Monday, May 12, 2008

Remembering Tradition



It has been sometime since I decided to dabble with Tradition. You know, I decided to get a makeover, to get a little old-fashioned. Before you take the liberty to declare that this girl is definitely loony, let me tell you what I did!

This Saturday afternoon I decided to wear my silks with a bunch of heavy necklaces on my neck and decorate my hair with Moggina Jade’. Small things like these stir up an immediate reaction. This includes the grandparents getting over-joyed with my decision to bear a few pounds of flowers on my head, my grandma taking me on a picnic to all the houses in the neighbourhood, and my brother tut-tutting over me. You do feel imperious, royal, important and special. And more than everything else, that’s what that counts.

Now let me venture to speak on Mysore’s favorite tradition. (At least, for the girls!) Moggina Jade’ has been around for ages, normally, the girls decorate their hair with it when it’s the Jasmine season and these pretty flowers are in bloom. Generally, the bride wears it, but girls do too, on special occasions. Moggina Jade’ used to be something like craft---when the ladies ‘organized’ these flowers on your long plait in an exotic and delicate fashion. Now, it’s a minute’s business. You get them ready-made in the mysore market for 150/, and all you do is place them over your hair and simply ‘tie’ them on.

You see, things you thought would never disappear sometimes do. Like the sparrows, a non-polluted Bangalore, the jutkas, and tradition. That’s why it’s better to savour them before they’re finally gone. Try it, all this tradition thing is not as bad as it sounds. It can be fun too. Besides, I’ve taken it into my stride to break the myth that fashion, slang and rock music is all what teenagers are made of!

12 comments:

Gowri Mohanakrishnan said...

'That’s why it’s better to savour them before they’re finally gone.' A fine thought, Lakshmi. I really enjoyed reading your views.

praneshachar said...

nice moggina jade it is famous equally in our parts too Bellary and it is a big exercise to do it in house. when my sons juttu was done before the day of juttu my cousin and aunt adored him with moggina jade as he was having long hairs it is pleasure to see those photos with him in jari langa with moggina jade
this is also done with kedige which will be cut artistically.
as lakshmi said now everything is commercialised and you go to market you get it but better let the traditions live by whatever means it is ok.
taking photograph with decoraed jade was a big thing and studios will take it with a mirror in the back so it is visible
nice one have wonderful time in mysore
pranesh

Anil P said...

No tradition needs to go so long as we believe in it.

All things eventually come back :)

bibliomaniac said...

Hello Lakshmi...your posts on "Remembering Tradition" and "Studying Squirrels" were really nice..especially the squirrels..I love squirrels!
Anyway, just wanted you to know I've blogged a short story...and I'd really like you to read it.

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Lakshmi, a fine piece.

Narendra shenoy said...

Great, Lakshmi! My wife has one of hers too (she's from Mysore, you see). I'll scan it and mail it to you if I can find it.

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Thanks, I would love to see Sheela aunty with a moggina jade. Mail me on lakshmi090@yahoo.com

Maddy said...

moggina means flowers? i was listening to moggina manassu songs the other day

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Well, actually, Moggina means Jasmine buds. So Moggina Manassu means a mind as soft as jasmine. I didn;t know you followed Kannada music! You heard the songs? The title song especially looks like it's flicked from the Hindi taal doesn;t it?

Maddy said...

oh yes - i do follow kannada music, the title song, esp both versions are good!!

Maddy said...

sorry i am back for a clarification - i was listening to a dr rajkumar song where he sings mallike huve - now is mallika not jasmine? i used to think that was the term for it in most south indian languages!!

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Maddy: u are right. Mallige means jasmine. Moggu means buds as i told u before. Mallige moggu means jasmine buds. But sometimes, people just say 'moggu' fr jasmine buds, because it is generally understood that it will probably be a jasmine bud, which is more popular than other buds. It's g8 to see u follow kannada music.