Varsha rtu or saawan or monsoon is the distinctive natural phenomenon that permeates the culture, traditions and collective imagination of the people of the subcontinent. It heralds the beginning of new things when the old life is washed away and a new cycle begins. To usher in this wondrous season, Anita Lal, founder and creative director, Good Earth, and Simran Lal, founder, Paro, jointly organised Saawan ki Sakhi—a feminine ritual of celebration. From the intoxicating gajras, meetha paan, khus sherbet, chudi, kaju barfi, and of course, the subtle strains of khayal, dadra, thumri, kajri and its varieties—it was an evening that celebrated the beauty of the season in all its hues.
Paro’s celebration spoke about the longing of the parched earth that is slaked by the monsoon. It focussed on how as the skies turn dark and the air is heavy with anticipation, women gather with their friends and welcome the season of fertility. To complement the celebratory tone, apparel and saris by Raffugar and Taanbaan along with silver jewellery by Paro ranging from the very traditional paijebs and bajubands to bangles and hairpins, were on display. The range of Botanica by Paro also introduced a monsoon special—Ruh Khus range and Jasmine Oil.
Launched last year at The Chanakya, ‘Paro’ in Sanskrit means ‘the sharing of special knowledge’. “It is our offering and an invitation to anyone who would like to join us on this journey. It is the start of what truly is personal luxury—the luxury of choice, of taking time out for ourselves, of enjoying the moment, of luxuriating in something that has been mindfully created like a beautifully proportioned lota, of the feel of the finest jamdani against our skin, of the whiff of pure sandalwood oil dabbed on our wrists, and very importantly, the deeply personal luxury of taking a moment to pause,” says Simran.
Over millennia, absorbing influences of different cultures, the Indian subcontinent developed its own vocabulary of refined luxury. “The finest mulmul weaves in pristine unbleached cotton, shimmering silks shot with gold and silver, delightful whimsical ornaments, chased silver boxes; most of us have memories of the gleam of a silver or gold button on the kurta of a grandparent and of celebrating the seasons with bowls of mogras and with the whiff of ‘Ruh Khus’ in summer, with saffron and spice tea in winter, loban at sunset, a diya lit under a tulsi plant—so many simple rituals that mark personal moments and the seasons. It is such personal luxuries, ancestral wisdom and inner joy that we want to share and celebrate through Paro, the soul of Good Earth,” beams Anita.