Departing from tradition
Well, hope you noticed the pun in the title. If not, you will, after reading.
An announcement came in the company newsletter on Wednesday, that those who wish to come to office in traditional wear can do so, on Friday. It came very late, as if they wanted to make sure no one sees it. Suddenly it reminded me of my father, during my early teens – when I would ask for something and he wouldn’t hear a word of it, and maybe later tell my mom that I can do whatever I please…hehe those times! Then I would mostly choose not to do it, but today, I did. I came wearing a mundu.
Wearing seems hardly the term here, as you are always bogged down by the niggling doubt in the back your mind whether you’re inside it or outside it. The feeling of giving out a wide yawn and finding yourself naked(well, almost) below the waist must be quite odd, especially if you’re at office. Also, wearing mundu means the number of pockets at your disposal is suddenly reduced from six to one, six including the special mobile carrier tucked into your right pant pocket. Now that poses a colossal problem. You’re somehow supposed to fit into one single shirt-pocket your wallet, pen, mobile, bike-key, house-key, draw-key, hair comb, kerchief, the sodexho coupons, the lanyard and the kitchen sink, duh! I will look like Mohanlal when I walk today (shirt having only one pocket)
Wearing mundu has its advantages, though. Besides making ironing much simpler, you can rid yourselves of the shoe and socks, unless you want to look like SureshGopi did in Lelam. And one particular activity is reduced in its complexity by about 70%! Number of steps reduced from 6 to 2. Geehaha!
And so I marched proudly into the lobby in my crisply ironed Kasavu mundu along with Ch. But to my utter dismay, I didn’t find the overwhelming response I was expecting today. In fact, when we came in, we almost began panicking seeing everyone else in formal(western) wear and was about to distort our faces and start limping when we saw a couple of people in mundu. That relieved us (didn’t relieve too much as this might cause the knot to loosen and the mundu to pursue its own course). But I have one doubt in my mind though, the company newsletter said traditional wear. Since when did shirt become traditional wear of Kerala? Just kidding….
An announcement came in the company newsletter on Wednesday, that those who wish to come to office in traditional wear can do so, on Friday. It came very late, as if they wanted to make sure no one sees it. Suddenly it reminded me of my father, during my early teens – when I would ask for something and he wouldn’t hear a word of it, and maybe later tell my mom that I can do whatever I please…hehe those times! Then I would mostly choose not to do it, but today, I did. I came wearing a mundu.
Wearing seems hardly the term here, as you are always bogged down by the niggling doubt in the back your mind whether you’re inside it or outside it. The feeling of giving out a wide yawn and finding yourself naked(well, almost) below the waist must be quite odd, especially if you’re at office. Also, wearing mundu means the number of pockets at your disposal is suddenly reduced from six to one, six including the special mobile carrier tucked into your right pant pocket. Now that poses a colossal problem. You’re somehow supposed to fit into one single shirt-pocket your wallet, pen, mobile, bike-key, house-key, draw-key, hair comb, kerchief, the sodexho coupons, the lanyard and the kitchen sink, duh! I will look like Mohanlal when I walk today (shirt having only one pocket)
Wearing mundu has its advantages, though. Besides making ironing much simpler, you can rid yourselves of the shoe and socks, unless you want to look like SureshGopi did in Lelam. And one particular activity is reduced in its complexity by about 70%! Number of steps reduced from 6 to 2. Geehaha!
And so I marched proudly into the lobby in my crisply ironed Kasavu mundu along with Ch. But to my utter dismay, I didn’t find the overwhelming response I was expecting today. In fact, when we came in, we almost began panicking seeing everyone else in formal(western) wear and was about to distort our faces and start limping when we saw a couple of people in mundu. That relieved us (didn’t relieve too much as this might cause the knot to loosen and the mundu to pursue its own course). But I have one doubt in my mind though, the company newsletter said traditional wear. Since when did shirt become traditional wear of Kerala? Just kidding….
Comments
One 'P'articular activity. Exactly!
I usally carry a bag with me whenever I wear mundu-which is as frequent as once in six months-to carry all my stuff . I guess its time someone should come up with a multi-pocket shirt exclusively for wearing with mundu.
To all those wondering what the fuss is all about, visit here
Compared to the trouble with sari, I thought everything else is easy. But even mundu has its share of problems I see. My bro stubbornly refused to wear it for years and years until once he had to wear to temple. And now he doesn't miss a chance to wear mundu.
-n
Aww shucks, tomo I'm mostly gonna have to wear the female counterpart of the abovesaid - mundum neryathum. Not that I do not like the set, I do, I find it extremely "malayalee"; but its sure gonna look funny in a place where the mere idea is alien.
Avinash