Skip to main content

Old is Gold - recycling

It was an interesting time at Holi last month. This festival is celebrated with full involvement of participants but with two view points.

There are ones who celebrate it with a religious fervour and so wear new clothes etc.
Then there are the ones who play with colours with same amount of intensity but use old clothes as clothes need to be discarded after all the colours that are used.

This led to a clear thought as to how Indians are apt at recycling almost everything at home. This is not accounted for the carbon credits but is quite a phenomenon in both urban and rural India. It has become a part of the social norms as well. In a random manner, I recall instances where this has become a thread in Indian fabric.

- ALL Indian households are visited by a कबाड़ीवाला ( a trader in discarded goods). Old newspapers, magazines, clothes, utensils, plastic goods are all sold and subsequently recycled
- Every city has specialist tailors who have mastered the art of making clothes of children from elders. Defence Colony in Delhi has become famous for the same
- Darnering as a profession is patronised by many to increase the usage of a damaged garment
- In Rural India (and also in Urban in parts of country), cow/buffalo dung is used for lighting the stoves

I am sure there are millions more examples that readers are aware of. But the more interesting part is as to how it has become a part of our culture

- a new born baby is wrapped in a piece of cloth taken from the one worn by grandfather (because it is soft with the usage)
- welcome to a daughter-in-law is done by passing the family owned necklace that has invariably been worn by three generations
- A multi colour stole (सतरंगी चुन्नी) is an auspicious piece of cloth but the core purpose is the usage of the same with garment of any colour.

More stories are welcome.

Comments

  1. I think its not purely re-cycling but a lot of traditions and sentiments are attached to lot of these life examples cited above.

    1.If one gets a dress made from an old material (could be a mom's saree used to make a traditional suit for both mom and daughter then its not recycling but the feeling of wearing it together on some occassion)when you may in fact cab buy a more expensive dress from any of teh kids store.

    2.If the younger kid is wearing the elder kids clothes its not just recycling but re-living your older times again.Although its shouldnt be always but could be sometimes.

    3.If your mom in law gives you a necklace which her mom in law gave it to her (whom you would have never met during her lifetime)you are able to connect to her indirectly in spite of the fact that there are many other jewellery which are given by your parents, in - laws, guests etc but this one would be unique in itself
    4.In rural areas cow dung is used for preparing food because it is related to the cow which is worshipped In India just like food and is in fact used in many festivals like Holi, Navratras etc. for puja.

    It is rightly said that tradition lots of times takes the name of recycling but not ALWAYS


    2.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is West leading the East? Ignorance can be a bliss!

There is a side effect of every medicine just as there are always pros and cons for every decision. Coupled with this, excess of anything is harmful. India has perhaps one of the largest numbers who can read/understand English. English is very closely associated with the "Developed World". Hence, our English media is greatly influenced by the "Developed World". It actually goes further from media to individuals. The more "cerebral and globally connected" individuals are all a ball of gloom. R written large on their faces and expressions. There are enough reasons given, even for India. - Current slowdown - Approaching elections - Job slashes - Next monsoons To me it is a clear sign of clouded mind. It is so visible in the English newspapers vs local language papers. Headlines in English media all talks about - losses, layoffs, slowing demand, US companies going down under etc. Language papers talk of recent elections and promises, banks slashing interest ra...

Power of observation

Mr Topiwala observed his niece being very interested in dressing up. He engaged in a discussion and came to understand a pain point of large number of Indian women. Something that women are very passionate, possessive about and have a very strong emotional bond, almost unbreakable bond. He created a new product that solved a huge effort and a recurring problem. And this was a self sticking, in varying sizes and design and in colours preferred by women, red and maroon. Since its launch in 1985, the brand is a huge dominant one in the market. Almost synonymous with the category. Companies would envy such a dominance. Over the years many innovations were brought about like iodine enriched, dermatologically tested and many more. 'Shilpa' bindis. An amazing story of a dominant brand that solves a real problem through acute observation. Would love to know of more such stories. #bindingmachine   #observation   #consumerneed   #businessmaze   #indianmaze 204-1-20

Mumbai Attack - citizens need to change

Worst ever attack on Indian soil. Touching the soul of ordinary citizens. With bomb blasts, train blasts and now this attack I think not a single family is untouched by the tragedy for there is someone known who has suffered at the hand of terrorists in these cases. Panic is hitting the streets. One of the junior of a friend lost life today, two cops known to a close friend lost their lives. A freind's wife was in complete hysteria last night when she heard Taj attack and her husband being in Taj for a function. She could not even hear when he called to say that he was in Taj Land's End in Bandra and not in Colaba. She kept on yelling "come back, come back". There has been non stop coverage in all TV channels across the country. What was happening at one of the leading newspaper in the capital whose editor decided that this news is good for a byline and anchor story has to be on Delhi elections? Citizens - both directly and through media should start pushing the syste...