What money can’t buy
2 min read . Updated: 08 Oct 2009, 10:02 PM IST
PremiumRed, gold and a lot of green: Eight-month-old Amaraah lights up Arjun and Jyotsana’s Diwali festivities this year. Madhu Kapparath / Mint
What money can’t buy
What do you gift people who have everything they might possibly need? Jyotsana and Arjun Sharma weren’t sure. And so the couple has bought potted
Forty-three-year-old Arjun is the director of New Delhi’s Select Citywalk mall and the CEO of Le Passage to India, a leading inbound tourism company. His wife Jyotsana acted in the 1992 movie Vishwatma, starring alongside the late Divya Bharti.
Their festive plans reflect the ongoing austerity debate in the country. But the Sharmas say it is more a practical choice than an ironic luxury statement. “We’re growing older and increasingly feel that extravagant gifting is pointless," says Arjun.
Jyotsana, while cheerfully disagreeing with the growing older bit, agrees in sentiment. She testifies to that terrible phenomenon—gift recycling.
But one gift Jyotsana would never dream of passing on is an orchid that a friend gifted her several months ago. Caring for it has been a deeply engaging experience for her, which is why she decided to go with the green gifting idea. Win Greens, the herb store they’re sourcing their plants from, has a big selection of exotic and medicinal herbs. But the Sharmas picked basil for its strong sociological ties with India.
In what might appear to be a curious paradox, the family has done away with the concept of gifting each other for the last few years. “Instead, we make
This Diwali has a special place in their festive repertoire—it is their eternally smiling daughter Amaraah’s first. Jyotsana has had the eight-month-old’s clothes specially tailored by a children’s ethnic wear designer to match with the outfit she plans to wear—a classic Sabyasachi ensemble in red and gold. Arjun seems confused when I ask him what he’s going to wear on Diwali. Jyotsana, evidently the fashionista, laughs. “Arjun likes designer wear but he never remembers what he shops for." She has put together Arjun’s Diwali outfit this year: A slate-coloured zardozi kurta by Vijay Arora with a red Sabyasachi stole. When the family dons their festive wear for us, they look like quite the coordinated trio.
The family’s plans include some specifics: Jyotsana will buy the customary silver, with some jazz, from Episode. And Arjun is keen on a kansa (bell metal) dinner set from Good Earth.
Other Diwali staples, such as pujas at home and in their office, are on the cards. Card playing, however, is not. Again, Arjun attributes that to “growing old". “We might play a few rounds at my father’s place for tradition’s sake," he adds.
The family gave up lighting fireworks several years ago because of the noise pollution but they do plan to light a few phuljaris (sparklers). The couple professes a love for authentic diya lighting rather than swanky electric string lights.
Tradition also calls for all-day family get-togethers. The Sharmas will spend a greater part of the day at their parents’ home, on the ground floor of the same house that they live in. A simple breakfast of aloo puri at an elder cousin’s place will mark the start of the day, followed by an incessant stream of visitors. Arjun plans to round up the day with mutton biryani and some bubbly. It’s what we’d call austerity topped with froth.
anindita.g@livemint.com
