My first saree ... and the second one

Friday October 17 was the big day. Diwali is really on October 23, but because many in this complex go away on holiday over Diwali, we had the party a week early. Suited us perfectly! Our friends from Canada were still here, also, we would also be out of town for Diwali.

Diwali/Deepawali is the festival of lights and like Christmas and New Year's all in one for Hindus. Deep means light and avali means a row i.e., a row of lights.

Well, when in Rome ... so a week ago I finally got my act together and took the fabric for two sarees, that a good friend gave me, to a tailor to have them stitched and to have tops and petticoats made. Turns out we have a very good one at the end of our road - meet the wonderful Vijeta Dhingra!

She was so busy getting organized for her own show AND of course Diwali, which was 2 weeks after the day I walked into her studio. We got talking, turns out she has lived in Croydon for 4 year, and 1 year in Germany, but she could not remember the name of the place in Germany ... ok - did not leave much of an impression maybe... ;-) After a while she did promise me to have one saree ready within a week, but would have to see about the second one. Fair enough.

Here is her workshop with the skilled co-workers who worked until 1am every day for a couple of weeks up to Diwali! The sewing machines must have at least 5 gears!!

Her little studio

One of the sarees was indeed ready the day before the big party. I went to pick it up and was of course a little disappointed that the second one was not done, however, completely understandable and she had warned me. She asked me when my friend was coming who needed the second one - well, she is already here. "Oh, ...... (think think think) ... you know what, I'll get it done!"

Wow! Great and thanks ever so much! The next day, the day of the party, I get there at 6pm to pick it up. She looks at me and tells me how they finished the top and the petticoat and had gone to the market to get the lining for it ... then lost it! Not to be found anywhere. Ok, so someone went to the market to get another one, took it home to stich it there, but whether it would be finished, she could not say. While we are standing there talking her eye suddenly spots something behind something else ... ALAS here it is!!! Well, the second one had already been purchased and a seamstress was working at high speed as we spoke.

I left my address and she would send her driver with the finished product 7.45. Ok, plenty of time, the party starts at 8 ...

At 7.50 still no sight of any driver ...

At 7.55 the doorbell rings. "Namaste mem, your saree."