61/100: Art Silk Puneri Saree

Oct 29, 2015

61/100

#100sareepact 

Not on a mood to write anything. Life is not so good. But this too shall pass.

This is a heavy art silk saree from Pune. I love the multi coloured border and aanchal. It does not slip and is pretty easily draped. Paired with my purple handloom blouse.

Needed to boost my moral by draping this saree. Not that it happened...

60/100: Beige with checks Sambalpuri Cotton

60/100

#100sareepact

#maakisaree

Dussehra. A time for introspection. How many of us do that? I am going to leave it at that....open-ended......

It seems like aeons when we used to get together to celebrate Dussehra. Maa used to do the puja by making sweets from coconut, which is known as kakara in Odisha. Any Odia will know that no puja is complete without making kakara, a sweet made from wheat flour,elaborately prepared and coconut fillings, that too elaborately prepared. After the filling, deep frying.

I can even now smell the air while all the preparations were going on. One by one, my brothers left the nest. My dad passed away. Maa lost interest. I was neutral. Now we get sweets and fruits and do the puja.

We all met for festivals in the initial years of dad's passing away. Then it stopped. I tried my best to hold the family together but one can only do so much.

I and my brothers are very close, no doubt about it. However, somewhere down the line we get busy and don't bother to meet. A small misunderstanding gets bigger and bigger.

My eldest brother lives in Bangalore, other two are in Delhi.

This year, Mom, I and my youngest brother and his family went to my second brother's place. We had no plans of that. It just happened. I am thankful to God. Festivals are about bonding. Hopefully, we will restart the tradition.

I draped maa's saree, a Sambalpuri with checks in the middle. It must be 35+ years old and I have draped it numerous times. I love it to bits. Draping it for the first time for the pact. My 60 day one! What better way to celebrate it!
Paired it with my full sleeved puffed red Ikat blouse, which I have had for 20+ years. 

Accessorised with my Silver Jewellery bought from Fabindia ......I seem to own only Pearls, Silver, Gold and Platinum. I need other kinds too.....

Maa has draped the Kargil saree........none of my SILs was in a saree....And there are no pics with my nieces. Eldest one left for her home. (she is married). Younger one was taking the pictures! Missed you, Kayrvi...Kinu

Happy Dussehra to all of you.....

59/100: Pink Heavy South Silk

59/100

#100sareepact

Wrote a long post and it got lost. I don't have patience to write again. So I am doing the essentials.

I did Puja hopping with maa in two of Dwarka puja pandals. Attended the Sandhya aarti in one. I love the sound of dhaak!

Both being vegetarian, we ate nothing except a kulfi each. So much for khaana peena. Worst thing is to get home and cook!

Draped this heavy South Silk saree, pink and gold. Peacock motifs on aanchal and border. Anchal has heavy gold work. 
I had bought this saree from Bangalore in 2006. Got fall and piko done. However, the blouse remain unstitched.

I matched it with a multi coloured readymade blouse bought locally. Accessorised with pearl jhumkis bought from Fabindia.

Maa draped a grey black Bomkai cotton, gift from one of her sisters. I want that saree.

The pics have not come out well but still posting those. ..

58/100: Grey Sambalpuri Pasapalli Cotton

58/100

#100sareepact

Mad, mad, mad days! Don't know what to do! However, we are going to have 5 days autumn break. Much needed one! I will do nothing! Sleep, eat, rest! That's my plan...

I might go Puja Pandal hopping, or do some saree shopping. With my bestie, Mamta Jain! And of course, mom!
This grey Pasapalli belongs to my mom. She has draped it many a times. I have paired it with a red Sambalpuri Ikat blouse. Grey is the colour of Fifth day of Navratri..

All pics taken by my mom. And mind you, I am a very serious person.....!

57/100: Green Kota Silk Cotton with Yellow border....Repeat

57/100

#100sareepact 

How does one define busy days? When you don't know one thing from the other. It gets so hectic that you forget what you have been doing. That's what happened to me today. I was doing everything mechanically......

Sometimes, we have to do more than what ought to be. Then, we run out of time and race against it. I know I badly need a break. But that is not possible for a while now. I have to do census work along with my regular teaching. That means, I will be busy even after the work day gets over. 

And then there are some who think teachers have everything easy. For them I say, try teaching a class of 70-100. Having four periods a day where each one is of 70 minutes duration. In the so called free periods, check the notebooks, distribute mid day meal, meet parents and distribute funds for uniform and books. Don't forget other funds like minority, and reserved category scholarships. 

I have only enumerated the important aspects. One can't even imagine the pressure we are in....does anyone care? 

Draped this green Kota silk cotton saree with a matching two by two rubia blouse. Perfect colour for the 4th day of Navratri. It is a repeat in the pact. Accessorized it with a string of beads, gifted by one of my colleagues.

My designated official photographer of the day did not let me down! So the funny poses, at her behest!

56/100: Mustard Tangail Silk Saree

56/100

#100sareepact

Once upon a time, I used to fast during the Navratris. I mean, no cereals, no pulses and and big no no for certain vegetables. It led to eating all kinds of "allowed" stuff. And I ended up eating more than the usual. So one fine day, I snapped out of it. What use is fasting if I think of food whole day long?

I told Durga maa the same and stopped fasting. She has no issues with that and loves me the as only a mother can love her child. Now I do the regular puja each morning. And then go about my life. Like every year, this year too, I shall be visiting the Puja pandals, starting from Anand mela. I, so look forward to it!

This mustard tangail silk saree belonged to my youngest SIL. As she no longer drapes sarees, she gave it to me. I have paired with a turquoise two by two rubia blouse. Does anyone wear such blouses any more?

I think this saree nicely follows the colour code of third day of Navratri, this year...

Such a busy time in school but my official photographer did not let me down. She takes my pics even when I am half dead, about to drop flat on the ground!

55/100: Printed Garden Vareli

55/100

#100sareepact 

When I joined the teaching profession, I was in a good place in my mind. Teaching, interacting, counselling are mandatory aspects. So is marking papers, which we absolutely loath to do!

I finished marking 125 papers of Class 12. Question paper is of 100 marks, so you can imagine how much time I had to devote to each answer sheet. Initially it takes around 50 min for each and subsequently the time lessens as we get used to the questions and of course the answers. We come down to 15 min per sheet.

When the evaluation part gets over, we are like...ah...freedom! Until then, we keep asking our colleagues......how many have you done? We envy the person whose work finishes first! 

So now what? Census work looms large.......

I was looking for a Royal Blue saree. Couldn't find one in cotton. Decided to wear this printed Garden Vareli marble chiffon saree with a newly stitched blue handloom blouse. 

I am tired but so what? 

54/100: Off White Sambalpuri with tiny checks

54/100

#100sareepact 

A post graduate in Chemistry, I started my teaching career with Math. Taught it to middle and secondary classes for many years. Now teaching English to class 12 for the last three years. Yes, I am a post graduate in English too. 

Life has been interesting. From pure sciences to pure maths and then to literature. I am a poet too. Writen more than 2000 poems in English. Published in Ezines. I also read like crazy and write book reviews. I have two very popular blogs, one for poetry, other for book reviews. 

When I hear people say, we don't have time, I don't believe that. The problem is, Time Management. I have succeeded doing that fairly well. I have set time slots for each of my interests and try to stick to that. And if I am unable to do that, I don't beat myself. I simply carry it over. 

Life throws many surprises and we have to accept that and welcome those. 

This Sambalpuri is very old, belongs to my mom. Has tiny checks. I have always loved it. Paired with a printed blouse. It is some random fabric bought from local market. I liked it and got a blouse made out of it.

No accessories. Right now, no time nor interest....

