Nostalgia

As a little girl, August was her favorite month. No, not because it was her birthday month. It was because it was the start of the festive season. August kicks off the long festive season in India that ends in November with Diwali with a big bang. She has so many wonderful childhood memories from those four months every year.

It starts with Rakshabandhan, a festival that celebrates the bond between siblings. She would be enchanted by all the colorful threads that adorned the market weeks before and would be conflicted between choosing a Rakhi in her favorite color or her brother's. Her friends would wonder aloud what their Rakhi gifts would be but she already knew. It was the same every year, a big bar of Dairy Milk, the one with the fruit and nut, that her brother would buy from his pocket money.

Rakshabandhan would make to Independence day. She remembers participating in her school's Independence day parade. As she got older, she would put on her crisp white kurta and got watch the flag hoisting event at her neighborhood. After that, her father would insist everybody watch the Independence day parade streaming on YouTube.

And finally, Ganesh Chaturthi. The evening before, she would go with her father to the flower market to buy bundles of flowers in different hues and fragrances. Then, they would pick up the Ganesha idol and bring home. She was in charge of the rangoli and decorating the home for the pooja. The day of, she would wake up early with her mother to help her make the modaks. This way she could eat a few even before her brother woke up.

She is not a little girl anymore. Education, work and family has taken her away from her country but she still makes sure to mark the special month. Like her father, she would insist her family stay up to watch the parade streaming on YouTube. Her home would slowly transform to bring in the festivities and would fill up with friends and family. She would bring out some of the brass pieces she collected over the years and the house would smell of incense and delicious food bubbling away.

This year, like everything else, August is different. But she is determined to retain some of the excitement around the start of festive season. She picked out her sarees, to wear at home. She mailed the Rakhi and stayed up to watch the low key Independence day parade. She couldn't have people over and will be unable to share the sweets with her co workers. "But hey! more modak for me, right?" she mused and continued pleating.

How has your August been? Have you celebrated festivals this August? What sarees did you wear? Tell us on Facebook and Instagram @shellysensarees