//The Saree Symposium//
/The first subject/
subtle strumming echoes in a house lit by a few candles here and there, the only other sound being of the wind fluttering through the creaked windows.
there stands a woman, focused on the strings of the wooden structure in her hands.
determined to make the sounds reach her lover
determined to make the sounds reach her lover
her fingers caress the instrument and the winds stop to let the music flow through the windows.
music that flows now is no longer subtle.
/The second subject/
it's a warm summer afternoon.
you can hear the melodies of Rabindra Sangeet floating through the streets. it is an environment that is your haven.
in your hands is a book that has transported you far away from this haven. the book talks about murder, thrill, action. you look up once in a while to reassure yourself of your surroundings.
you're engrossed but you also feel queasy. you want to dive into the words but also maybe just watch from a safe distance.
the world won't be that kind to you, you realise. you can't always watch from a distance, you realise.
and with the will to look beyond, craving for adventure, you dive into the words; and into the world even more fiercely.
Rabindra Sangeet has moulded itself into hard rock metal.
/The third subject/
a lone traveller comes by, carrying nothing but a device that plays some music.
she looks like she belongs to your neighborhood, but has a certain edge. you can't really put your finger on it, but she lures you in anyway.
she looks like she belongs to your neighborhood, but has a certain edge. you can't really put your finger on it, but she lures you in anyway.
you invite her to your house, maybe for a warm cup of tea, as far as the infamous Indian hospitality is concerned.
she begins to share her stories and you're hooked. she doesn't reveal her name, but you're not concerned since the music coming faintly from her device tells a lot about her.
she begins to share her stories and you're hooked. she doesn't reveal her name, but you're not concerned since the music coming faintly from her device tells a lot about her.
she says it's time for her to leave. you bid adieu and you're left with a sense of admiration.
you ponder upon how her only travel companion is music, and how she doesn't need anything else apart from her dear musical partner in crime.
you ponder upon how her only travel companion is music, and how she doesn't need anything else apart from her dear musical partner in crime.
her life has a background score, and she controls every part of it.
Models: Mrunmayee Shambharkar, Shalini Dwivedi, Pranjal Jain
All Sarees shown in the photographs belong to mothers, grandmothers and aunts.
