Especially when you grow up in a giant city like Bombay - sorry but it will always be 'Beloved Bombay' for me and I refuse to accept 'old new names' forced down upon us by selfish political parties who think that merely translating 'anglicised' words will make us more patriotic towards our homeland . Obviously not . When you make the brave decision of leaving the wonderful country of your birth and upbringing to settle in foreign shores you tend to hold on even harder to your identity,your mother tongue,your customs,culture and festivities with sincere devotion and nostalgia.Its like a tree trunk being held in its place during a storm by the tough roots underground . Without holding on to your stabilising,reliable,strong ,humble roots you would obviously collapse into nothingness in no time .
I 'm wrapped up in four layers of woollen clothing,two layers of socks and a scarf for survival after havin just guzzled hot coffee before leaving my home to go to the market.And suddenly I miss those sultry roasting afternoons in Bombay when I'd be sweating profusely under the sun while returning home from my teaching job in the bus . My attire like most other girls' would be a sleeveless cotton embroidered long typical indian tunic ( kurta ) with jeans and open flat sandals. Sometimes I'd pop by some shops for brief respite as they'd be airconditioned and at home there was only a ceiling fan.I'd use all the four public modes of transport in the city - the BEST red bus to reach the maze of Andheri station,the local railways to reach the town(a thirty minute train journey) , share a cab with three other passengers at Grant Road station to reach Breach Candy to my International French school where I taught English and indian festive arts to the french children in primary school, and the bus back to the train station to return home.It was a riot but it worked , and how. That's the wonderful thing about Bombay - you can be in the noisiest places but still feel a sense of calm and assurance that everyone is sailing in the same boat like you.
No matter how hot the days were, I was at the indian handloom exhibition at Bandra Reclamation grounds everytime it was on. I , like thousands of others , could not get enough of the regional artists , craftsmen and handloom traders who would come from various parts of India to showcase their work. It was all reasonably priced and a delight to buy not only for yourself,but also for others . At Pondicherry and Chennai I came across so much more handlooms and handicrafts that were made for export . The saree emporiums and silk fabric malls left me agape and hungry for more . All I wanted was to ogle at the handmade unique creations that we can take for granted so often when we see a designer outfit or high street clothing.
I was materialistic enough to carry sarees and indian outfits from various different regions of India to Scotland though I knew I would'nt wear them that often. My mini room is now like a walk - in indian handloom and handicraft exhibition for all my guests and visitors who love marvelling at the sheer beauty of the gorgeous indian fabrics. Not to mention my dangling colourful parrots , Rajasthan's mirror-work wall hangings , hand embroidered cushion covers and bedding, my wooden elephants , jewellery boxes , the list is endless , and I want more !
I ' ve always been a great India junkie having lived there for nearly twenty-nine years non-stop , and I 'm a better Indian abroad because I practise my indianness with even more devotion and seriousness to stay grounded. Indian cuisine has been my saviour, so has my outfits and jewellery , wedding photographs,gifts and other memorablia that I have hoarded and refuse to pack away . I'm permanently on a ' high ' and in a state of ' nirvana ' whenever I perform any ritual that reminds me of home and old happy times with my friends and family . There is always an indian element in almost everything I do or say and I cannot help it . Our culture is so rich and its uniqueness is matchless , even a lifetime of exploring India is not enough to familiarise one with all aspects of Indian customs ,traditions and cuisine .
I am more amused when I see girls in India in mini skirts or ' posh' western revealing clothing - because I know they are flaunting skin to make a point to others that they are modern whereas they are actually stuck in an orthodox situation . And also because they want to enjoy the best of both worlds and given a choice , they'll definitely pick a silk saree and rich sequinned, jewelled shoes anytime over stillettoes or a t-shirt . I 'm off to polish my precious silverware now that was a present and to rearrange my clothing neatly in my cupboard , the sight of colourful bright indian wear makes me happy first thing when I open my wardrobe compared to the sea of dull black,grey and brown woollen wear I have on the side for winter . I'm glad I can blend both elements as long as they keep me warm and happy.
