My first sari!

Sari, for those who don’t know, is the traditional dress of an Indian woman. I bought my first sari (yippee!!) a week back. I already have worn saris on some occasions like some traditional festivals, my tenth and twelfth farewell and so on. Also, I (along with my classmates) have been wearing sari for our batch day (the day when we joined college!) right from our second year. But all those years, I was either wearing one of my mom’s saris or somebody bought me a sari for the occasion (my twelfth farewell sari( my actual first sari!) was a loving gift from my paati. I’ll cherish that sari forever. She is no more and I can’t get any more saris from her. What a fine woman she was! Not a better lady has walked this earth! She is a very special person in my life.)

But, this time around, for my batch day, I decided I should have a sari of my own where I go through all the steps of selecting it, getting all the necessary accessories and finally wearing it. But, then, for those who know my family, the one thing that is hardest to get is time for fun. Harder still is the time for shopping. Everyone at home (me, included!) would prefer to curl up with a book than to go out for shopping or to any other place. So, I free vittufied the idea. Then came V, my friend. We were just thinking the idea through and since her place is in RamNagar, we went for window shopping. And entered PSR Silks. For the Coimbatorians (esp. the fairer sex), this shop needs no advertisement. For others, this is a cloth store with really good material with a cost that would make a dent in your wallet. However, the service is good and they have loads of varieties.

We went in and Vaishu took me to the fancy sari section where she showed me some really good saris (if I remember right, she showed me a green one with stone work that both of us iked very much!) But then there was something missing! I couldn’t quite place a finger on it. So, I kept looking at different saris all over the place. I could see Vaishu was getting exasperated. (I should tell something here! I either decided something in seconds or take hours to do it! The something in between called minutes doesn’t exist in my vocabulary! And Vaishu is so patient (I play a major part in inculcating this trait in her! Come shopping with me and u’ll become patient!)) Then I saw my sari.

It was a black Banaras Silk sari all done in glittering stone and zari work. It looked as if the sari was waiting to catch my eye and beckoned me to come and see it and touch it and drape it and…. I couldn’t resist it. I went and checked that sari out. But Vaishu was a bit skeptical because usually Indian women don’t buy a black sari, especially their first one. She didn’t know if my mother would approve and so on and so forth. But, then we decided to give it a try and I asked the shop attendant to show me the sari in all its glory. When I was preening myself with the sari, other customers too liked it a lot and wanted such a sari for themselves. But sadly there was only one and that was with me! I had decided as soon as I saw the sari that I wanted it (remember deciding in seconds?). Now, I was serious about getting it.

Then came the arduous task of convincing my parents. My dad said that if my mom liked the sari, then I could go ahead with the purchase. My mother didn’t want me to get a black sari at first. But then, I convinced her to come and see the sari first and then give her verdict. She was fine with the arrangements and Vaishu asked the shop attendant to hold the sari for us.(I should thank her. If not for her, I would’ve given up the sari and would be just dreaming about it.) We were even ready to make an advance payment for it. Only then did we know that a young couple wanted that sari very much. That heightened my resolve (who said resolves should be for things high and lofty? J) to get the sari. We then came out and went to have an icecream.

It was at the ice cream parlor that I had my first doubts. I said Vaishu that it would be really difficult to convince my mom and that atleast the young couple would be happy with the sari (What a generous thought! Says my inner voice sarcastically.) But then she calmed me down and said that I could always say no tomorrow if my mom didn’t like it. She also said that it wasn’t a big deal and that I shouldn’t worry about it too much. Then we went to her place and were doing things. But this issue was at the back of my mind on and on.

The whole night and the next morning, I was telling everyone at home about the sari. I even had dreams of me wearing it and doing a catwalk. The next day my mom and aunts went to the shop with me and my sister in tow. They saw the sari and were satisfied (thank God!) Finally it was approved and I was the proud owner of the sari! I can never forget the sari or the way in which I got it! Guess that increases its speciality. Then I showed the sari to Vaishu and others. VEveryone liked it.

It is something more than the sari that matters in this! Doing something the first time is always special and this was one of them. But then, sadly, there are some lasts that have to happen for the firsts to follow them. Both give different experiences and are special in their own way. Ippadiyaaga, enathu muthal sari veedu vanthu sernthathu!

PS: I stitched the blouse for it and wore it at home once. But I couldn’t wear it for the batch day as planned for I decided I can’t sit in class with it (I would be too distracted! And the stone work might be damaged! So I wore some other sari (that is mine too!)for the batch day!). I am waiting for a good day or occasion for wearing it (“releasing” it as my maid says ;))