It’s Raksha Bandhan on Tuesday.
I sent out letters wishing sundry cousins and cousin-brother-in laws, just in time.
Used to be a time we’d use hand made paper to make cards, and carefully trace out the words with a nib dipped in red paint, on uneven fibrous background in cream, deck it up with a border and a mirror-sequin or two.
Was tempted to send a cryptic typed note, refrained.
We’d wait for the celebratory lunch at my uncle’s, the family gettogether with everyone in their festive best, and all the talk and teasing. I still have some books I was gifted then. This used to be “entertainment”.
The best thing about sepia is the feel-good factor.
The shops are lovely, decorated with lights and strands of rakhis displayed on poles, in so many colors, designer rakhis with beads, decorations. A tree outside a shop is strung with lights, glamorous against the still black of the night, and you forget the jostling crowds and traffic.
10 comments:
very very beautiful. I can picture that paper..I bet you recall the smell of the ink, the way the uneven paper felt in your hands, the way your ink dipped pen moved along the papers edge..
I liked this quite a bit.
Have a great Raksha Bandhan!
Always,
Crusty~
Hehe...Austy,that's a nice look back at the 'good ole days'...now,it's the time of e-rakhi,and,e-hi's.:)I think I'm going to feel e-good,too.:)
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beautifully written:) the hand-written letter is a lost art. i miss it more to hear of the time and intricate details that were invested in yours.
thanks for reminding me. :)
hand written letters? whatever happened to emails and phone calls/ :O
(i know.. used to be a time when i would make the rakhis by hand, complete attention, prayer woven into the threads. :) )
crusty- lovely handmade paper, with the fibres still seen. Send you some? ty.
amitl- e mithai, and e blessing but not e- rakhi gift, or dont tell my brothers.
portia- we used to really work hard over these. :)
mystic- SEE! wow rakhis by hand...
august 28th..it's coming up soon!!
have a great day that day honoring your siblings..and enjoying the sweets.
Always,
Crusty~
Sure, I love stationary!! :)
I too loved the description of the paper. It is such a lost art these days. It's really a shame.
While we did not make the paper by hand, my husband and I did make our own wedding invitations that were more like small keepsake books. It was fun to make them together in harmony, it would not have been quite so as special otherwise.
-P
crusty- its a kind of thread of protection for a brother, it can be for a brother or some one you want to honor as a brother. yes, will enjoy the sweets and the moolah :)
proxima- I WANT a keepsake book now1 Why didn't you invite me???
:) No, the paper was handmade but from a shop.
Austere: So do you make the threads? How much would it cost me to buy one made from you? I'll need an order of 3 please for my sons...plus 2 more for my brothers.
How was your holiday, by the way!!
Always,
Crusty~
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