Raangoli

In Gujarat,rangoli is called Sathiya.I saw sathiya being drawn in Surat .They use colours also.

Painting.

My parents & brother were desperate to get the flat painted.It never crossed their minds that my opinion should be sought as I am the one who stays in that flat.But then this is what happens when you are a tenant -you are always at the receiving end of all largesse of your landlord/s !

So,it was all decided to get it done. A brand was chosen.They came to inspect & told us that the flat desperately needed painting .The way they apprised the condition of the paint ( or whatever was left of it ) on the walls,ceiling etc,it made us wonder as to  who was  in greater need- they or the flat.Anyway,they stated that as it was too badly done up earlier,they will need a minimum of four weeks to make it look presentable.I could feel my blood pressure shooting up.

Well,the painting or rather the process of peeling the old paint began .Then they put up the plaster of paris. Then the primer which smelled so awful that  I used to suffer from headaches.Now,this proved to me that I had a head which all suspected I never did possess ! Then the painting was done.Yet,it was not so simple.

My brother who is the owner had his own ideas about the colours he wanted on the walls of the bedrooms,the drawing room,the ceiling etal.Mind you,he was doing all this vide the phone from a neighboring city.As this was getting too confusing,we told him to email his choice of colours for the brand official to have a dekko .After all,he is the final authority.Unless he says yes,it is difficult for one to go ahead & suffer the results of ludicrous color schemes.It always helps to have some company in case,the color choice is decried by others ! That is one of  the advantages of working as a team !

As the flat was getting renovated by painting,I discovered to my amazement that I had also got fairer. The plaster of paris,the putty were falling all over me & others at home as fine dust .So this was the secret which made us look like Nordic whites ! .I am sure , painting your house can make you  much fairer  than all fairness creams applied together .I am currently talking to the PRO of the company which painted this flat  about how paints can give tough competition to fairness creams !

My feet also got fairer day after day.So,there was no need to get a pedicure done ! So,I saved at my brother';s expense .The painting left a hole in his pocket as one has to pay more for a branded product.Nah,the  high cost one tends to pay for  painting makes others conclude that a brand was chosen for painting !  But then ,the painting covered all, the holes on the walls & the ceilings.So,in effect the hole got transferred & transformed ! Small holes got transformed into a big hole in the pocket !

As they rubbed the walls ,ceilings etc,all the white powder which is a compound of calcium  kept falling into everything below including our food .Now,that served another useful purpose.It was a calcium additive & at this age,we are in perennial need of calcium supplements .So,this painting also fulfilled our calcium requirements.If ,I had known this,I wouldn't have spent money on buying calcium capsules from the pharmacy.I am certain that immediately after this painting job got over,the calcium readings of all the members who were in the house must have shot up so tremendously that Calcium was in excess- in the bodies that is ! So,next time,our calcium levels hit rock bottom,I know what to do - get my house repainted !

There is one downside to all this -our  hair also  gets its fair share of the white powder .So all of us appear older than we really are.On second thoughts,we can blame the painting for all that grey hair ! Hopefully ,all that extra grey in the hair makes us appear wiser - more grey matter in the brains. But then we all know- appearances can be deceptive & in such cases,they  certainly are !



The way the painting work was carried on left a lot of questions unanswered.They took four weeks to do up the flat but the speed had reduced midweek itself.I was left wondering if they were pretending to do a thorough job by taking a long time.It is like this in examinations- those who fill reams of paper are awarded more marks than others who write up to the point.One ponders if the answer sheets are indeed weighed before marks are granted.

Finally,painting ended & I sighed.Because,I realised that I will start looking my colour -so many shades darker as I will no longer have the benefit of superfine white powder which was like a halo around me ! Some had even mistaken it for some divine aura !

I will end here as I have to get a facial  & pedicure done lest people begin to notice the difference !

Kolam

Rakhis- strings of love.

My earliest memories of rakhis, are those, which were sent by my neigbour, who  is a very close family friend.She would, very lovingly choose the most delicate rakhis & send it across by post for me & my brother year after year without fail.The envelope would also enclose a letter written by her addressed to both of us.Her handwriting is  lovely as ever . It is something, which compliments rakhis sent by her.

Inspired by her,I began by sending rakhis to my paternal cousins, as they pined for them. Moreover ,they had no sister.Also,I greedily awaited   the gifts I will be showered with for tying them.I make it clear, that, I am just accepting their generous presents to please them & nothing more ! It always pays to raise one's esteem in the eyes of others .I have kept up this twin tradition - of sending rakhis & my pretense .

My own brother has never shown any enthusiasm for rakhis but, now, he demands rakhis for his daughter.I also send across many rakhis so that they can be forwarded to the members of his extended family.But my brother seems to believe, that members should visit & get rakhis tied to their wrists .This is akin to the thought that  the thirsty must seek water as the well cannot walk towards  those who are dehydrated.Moreover,having lived abroad, for a considerable period,he is skeptical about postal deliveries in time.

