**Friendships**

How do you define friendship?

Everyone has their own definition .. here is mine ..

When friendship knows no boundaries, conversations flow effortlessly, hearts open freely, and laughter comes without hesitation. There’s no fear of being judged—just the comfort of being completely yourself. These are the friendships that become life’s greatest treasures… rare, precious, and truly priceless.

Wrapped in a breezy chiffon saree, today felt like one of those beautifully simple days that fill your heart. We indulged in yummy chole bhature, devoured sandwiches and momos, and ended the day the best way possible—with chai, biscuits, and endless conversations. Sometimes, happiness isn’t found in grand plans; it’s tucked away in good food, genuine conversations, and moments that quietly become unforgettable memories.

Here’s to friends who make every ordinary day feel extraordinary.

20 years ... Chicago... Nostalgic!

 

Wore this beautiful pink Banarasi delight—my newest addition—recently for a Satnarayan pooja at our home.

As we complete almost 20 years in Chicago this year, I find myself feeling incredibly nostalgic and grateful. Looking back at our journey, I see so much more than photographs & stories on FB, Insta. I see us as a young couple building a life from scratch in a foreign country, watching our little girl grow up, nurturing friendships that became family, and careers that took off.

Chicago welcomed us with open arms, and we embraced it wholeheartedly as our Karma Bhoomi—our home. Like so many other immigrants, we left behind our home in Mumbai only to create another, carrying our roots while learning to bloom in a new land. It wasn’t always easy, but every challenge came with its own rewards, memories, and beautiful people who made this journey worthwhile.

As I look through these 20 years, I realize my greatest accomplishment isn’t just professional success or milestones—it’s finding the balance. Learning to live in the moment, celebrating the little joys, choosing what truly matters for our well-being, cherishing friendships, and letting go of the noise. Life becomes so much lighter when gratitude leads the way.

Navratri 2021 - Yellow day

 

 

Happy Navratri everyone! 💛🙏

Navratri has started .. well it’s still Durga pooja for me when I look back at my childhood days.. it is such a huge thing for us back home .. my Bokaro days flash before my eyes .. the pundals, the pooja, pushpanjali, chanda ikattha karna from a month ago, prep for cultural programs, everyday pooja and pushpanjali.. just pure socialization in pundals .. kids putting up stalls .. and us wearing new clothes almost everyday of the pooja after khasti ( 6th day) and khichdi and sindoor khela .. sab yaad aa gaya … papa used to put mahalaya jaap early morning today .. missing home 🙃 !!! 

I did not even know about garbha or dandiya during my childhood days..  I got introduced to all the jazz associated with Navratri of dancing on garbha & dandiya tunes to live music in Mumbai and Pune .. and am so thankful for that.. our India has such diversity that even in the celebrations of festivals across all states there’s so much fun! 

To remember the days back home wrapped up a yellow saree in the eve - bandani gorgette silk  and chiffon half and half saree .. an online buy for my cousins marriage a few yrs back ! Still love the brightness and cheer it brings when I wear it !

This mantra outlines the omnipresent nature of Goddess Durga. Chanting this mantra can help one’s inner power to deal with any sort of situation in life. It also encourages the development of just positive thoughts in one’s mind.

 Ya devi sarva bhuteshu, shanti rupena sangsthita

Ya devi sarva bhuteshu, shakti rupena sangsthita

Ya devi sarva bhuteshu, matri rupena sangsthita

Yaa devi sarva bhuteshu, buddhi rupena sangsthita

Namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai, namo namaha..

Onam Celebrations 2021 .. better late than never...

 May be some girls are not supposed to be tamed .. may be she is supposed to run wild until she finds someone, just as wild to run with … And I am so glad I met my wild match in my hubby dear first day of college about 26 yrs ago now 💓 and so please dont forget to see our transformation from morning to eve!! 

                                     

                                               

              

                                      Transformed to the new avatars .. for the masquerade party in the eve 

And I am so happy to have gotten my wild gang of saree speak sakhees in Chicago who are slowly getting to be my soulmates.... we all are wild in our own ways .. and we appreciate and adore that about each other..

 

                                   
It’s a beautiful day .. warm and sunny for this fall weather.

Belated onam celebrations at Ninette’s place ..
all of us tried to coordinate in kasavu.. my saree wardrobe generally does not have white or shades is white .. so this one is a treasure that I repeated from last year.. this time paired with a hot red blouse and jewelry from my dear friend Rajeshwari !!!

Had too much food .. 18 varieties of veggie food prep served Malayali traditional way!! It was a day of great memories. Started this super hectic day with some really Yum delicacies, we had celebrations with 4 of our of dear friends today at different times and different venues today. This Onam Sadya was very graciously served by Ninette & Abby themselves! See for yourselves to believe it ..

it was a kasavu saree day with different colors blended in our getup .. Avani Tannavi Nandita & Ramani Bhavesh once again coordinated with me and made my day !!!

Ganpati aarti

 There’s something about sarees and me .. 

 

it’s a connection I have not understood yet ..  shopped sareees yet again today .. 

But I just remembered the one thing .. in my younger days I always thought when I am capable I will buy what ever I want without any guilt .. and seems like this is the one thing I can buy and buy and keep buying without any guilt ..

Do whatever makes you happy !! Isn't it that what everyone says ..  khud ko khus rakhne ke liye koi bhi khayal acha hai .. 

Was invited to a ganpati aarti at Kalyani & Vikram's so dressed up in a brand new chiffon with brocade border in bright Orange from KurtiConnection, met some great people there and also got to see Rasika and Gaurav after ages, Ria enjoyed her college prep talks with her juniors. It was a great evening!   

 

 

It's Green lehariya !!

 Yet another beautiful warm Saturday .. and I draped a chiffon leharia - a brand new one from my saree closet to attend ganpati aarti & satnarayan katha at Ramani's place.

 

As the fall season is officially in, this mithi mithi sardi reminds me of my hometown Bokaro. and I am enjoying the last few days of almost retrieving summer .. feels like time is flying.. but I thoroughly enjoy every season of Chicago and wait for the seasons to change so fall is welcome ..  

My Very first KHUN Saree

 #myfirstkhun

My very first Khun saree.. it's a Maharashtrian treasure I must say!!

Thanks to my saree speak gang in Chicago .. I am getting exposed to new types of sarees .. even though I lived in Mumbai for 8 years and in Pune for almost 1.5 yrs but never got exposed to the Maharashtrian sarees ..

Thanks to being in Chicago I got influenced enough to wear one ..

A beauty in blue and teal .. and all of us in Kuhn saree.. pooch mat how I kept mis- pronunciation khun ko khoon and everyone kept laughing till someone corrected me

Enjoyed at Avani Deshpande’s ganpati celebrations. I love the festivities and this saree just added too much to my day to make it special. This is a huge contrast from my regular saree wear.. and I am loving it

Blues and shades of blues were my goto color during my college days and when I got ready - the sparkle in my hubby’s eyes remembering our college days made it all worth it .

Loving this and waiting to expand my saree wardrobe even more now ..