When Art Speaks

I bought this at Pacific Harbour.  About 45 minutes from Suva, the capital of Fiji.  The young vendor said, 'It is a sulu (a wrap around).  It was hand painted and brought (much) larger than life frangipani-the sweet smelling flowers of Fiji, that came in about 4-6 colors, to life. The fabric was a thick cotton and so, not as soft nor as supple to be wrapped around one's body.  But more importantly, using it as a sulu will not show it for it is.  A beautiful piece of art.  I saved it in Fiji, bringing it out only on special occasions using it as a table cloth, with a clear plastic covering on it.

Here in Sweden, I used it as a back cover for my couch.  

But over a month ago, a friend of mine, who is a successful designer/ artist and who has been helping me set up my house, with curtains and shelves etc, said, 'How about we hang this, you will see it more and it will brighten that little area.

I agreed. 

It did made the blank wall jump with joy!!  But more importantly, it made me think of the young man who I bought it from.  He does not know how many years I have kept his simple art with me, as a reminder of one sunday after noon at Pac Harbor, as a reminder of the relief that frangipani brought us on a sweaty Fiji day, which were plenty, and as a reminder of how much art speaks of people who make them.  

It is true, with all the issues that world knows it by, with all the problems that happen where ever there are people, Fiji, like many pacific countries, remains the country of smiles and frangipanis. 

I remember how friends always said to me that I was living in paradise.  While I agreed and was  happy to get much needed dose of dear sun, it was really too hot for me. Especially with a decade of Pennsylvania behind me.  But I also know the joy I felt at seeing the bald frangipani trees come alive with flowers as spring came.  And walking under those blooming trees brought a fragrant breath, that brought a fleeting relief from summer sweats!! We would pick up the flowers from the ground and stick them behind our ears to carry their beauty and fragrance with us.  Frangipanis are not the flowers to be put in a bouquet. They remain on the trees and are a delight for our eyes and noses!!

This is not an expensive piece of art, that people put in their houses.  But it is more valuable.  The hand painted sulu now speaks to me of simplicity and sweetness of frangipanis.  It reminds of sunny Fiji days and how nature lives as art in all of us, especially those who have not been corrupted by formal education.  :) 

May art live and may it travel!! 

A Restaurant Named New Delhi, in Lund.

Here in Lund, a beautiful university town in Skåne, in the south of Sweden.  Lund, in many ways reminds me of State College, big enough, not too big, mix of cultures, and a healthy idea of culture, although you know Europe is Europe.  And so the buildings here can be much older than the 'white history' of the US.  I was in Budapest two weeks ago and it was the same.  Buildings that are 500 years old mixed with those that are oh, just about 200 years old.  And then there is New Delhi, 'sort of my home', where in the middle of the city, there is a 5000 year old fort!! 

Purana Qila (old fort) in New Delhi

I had come to Lund, three years ago for a one day symposium on 'Film and Film Cultures'.  Lund is the oldest university in Sweden, making it the Oxford of Sweden, followed by Uppsala, making it the Cambridge of Sweden!  Skåne, the state which Lund is a part of, was ruled by Denmark for nearly a 1000 years, which results in a unique architecture.  The low lying houses, which are not always the 'Swedish Red' or more appropriately Falun Röd, a color/paint that originated from many copper mines in Sweden, including the one in a town called Falun.  

Somewhere in the 1660s Sweden won it back from Denmark, and since then applied some force in integrating the local population into Swedish culture.  Among many actions towards 'Swedishizing' the area was changing its name from Skaane (Danish) to Skåne (Swedish).  Debates over whether the local accent should be labelled as Swedish or Danish remain to this day.  As an ousider, I am neutral.  I just notice the architecture, the beautiful old buildings, 

A typical Falu Red, Swedish House

So, there is a workshop of Nordic scholars whose research centres on Asia.  Mine is all over the place, but not matter how far I want to go, Asia or related topics never leave my heart.  So, here I am.

Remembering my last visit, I knew I wanted to visit the same Indian restaurant I had gone to the last time I was here. I could not remember the name.

I also kept thinking of an Italian/British friend I made in the town.  We are still in touch, in fact she visited me and my family in New Delhi, two years ago and we talk often both on Skype and on phone. I thought I would email her to ask her the name of the restaurant, when I passed by the hotel where she had stayed.  And just then, I turned right, and there it was!!

When I looked at the restaurant, and read the name---a childish chuckle escaped out of my chest----and I smiled to myself, shaking my head, and muttering to myself, 'How could I forget?' 

A nice Indian restaurant in lund

Navratri: Ram Naumi

The Kolam/Rangoli/Alpana made as a dedication to the Goddess!!

Two days ago was Ram Naumi.  The day when Lord Ram is supposed to have been born.  I spent about 3-4 hours cooking, and then setting up the house and a little shrine.  Something I had not done in the last 7 months or so.  It was a beautiful experience.  The centre part of the bud is a different texture.  I used old mouth freshner made from mixed various spices which have been artificially coloured , including fennel.  It was old and I did not want to throw it out. This was a creative way of using them. I will keep this for weeks and then sweep it out--as a reminder no matter how beautiful, no matter how hard it takes to create something, everything in this world is temporary......

Spring Has Almost Sprung....

These are pictures from last year, but for a few hours every week, we get to see this...and it is only going to get better!!