Twice the charm

When I was growing up, the term 'hand-me-down' had such an elitist connotation. It referred to items 'donated' those who could not afford them.

- NAMRATA ZAKARIA

By default that ended up being the domestic staff in and around the house. I think the only hand-me-down that I owned in my early years was a gorgeous georgette black and white structured jacket I inherited from a formerly skinny aunt, the only one who wore 'western' clothes in the family before I did. But I was thrilled. I wore it every weekend to every house party that the 16-year-old me was invited to, and after much dancing I would remove it to scandalously expose my shoulders to the rest of the room.

For years after, the only hand-me-down I welcomed were items of jewellery. Gold-yes I'll have some. Diamonds and emeralds-happy to relieve you of them. And much later came the saris, as they brought back the fragrance of grandmothers and mothers who had worn them.