#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

#170 #SS 15/2022

#kanjivaram #silk #kanjivaramsilk

Disclaimer.
No recent post of Mum as she is overseas and we have not physically met for 3 years. So her photo is in comments. Along with chocolates D2 who is out of town, made for me and a photo with the Ds. (D1 has something planned tonight). Happy me.

Happy Mother’s Day to someone who has and continues to put everyone else first as mothers tend to do.
The love manifested in a myriad ways.
In the 6am neatly cut and buttered slices of bread, drinkable-hot sweet milo breakfasts, the hours of standing by the stove churning out paper thin ghee dosais, puris, the meals where we sat around you on the floor while you placed morsels of mixed rice and curries into our mouths or palms, as you regaled us with parables and fairy tales. I especially remember the Funny Bunny Rabbit and how we had to hold out our palms or open our mouths at “..and what did he say?”
The awkward hugs and light pecks on the cheeks – mums were not so comfy with huge displays of affection back then. No, not cheek pecks but cheek- take in deep breaths- kind of kisses mums and grandmas used to smother us with.
The driving to and from the dance and vocal classes, the meticulous planning of outfits for festivals, the waking us up at 4am with hot drinks for the brahma muhurtham must-study or practise-music time..
Years later, when we left for Melbourne/Adelaide/Perth, you’d visit for our year end exams, to be with us and cook for us and our friends. You’d say “just study, I’ll sort out the meals and house”.
And now that we’re married with families of our own, you’ve not stopped nurturing, caring, loving, praying for us and our new families.
Gosh, if I could replicate or be that 1% of the mother that you are, the person that you are, I’d be a SuperMum.
I’m the mum who used to tell my babies and still do that they needed to have a cut off point so that I could get a break. Enough about me and more of that later.
Today marks 42 years since Daddy left us, and you had a 15, 12 and 6 year old to deal with.
You are a legend Mum and I/we/lots of people love you.
God bless you always.

Happy Mother’s Day to each and everyone of you and the men in your lives, for being nurturing, loving, generous, inspiring souls to the children you have been fortunate to be with.

Stay blessed always.

Draped a grey striped kanjivaram silk with maroon and gold borders and pallu. The borders and maroon matching blouse sleeves have green edges and gold leaves.

#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

#169 #SS 14/2022

#kanjivaram #silk #kanjivaramsilk

Auckland New Zealand celebrated Saree Speak’s 6th Birth Day.
A little belated.
But better late than never.
On Saturday 30th April 2022.
Thank You dear Vini Tandon Keni for your Vision 6 years ago.

Preparations for our 7th Meet began in March.
With just us deciding –
“a few of us would have lunch, no games, no fanfare, just sarees and light chat”.
This blew up, in a nice way, into what transpired on Saturday.
After online meetings, never earlier than 10pm, as that was what our schedules would allow, meetings with the restaurant owner, our WhatsApp and Messenger feeds constantly buzzing with queries and updates.
Saturday had Kirithika Kiki Sucheta Banerjee Vanitha Sarkkunan Kishori Telang, me arriving early to setup. Vanitha had a friend Shri Lakshmi in tow too. Poor Sandi Perumal had had dental surgery so could not attend.
Kiki had done the display boards with photos spanning the 6 years of Auckland SS. She’d printed guest lists, had trays with the door gifts. I brought sarees to decorate the venue and a Thai silk table cloth for our registration table.
The 60 ladies arrived, draped in their saree best, the theme being Autumnal shades, registered, were given a refreshing welcome drink.
Sucheta was MC for the day, I gave a welcome speech followed by Kishori conducting icebreakers while Kiki and Vanitha distributed door gifts.
Entrees were served as Swastika Ganguly, an international award winning actress, director, local tv anchor spoke about her inspirational journey, stressing that success requires passion and not to only expect monetary gain but to remain single mindedness in the pursuit of the arts.
The ladies then got droopy eyed after an exotic lunch but were revived almost immediately by Kiki’s online Kahoot quiz and cold mango, paan and kesar kulfi.
After a fun filled afternoon of mingling, clicking solo and group pics, the meet drew to a close.
The ladies left asking to be informed of the next meet and wanting to be involved in its planning and organization.

Today being Wednesday, managed to get this post in within 4 days – Rule #5.

More Pictures are in comments.
For a video of the participants please see Archana Passi Pabbi’s post.

