Obviously Cliff Richards’ famous song Summer Holiday wasn’t meant for me though at one time it was one of my favourites. Unlike most people, summertime for me is not a beach holiday or an escape to the hills. Nor is it a trip abroad or a visit to a distant relative .

I’d much rather stay back in my city of Mumbai which is itself on a holiday with most people having abandoned it for their vacations. While most of India is heating up in wave after wave, I can enjoy a warm breeze while I look down on its empty streets bereft of bumper to bumper cars and incessant sounds of horns, drill machines and the noise of busyness.

Yes , summer is the time for goofing off with a book, scouring the bazar for mangoes to be pickled and of course giving my precious saris a bit of air

Sari Pride

I think saris are the most elegant garment ever discovered. They fit all sizes and shapes and can double up as sheets and blankets and even a towel to wipe off one’s hands while working.

Of course blouses are another story because unlike most people, my blouses shrink with every wash. That’s the reason why many of my saris have lain unworn for the past two years. Especially the silks with threads of gold as there have been no weddings or celebrations thanks to the Dirty Old Virus stalking our planet relentlessly.

But I love my saris that have been collected over the years : saris to mark occasions like my own wedding, the birth of my girls, a memory of a holiday, gifts from friends and family or just an indulgent purchase. Many of them are now getting to be vintage pieces and I hope to pass them on as heirlooms.

But they needed to be aired and given a good shake and I had very few days to do it before the monsoon struck.

Airing and wearing

Actually it was a chance visit to Jo’s house last week when I saw her living room sofas adorned with precious silks, that reminded me that my own saris hadn’t seen the light of day for two years now .

So I pulled them out of my trunk and draped them all over the house. Hubby Dear of course despaired the fact that the only place he could read his paper remained the floor and told me to wear them and air them instead!

Of course I didn’t listen to him and let the saris hog all sitting space for two whole days.

Finally, when I felt each sari had enough, I began keeping them back .

For two consecutive afternoons while the whole house slept, I carefully checked each sari for tears, rips, loose falls and tiny insects that somehow love saris. Then I patiently ironed each one and folded them away, in a different fold this time and kept them away with some natural insect repellent like cloves.

And ironing 6 yards of silk isn’t easy -especially when you have to fold them just so without burning the gold threads or pulling at the intricate brocade work.

And I felt my saris smiling back at me as I kept them back in the trunk, wrapped in a cotton sheet and a sachet of lavender to keep them smelling good and fresh.

But there was a sense of calm, while I did the work and as they piled up in perfect folds that would have made Marie Kondo proud, I felt happy. I felt good.

Does airing your clothes make you feel energized and rejuvenated ?

Ciao