The story of Draupadi being protected by Krishna during vastraharan by Dushasana  in the epic Mahabharata is one of the most enduring tales of rakshabandhan.Krishna is only a word of mouth brother ( muhbola bhai ) of Draupadi but when his finger is injured & starts bleeding,it is Draupadi ,who tears a corner of her Pitambari sari & ties it around his bleeding finger.His own sister,Subhadra, keeps  searching for an appropriate piece of cloth as she opines, that  she cannot tear her silk sari to be used as a bandage.Krishna vows to protect Draupadi & makes her sari so infinitely long that Dushasana is tired of disrobing her & lets her go.This katha, also illustrates that only a gesture,  is enough to build a relationship that lasts for a lifetime.It need not be based only on birth.

I believe, that one can tie a rakhi to anyone -girl or boy.Nowadays,I send rakhis to boys & girls alike.When we no longer abide by gender stereotypes in so many fields, ,the same needs to be followed in festivals like Rakshabandhan as well.

In my erstwhile office wherein,I was employed,men used to run for cover during the festival as they lived in perpetual fear of having to dole out a gift  to every female who would tie a rakhi.I would have preferred my clerical staff to do their office duties diligently in return of tying rakhis but that would be like asking for the moon ! In the work place, there is seldom anyone to protect us from overwork -inspite of rakhis even for that day !

For the last two to three years ,I have brought rakhis from Non Govermental Organisations, as I believe, that at least, on some occasions,I must do some selfless work.This makes it a double whammy- I earn brownie points for myself & NGOs are able to showcase the skills of their  physically as also mentally challenged members .I feel, that I must do maximum philanthropic work with minimum efforts ! I have also convinced my friends, to buy rakhis from such orgainzations as I want them also to feel good as well. I have also started using rakhi envelopes specially brought out for Rakshabandhan by the Department of Posts.They are reasonably priced & save the expense of sending rakhis by speed post or courier .

In this age of retail bonanza,I recently received an SMS about a haircut for a cute sister at a plush salon for Rakshabandhan.One also comes across various advertisements which sell various kinds of rakhi hampers complete with tilak,aarti thali, mithai etc.Even chocolate boxes are sold in place of mithai for the new age siblings.Surely, but shortly,there will be virtual rakhis in a make believe  world - isn't it ? But let's hope,that the simple thread of love is able to endure it all .Then only will  relationships thrive &  get stronger  - among siblings,friends,etal.

Chaukpurna

Rangoli  is known as  Chaukpurna in Madhya Pradesh.

Decoding men

I have read & been told time & again that women are too difficult nah impossible to be understood.But men are ,well beyond our comprehension ! One has to constantly decode men.

My hubby keeps trying to convince me, that I am, much better than any female office goer as I am my own boss ( ? ).He told me that I can do whatever I please & whenever I want. There are no fixed timings for me.He also added, that I am not a slave to someone who is intelluctually & emotionally at a lower level than me.I felt overwhelmed by all this .Obviously,I did not admit this.But ,then, he keeps enquiring about some tasks which he has handed over to me & that is when I realised, that ,now also ,I have a boss & that is my dear  husband & I am accountable  to him alone unlike in office wherein I was answerable to many .The conclusion is that at home, I am in a very centralised set up wherein all jobs end up in delegation to me .So,ultimately,I am accountable  for all the mess ! This is worst  as in office, I was blamed for only  a part of the problems which cropped up regularly .

I harbour this opinion that grandparents make a good job of caring for their grandkids & must do this in these times as both  parents are working out of homes .But my hubby has very noble thoughts or so I believed.Witness his remarks," Grandparents need not look after their grandchildren.They have already fulfilled their obligations by bringing up their children .Now,after retirement ,they need to spend time in relaxation." I was glad, that, my husband was defending my parents who were unfit to take care of my kid in advancing years.I then asked my hubby if he will take care of his grandchild & he replied that he was never going to retire ! So ,he will never be there for his kid's child ! So,that is, why he is  so full of  sympathy for all grandparents ! Really,he is putting all shock absorbers in place before he gets there !

Whenever my friend goes out of town, her son goes on a detox diet.He goes off tea,coffee,et al He lives only on salads & fruits .That is, because, he finds making tea,coffee& other cooking jobs too much of a chore to do.Another of my friend's hubby takes another way out.He never tries to make his kid eat healthy home made food.He heads to the restaurant with the child to enjoy some tangy stuff as the child will relish the same.

My dad ,hubby & my brother  never shop with us whenever the ladies are shopping as they have other work to do.But we must always accompany them, as we  are good at picking up the things that are in ! The fact, is they are afraid that if we wander on our own ,we may shop beyond their credit limits !

So,next time,any man says something which is too noble or pious ,try to read , nah, hear between the lines !