Saris

It is a recognised fact that I am a die hard sari fan from way back and that I'll wear one at the drop of a hat.Ironically, on Dashimi, when sari wearing was de rigeur, I found myself without one!  Most of mine are back home at the 'Hill (and you can imagine how many I need in the Outback!)  and the lovely chartreuse sari with the matching gold piped blouse that I was given last year sits somewhat uselessly in a small bag at Sonrisa because I won't be getting there for another few weeks.As Kopila and I walked down to great grandfather's house for Dashain tikka receiving, she attempted to reassure me that my somewhat tired old kurta surwal* was perfectly fine.  She nearly had me believing her until she suddenly stopped, looked at me appraisingly and wondered aloud if one of her very biggest blouses might fit me allowing me to wear one of hers.  We were already, surprisingly, somewhat late and I was worried this would make us even later but the significance of wearing a sari at Dashain can't  be overstated (once a solution is in sight) and we hurried back (in a leisurely Nepali kind of hurry) to see what was available.  To our collective delight-daughters and friends had gathered to witness the great sari try on-a fitting top was found immediately and I was wrapped and heading back to grandpa's before you knew it.On the way she told me about the dreadful reaction she got the one time she turned up in a kurta surwal!The family patriarch's wife (now deceased) gave birth to seven boys and seven girls.  The seven wives of the seven brothers are formidable women and most live within cooee of where I stay.  One of the many Dashain traditions is new clothes (another reason why a tired old kurta was a bit dubious) and these aunties had decided that this year, they would all have matching saris.  Omigoodnessme!  What eye candy this was.  It was a bit like having a festival with the Bollwyood version of the Supremes.  With more of them.The gathered family were delighted to see me sari'd up and were thrilled that I was also wearing a necklace, earrings and bracelets (all part of a day's work for me).  The only problem was that in our haste, I had forgotten to put a bindi, a red spot on my forehead (to show my married status) and the ladies were rather perplexed as to whey I wasn't carrying any in my hand bag.  What on earth did I have in there if not spare bindi?  Fortunately, they of course did, and a fancy one with a sparkling little diamente was located and placed.  And re-attached when one aunty thought the first aunty had stuck it on crookedly.  I'd like to say I looked a little pale and peaky because I had a heavy cold (which I did) but let's face it....I just looked a little pale and peaky!And then the photographs began.  Can I just say that I have shown ENORMOUS restraint here by only including a few snaps of the day but give me some encouragement and there'll be more!*A kurta surwal is the tunic trousers set that is day wear here.  I am wearing one on the swing in an earlier post.  And here is Man Kumari wearing a more elaborate one for our celebrations the day before Dashimi.