Pattu Pavadai

‘Amma I found the ‘pattu pavadai’ material you were asking me about for months’ - I want to call Amma and say. She would have called me ‘ekkalapichcham’ or irresponsible, and scolded me. And I would have told her ‘atleast it is there.’ She would have had reiterated my ekkalapichchamness, and asserted that ‘I told you I had given it to you’. Amma had bought this this silk pavadai (ghagra/long skirt) material, God knows when, and gifted it to Trayi. It needed tailoring, so I thought I hadn’t brought it with me to Pune. Amma would ask me about it on every call. I would tell her it is likely with her. Truth be told, I had no memory of what the fabric was or how it looked like. Amma would describe it to me in great detail ‘Don’t you remember? It was in multicolour checks’ and I would squint trying to remember and still draw a blank. I asked Amma to check with Ajit’s mom if it was in their home in Bangalore. It really bothered Amma that this fabric was not traceable. And it bothered her that I was so forgetful and so nonchalant about it. ‘It was expensive you know’ she kept telling me. My immediate reaction on finding this during a cleaning spree of my saree cupboard, was to want to dial Amma. Wherever she is, will she know her ekkalapichcham daughter has found the pavadai material ? I sure hope so. Will she relax ? I don’t think so