Draped an orange-gold-yellow kanjivaram silk in line with the Autumn theme. Got husband to click a couple of shots before leaving home.

Adding an excerpt of my welcome speech below.
“Dear Ladies.
Wonderful to see such a great turnout.
This years marks Saree Speaks’ 6th birthday. On the 14th of April the FB group was created by a lovely lady from Goa, Vini Tandon Keni someone just like us, who wanted to drape more sarees and understand the various weaves. Today we stand at 165k globally.
Her dream has encouraged us to love our sarees, drape and redrape and feel good about this. We have a sisterhood now of beautiful like minded souls some of whom we’ve never even met, yet we feel we know them so well from their posts, stories. We also know that we don’t have to move mountains, speak in the UN, or be a fashionista or social media influencer to be termed inspirational.
We know that each of us are in our own rights, inspiring role models – to our friends families daughters nieces children.
And that’s why the ladies here and on the group have stories to tell, of beauty, hardships, joy, despair, these stories go side by side, hand in hand, for what is one without the other?
This is our 7th SS meet, the last one was in September and we held it over Zoom, different, yet a great meet.
Today, let’s have a great time, making new friends, eating, chatting but most of all, understanding that our Saree is classic, durable, wearable, sustainable and can be our go to outfit for any occasion.
Have a wonderful afternoon dear ladies”.

#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

#168 #SS 13/2022

#tussar #printedsilk

A busy but lovely week.
14th April.
New Year coincided with the 6th year birthday celebrations of Saree Speak.
My Go To Feel Good Place, thanks to dear Vini Tandon Keni and All of you.
Happy 6th birthday Saree Speak.
Happy New Year.

Had a dry run at work in preparation for taking on some mind boggling training.
Got home knackered after shuttling shuttling from shuttle to car park to home through eve-of-holiday traffic. Gaia (that’s the name I’ve given google maps) gave me false hopes initially by declaring in her matter of fact voice that “despite congestion on State Highway 1, you are on the fastest route..” and “you will reach your destination in 33 minutes”, and then proceeded to take me along these by lanes, unknown roads. She then without any qualms increased the journey time to a little under an hour.
Got home, tea. Prepped dinner.
Kiribath – coconut milk rice; Ponggal – milk with jaggery rice are celebratory auspicious food for the New Year in Sri Lanka/Malaysia.
Hadn’t had time in the morning so did a Malaysian take on it for Dinner.
Nasi Lemak. Vegan.
And then the Ds and son in law turned up. D1 and husband had fetched D2 from the airport.
A prayer, exchange of gifts and we settled down to a hot meal of coconut milk rice, vegan fried anchovies/dried mushroom stems, chilli ong choy, soy protein rendang, vegan sambal, peanuts, cucumber. Followed by a dessert of Malaysian kuih-muih gifted by a friend – onde-onde, kuih lapis, kuih ketayap.

It felt so good, so complete, so fulfiiled having us all just be-ing, under one roof.
And I kept telling them over and over again how happy I felt.

Here’s a picture clicked that night. In a simple printed tussar with repeat blocks of a homely village scene. Dark Green print against a cream saree. “Borrowed” from one of the Ds.
Not the best click though but
An 11 on the 1-10 happiness scale.

PS. Added Bonus. Met dear Sakhis from India, UK, over a video chat at 11pm my time. Thank you so much dear friends.

#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak #cotton #batik #166 #SS 11/2022 #autism

#worldautismawarenessday

Saturday, 2nd April was World Autism Day.
I draped blue that day but have only managed to post today. Sans my red lipstick.
A happy blue batik light cotton saree.
A Day to not just Be aware but to Increase that awareness.
As Pete Wharmby, autistic speaker, writer and advocate says “More than simply being aware of us, we want people accepting us for who we are and appreciating us for our difference”. (Al Jazeera article, unable to post links here).

Autistic souls are sadly labelled eccentric. I’d read “For the love of Ann” in my preteens in the 70s. I wondered not what it would be like to be Anne but to be her sibling. Would i protect her?Understand her? Or would I get frustrated with her not engaging, her tantrums?
And I was also upset with her being smacked. At that time, that was the only thing the parents felt they could do to stop the tantrums.
As I grew older, a little wiser, I realised being judgemental was the last thing a family and child struggling to process and cope, needed.
I’ve worked with blind/deafblind young adults on the spectrum to hone their Adaptive Technology skills.
There were so many factors I needed to be aware of.
That I needed to listen, really listen.
To look out for triggers that could bring about meltdowns.
To not attempt to maintain eye contact or shake hands if that upset the child.
Once, a teen had received some unpleasant news that day and had a meltdown when I asked him to work on one his devices. It was tough. For me, for the child, for the resource teacher with me that day.

