My family treasures old memories. Anything that is a decade old finds its place in our antique treasure troves. I would like to speak about a gold necklace which belonged to my grandmother and now is proudly owned by my mother. It’s an antique set with a lustrous coral in the centre. It is made of 22 carat gold and has an intricate design on it. It’s perfect to be worn with sarees, lehengas or even suits as it is a blend of traditional and contemporary design.
It was gifted to my mother by my grandmother on her wedding day, as a part of our traditional rites. Traditionally, the mother in law gifts a piece of her ancestral jewelry to the bride during the wedding ceremony. She has been happily married for thirty years now and this jewelry has been a prominent part of her married life. She takes great care of it and ensures that it’s kept safely at all times in a wooden, antique jewelry box.
Though it is a piece of jewelry and is just material, it has tremendous sentiments attached to it. My grandmother lived a life of struggle and brought up her three children in dire poverty. She worked hard to fulfill her children’s dreams. This necklace, symbolizes her love and sacrifice for her children.
Vocabulary:
- Intricate- very complicated or detailed.
- Ancestral- of, belonging to, or inherited from an ancestor or ancestors.
- Blend- a mixture of different substances or other things.
- Dire- extremely serious or urgent.
- Contemporary- living or occurring at the same time.
Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers
1. Which do you think are better, old things or new things?
Discarding the old for the new has become a very common practice, thanks to our modern lifestyle. Instead of repairing old things, people prefer buying new things in order to keep up with the trending lifestyle in my view, this is not advisable as all the discarded stuff increases the burden on environment tremendously. It also adds to the liabilities of the consumers.
2. As well as family photographs, what are some other things that people keep in their family for a long time?
Besides family photographs, I think the most cherished thing which people prefer to keep is jewelry. Jewelry, especially traditional ones occupy a special place in the minds of its owners and hardly people would part with it, if given a choice.
3. In your culture, what sort of things do people often pass down from generation to generation?
Indian culture, attaches strong value to jewelry and it becomes a part of the family owned treasures, as it is handed over to the future generations with great love. Most of the Indian communities follow this tradition and as such these pieces of jewelry have not only material value but also great emotional value.
4. Why do you think people keep these things?
As I said antique jewelry has not only material value, but also profound emotional value attached to it. It is handed over to the future generations and as family life is the most treasured aspect of Indian culture, such things never lose their value.
5. What are the benefits of keeping some old things in the family?
There are numerous benefits in my perspective. One among them is the younger generation learns to respect and cherish the family values and culture. When they hear the stories associated with it, the bond that is shared by these generations with each other grows.
6. Do you think it’s good to recall the past?
Our personal memories, in my opinion, give us a sense of continuity. It helps us to celebrate our achievements; where we began our journey and the peak we have achieved in our personal as well as professional life. They provide important details of who we are and who we would like to be however, if our past hurts and we keep rewinding then it could harm our growth seriously.
