BEAUTY in DECAY

From silver strands to laugh lines, Kannagi Desai reflects on how embracing ageing could be a rare & worthy pursuit in today's world

- Kannagi Desai

In the beauty world, we sanitise the inevitable process of ageing with euphemisms like 'graceful' or 'mature.' But there's something raw and striking about calling it what it is: decay-a word that typically evokes images of decline and deterioration and one that we fear and flee from. And yet, in that very decay, there is also a strange, subversive beauty. It is the essence of a life fully lived, a badge of experiences, strength, and wisdom..

My journey with ageing began unintentionally. I have two striking money pieces-fully silver, naturally. At first, I left them alone simply because | wanted to prioritise the health of my hair. I avoided colour, heat, and harsh chemicals, not because I was trying to make a bold statement but because I wanted to maintain the integrity of my hair. Ageing? That was never a concern. Looking older? It wasn't a fear I held close. Yet, somehow, along the way, those untouched silver strands have become a personal signature. People point them out. They've come to symbolise my choice to embrace the natural state of things, even if it wasn't my intention initially.

I credit this nonchalant acceptance of ageing to my upbringing. In my family, age wasn't something to be feared or resisted. My father, in fact, used to find joy in acting older than he really was. He would idolise his grandfather, a man of impeccable taste, who carried his walking sticks with the pride of a man who saw age as a marker of status and distinction. Ageing for women, however, is a different journey. While I embrace my father's perspective, I also try to embody my mother's quiet grace. She never batted an eyelid when someone called her aunty, accepting each passing year, each changing line on her face with elegance.