I do not profess to know much about this syndrome.
But I do know that I, like so many of us, must respect, embrace, include.
I used to tell my special students that they had superpowers and we had tools to get them coping and excelling.
I know I’m not spot on with posting this on the actual Date. However, I know also that I must be aware and conscious always. About being respectful, tolerant, understanding, inclusive, non judgemental, supportive and having a host of basic human courtesies.

#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

#130 #SS 60/2021 #linen

Lockdown Blues.
Literal.
Have draped a Blue Linen saree today with greyish borders, for those Blues and Krishna Janmashtami yesterday.
Lockdown saving graces are..

1. My steaming first and only mug of coffee as I sit at my laptop in the morning.
2. Watching Masterchef in the evenings. Grand Finale sorted so am now having withdrawal symptoms.
3. Getting into my warm bed at night, browsing through SS posts, reading or watching Netflix.
4. Realising that a Wok is deemed an essential item and will be couriered to one’s home, when redeeming loyalty points online.
5. Looking forward to Spring as of tomorrow.

Am seated on the steps to my front door.
Beside the Toddler’s foot prints.
Adding to my list of saving graces.

Sharing a moment of inspired writing :
Krishna Janmashtami greetings, belated.
Search for Him.
Yearn for Him.
Look for Him everywhere.
Then find Him,
within, in your heart, mind, soul;
hear Him in your music,
experience Him in your art,
see Him in the countenance of others, feel Him in the warmth of the sun and the caress of the breeze.
Know that He is
within
and
without.
And know that you are not alone,
never alone, and
are always taken care of.

Photo credit : Daughter#1 who insisted on an outdoor photo shoot. We got as far as the front steps.

sareespeak #womenofsareespeak #125

SS 55/2021 #silk #kanjivaram #kanjivaramsilk #handloom #themeofthemonth #gratitude

Happy Indian Independence Day.
Draped a double tone grey blue kanjivaram handloom silk with darker stripes, maroon and gold leaf borders and pallu, edged with green. Yesterday.
(Managed to slash 50 shots of eyes closed, one eye, neck, legs, slo mo videos, to 2 shots..taken by culprit Daughter #2).
For a memorial service of a loved one in a temple. Got home rested, set out to visit 3 other temples, a mini Yatra of 4 temples in the south, centre, west, a Thanksgiving.

Continuing with my NZ tales.
When we landed so long ago, we’d decided we’d be a normal family. No classes. No performances.
Fate had other plans.
In Malaysia, we’d both been performing, teaching music even before marriage, voluntarily.
Set foot in NZ, learnt the resident Mridhangam guru was migrating elsewhere.
Coincidentally, but then again, as we know, there are no such things as coincidences,
He’d been under the same Guru as Husband.
And the then Veena guru was also returning to India. And so I took her students on at their requests, after ensuring they had their Guru’s blessings to do so.
So many of them are now all grown, married, having successful careers, completed music diplomas, and still either learning from me online across different time zones or face to face or continuing this precious art form with other Gurus.
New babies have come along, and my heart wells up with pride and hope that they too will be future torchbearers.

Another genre of students.
My adult veena students.
A quick thank you to them is in order.
These lovely sakhis have learnt veena, vocal, dance growing up, but as with many of us, have sacrificed their passions for the myriad duties of womanhood.
Now they are back with gusto, doing something for their soul.
They are loving it.
I am loving it.
The music.
The passion.
The practices.
The determination.
The dedication.
Stoked, watching their growth,
They are rejuvenated and so am I.
On a Sunday morning, they pack their beloved veenas into cars, sometimes 2 veenas, 3 ladies in a car, and drive from the west or central Auckland to the East. These are large instruments, merely covered with handmade covers and a wood frame over the wax and frets, not smaller instruments in hardy cases.
We revise old lessons, learn fresh ones, and they strum, glide fingers and
Drape sarees.

