Cheap Indulgence

On the weekend ,I indulged in some shoopping at Khadi & Mrignaynee.Mrignaynee,the M.P Stae government showroom at World Trade Centre,Colaba,Mumbai had been advertising that there was a sale upto 50% off.As I had never been there before,I thought, that, I must go & have a look as the discount was too tempting. I landed at Mrignaynee & the first thing that caught my eyes were the  jute bags .They were available for Rs 22/- & Rs 15/- each depending on the size ! I brought two of each -two big & two small ones.Next ,I moved to the clothes-very few readymade tops were available.Many were without sleeves.I had to make do with a simple parrot green & white coloured batik top.There were more batik prints in vibrant hues but all without sleeves & some were blouses.I got another top in white, with violet & pink block design.Both the tops cost me on an average Rs.100/-.Then, I brought some pieces of cloth for as low as Rs 50/-per metre each.These, I got as I want to stich salwar suits for wearing at home.All the clothes which I got are pure cotton .Some have stripes ,others are plain.The clothes feel very good to touch & the colours are simply vibrant.

Next ,I got a simple soft dupatta in plain blue shade for an unbelievable Rs 60./- only.My dad brought  a cotton block printed saree in red,black & white block print for Rs.700/- only.The blouse piece is a part of the saree. The saree is one of the softest I have come across in these times of polyster & synthetic fibres.My mom had told us to get her a black saree & we got a chanderi black saree for her.That cost us less than  Rs.2000/ as there was some discount.The actual price was Rs 3000/-.All in all,it was a fabulous bargain.The icing on the cake was that we were shown all the clothes which we brought by unfolding them so that we could see if there were defects like missing weaves ,tears,etc.

We then headed towards the Khadi Bhavan at Fort ,Mumbai.My dad needed sajara ( short kurtas with half sleeves ) for home wear.We enquired for them & were shown the same in typical khadi woven patterns in myraid shdes like blue ,buff,etc.We brought 5-6 of them at prices of  Rs.200-250/- each.I brought one plain white khadi salwar for Rs 250/-.I always buy white salwars,& chudidaars from khadi as they last very long( because  khadi is  handwoven ) & are very comfortable for wearing in the hot & humid climate of Mumbai.Also ,a lazy person like me can get away without starching clothes as khadi clothes are thicker.I also brought two bath towels from khadi bhavan as they are thin , dry fast & absorb water better.My dad brought a set of  five white handekerchiefs for Rs.120/-(for the set of five ).We also brought Agarbattis like Chandan ,Mogra,Gulab etc.there as I prefer even incense sticks from KVIC. We got white khadi pyjamas for my father from there for Rs 225/- each.Then we moved towards the billing counter.I just stopped at a sign next to the packing counter as it  said "30% off".I asked the young  lady at the counter about the things on sale at the discount stated.She pointed out to various salwar-chudidaar sets which were damaged or torn or very old were on sale.I chose one which was in a good state-a blue kurta with collar &  beaded embroidery with a loose block printed chudidaar.I got it for Rs 400/- only.Next ,I asked her about pastel shaded bundles of clothes lying in the shelf ! She told me that they were all shaded salwars for Rs 90/- each.I saw them & was floored ! I brought four of them as I can mix & match with so many kurtas.The salwars are very soft -in fact the khadi used is super soft to touch & feel.My dad also brought another sajara at a discount there .My dad was lamenting that he would have got all sajaras at discounts if only he had known the presence of such a counter before !  We finally moved to the billing counter & paid our bills.

I would like to inform my readers, that, of late,Khadi Bhavan has stopped all discounts -there used to be 5-10% off on cotton khadi almost through the year.Now ,this is not so.Still,I felt that we got excellent stuff.Akin to Mrignaynee,the young girl at the discount counter was taking great care to make us understand & see the defects in the clothes which were on sale at 30% off.She simply refused to show us the white khadi pyjamas on sale there as she opined, that they were all smudged.To be really honest,I have found all this is  missing in brands & malls.

I prefer going to Government emporias for clothes as one can buy clothes of the all the States of our great country at such shops.Hence, ,we can all become brand ambassadors for our handlooms.Moreover,only  if we continue buying such handlooms ,can we hope to keep the precious arts & crafts of our artisans alive.Otherwise , we will lose all  such traditional arts & crafts for ever.We have already lost many weaving methods & other hand crafting techniques as they were no longer sought after.Many people like the Holkar family,the Taj hotel group,& Fab India are  trying their best to revive some of the forgotten ones.We can do our bit by buying  handlooms & handicrafts.This will surely help in keeping these arts & crafts alive.

