Quick-reads

Rupa was so excited. She wore a new outfit she had designed for herself. She was making an elaborate rangoli without a care in the world. She hadn’t been so happy in weeks. She had been fired from her job as a fashion designer with a retail brand due to layoffs last month and was worried about her career. But not today. Today was Ganesh Chaturthi – a day of celebration; a day of new beginnings and everything auspicious.

In the kitchen, Rupa’s mother was busy making modaks and laddoos. She called her for help. The rangoli was nearly done and she said she would take five more minutes. She finished the rangoli and walked down the corridor to the kitchen. On the counter were a tray of laddoos and another of modaks. Rupa’s mom asked her to drizzle ghee on the sweets.

The family members and guests started walking in to their flat appreciating the rangoli at the entrance. It was time for the pooja. As Rupa finished drizzling ghee on the sweets and picked up the tray of laddoos, it was too heavy for her and she dropped it. Half the laddoos were on the floor, broken and messed up. What a fiasco! Rupa cried out loud for her mom. Her mother ran to the kitchen and the scene that met her eyes was disappointing but she re-assured Rupa. Rupa was in tears. ‘Beta its ok. We still have enough laddoos and modaks,’ her mother said.

She composed herself and carried the sweets for bhog to the pooja room. What she saw shocked her. Were those crumbs of laddoo on Ganpati’s tusk? She ran to the kitchen to tell her mom and her mom was searching the floor for the broken laddoos. She said, ‘Rupa did you clean up? Where is it?’

Rupa – ‘Mom, Ganesh ji ate it up. He accepted my prayers. Come and see. I didn’t clean up. He accepted it.’

Rupa took her mom to the pooja room but nothing was out of the ordinary. ‘Where did the crumbs go? I saw them on his tusk just now…’ ‘Rupa, you must be imagining things. I know you love Ganesh ji a lot,’ her mom brushed aside the incident.

But Rupa was convinced that this was a sign that Ganesh ji had heard her prayers and she would make a new beginning.

That evening

Rupa’s cousin Meera was her closest friend and she worked in charity with NGOs. She asked Rupa if she would like to visit an orphanage nearby and distribute prasad.

Rupa was excited. What better way to thank Ganesha. He had probably left the rest of the sweets for the children.

So, the two sisters went and distributed modaks and laddoos to the children and played with them for a while.

Being a fashion designer, what touched Rupa most was that the kids’ clothes were torn, tattered and ill fitting. She felt bad but didn’t know how to help.

The sisters returned home after a well spent evening and were chatting in Rupa’s bedroom when she received the call. It was from an HR consultant and she spoke about a new clothing brand launched by a top designer, Rohit Singh. Rupa was over the moon. Bappa was giving her a chance. A date and time were fixed for the interview.

Rupa carried her portfolio and met Rohit Singh. The interview was a success thanks to her impressive portfolio which was a fresh take on ethnic and fusion wear.

Just 4 months

Tiya was Rupa’s colleague at Soma, Rohit Singh’s brand. She told her nothing much would come out of this job but Rupa’s eager eyes could not see the obvious. Rupa was creating new designs and making ready-to-wear but Rohit Singh took all the credit.

Rupa was fine for a month until he started shouting at her and making her work in the factory workshop and calling her designs rubbish.

‘But these are the designs that sell in Soma. Why would you call them rubbish?’ These kinds of altercations became everyday interactions at work for Rupa. She now understood what Tiya was hinting at.

After two months, Rupa didn’t receive her salary. When she approached her boss, the issue was brushed under the carpet as poor sales due to poor designs.

Rupa started feeling like she was better off not working than being in a toxic environment.

One morning she resigned and asked for her full and final settlement after her notice period. Rohit Singh had an axe to grind. She never received her full and final.

The gift

Rupa was back home again trying to figure out life. She didn’t have the will to look for another job. She eventually started making her own designs and displaying them on her Instagram page. But 250 followers? What can 250 followers possibly do?

But she didn’t stop designing as that was all that she knew.

One day Rupa was talking to Meera and she broke down. She felt she would never be able to build her career.

Meera listened quietly. She took her out for some chaat and the two of them then went to orphanage with some games and goodies. Rupa was lost in all the fun she had with the kids.

And then it struck her again. Their clothes were torn and tattered.

That night she sat down and sketched some basic designs for the children. She went back there the next day to take measurements. When she got back home, she used the left-over fabric from her ethnic designs to make clothes for the children.

She used patch work, applique, gay colours, dungarees and what not to dress the children. Rupa and Meera were so happy but what brought them joy was how eagerly the children wore the new clothes and hopped about laughing and appreciating each other. Rupa had never received so much gratitude and love as she did today. She didn’t earn a penny but she earned a lot.

A few days later, the President of the orphanage called Rupa and said that they were organizing a fund raiser event at Gymkhana in a few weeks. She requested Rupa to participate. Rupa didn’t quite expect this and asked, ‘I would love to join in but what do you have in mind?’

A fashion show!

Rupa was so excited! Why didn’t this strike her earlier? She could design clothes for the children and make them walk for a fashion show.

That’s exactly what she did. Without any expectations. Just for the joy. But her work was noticed by the who’s who of Delhi’s fashion industry.

Over the next few days, Rupa got two phone calls asking her to join their brands for children’s clothes. She asked for a few days to think it over.

The next Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi arrived again. Rupa made a rangoli again. Her mother made modaks and laddoos again. But this time Rupa did not drop anything and she didn’t take up a job again.

She took the prasad straight to the orphanage with Meera and her other family members in tow. They had organized a catering service to serve lunch to the children and staff. They all had a memorable day and got back home.

The next day was busy as usual. The tailors were on in full swing; Rupa was looking at the designs and fabrics and supervising the staff in her studio. It was 10.30 am and the windchime tinkled. Rupa entered the retail section and smiled at the shoppers in her store called ‘Bachpana.’

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