Wednesday, May 28, 2008

challo challe mittwa

Going to Pune to witness a batch of Indian soldiers pass out of the National Defence Academy. One of them is my borther-in-law. It will be such an honour. I think it will be a life time opportunity to go inside the campus. We are given dress codes for all the 4 days that we would be at the NDA and what better excuse than this to go shopping! S told me it is not a fashion parade and I don't have to be so excited about dressing up. How can a man know about women and dresses? I don't mind. I don't mind.

I have bought a light coloured saree as Pune is really hot these days. Ma-in-law wanted me to wear our traditional dress too. I am not only a Bharatya Naari but a Manipuri Naari who have taken upon her thin shoulders the responsibility of showcasing her rich culture and heritage. Don't you see it is always the women? And S tells me not to take it as a fashion parade. How is that possible? :-)

Our tradional dress consists of a wrap around (which is thick), a blouse and a half saree which can be worn as a saree or as a shawl. I have given the blouse for stitching and I paid three times the amount that I paid one and a half years back. Talk of inflation! I mean I did not go to some Manish Malhotra but our own galli ka darzi and the price rise is too much. Now I know why actresses these days are not wearing blouses and are making do with strings. Even they are affected by inflation. Oh dear poor sisters! See now I understand why Tanisha was going bra bra dekho in Neel and Nikki. She doesn't get many movies and she is also a victim of inflation. Bad me, bad me for mocking her in a public forum!

Coming back to blouses, I hate being measured by a male tailor. I am sure most women feel the same.

Anyway, I am planning to catch up with two of my childhood friends. There is R, the lady warden. She has left that job long time back but I keep referring to her as the lady warden. She will be relocating to Mumbai very soon. She got a job in a very good college under Mumbai University. Hope Mr. Raj Thackeray will not have any problems to this. She is a gold medalist from Pune University and Mumbai only stand to lose. Leen had finished her M.B.B.S long time back but suddenly decided to go for the P.G and I am glad she has chosen Pune to do it. These are friends with whom I went to school in my small hometown in the far corner of the country. I am still thankful to that school we attended. Amidst the strikes, bandhs, bomblasts, extortion and a lot more disturbances to a normal student life, that school kept our dreams alive. Even to a student like me, who is not the topper but slightly above average, it gave me the confidence that someday I would be able to find something worthwhile to do beyond MBBS and Engineering. Something that I love, something that I am good at.

So, it would be sort of a re-union. We would miss the rest of the gang, Ri, Ju and Li. Ju and Li are at NYC and Virginia, and kicking ass. They hang out together and share their snaps. We are planning to do the same. Hee hee hee. S wanted to meet his friends too. Thinking out loud (and hoping he is reading this), maybe he could drop me and get introduced to my buddies and I could pick him up later and get introduced to his buddies since we don't have that much time in hand.

18 comments:

Aqua said...

It is indeed an honour. wow, a dress code and all. i love all that. i must confess to having a huge colonial hangover.

LOL @ I am not only a Bharatya Naari but a Manipuri Naari who have taken upon her thin shoulders the responsibility of showcasing her rich culture and heritage.

I SO get you on this :)yeah, it's always the women.

y get to meet yr childhood friends too? lucky girl. all my reunions happen online via FB and orkut :(

shweta said...

Sounds like a plan..:)I don't mind being measured by a decent male tailor..coz when a female tailor is measuring me and takes my waist line..i know there is alot of judging happening there.. Please do share ur experience of being at the NDA with us..will look forward to that..cheers..

sanguine said...

I hate being measured by a male tailor. @ i hate it too . but whats with the our men , my hubs gets all het up , more than i do . he will refuse to come inside the shop and when i come out will always has that searching look on his face and if he sense anything amiss , he will want to go inside and bash the guy . it happens all the time . i now make sure i go there alone .

AmitL said...

Hi,Arunima-I read this post,amongst the first ones for today,and,I'm glad I did..you had me smiling and guffawing away at the lively humour..especially:
**and what better excuse than this to go shopping**
Hehe...true,true!!Little does S know...but,give him a few more years,and he'll be an expert!

Please do showcase our rich culture at the parade,and,put up some pics here as well!:)
--
ROFL-you're totally right-no wonder our actresses are making do with strings...all these rising(Pun intended) costs!!
--
Being measured by a gents' tailor..so true..I think most women hate being measured by a gents' tailor,but,perhaps,like the best cooks being men,is it that these guys are also the best tailors,rather than the ladies??(I can see your eyebrows rising!!hahaha)
--
Hey,wow-a class reunion- even I'm hoping we have one in the month that I'm in Baroda,from tomorrow.Let's see..have fun!!
--
Incidentally,Pune reminds me-is 'Citadel' magazine(Pune's own mag),one of my favs. some years back(Until I came to Dubai) still going great guns?who's the Ed now,if you do read it?

austere said...

Well- you made Manipur come alive for me.

Inflation and cloth shortage = great economic theory.

It really is a big honor to be invited- dignified ceremony and all.

Get us some memories too.

Anonymous said...

that is good. seems you are all pepped up for the trip. hope to read some tales when you are back. ;)

Gayatri Bhadran said...

Now I know why actresses these days are not wearing blouses and are making do with strings. Even they are affected by inflation. Oh dear poor sisters!

LOL! =)

Stone said...

Do share 'Anthony' fainting story :-)

Arunima said...

@Amit: not me:-)

dhoop kinara said...

enjoy the trip!

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manuscrypts said...

the first part reminds me of the scene in lakshya :).. speaking of tanisha, she's almost unrecognisable in sarkaar raj, fully clothed!!

Pallavi said...

Uggghhh I hate male blouse tailors..

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

oye arunima, how are you yaar! i see your name in some comments sometimes and am tempted as ever to read your latest post, again.

kabi apne purane blog buds ko bi dedicate kar do koi post :D

anyways be good and have fun at the NDA

Arunima said...

@burf: hum jaroor likhenge kisi din blog buds ke naam, ek nahi bahut saare post.

@laughing Budha:It's not that I had any bad exp with male tailors. It's just that I feel uncomfortable.

DewdropDream said...

You've been tagged!

Cynic in Wonderland said...

waaaaaaaaaah you came to pune? we could have met!