People are surprised that I speak so many languages. Actually, they are somewhere between disbelief, intimidation and some amount of ‘why bother … there’s enough to do in life anyway.’My father was in the army- a frequently tossed-around infantry man. As children, we tagged along, living in lofty mountains, deep valleys, by tranquil rivers, close to monasteries or temples or in scorching, but no less stunning, deserts. I lived with all my senses on fire.
The fragrance of the magnolia in the Nilgiris, the sight of little blue-green clearings in the Himalayas, the touch of garnet red cardamoms hard as a tart fruit you want to sink your teeth into… And sounds … Sounds of rustling trees in the hands of the masterful wind, waterfalls that sound like gods playing a wild Holi and most powerfully, the sounds of silence.
So, Nature became my best friend (and has stayed so). But even timid, nature-loving children have to learn to be social. I was shy but I was magnetically drawn to cultures. I wanted to enter into their mysteries and devour their stories. I learnt that there is a magic key for this. I learnt to speak different tongues so that I could enter through that magic gateway and show the locals how much I respected their lives and language. Then, no one could turn me away.
As an adult, I continue to learn languages and polish the ones I already know. Do I do it just to communicate? Not at all. My goal is way bigger. I want to have families wherever I stand. I use new words to flatter and charm. And make others laugh. I learn strategic phrases aimed at spreading joy. For is there any other act of communication that the world needs, other than my heart connecting with yours?
Anupamaa Dayal
This fashion designer is about happy clothes and happy homes for happy women