And so, a requirement, sorry I shall rephrase yet again, a kind request, is that they post their saree and a writeup.
And they have..
They have jumped in, not necessarily enthusiastically initially, but have now warmed to the idea that they must, sorry, did I say that? No, I meant, could, would be nice if they posted regularly, apologies, I meant, occasionally.
On the Saree Speak platform.
Which has become
As therapeutic as the Music that inspires their writings and drapes.
Thank you dear Veena Purushotham Rama Rajesh Prasuna Yashwanth Jayanthi Sundaresan.
4 down one more to go..
Ranjileen Ram? (No pressure..)

sareespeak #womenofsareespeak #124

SS 54/2021 #silk #kanjivaram #kanjivaramsilk #themeofthemonth #gratitude

A post of immense gratitude.
Of being in Aotearoa, surrounded by love.
The Long White Cloud.
NEW ZEALAND.
Born, bred in Malaysia. 40 years. Lived in the UK for 2 years, Australia 8+ years, and Malaysia. Travelled, travelled, travelled.
Built our own home in Malaysia, lived in it for 5 years then circumstances dictated we leave. Girls were 10 and 5.
Left what we had built over the years for a better future for the girls.
Left home, family, friends, high flying careers.
Started afresh.
First year was bittersweet.
Made a decision to be a stay at home mum.
Single income, rented home, juggling finances.
More of that in next few posts.

First things first.
So grateful that I am going to explode.
In a nice way of course.
Cleared some recent hurdles with health.
Humble thanks,
Namaskarams to friends, physically around me, those virtually in Saree Speak, those SS sakhis I’ve chatted with, health care professionals, family, mum, sisters.

The connections I have made in this group and around me go beyond physical. These experiences given to me, to us, have been for a reason.
I’ve learnt, or rather these experiences have reinforced that
we are loved, cherished, and cared for by so many.
By those we’ve known for ages, and those we’ve only fleetingly met.
And that there are so many miracles occurring, if we choose to see them as such.

Draped a double tone maroon green kanjivaram with deep maroon and gold borders and pallu. Mismatched with a white and maroon checked cotton blouse with red and green embroidered borders. For temple on Wednesday.

So absolutely grateful. Stay blessed.

To be continued..

sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

123 #SS 53/2021

kanjivaram #kanjivaramsilk #gratitude #handloom

A long difficult week.
Lots of curveballs thrown my way.
And
All through this,
Lots of love showered.
By sakhis here, friends at home, friends overseas.
Then,
A beautiful gesture by darling Deepika Gundanna.
Arrived at my doorstep at around 4pm yesterday.
She’d posted it in May.
Covid saw it sitting in Australia since 24th June.
Felt teary eyed when I opened the UPS package.
A gorgeous drape.
Not letting on anything more except that it exuded her love, generosity and kindness.
Like that of my friends and saree sakhis who put my mind at ease and inspired me to post this.
Will drape the gift one of these days and put up a post.
Sharing an FB memory which popped up a couple of days ago,
“Instead of always thinking about what you don’t have and what you don’t want in your life, try being grateful for what you do have and focus on what you do want in your life.
The Universe responds to your vibration, so basically you get more of whatever you focus on”.
In a gorgeous turquoise striped silk, handloom, with green grey pallu and borders, gifted by a friend 11+ years ago on the occasion of her daughter’s vocal arangetram/debut concert.
Keeping to the two photos per post Rule, one ‘normal’ photo, one of me telling the Universe what I’m grateful for!

sareespeak #womenofsareespeak

122 #SS 52/2021

kanjivaram #kanjivaramsilk #gratitude

Saturday.
More chores than usual.
Dusting ceilings, wooden blinds, vaccuming, sweeping, mopping, a family affair.
Pottered about in the kitchen while the rest spring cleaned. Played deaf when called. Held down a stool over a chair as ceilings were dusted.
Showered. Lunched.
Catnapped to the sounds of husband musing as to where the dust comes from. I muttered exhaust fans, HRV, let me sleep.
Got ready for an evening function.
Draped this gorgeous cream and royal blue/purple kanjivaram handloom with diamond shapes, mangos on pallu and border. Had eyed Vocalist Dr Sowmya’s white and light blue kanjivaram when she’d performed in Auckland 15 years ago. Gifted by husband 3 years ago.
Invited to the inauguration of a beautiful multipurpose hall/auditorium.
Wonderful evening presided over by MPs, leaders of different societies, charities, communities.
Music, dance programmes, dinner.
Home in bed.
And now, a post of gratitude to close off the emulation themes and commence the new one.
Thank you to the lovelies who twinned with me :
Suneela Dhaneshwar
Risha Bhattacharya
Manisha Saini
Hitesha Rathi
Ameeta Welling
Rashmi Sareen
Poonam Agrawal
Alka Agrawal.
Am immensely grateful, humbled, honoured, overwhelmed with the love showered.
Imitation is, they say, the best form of flattery and I am on a high, feeling very flattered.
Thank you to the lovely lady Vini Tandon Keni whose brain/heartchild is this group.
Thank you to my gorgeous co moderators who put all of you first before themselves, reading posts at all hours of the day..and night.
So many of you said in your emulations, I am a talented musician, vainika.
I beg to differ.
I love music. Like each and everyone of you.
It takes me somewhere else.
Makes me fly, soar, takes me within, gets me to feel beyond feeling.
I love to learn. From my Guru, whom I love, respect, admire, fear in equal parts.
I love to teach, am grateful that I have found my passion in teaching. Whether it is music, adaptive tech, anything, I want to give what I have been given.
I want the ones I teach to be empowered, independent, to be able to fend for themselves, to be able to make a difference in the universe they exist in. I want for them to know, understand that music, the arts is to be an intrinsic part of them, and the sum of these parts, their careers, their arts are what will make them whole. I want them to know these can exist side by side and are not mutually exclusive.
I want for them, as for myself, to have an identity, flawed or not, and realise that being flawed makes one more real and is a matter of perspective and makes the journey to perfection that much more fascinating.
Yet, I know I have so much more to do for myself, for others. So much to practise, to learn, to reinvent, to refine.
I know I don’t time manage well. I am guilty all the time.
I make false promises after every class, saying I have to get on top of a krithi or raga, yet I don’t put enough sweat into it.
Other things always take priority. And that irks me.
I love writing.
The writing more than the saree and food photos. I dream of going viral, yes at this ripe old age of 56+, yet, I know I don’t push my passion to the limits.
And so, I love music, love learning, love teaching, love writing.
And,
not But,
And am an Average Jane.
A normal musician, teacher, self-professed writer, sishya.
Continuing, failing, succeeding, continuing to push myself to attain the heights I want to, my Gurus expect me to.
Because ultimately it’s the journey to attain these goals that’s the fun part.
I pray all of you enjoy the journey you’ve undertaken.
Thank you for looking out for me and each other in this lovely safe Sisterhood.

#sareespeak #womenofsareespeak #119

#SS 49/2021 #silk #kanjivaram #kanjivaramsilk

Friday/Saturday.
Guru Poornima Greetings to one and all.
On this day, I offer my humble salutations and prostrations to my Gurus. Spiritual, Music, Artistic..
I have been blessed to have had the presence, influence of these gracious, wonderful Gurus in my life.
Guru.
Dispeller of Darkness.
The Guru is not a person.
But a field of being.
A Process, A Journey, of Awakening.
The Guru radiates Awareness so that we become Aware.
Yesterday, we had Guru Poornima/Navavarna puja at home.
Prepped prasad/dinner.
Kathrikai gotsu to go with Venn Pongal (made by a friend)
Adai (decided to pre-make 50 pieces)
Tomato coriander chutney, dosai podi, butter, sugar.
Poached pears.
All through puja, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I have been showered with so much and have only been limited by the vessels in which I choose to receive my gifts. I have to ensure I receive in large pots and not tea cups.
Poet saint Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyar’s composition “enna puNNiyam seydEnO – satgurunAthA
ettanai tavam seydEnO – nin arul peRavE” rang in my ears.
“What good deeds did I perform, Oh my Guru, how much penance did I do to get your blessings?”
On days like this, I tend to reflect, how are these blessings, knowledge to be repaid, these great deeds acknowledged.
And some pearls they’d mentioned before sprang to my mind.
Guru Dakshina.
No, not money.
But dakshina by our thoughts, words, deeds,
By our Be-ing.
If just one person asks of us, with a little awe, ‘Who are you?’ Or are touched in a good sense by us, then we have done our Guru(s) proud.
We have given our Gurus, Guru Dakshina.
Draped a Soft silk Kanjivaram,
With gold lines and small bottle green and black pixel checks throughout the saree, And silver and gold jari/zari, huge flower buttis along the body, borders and pallu. I wouldn’t normally combine silver and gold, but this saree held me transfixed when I chanced upon it.
Feeling quite quite happy and “full”.
Sending all of you, love, blessings, lots of positive thoughts.