a love letter to pavitr's character, my culture, my food and family in general💟
few days ago I asked on twt and insta what food to feed baby pavitr... there were different answers and I tried to include them all💕
it also became a bit of a love letter to my culture... I am far away from India but food as always been a connection to there(even tho I miss local food so much) I got a bit emotional while drawing ngl🥹
edit:
also heads up... I actually never drawn and painted food before. like. not seriously. I don't really draw food. so if you're not sure what the dishes are supposed to represent (which is totally understandable), you can check the ALT caption! it made me go insane but it was fun i will also add an alternative version of the drawing without the light blue shadows and without the halftone:
This blog really made me rethink my approach towards my culture and how whitewashed people around me really are. It made me try indian sweets from different states and not being ashamed to speak hindi in situations where the people around me prefer to stick to English to be more professional. However, this acceptance and realisation has in itself been a journey because i used to be a very non desi person with an inclination towards western things and culture because i was conditioned to believe that it is cooler than indian things. In highschool I realised that it is okay to have different interests and when i got the freedom to purchase things for leisure independently I naturally chose desi items . From their it started feeling like an aesthetic that i was choosing for myself. Now i have come to the realisation that it was still superficial. It was an acceptance of the aesthetic not of the entire culture. It helped me find out who i am and think independently, but i did not grasp it entirely. I understand it and like it , but I’m not it . Living in a house where they keep making things Minimalistic and western and progressive I realise that if we need everyone to be more involved in desi lifestyle and art, we should start treating it as a natural part of our everyday lives. Why do we need plain toothbrushes with a modern design yet no indian element . I understand the need for minimalism and that Indian art and culture has always been the opposite. But what if we take elements of it and use it in modern design. Most importantly, manufacture and design all this in india. Globalisation has lead to people having a disregard of their culture. Globalisation is being modern these days. I see so many people wearing korean outfits nowadays. While it is alright to express yourself using fashion as a medium I hold the belief that no one can ever be completely happy wearing or using anything that doesnt have a hint of their culture and roots. Girls are happy wearing kurtis with jeans. They will prefer that over a tshirt and jeans. An outfit that doesn’t have an indian element will always make me feel like I am missing something. It might be fine for a day , but I can’t have that aesthetic around me forever. I love how architecture and interior magazines of india have modern architecture infused with desi elements . It could be jaaliwork instead of western windows. Indian Woodwork instead of fluted panels. Wallpaper with indian motif prints , or just simple sculptures with some indian element. What’s a home without a hint of your roots.