While I was hosting a party at home, I wished to dress up in a saree and was after my son (then just 4 years old), to wear a Kurta with his denim. Here popped up his question, “ do we have any Puja at home? I was amazed and asked what made him think, and with all his innocence, he added: “since you are in a Saree and asking me to wear a Kurta too, so I thought..” I was startled and starting my explanation on how his teachers wore saree most of the days and how often I wore Sarees to work earlier! But deep with-in, I wished to ask myself if these little ones were LEARNING wrong or if our TEACHINGS were going wrong?
Not very long ago, when I was growing up, I remember my mom wearing Sarees quite often. At least, without any occasion or reason even if it meant wearing it for a Doctor’s visit! The male members of our family wore kurta as night suits and our Grandmas too had not much of choice beyond a Saree.
But yes, in a generation of Instants, where an instant coffee, instant messages and instant noodles are more popular than their original forms, so is instant dressing becoming popular. The need to being quick and easy is taking over the need to be elegant or unusual. While I am absolutely in love with each kind of attire myself, am a bit wary of labelling any attire.
The point here is, why should any occasion or the sheer absence of it restrict or define our love for traditional wear?
Saree is an Indian Wear to me and not just traditional wear!!