A saree is a traditional Indian outfit that is worn by women on different occasions. It is a long fabric that gets draped around a woman’s body in a specific manner. Sarees are made in different colors and styles, so there’s something for everyone. Indian women wear casual sarees at home, formal ones to work, and elegant ones to parties and events. Wearing a saree is like a rite of passage for a young girl. It marks the transition into adulthood, the becoming of a woman.             This specific saree belongs to my grandmother. Her sister bought it for her from a local boutique in Kerala, India. When my grandmother immigrated to the United States in 1972, this saree was one of the outfits that she packed in her suitcase. This red and gold silk fabric has been worn to birthday parties, weddings, and baptisms, both in India and the United States. Although my grandmother has said that the saree will someday be mine, I know I’ll have to wait to wear it, as this saree is a formal one that married women wear. Nevertheless, I look forward to the day that I will drape the fabric around myself in a rhythmic motion, meticulously creasing the pleats and adding numerous pins in all the right places. 

– Anooja

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant