NAMASKARAM
# ६
षट / ṣaṭ / six / 6
We sometimes end up living far from our places of birth and nativity. So, we learn to adopt and adapt our life skills accordingly. And during this nomadic phase, we safely store our saris in metal trunks, safe almirahs, modular wardrobes, box beds, or chunky suitcases in our earlier or ‘original homes’. Of course, there are a few faves we carry around — probably because they are physical pieces of our being. But do we take and use bits of ancient and scientific Indian philosophical wisdom of our ‘foremothers’ (read: mothers. grandmothers and great-grandmothers) attached to each sari by? Let us revise our Vedas, Yoga, Panchangam, Ayurveda, and Bhashas to rework our sari styles.
LET US REENGAGE WITH OUR ANCIENT INDIAN PHILOSOPHIES AND SCIENCES OF LIFE.
# ७
सप्त / sapta / seven / 7
We love transience and variety. From morning to night, we have a plethora of new clothing needs—work-out, professional work, evening-out, sleep-in and more. But we probably ignore the reality that these needs may not always desire ‘new’ garments. So, let us rethink our specific want-based buying for need-based use and ask ourselves ‘can I make this wearable silhouette from my old sari’s rectangular shape?’ It will help rethink making new sections in our wardrobes and fill those need gaps with something more ‘self’, creative, easy, meaningful, zerowaste and sustainable.
LET US RECYCLE A VEDIC ERA’S BASIC SHAPE FOR OUR EASY-USE CLOTHING NEEDS.
# ८
अष्ट / aṣṭa / eight / 8
We treat most saris reverentially and with TLC (Tender Loving Care). We admire their fabrics by praising the weaver’s tedious handwork. We have become inclusive as a lot when it comes to wearable art. But we still stock and ignore some saris. They sulk in our wardrobes, while we shop for simple clothes. Although we know our 5.5 meters of fabric, when multiplied and seen as geometric blocks, is a lot! So, let us use this easily-available, unused or underused resource. It will help us create garments that are slow-made, quick-wear (amoeba-like), and long-live.
LET US REBUILD THESE BASIC SHAPES SLOWLY BY BREAKING SARI FABRIC GENTLY.
# ९
नव / nava / nine / 9
We are what we see, smell, hear, taste, and feel. Our human existence is dependent on our five lower sense organs. In Indian philosophy (Sanskrit) these sensory, spiritual or phenomenological faculties are called Jnanendriyas—ears (shotra), eyes (chakshu), nose (grahnu), tongue (jivha) and skin (tvak). It is said that when we handmake things, they reactivate and help neurological memory, growth and recall. But do we use them singularly and optimally? So, let us relearn the basics of handcrafting — some food, clothing and houses. It will help us be mindful, feel good and even heal.
LET US RELEARN THE BASIC ART OF THERAPEUTIC AND MINDFUL HANDCRAFTING.
# १०
दश / daśa / ten / 10
We as earthlings conceptually love slow life and living. Yet we live a fast life consumed by super-fast fashion in an overexcited environment. Today ‘hyper-branding’ is THE movement to reckon with when it comes to THE creation, selling and buying of products or services. Some things and concepts (sometimes even sustainable ones) have promotion, advertising and packaging material that has no alternative use. Let us evolve to make or buy ‘hypo-brands’ with minimal, recycled and handcrafted collaterals instead of new ones (or think of ways to reuse or even eliminate packaging).
LET US REFUSE BRANDING MATERIALS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ‘HYPO-BRAND’ REALITY.
DHANYAVADAM