Saree

By Rachel Sitling

The two shades of lipstick were irresistible and she wished she could just grab the nearest one,

She stood there, her head barely reaching the table top, but eyes wandering everywhere.

The chatty ladies were helping her elder sister put on the most beautiful saree,

Her face painted with bright colours from the palette, 

And gold ornaments that finally saw the light of day.

As the saree pleats were being arranged amidst the laughter and gossips,

She looked at her new kurta pyjama and sighed.

Mother wasn’t willing to let her put on a saree,

Not even a pair of glittery sandals for the occasion.

And as she sulked she heard the ladies giggle and ask, “Why? Are you in a hurry?”

She couldn’t read between the lines, all she wanted was to drape a saree,

After all, everyone wore one during festivals and occasions.

Mother had a separate cupboard for her fancy and expensive ones,

Grandmother wore plain ones, but she knew her secret,

That big silver trunk beside her teak bed,

Had plenty of neatly folded sarees with embroideries!

Her elder sister, all prepared to be married off,

Now the owner of multiple new sarees,

Everyday she had to drape one in front of grandmother and mother.

Like a class test but oh what fun!

If it had been her in her sister’s shoes,

She would have draped it flawlessly and effortlessly.

But her sister just couldn’t get it right,

And she noticed that her hands shook with each fold,

Sometimes she accidentally pierced herself with the safety pin,

Other times, her pleats were all over the place.

When she finally got it right one day,

Mother placed a tray of hot tea cups in her hand,

“Now walk,” she instructed.

She  giggled as she watched her elder sister in amazement,

Hoping that she would fail and fall, 

The more she stepped on the saree, the louder the muffled giggles,

“Mother, let me try!I can do it,” she shouted gleefully at her sisters failure. 

Hoping that she would get a chance, she got up,

Only to hear the repeated remark, “Why? Are you in a hurry?”

But today the day had finally come,

Her sister draped in a beautiful red saree.

Every household work thoroughly practiced in the past few months.

The pile of  school books put aside in a corner, alone and neglected forever.

Her  name on the name plates fading away in silence.

And somewhere in the corner the ink in the fountain pen had started to dry.

Everyone praised the mehendi on her sister’s hand,

They said it had dried well and the colour was just right.

The talkative ladies kept addressing her sister by a different surname,

“You have to get used to it ”, they said with big smiles.

With that the new bride was all ready,

And the red saree was draped to perfection.

“Mother, won’t didi take her books with her?”

“What about that long skirt she wore for her last birthday?” “It is still in the cupboard.”

“Do you think they know that didi prefers her meat on the bone?

“Why have you given me all of her dance ornaments?” “ Won’t she need it?”

“How will didi wear a saree everyday?”

“ When will you allow me to wear a saree?”

Her mother looked at her sternly and whispered, “ Why? Are you in a hurry? You will be next.”

By Rachel Sitling