Sarees Speak at the Saree Speak Meet

Saree Speak Meet, Auckland. Saturday, 11th May 2019.
A Red Carpet Gala Event with gorgeous Sakhis, living in Auckland, but hailing from all regions of India and Sri Lanka.
In one room, to be more precise, in a restaurant, the combined intelligence, charisma, beauty, elegance was, to say the least, a feast for the senses.
Each lady, nay, each Saree on a Sakhi, had a story to relay.
The icebreaker had each Sakhi stating 5 facts about herself, and coincidentally, those 5 facts resonated with every other Sakhi in the room. A case of ‘Like attracts Like’ or ‘Water finds its own level’ or ‘Wise (Wo)men think alike’.
Expertly, precisely organised by Manasi Chivate and Kirithika Kiki, with great food, games, camaraderie, the evening was splendid fun.
Met up with old friends, made new friends. Couldn’t stop smiling, photo shoots galore. My mum and sister in law, visiting from overseas, had a wonderful time too.
Draped this brand new gorgeous beige tussar silk, with appliqué Kalamkari paintings of Krishna and Consorts on Pallu, and Dancers on borders. The body has tiny embroidered bits of glass work. The photo depicts the Saree as the Colour of my terracotta tiles, but in reality it is a darker shade of beige. My one and only online shopping spree due to the fact that shipping costs to the South Pole far outweigh the cost of the Saree. However, this was a promotion where shipping costs were waived. Purchased another two Silks then, patiently waiting in the camphor chest for their place in the sun.
My elder daughter hand pressed the pleats down, held it tight and got me to twirl around – she said that was a good way of ensuring that the pleats stayed stiffly in place; my second one insisted on me using a particular shade of lipstick, and removed my non existent eye liner when I got home. The elder one draped the pallu neatly and got me seated on my standard seat on the stairs in preparation for my photo shoot.
Later that night, past midnight, my mind traversed over the day’s events.
What stood out, stark, blatant, fresh, all encompassing, was just love.
The simple love of a Sakhi for the timeless elegance of her Saree.
The love of the organisers towards their fellow Sakhis in ensuring that a great time was had by all.
The love of the Sakhis for each other, admiring, cajoling, encouraging each other to participate, to make friends, to model, to take photos.
And the love of daughters towards their mother.
My daughters wanting their Amma to look good, to have a good time. They didn’t have to, but they did. Then wanting to hear about it when she got home.
Daughters mothering their Mother.
In the words of Sharon Draper “Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset, the giggle of a grandchild, the first snowfall. It’s the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events. Joy comes in sips, not gulps”.
If we wait for the gulps, we miss the sips.
And I had a Joyous Day of Sips.
What a Divine Prelude to Mother’s Day.