Twenty- five Seven

Masks on a wall of masked beauty #atoz challenge

April 15, 2016

I’m participating with over 1000 bloggers in the 7th A to Z Challenge and will be blogging the whole of April about the ‘ Things around My House’, from A to Z. Today is M for the Masks that hang on my wall of masks.

Do visit the A to Z Challenge posts on Facebook.

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Wall of Masks

On top of my bathroom door hangs a Venetian mask that reminds me of my visit to Venice: an unforgettable , crazy 4 hour visit. The three of us and baby-in-the-pram took a tram to the train station and then a boat to the Piazza San Marco. There, under a cloudy afternoon sky we wandered through the tiny streets, and drank in all the sights like the typical tourists that we were.

I have always been fascinated by masks, particularly the garish ones with bells and gilt, used at masked balls and couldn’t resist buying this one of the court jester made of papier mache.

On the same wall is a set of framed Chinese Paper cuts representing the masks used in the Beijing Opera.

I must admit that I’ve never been to the Beijing Opera (or any other Opera for that matter) and these masks always serve to remind me that there’s one more thing I must strike off my Bucket List. So one day, I hope to see a performance where these masked beauties on my wall actually come alive.

Masks have been used since ancient times in various cultures for rituals as well as entertainment. They symbolise different emotions and are used to heighten the narrative in folk theatre.

At one time, masked balls were popular and even today, pre-Lenten carnivals revellers dance through the streets in wild abandon, hiding their identities behind them.
L is for the oil lamp that dispels darkness #AtoZchallenge

April 14, 2016

I’m participating with over 1000 bloggers in the 7th A to Z Challenge and will be blogging the whole of April about the ‘ Things around My House’, from A to Z. Today I’d like to talk about my traditional oil lamp.

Do visit the A to Z Challenge posts on Facebook.

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Every evening as the sun goes down and the lights come up, we light the oil lamp in our family shrine offering a prayer of thanks for a day well spent and seeking safe passage through the night. As the hand rolled cotton wick dipped in oil catches light, a sense of peaceful calm descends and fills the room with a mellow glow.

A traditional oil lamp

Our traditional oil lamp is around 18″ high and every day we light three cotton wicks . It is meant to be made of brass but I’m convinced it is made of bell metal because no amount of cleaning leaves it shining. It has instead a dull, dignified sheen.

The lamp has been in our family for generations and when our girls were growing up, they would bow to the flickering flame every evening, asking for the wisdom to help them do good , health, wealth and protection from their enemies.

Most Indian homes have an oil lamp that is lit up every night . The cotton, hand rolled wicks are are dipped in oil and are lit in odd numbers. When all the wicks are lit , the lamp burns through the night.

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#lamp” remove_twitter_handles=”true”]Brassware at home is scrubbed clean with a mixture of tamarind paste and salt which takes away the tarnish and leaves it gleaming[/tweetthis]

We have many oil lamps at home, from different parts of India and in different materials but this remains favourite: I get comfort in knowing that it has been used by generations before me and will continue to be used after I’m gone.
Do bells on the key chain warn people? #atozchallenge

April 13, 2016

The key chain with bells

This is my key chain with bells, the one that I keep clipped on my waist. Most Indian women (at least the old fashioned ones) have a key chain like this , clipped on to the sari. It was the ultimate symbol of a bossy and efficient housewife who ran her household like a tight ship. It was much cherished and passed on like a baton by a mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law, signifying a transfer of power.

My key chain has no such provenance. It was bought with the money my husband gifted me the first Diwali we celebrated as a couple. Nor am I under the illusion that my presence makes my minions quake since I have no minions either!

But my key chain with its tiny, jingly, jangly bells was a great early warning system for my little girls who used to be up playing in their room while Hubby and I were out for the night. The minute they heard the tinkling sound at the door, they’d quickly jump into bed, pull up the covers and shut their eyes tight while I looked in on them and kissed them good night.

Many of the bells have now fallen off and some of the keys it holds are redundant. I also don’t wear saris that often but still manage to tuck the clip onto the waistband of my trousers or salvar, enjoying its heavy feel, the jingly bells and the illusion of power.

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I’m participating with over 1000 bloggers in the 7th A to Z Challenge and will be blogging the whole of April about the ‘ Things around My House’, from A to Z. Today I introduce you to my Key Chain that jingles when I’m around.

Do visit the A to Z Challenge posts on Facebook.