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The Godhadi

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by satchitananda, Feb 4, 2019.

  1. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    It is the summer holidays. The days might be blazing hot, but the nights are extremely cool, especially towards dawn. I am sleeping on my bed near the window which is open. Cool breeze blows in and cools my warm skin. I snuggle under my 'godhadi' - that soft covering which is just right - neither too warm, nor inadequate. The soft touch of my mom's sari - that is what the godhadi is.

    A godhadi is basically a patchwork quilt made of old sarees. A very effective way of recycling, while ensuring the soft touch of the person who wore it.

    The years go by. Everytime I go home to visit my parents, I take out all of mom's old sarees and pester her to find someone to make a godhadi for me. So I collect something like 4-6 godhadis which I treasure and use regularly. They soon wear out, the fabric fraying completely and giving way in various places. Simple. I just make sure I use that side up, so as not to get my foot stuck in the tear. But I can't get myself to give it away.

    My mom has a pile of sarees, many of them never worn. All gifted to her. She barely ever bought any sarees for herself. Only to gift others. Now that she isn't here, her house is sold off and many of her belongings are given away. Except some sarees. My sister makes them into 2 godhadis each for her son, her daughter and for me. Yesterday I have received the very last godhadis I will ever possess out of mom's sarees . (They are a bonus. I did not know who I could find to make godhadis of them for me.) The first one is immediately commissioned into use. As I look at the four sarees they are made of (3 of them, my favourites), I can picture my mom wrapped in them and the softness of their touch which envelopes me brings a feeling of happiness and security.

    I always thought I was Daddy's girl. So what did I receive from dad that gives me the same feeling, I wonder this morning. Then I realize - all those Gita classes, lectures by Chinmayananda which made me think and still do (the consequences of which all of you face at regular intervals - my sincerest apologies!!! :oops:) and which give me strength in the toughest times were the 'godhadi' which he spun around me for a lifetime. Memories of just the two of us going for Marathi plays, walking back laughing over the funny dialogues, of us enjoying food together, going with him to his office and taking the lift as a 5 year old for the very first time in my life ..... those are some extremely fond and priceless memories.

    And then the whole import strikes me. Much as I think of them all the time and feel their presence around me, the actual extent of their presence with me, around me and IN me is more than the actual sum of the 50% DNA from each of them. Their warmth and their wisdom are an integral part of my existence and will continue to be with me for the rest of my years. A heartfelt prayer goes out: may I always have such solid parents in every lifetime to come. I hit the jackpot in this life. May my lucky streak not be over.

    Godhadi 1.jpg Godhadi 2.jpg
     
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  2. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Madam,
    I can realise the warmth.The godhadis are very popular in families with max number of girls. When the daughters are expecting, Amma will stitch soft cushion like godhadis out of mother's old nine yard sarees. They will be used for slings also, very cosy and warm.After infant quills came into marketing, modern girls do not make their children sleep on these, though they realise the real warmth.Saree cloth folded in fours can make a really warm protection.That Amma's touch--can't be replaced by the softest cushion on earth.

    Jayasala 42
     
  3. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Lovely to see you back ma'am. Hope all is well. Very true. Was just thinking it is not just a nice quilt, it could also be used as a soft bed for babies. The smell of the mom in the saree would be very comforting for the babies, though of course, sarees are not so commonly worn these days, much less the cotton ones which were worn on an everyday basis in the past. That regular use is probably what made them so soft and comforting.
     
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  4. vathsala30

    vathsala30 Platinum IL'ite

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    Very nice quilt and good idea . I too prepared such a quilt for my grandkid. It is warm during winter if we cover the child with it. During summer we make the child sleep on it as it is soft and gives a cussion effect. Since the godhadi is made of cotton sarees, child sleeps well on this soft godhadi.
     
  5. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Soft quilts, soft, chubby, drooling, gurgling babies, family sitting around baby and playing, laughing, gossipping .....
    Brings back so many nostalgic memories! :hearteyes::laughing:
     
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  6. vathsala30

    vathsala30 Platinum IL'ite

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    absolutely true. It makes us forget all our worries and tensions, once we are with the babies , watching them laugh, play, drool and sleep. Some babies laugh loudly during their sleep. It is really heavenly.
     
  7. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    And always makes me wonder what they dream about!!! :)
     
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  8. vathsala30

    vathsala30 Platinum IL'ite

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    Ha ha ha ha ,,,,,,,,,,,, May be dreaming about his mom is petting him ,,,,,,, who knows.
     
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  9. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Very possible. My mom used to tell me God shows them flowers. I used to wonder where they had seen flowers and how they would recognize them and how their brains could form images of something they had not seen!!!
     
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  10. vathsala30

    vathsala30 Platinum IL'ite

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    True. Even my mom in law says so. She says God will play with the newborn and that is why they laugh during their sleep and Jackal will come and scare them , that is why child sobs during his sleep.. I wonder how a jackal can scare the child when the child does not recognise anything, petting or scaring. These are all just superstitions but definitely there is a logic behind it.
     
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