Just a saree story

As she stepped out after bath, she noticed that her pair of jeans and a shirt had been replaced with a saree. She frowned and shouted in irritation, “Maa, I’m not going to wear this… No saree please.” “Paagal mat bano, maine tumhe kal hi keh diya tha. Hum khandaani log hain, aur tumhare yeh faltu aajkal ke khayalon ke chakkar mein yeh rishta haath se nahi nikalne doongi. Ab bas… Bahut ho gayi tumhari marzi. Ab jaisa main kahungi tum vaise karogi, samjhi.” Sheena sulked and sat down next to the blingy saree. There was no way she could go to a trendy café wearing this sequins laden zardozi embroidered bright pink saree. It would be her second meeting with Sameer. The last time she had met him, she was sandwiched between her parents and he was stuck between his parents. It was the typical “ladke wale dekhne aaye hain” drama with her being dolled up in a fancy red saree bringing tea in tray. She was least interested in him and all she could do was count minutes as they passed while 15-20 o

There was a time when the saree signified Patriarchy for her. She used to detest the saree, for the sake of not using a stronger emotion. But now she felt exactly the opposite about it. This story is how that change came about in her and this one saree that was a symbol of that change. She was born and brought up in Delhi where she grew up with two sisters and they all were treated equally at home and had a very normal childhood where there was no partiality towards any single person. So, all the initial years of her life, she was never really taught that she was any less to the opposite gender. Unlike many girls her age, she never had restrictions about the time she could stay out or what she should wear or how she should behave. She had a blissful life until she got married.  Then, she got married… Just entering her 25th year, she walked into a Punjabi family decked up in a bright red chooda. Her parents thought they chose well for her… They had focused on marrying her off in an educ

Kolkata calling! That was 7 years ago when he had just passed college. He had landed a job there. He only came home twice every year after that – Holi and Diwali! Last year he skipped Diwali and spent a good 4 weeks in December and January. After all it was his only sister’s wedding. The Holi then was bland so he skipped Holi too this year. But that day his sister had called and asked him if he could come on Rakhi this time.  He liked the idea and did the needful… Applied for leave, worked extra hours to complete assignments and was almost done when he remembered, “Rakhi ka gift? Gift toh liya hi nahin!” So, he left office early the next day and wandered around in Gariahat Market. He had no idea what he could buy for her, especially now that she was a new bride.  He walked aimlessly looking at all the wares when he almost passed a shop window. He stepped back to have a better look and saw this beautiful Khadi Cotton saree with Kites woven on it. He smiled! Immediately flashes

The year was 2009 when she had entered college. New friends and new life… That was what it was all about. She connected with Sagar almost instantly and they became the best of friends. He would wait for her at the college gate and they would proceed to the lecture hall together. The endless chatting in the College Canteen ranged from comparing the abs of Hrithik Roshan and John Abraham to sharing stories of their childhood – hers in cosmopolitan Delhi and his from a small village in Jharkhand. He was her best shopping buddy and came up with best suggestions on what to buy and what suits her. She could even discuss her make up stuff with him. Even her sister wouldn’t bother when she discussed the difference in the shades ‘Really Red’ and ‘Red Velvet’ in Revlon; but Sagar would pay attention and even tell her that he thinks ‘Fire & Ice’ looks even better. He was a keeper all the way and none of her girlfriends came close.  She always knew it and there was never a need for him to

Her 4-year old loved imagining stories. His favourites included the ones in the jungle – with tigers and deer and parrots and peacocks. So, when it came to celebrating his birthday, she went looking for the perfect outfit. She looked on all online shops and couldn’t find anything that felt just right. The best she could manage was a leopard print dress. That wouldn’t do. So, she went hopping all the malls and markets, scanning all the shops. There was barely any improvement in the search as the only other option she came across was a zebra print shirt. More searches here and there, and she moved over to bird prints or butterflies. The dresses and shirts, they all looked alike.  What to do? The birthday celebration was just round the corner; and her extensive search yielded no result. Even the husband was fed-up of her obsession to get just the perfect outfit. “Just go for the leopard print – it’s in these days, I hear,” he said as he shook her head. She continued languishing in he

"Her hands have magic", said everyone who saw her wield a brush. She had learnt the art of Patachitra as a kid. It was now paying off as she managed to make some money from it to fund her higher education. Her dad had left for his heavenly abode when she was appearing for her boards. Her mom was able to make only enough money to be able to send her younger siblings, a boy and a girl to school. She started doing odd painting work locally to make money for her college fees. Soon, she managed to find a lady who gave her an order to paint on a sarees. That day she widened her horizon and started taking independent works. Then came that "online" order which broke her back. A lady gave an order to paint a pic of Srinath ji on a silk saree. "Please make my Srinathji blue instead of black." The picture shared was beautiful. And she was confident that she would be able to make it. Moreover, the amount she was offered was good so she accepted. She borrowed money

Chaudhary ji was a very well respected gentleman in this small village. He had huge lands and was reasonably well-off but he was a good man with a heart of gold who would genuinely help his fellow villagers whenever and howsoever he could. That's why they had chosen him as their sarpanch and they trusted his wisdom and relied on his decisions and vision for their village. Although having earned enough to be able to send the kids in his extended family to study at premier schools and colleges in the cities, he himself still worked at the grass root levels, highlighting problems with the authorities and taking initiatives for resolutions wherever he could. Chaudhary ji's only child, a daughter, had just landed in the village. It was an unusual sight as she alighted from the driver's seat of her car. All the men wearing white had lined up in front gate of the house as well as in the huge verandah of their house. The ladies were cramped at the back with their heads covered