It's Nature, It's Growth, It's Green!

 The beautiful Friday morning and the first thing on my mind was "Green"!

'Bachpan' mein green meant trees (for me) and tennis balls (for my brothers)! 'School' mein my sister's house, 'Kitchen' mein bhindi, palak, coriander, chillies, 'Office' mein go-green, 'Chai' bhi green, 'Dollar' bhi green! 'Green' is for 'Go, 'Green' is for 'Grow'! The 'Natural' Green, the 'Empowering' Green!!

The 'Saraf' family I belong to has religious restrictions with green and family members are forbidden from wearing the color, except the 'daughters' of the house on the grounds that, " ladkiyan to parai hain; doosre ghar chali jaegi"😆 On those grounds, my cool granny brought us the coolest green dresses while my brothers and the other family had to forego the evergreen colour!!

Looking at the larger picture, we are blessed to be naturally surrounded by the colour. The lush green forests, the tall green trees, the green fruits & veggies, the adorable talkative parrot, the valuable green emerald, the dewy green grass, green and green all around!!

Green signifies nature, it symbolizes prosperity, it is associated with growth, it stands for rebirth, it represents fertility, it means renewal, it describes spring! 

My little one happens to have a small connect with the vibrant colour! 'Vaanya' means 'God's gift!! However, google search also throws up the meaning as "Van ki devi"- Goddess of Forests! So, the spiritual green!!

Here is a green frog - art & craft done in her preschool!! Quite an interesting activity but the most precious outcome- my Vaanya's smile!!

The 'green' spring is about to onset and will bring along 'Chaitra Navratri'! May Goddess Durga give us 'shakti' to overcome the last leg of the pandemic and help us emerge victorious - victory of good over evil in the truest sense of the word!

The 'Sunshine' Yellow!!

 Day 6 and 'Yellow' it was!!

I have a long term relationship with this colour. I think it is my favourite colour- that's what my mom said!! I remember her chiding me and saying, " I shall throw your entire wardrobe out if you buy another yellow"!!!😆

Nevertheless, my love has not subsided!! I have realized when I am given options, I automatically choose this beautiful, happy colour- the colour which is as bright as the sun, as cheerful as those smiley balls, as vibrant as the sunflower!!

Just like each day of Navratri has a colour associated with it, such is the case with each day of the week too, and yellow is for Thursdays (Vrihaspativar)! As per Hinduism, Thursday is the day of Lord Vishnu and yellow is his favourite colour and so, wearing the colour on that day is considered auspicious. You are right! I never had a difficulty following this tradition given my overflowing yellow wardrobe!!!

What more, 'Saraswati Puja' is soon approaching. Vasant Panchami for the larger audience! Vasant (spring) Panchami marks the arrival of spring (vasant) and is celebrated not only in India but in Nepal, Bali & Indonesia, too. Goddess Saraswati- symbol of wisdom & knowledge is worshipped on that day, mostly in Bengal, Odisha and some northern states. You will witness tiny tots walking down the street all clad in yellow sarees as tiny as them!! A truly endearing sight it is indeed!! Yellow for new bloom, yellow for spring and thus, yellow for Vasant!

Let me draw a common thread between wearing yellow on Thursday and on Saraswati Puja. Thursday is also known as 'Guruvar' & Maa Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge - our Guru. Yellow is symbolic of Guru, Yellow is symbolic of wisdom, Yellow is symbolic of auspicious. So, the yellow on Thursday and so the yellow on Saraswati Puja or Vasant Panchmi!

When I look around, I realize that we are surrounded by this hue. I mean the golden yellow sunlight, the potassium rich, the basic bananas, the natural antiseptic turmeric, the tangy lemon, the cuddly winnie the pooh adorning my room, the tiny seeds of mustard, the famous 'Kolkata' taxis, the fibre rich corn, I mean the list is endless!

The latest collection to my personal yellow is a yellow coloured doggy!! Off course, Bunny ka doggy! No, no not a real pet- just a stuff toy! She loves it!! Sleeps with it, wakes up with it, hugs it, cuddles it, feeds it, basically 'head over heels' in love with it!! I hope she doesn't demand a real one soon!! I mean I would love a pet but I need few more years until Bunny can take care of the pet herself!!

Here is my sunshine, my little soldier armoured in yellow!! Just look at the walk!! I mean she had just started walking few steps and look at the excitement! More than a year old photograph but as fresh to my eyes and as dear to my heart!!💓💓

Chaitra Navratri is round the corner and my yellow dress is awaiting to honour my darling!! But before that, spring shall onset- Vasant Panchmi!! So, Saraswati Maa, in Bunny's words- 'Buddhi do"!!