Twinn Swan

I never really wore traditional Indian attire growing up. It was only something I did for the special occasion of Diwali. But as I forayed into experimenting with traditional wear, I did what many do, I focused my mind and visualised which combination of colours would look good.

One of my first observations was that the colour palette and the colour combinations of traditional Indian wear is entirely different to modern, Western clothing. The two are worlds apart. The second thing I observed were the embroideries, the patterns and the stitch work. I don’t remember having paid much attention to these things growing up.

Over the past few months, I’ve also realised that Indian clothing for women generally comes in a three-piece set. But… you can also mix and match. So I visualised mixing and matching many of the outfits in my head. Most of the time, it looked better in my head than it did when I put it on.

While to me, the saree will always be the crowning achievement of Indian elegance, I found the Punjabi suit–the salwar khameez–to be far more comfortable, adaptable and easy to wear. Somewhere in my mind, it seems that the saree is still something reserved for a special occasion; even though I know that many adorn the saree daily.

The norm in many social gatherings is for the young to sit on the floor. I generally prefer sitting on the floor, anyway. But there is something about seeing a gathering of people who have come together to pray and to celebrate the culture of the community. It is only now that I have come to realise that how I am dressed is a big part of that experience.

If we were going to a job interview, we wouldn’t show up in jeans and a t-shirt. We would make an effort to look our best. The same logic applies to how we dress when we visit a temple or a house of worship. We should strive to look our best.

At the same time, these are still places of God. I feel that there are days when I am down and I happen to gravitate towards a place of worship without much forethought. It is a sanctuary I am seeking. On those days, my jeans and t-shirt will have to do.

Everything begins to manifest within us in its own time. I suppose for me, the time has come to explore what traditional attire means to me. I’m still exploring, but whenever I wear it, I do feel that a part of me that has been dormant springs to life with the excitement of the bold colours, the intricate embroideries and the patterns that have imprinted themselves on my soul.

They say that true beauty lays within. I believe that to be true. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with revealing it through what one chooses to be a temporary skin.