Last Friday due to assembly elections in Telangana, we had a day off. As our name is no there in voter list, we decided to take a trip to meet my wife’s grandparents. Both are 80+ and were eager to meet their great granddaughter (pro tip – once you have kid(s), all your relatives are actually looking to meet kid(s) and you’re just the add-on!). Due to some last-minute things popping up at work, I couldn’t go. So, wife and kiddo took the trip. It was 3-hour train ride. They had great time over the weekend .
One of the highlights of the trip was an argument between kiddo and maid. My grandparents in law sort of stay alone. They have couple of maids to help with chores. A lady cooks and another lady washes utensils and clothes (they prefer old fashioned hand washed clothes over washing machine). Kiddo saw hand washing of clothes for first time. She thought maid was playing with clothes rather than washing them. She got angry and yelled at maid!
Hand washing clothes is not the only thing she is fascinated by. Home of my parents and in-laws have an “Indian” toilet. When she saw that for first time, she was very curious and had lot of questions. And whenever we visit them, she insists on using that rather than “Western” one. In our current apartment both toilets are “Western”. “Indian” toilets are rarity in cities. They’re still very much a common site in rural India.
During my childhood, hand washing clothes and “Indian” toilets were very common. They were present in almost every household. But today things are completely different. The way things are going, don’t be surprised if you see “Indian” toilet in a museum. Based on how Gramophone has done over last couple of decades, “Indian” toilet could become a collector’s item with prices going through roof! ?
Few years back, my grandma told me a story. In 80s and 90s; when people used to visit groom’s family for matchmaking, if they saw a lady in house who was wearing 9-yard sari they used to think family is not progressing and too orthodox. Girl’s family used to refuse marrying their girl in that family. Today in almost every Maharashtrian wedding, bride makes a point to wear 9-yard sari. Once what was considered sign of “lack of progress”, is a fashion statement today. Things have an uncanny habit of making a comeback. That’s what makes life so wonderful…