Reflections

It’s only recently that I have taken to wearing Bindi and considering that we live in a country where women have been putting Bindi for generations, it feels odd to make that statement.I t’s actually amusing to notice people reaction and prejudice to wearing a dot on your head these days, especially in North India.  Incidentally, where I live I used to wear it only on family gatherings and festivals and weddings. And though I was never questioned or forced for wearing a Bindi in my family, it made me wonder that all these years I have seen my mother wear Bindi everyday and somehow I don't wear it.. why? Bindi, I feel has become more of a fashion statement these days rather than being a part of daily attire as in my mothers generation. And Bollywood has a great role to play in it, considering I grew up watching films like DDLJ, or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Yes Boss etc. shot mostly in foreign countries po...

Travelling through Tamil Nadu in search of weavers to source sarees for a boutique called Madhurya at The Art of Living International Centre. I got the opportunity to visit some of the interior most villages and homes of the weavers.  Surrounded by peaceful and green paddy fields, the traditional weavers are also farmers, who have been practicing the art of weaving sarees for generations. Waiting for the crops to harvest, they would invest their time on the loom creating masterpieces.  The weavers house would have a small shed for cows ,   pet dogs and hens and other structures like stone grinders and water well in the verandah or open courtyard in front of the house.  Every weaver's house that we visited had a small room where he would show his collection that he and his family had woven. It was enlightening to see their skills and mastery over the loom. Such intricate patterns and motifs are no easy task yet they designed so effortlessly without any cert...