story of a single bangle

(my own picture)

ever wonder what a single bangle is doing in your jewelry box? Well, if at all you have a single bangle, which has been waiting eternally to get paired up, then I can confidently say that you surely are from a middle class family. What is a middle class family? "We. Us. Our family". Yes, our father always gave us the comforts. Not luxuries. We have little aspirations and always aim to achieve them. And we achieve them and then we have some more aspirations. These aspirations are fulfilled by small efforts, little sacrifices and a team work of family members. Let me explain.

My parents always taught me not to day dream. It doesn't mean I sleep during day time. No, strictly I was never allowed to. But, they always made a point that we know the truth- we are allowed to travel by Rickshaw and not Auto rickshaw every time. We are allowed once-in-a-year trip to our relatives' place and one out-of-state trip once in 2-3 years. But no day dreams of singapore and paris tours. We are allotted a "cool" drink once in 1-2 months but there is always "cool" water in Fridge. Its ok to dine in a restaurant once in a year, but never more than that. A new dress on every birthday and just for new year and diwali. But never before or after that. These were our little aspirations.

So, we grew up enjoying these little comforts according to the schedules. We know they exist, we enjoyed them but never dreamt to have too many. my mother would take us to the shopping center where the stores of gold jewelry would shine during evening. We window shop for sometime, come home and discuss about our favourite ones. We don't have enough money to buy but have too much of self respect to just go inside and enquire about it. So, window shopping was just fine. And then, when our parents have budget to buy some gold, my mother would suggest, we buy a good one which is thick, big and has lot of design than just buying 2-3 plain ones. So, we end up buying a single bangle and convince ourselves that we can wear a watch on the other hand or pair it up in the future.

Such single bangles are the existing witnesses of our middle class life and how we dream of having certain luxuries. That single bangle might have eaten our savings of 2-3 years. But it enticed us in our childhood. It would grace us on many occasions. Those pendant less chains, studs sans danglers, single bangles- witnesses of little struggles of middle class families in India.

At least our family :)