Lounge
A note on the issue: Unwrapping a gift's meaning
Summary
This festive season, we talk to writers, artists, designers and architects about what makes for a memorable gift
“The bigger the better"seemed to be Rajaraja Chola’s philosophy of gifting. A Tamil merchant he sent as an emissary to the Chinese court in the 11th century presented the rulers with 844kg of pearls, 60 elephant tusks, 38kg of frankincense and a robe and cap embroidered with pearls, going by author and self-trained public historian Anirudh Kanisetti’s tales of the Chola-era seafarers, the subject of his forthcoming book. The merchant got into the spirit of the moment—probably also hoping for better terms of trading for himself—and added, on his own account, 264kg of pearls and a couple of tonnes of perfume. That’s one way of thinking about gifting—show, splendour and a hope of getting something in return.
The other belief is ‘it’s the thought that counts’. That outlook might not make for effective statecraft but it works perfectly when you’re planning presents for your loved ones. Receiving a gift that is thoughtful, which shows that the giver spent time finding, creating or curating something you would enjoy makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.
Also read: Diwali 2024: When the gift becomes a cherished memory
Since we’re in the middle of the festive season—a time of largely over-the-top displays and, in the case of Lounge writers, inboxes overflowing with promotional emails about ridiculous products “to elevate gifting"—we decided to ask an eclectic group of people to tell us about a gift they’ve treasured for the thought that went into it. We got some really touching answers—a tiny paring knife from a mentor, a painting from a stranger, a story from a grandparent, a moment of calm. On the other hand, if lavish is what you’re looking for, we have a collection of the weird and the wonderful, too.
Other stories for easy reading this weekend include a review of Agent of Happiness, a quietly beautiful film about two surveyors who collect data for Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness index, and a profile of Saffronart’s Minal Vazirani, who explains what it took to set up an Indian auction house.
Write to the editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com