53/100: Repeating Kargil Saree

53/100

‪#‎100sareepact‬

When I woke up in the morning, my first thought was to visit the Sri Jagannath Temple in Hauz Khas. Before I could even voice it to my mom, she got a call from my brother asking her if we would like to visit the temple with them. My mom agreed without even asking me. What do you call it, ESP? From all involved?

We reached well in time for the Darshan and the subsequent Bhog. It being the last day of Pitrishraadh, the temple was crowded. Yet there was no chaos and it was pleasure to go there with my brother and his family.

And it was another opportunity to drape a saree. I repeated this Kargil saree but tying it differently. I made a knot of the aanchal on my left shoulder and my hands were free. I repeated the same Ikat blousethat I had worn with this saree. Come to think of it, my mom too repeated the same saree that she had draped when I had draped the Kargil saree. My SIL was dressed in a Sambalpuri Salwar suit. Ethnic, are we?

52/100: Mustard Gold Chanderi Silk

52/100

#100sareepact

My mom is in her late 70s. All those who live with senior citizens are aware that it is no cakewalk. It goes without saying that I love my mom. And she loves me just as much. However, she tries my patience all the time.

One thing I realized that she needs a listener and I listen. With half an ear. She doesn't like it but does she have a choice?!!

She is in her late seventies but I take her along almost everywhere and she likes that. She lives life to the fullest. Somedays she insists to go out somewhere and I am all for it!

I can't imagine my life without her. She is feisty and I am restrained! I don't like it when one of my brothers invite her to stay with them. Not that she goes! 

I can write a book about her quirks but I will leave that for some other time.

This Chanderi silk belongs to her. Gifted to her by my youngest SIL's family when her brother got married. I have always eyed it. She draped it only once and gave it to me as she did not like it for its transparency. I matched it with a magenta handloom blouse  from Nalli.

51/100: Kasavu with Gold Green border

51/100

#‎100sareepact‬

I am Odiya and was born in Jeypore, Odisha. I have never lived in Odisha. All of my education has been in Delhi, except for Class 1 and 2 in Pantnagar, UP. I have three brothers. All of us speak Odiya fluently. (I speak 6 languages). I have never been ashamed of my native language or anything that has to do with Odisha. I am rather very proud of my heritage.

However, I find that most Odiya people do not speak the language. They teach their kids to speak only in Hindi or English at home. When I speak in Odiya to their kids, they tell me, "we have not taught them the language. Even we have forgotten some of the words as we rarely speak it. We only speak it when someone from Odisha comes to visit us."

I want to know why. What is wrong in speaking one's mother tongue? My nephews and nieces speak it at home and also outside of it if they meet Odiya people. We all are richer for it. I know I am venting but it saddens me too.

I love my country, all parts of it.....my saree.....a Kasavu paired with an Odisha Ikat blouse. This saree was gifted to my mom by my eldest SIL,Sujata Tripathy.

50/100: Marble Chiffon with thread work and Sequins

50/100

‪#‎100sareepact‬

When I was doing my PG in Chemistry, I never once considered I would be teaching in a school. I had some vague idea of doing research. It was the last day of our PG exams. Delhi University had announced admissions for B. Ed in Central Institute of Education. One of my friends wanted to get the form. CIE is in the walking distance from Faculty of Chemistry.

So, a few of us accompanied her and all of us ended up buying a form each. I filled it up, deposited it with Rs 50/- as application fee. Two weeks later, there was a written exam and an interview. Needless to say, I got through. From our Chemistry dept, around 120 had applied, six cleared the written exam, and three got selected. Till that time, I had no intention of doing B.Ed. However, CIE is one of the premier institutes for Education and that decided for me to pursue it.

I have never looked back and here I am teaching!! It is not always hunky-dory but teaching does gives us instant feedback, including the highs and the lows. I studied Chemistry, was posted as a Math teacher, now teaching English. How did that happen? That story is for another day...

My saree......marble chiffon, with subtle stone and sequin work, not at all jaded. Bought from one of the CTC plaza sales, long time back. Easy to drape and hugs the body lovingly!