If Sarees Could Talk- Navaratri2023 — Day 1 — 61 years of an Orange Kalakshetra

Happy 1st Day of #Navaratri from Amma and Me. I am told today’s color is orange, so there we are in matching sarees with maroon border.

This Navaratri I plan to wear sarees that I want my girls to inherit from me. In them are stories, some about me or connected to the person who gave it to me, a memory or a story about India — I am on a quest to collect sarees from every state of India.

Today’s is so special. I feel this was meant to be

This saree was the first saree my appa gave my Amma. Soon after their wedding. So this saree is actually older than me. Closer to 61 years old actually. What is even more special is that orange is my mothers all time favorite color. My mother is not one for muted tones. She wears sarees that sparkle, dazzle and are brightest of life. And that’s what this saree is. Note that my appa not only picked orange, he picked it in its brightest hue with a border that allowed the drama of the orange to come through. The man had a good eye.

When I first wore it some 35+ years ago it weighed heavy and was stiff and stood just so. Today it has softened and wraps around like a silken blanket.

Within its swirls it holds the joy a debonair 30 year old had while choosing and buying a saree for his beautiful 22 year old wife. It holds the first threads of the family they built and the promise that the silk and weaves would stand the test of time, and hold the…