One more handloom shop that I keep returning to is the Co-optex handlooms .Co-optex hand looms showcases handlooms of Tamil Nadu .I buy bath towels,bedsheets,dress materials,kitchen towels from Co-optex.Just a month ago, I brought some unstiched dress materials with dupattas for less than Rs 300/each.The set included a dupatta as well.The tailor charged me a fortune,considering that I paid a pittance of Rs 300/-for the material  .It  cost me Rs 170/- to stich a  salwar suit. Labour cost is moving upwards rather rapidly !

I also had a chance to visit an exhibition cum sale of Gurjari.Gurjari is the initiative of the Gujarat government to exhibit & promote its arts & crafts.I brought a small bag cum purse from there.On sale were rakhis,pretty torans,artificial jewellery ,semi -precious stones set in various necklaces,bracelets,ear rings ,soft padded purses-cum-bags ,folders,dress materials,bedsheets,dupattas,scarves etc.

I have also visited other State emporias like that of  Orissa,Uttar Pradesh ,Karnataka etc .All have impressed me & the trend continues.I feel, that our homes will be as colourful as the rainbow if we can indulge in products of our many states.Moreover ,then our homes & in turn,we  will, reflect unity in diversity !

Quandrary

My friend referred a young girl to me .The girl is a beautician but she does it at the home of the client .There are many beauticians like her in a place like Mumbai.This works for her as the rents are quite exorbitant & so she comes to the customer's place & offers her services.It is cheaper & also the person feels comfortable as it is her own home.

I have lots of grey hair & so for the first time,I asked Ragini( I have changed her name) to only apply mehendi to my hair.She did that in a jiffy & that too for a very reasonable sum ( cheap that is reasonable for me-typical middle class kanjusi or miserliness).The next month,I again longed for mehndi on my hair as people started referring to me as granny instead of aunty.This was the sign, that I needed, another coat.I called her up umpteen times but she did not pick up her cell.My friend had cautioned me that she will pick up the phone when she is free.Later in the evening,I called her up again & she responded.She was too busy that week,she told me .So,we fixed  up an appointment in the next week at eight in the morning.She was willing  to come at eight.She told me that she attends at even earlier timings.This time ,I told her, that, I wanted to do facial  as well .So it was all set.

She came at the appointed time & first started applying mehndi.We got talking as she applied the mehndi .She lives with her mother & brother in the city .She has been earning since the last five years as a beautician.Her brother is married with two daughters.Her bhabhi has left the matrimonial home & is staying with her parents as she is insisting that her hubby should separate from his mother.Since this is not being agreed upon,she has left.Ragini said that her bhabhi wants a servant in the house  which is unaffordabele.Ragini's brother had lost his job a year back but now thankfully has been reemployed.Even when, Ragini, was the sole earning member ,Ragini was doing a large part of the household chores before she left for her duties.Still,she stated ,her bhabhi was dissatisfied.Ragini's mom also does a part of the housework.Now,there is a stalemate with the bhabhi stuck up at her parents place & hubby disagreeing for a break up from  the mother.Ragini told that her bhabhi's parents support her only & want that they should stay as a nuclear family.

The mehndi was over & Ragini proceeded to do my facial.She did it with sincerity & left me impressed.She is quite young -maybe just twenty two or a year more.After she finished,I enquired if she would like a cup of tea.She agreed provided I was also drinking.I needed it & that's the reason ,I had asked her.I made tea & we sat sipping tea.I just mentioned to her that she should go & buy dress materials at a sale which was going on then in the city.She replied that she was so busy that she never had time.But I insisted & said that the sale was really good for dress materials & sarees.She promised that she would try.Then she told me that she recently got an expensive dress near her home ,After one wash,the color faded & all the embroidery started coming out.She went to the shopkeeper to exchange it or get her money back as the dress had cost her more than fifteen hundred.But the shopkeeper simply refused.It was then, that she approached the local unit of a political party .The workers of the unit coerced the  shopkeeper into exchanging  the dress.As ,I heard this,I was shocked ! I tried to make sense of this - political pressure  for exchanging a dress ? ! But I tried to keep my composure.She said that she got another dress & has henceforth, decided not to buy any costly dress after this experience.

 I can understand, that, for Ragini that dress was too expensive & then it getting spoilt after one wash was just too much for her to digest.She is struggling to have a decent life- working so hard & this frustrated her .When the shopkeeper refused her,she resorted to this idea of asking the local thug to bail her out.She did succeed .But can she do the same thing with her bhabhi to bring her back home ? Very doubtful & most unlikely as that would be too personal ,isn't it ?

Ragini is coming again to attend  on me this month.Hopefully,her bhabhi would have  come back.I am sure,even Ragini realises that asking goons to interfere is  not advisable as it could  backfire anytime.Or maybe it already has but her lips are sealed .