So I already have an occasion to wear my new salwar kameez-- to a housewarming party at a professor’s home on campus. As you can see, though, I opted not to wear the dupatta (the scarf). Some women do, some don't. And I am just not a scarf person. But the dupatta is the traditional way and it came with the ensemble.
Another party with no wine…but I am getting used to it. Those Indians that do drink alcohol don’t seem to have taken to it. However, there was a wonderful variety of interesting drinks. I am learning—yes at the ripe age of 40!—that I like gin in my juice, slightly more than vodka. In this case I got a bit of gin in a juice from a fruit in the Himilayas called Seabuckthorn (a small orange smooth skinned wonder). And one of the guests whipped up a mean batch of Bloody Mary’s. Fresh lime soda is another popular drink here...with salt or sugar. The sweet variety is spectacular in my humble opinion. And there were a few varieties of Indian beer (Kingfisher and Cobra) too. These served with a fabulous spread of wonderfully spiced vegetables, rice and lentils—all Bengali style. All kinds of dishes I’d never had before…made by the resident cook, who is in training, and supervised by one of the professors. All professors seem to have a cook, as well as someone who cleans, and (someone else?) who does the shopping. This certainly makes entertaining easier!
It was a lovely gathering of 10 or so, lots of laughter. These friends have known each other for quite awhile. Since most professors live near one another here on campus, it does make for a tight (and I would guess sometimes tense) community. Two couples that both have lived a long time on campus. Although the one set has retired and thus had to move away. They all agreed this was a huge adjustment for everyone. The nineteen year old son of the other couple joined us for a little while, “to observe with amusement the strange behaviour of adults,” as the host so warmly put it. An art professor about my age who mentioned that she snuck away from her 4 year old and husband to celebrate this auspicious occasion. She complained about the elaborate birthday parties planned for four year olds. Across the planet from here, my friends with kids are burdened with the same task. The parties sounds almost exactly the same, including the requisite goody bag at the end.
One, midwestern American professor who has been coming to India for her research for twenty years or so, was especially helpful in explaining her “rules” for dressing here. She prefers the longer salwar kameez—at least a foot longer than the one I was wearing—the one I bought on Saturday (my first time in public!)--and says that it’s still what’s worn by women over fifty. I noticed the woman my age at the party also had one that long. (Am I still being scandalous?!) And always bangles, when she first started coming people thought something was wrong if you didn’t wear them. She’d prefer to wear a salwar kameez at her small liberal arts college, because it’s so comfortable. However, her Indian students don’t think it’s appropriate, so she wears western clothes. I have to say these salwar kameez are brilliant—if you get this light cotton kind they are shockingly cool and comfortable—I wonder what I’ll say though when it’s 100!
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