ONCE UPON A SARI

A child of South Asian descent is mesmerized by the colorful saris in Mama’s closet.

When Mama calls out to Avani, the child worries about getting in trouble; the little one is surrounded by a pile of Mama’s saris. But Mama smiles gently as she recalls her own childhood fascination with her mother’s saris. As she folds and packs away the garments, she tells Avani the story behind each sari. From her first sari—a minty chikankari sari from Lucknow given to her by her father—to a bright Gujarati bandhani sari covered by tiny, twinkling mirrors to a golden kanjivaram from Tamil Nadu to her glittering red wedding sari, each one evokes fond memories. When Avani spies a carefully wrapped sari, her mother becomes wistful as she unfolds her own grandmother’s faded sari. She recalls how Avani’s great-grandmother had to flee her home during the Partition of India and make the perilous journey to safety. She passed on the sari to Avani’s mother as a reminder of their family history. The narrative flits quickly from one sari to the next, and though it’s heartfelt, the lighthearted tone set up as Mama recounts fun personal memories makes the jump to the Partition feel a little jarring. Stylized, comic-style illustrations feature traditional sari colors and designs; the artwork is laced with hints of the rich variety of handcrafted saris.

A celebration of culture and memory.