Saree : Linen (Continued)

Dear Diary,

Hi! I am so excited to write my first entry. I can already see that our friendship is going to be a special one!

Today, I got worn by the lady as she spent a quite day at home working on her blog. Her topic of writing was about introverts and the myths surrounding them. As she typed away, I felt like it was my own pallu that was typing the words. I wouldn’t call the lady an introvert; maybe I can say that she is an ambivert. But, she seems to have understood the ways of an introvert so well. I say that because I am one myself and I am a proud one at that!

I love being a part of the lady’s daily routine and take pleasure in simple things like the smell of coffee being made, the light drizzle of summer showers from the window, the blazing hot breeze of the afternoons, and even the quiet comfort when the lady does nothing at all but just relaxes in her chair. I am a simple chap but that doesn’t mean that I am meek.

Introverts are generally thought of as timid and shy people but that is such a myth! Whenever other sarees take such assumptions as the norm I ask them a simple question. Whose ancestors protected the Vikings from arrows on the battlefield by covering their shields with their immense toughness? Oh hi, they were mine! And, when they still don’t come out of their narrow-pleated assumptions, guess what I resort to? I scare them by telling them true stories of how Linen was used to preserve mummies because of our high durability. Any other fabrics to claim that kind of bad-ass past? Yeah, didn’t think so.

Being a fabric that dates back to almost 30,000 BC, we have definitely developed a more mature outlook towards life and we have evolved to become the one of the greenest fabrics that produces very little waste. We are quieter. But, we make sure that we stand up for ourselves in our own way when we are misunderstood. I have friends such as the mul saree and the handloom cotton saree. In fact, I enjoy even the young and bubbly Jamdani’s company and we laugh about the differences in our attitudes.

I just realised that I have rambled on about introverts with my pent up irritation, phew. You know, we absorb air and moisture fast and release it with ease and that is what makes us good insulators, but we have problems in expressing ourselves properly. How I wish we had the ability to release our feelings as easily as we release moisture and air! But, I must tell you, this whole talking about ourselves and disproving myths happens very little in our lives, it is restricted to the diary mostly. We Linens always brush aside these topics for more important topics. We love to talk about eco-friendly ways of living, better packaging and more fuel-efficient transport systems and all such things. I mean, our ancestors have seen ancient civilisations solve problems that are similar to what we all face now, while living in harmony with nature. We ourselves were used in packaging and we were used in beddings to keep people warm and comfortable without the need for air conditioning. Even clothes made with Linen are durable and stay in shape for a really long time, thereby eliminating the need to produce more and more clothes.  These are the things that I love to talk about.

So, you get the hang, I am serious but I love a good personal chat with fellow sarees. I love my contemplations in my quiet corner of the wardrobe. And, as I come from flax that is grown in very cold climate, I simply adore the time that I get to spend on the drying rod in the sun. But, most importantly, my most favourite thing in the world is to be worn. And, just like my ancestors who have clothed people for thousands of years, I too will take the legacy forward and ensure that we always continue to do what we love to do and what we do best. See you in my next diary writing session, diary. Till then, bye!