The first time that I had to wear a saree, like many girls, was for my school farewell. And I, obviously, wanted it to be absolutely perfect. I wanted a saree that falls perfectly on my body, a blouse which added to the beauty of the saree and to be one of the best dressed girls at the farewell.
Now, picking out a saree may seem like an easy task, but really, it is far from that with all the options available. Hence, I started my saree search. I visited different markets, checked out online stores and went through all of Pinterest for inspiration in order to style my saree perfectly. The only issue was that even just a couple of day before my farewell, I still hadn’t been able to buy myself a saree that would look perfect on me. While the tension of picking out the best saree and managing the exam stress was killing me, my mom suggested something: I pick out one of her sarees.
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This was the opportunity I had been waiting for all of my life! You see, I had grown up watching my mom dress up in her sarees and carry each one of them with elegance. Her wardrobe was full of sarees in different colours and prints. As a child, it was my dream to be able to get my hands on one of the marvelous saree from her collection so I could emulate her elegance.
When she gave me the option of picking out a saree, it felt like I was about to open a veritable clothing cornucopia, ?but my mom helped me pick out a beautiful silk saree which was turquoise in colour. It was plain and came with a beautiful golden border. She helped me pair it with a simple black blouse. In no time, my mom helped me go from having no saree to having one I’d always dreamed of wearing for a special occasion. It all culminated in me getting a whole lot of compliments and my mom gleaming with equal amounts of nostalgia and pride.
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And that’s just the thing about heirloom sarees: they are witness to one woman introducing her own daughter to womanhood and thereby, completing the circle of life. Young girls always dream of growing up to be just like their mothers and hence, receiving sarees from your mother’s collection seems to be the most precious gift ever. It always reminds you of your childhood and helps you carry a piece of your mom’s love with yourself each time you wear it. It reminds you that no matter how much you grow up, you’re always going to be mum’s little girl.
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Even today, every time I wear one of my mum’s sarees, it brings back a whole lot of memories. Each saree comes with its own story that is embedded in time and a secret only a mother can share with her daughter. Each saree carries in its folds and pleats the ?comforting smell of a mother’s hug and a whole lot of nostalgia. That’s exactly why no matter how many clothes I buy, be it Western or ethnic, my mom’s sarees will still be the most precious part of my wardrobe. I, now, look forward to the day I hand over my saree to my daughter for the first time.