them calm, the old lady lost in thought, the college kid with bicycle on board and many office goers like me .. each drowned in their own stories.. and of course my seat mate who was in a 'different world' altogether perhaps!

I talked to bettu about it. .. is the world half good or half evil .. how would you see it? He showed positive attitude .. and said good people outnumber. Touchwood.

One would hope the privileges enjoyed by our future generation is treated with responsibility and with stubbornness where needed. Time will tell.

75 #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Sari

yet another easy drape chiffon.

Choli

one of the one dozen silk sleeveless blouses ma got done for me  last year..

Ugadi subhakankshalu.. wishes on gudi padwa nav roz and other new year celebrations! May the new year bring you and your families bliss and peace

Festivals are joy.. Ugadi pachadi has always been my fav. It's exciting to taste something that is exactly like life. Sweet, sour, butter, hot and maybe even bland 😋..  I remember when amma would make Ugadi pachadi I would always wish and wait that no one else takes huge spoonful or mouthful so I can  sit and relish the whole thing 🤣🤣🤣  the bitter been never bothered me a bit!! Followed by boorulu and gaarelu. I made Ugadi pachadi today and went around asking everyone at home what was the first taste their buds felt.. it's exciting guess game. I am sure Amma would have missed me as she prepared pachadi today.. as she does. Yummy.

Ok there are fifty shades or grey or maybe few more.. I have witnessed them all in the clouds last few days. I can't complain about rain at all .. it's essential for life.. but missed the brightness and light as Sun would have showered during spring. When life gives you fifty or more shades of grey.. blow a kiss in the air and give it back hot pink saree, emerald green blouse and a gorgeous smile.. and btw. Dark grey and hot pink make a great combo don't you think??

That's exactly what I did today! Also.. Was listening to rudrashtakam.. and personally speaking I admire the Shiva Durga couple.. they are my role models.

It takes a secure strong confident man to let his better half own the power and rule the world.. not easy peasy. Also it takes a daring  caring woman of substance to accept a man who is not worldly wealthy but definitely the best for her and stands by her no matter what!. 

On that note I am not big fan of Lakshmi pressing her Lord's feet all day .. just saying.. 😒 it's their personal life so I can't interfere and get nosy about it. So reserving my thoughts to myself in due respect of their couple goals and privacy.

Anyways.. to all my power houses .. many many wishes as you celebrate special day today ..

Aur yeh gaana.. "chori hai, samajhke ladiyo.." .. "bas.. chori samajke na ladiyo..".. I am sure you are humming it now 💞💞💖💖

74/100 Nature and migration.. beauty and beasts

74/100 #debsaristories  #100sareepact

Saree: 

flock of birds from ByLoom amazing drape and width.

Choli: 

the amazing four way reversible blouse from Queen of Hearts by Deepa Mehta the blouse with zipper can be worn front , back, inside and out.. all four ways!!  💞💞💞💞 pure love marriage.100%

Story: 

hmmmm .. from time immemorial birds have migrated from one land (or water) to another. From time immemorial animals have migrated from one land (or water) to another. Man is a social animal.... I wonder when man wasn't as civilized as today,  what motivated her from migrating like fellow animals.. what were those pastures she sought? Animals migration was Nature's plan and play, when man became self aware what and who empowered her to migrate and make something his own?

And when he did listening to his mind, as do many (im)migrations today..where does his heart belong?

Heart and love thrive in liberation. On the same scale of love, if you choose to 'hold' something in your possession .. it might lead to suffocation.  While on the same scale of love if you choose to 'allow' love to bloom.. it still is yours but thrives in bloom. It's just how you prefer  to   express love! If it were a flower, some like to hold, touch, squeeze not knowing it might brush the poor being.. While some others admire and let it be. Some posses, some liberate. I say this because one cannot force to love something nor can one deny.

The heart can always hold and share  more love than one can ever imagine, it stretches itself but never runs out! When it migrates it carries a piece of every journey as it moves only enriching by the way.. never diminishing in experience or excitement.

Isi baat pe.. a dedication to nature and its nomads.. yeh gaana.. "musafir hoon yaaron.. na ghar hai.. na tikaana..  "

It was my long time wish to be in same frame as Nature and it's beauty .. lucky day today!