“When you enter a house, either you become a part of the house or the house acquires your characteristics. It cannot be both ways. I chose to become a part of this house when I set foot here as a 16-year-old bride,” smiles Vinita Pittie, walking along the courtyard of the 200-year-old Raja Bahadur Motilal haveli, Begum Bazaar. The magnificent haveli is being decked up with yellow-orange marigolds, marking the beginning of Deepavali festivities. “I know it's celebration time when I see the marigolds,” says Vinita.
Vinita Pittie has been in the business of fashion for 23 years and was one of the first designers who put Hyderabad on the national fashion map. Her trousseau collection of saris, cholis and bangles has added mirth to Bridal Asia ever since its inception in 1999. “I cannot take the stress of Lakme Fashion Week or the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week. I have no pretensions and I am not a mainstream designer. I am just happy to represent Hyderabad,” she says, as she gives the finishing touches to a blouse for Rhea Pillai, before settling down to talk.
Her business of fashion will pause for a fortnight and Deepavali celebrations will take centre stage. “The celebrations here are more than that in the other families since we have temples within this haveli. If we think we can go out socialising during Diwali, it is not possible; but very few people understand this. We consider ourselves lucky to be custodians of such age-old beautiful temples,” she begins.
The preparations for the pujas begin days in advance. “We place diyas in the temple during Dhanteras, exchange wishes and take the blessings of our elders. The pujaris are busy these days with a number of pujas. When God can adjust to their timings, so can we. Since it is difficult to ascertain when the puajris will arrive, we never know when the rituals will be done,” she laughs.
Some of the traditional rituals are followed, albeit changed to suit the times we live in. “Roop Chaudas on Choti Diwali begins cleansing and beautifying yourself. In the olden days, diyas made from atta and haldi were placed in the bathrooms since there was no electricity. And women used the traditional ubtan body scrub. Now we do place diyas but don't go through the ritual elaborately,” she says. To escape the clutter of Deepavali gifting, the Pitties send out dry fruits and sweets well in advance.
The evening of Choti Deepavali is marked by Diya ki Puja, Ganesh and Lakshmi pujas. “It does get tiring to tidy up the entire place and make arrangements for the pujas. We make decorative pagliyas and place them in the doorways of every room so as to symbolically usher in all the gods and goddesses to enter and bless the house. The rupaiya ki thali is kept ready; there is a footprint of the cow, and a character that symbolises Ganeshji ki viman… We make eight-petalled flowers for the puja. Someday I will have stickers made and pasted to ease out the work,” laughs Vinita. Pujas are performed at the Krishna and Lakshmi Narasimha temples in the premises as well.
Vinita Pittie's eyes shine as she explains how the family strikes a balance between tradition and modernity. The balance and account books are placed for the puja. “I haven't learnt the Marwari script. But Suhani (daughter-in-law and jewellery designer) has learnt the script and writes a few lines of the accounts in Marwari. The rest of it follows in English.” Goddess Kali is represented by the ink pot and Saraswati by the old-fashioned wooden pens with nibs that are dipped into the ink. “Symbolism is everything; isn't it? More than everything else, we worship Mother Earth,” says Vinita.
Their festivities are incomplete without visiting close friends and relatives. “These days, you end up spending ten minutes in someone's place and two hours trying to reach there driving through the traffic. Hence, we allot a day where all the old families can get together. The menu is simple — two savouries and a sweet.”
The Deepavali day is followed by a Govardhan puja in the morning and an ankut in the evening where different kinds of rice and leafy veggies are placed for the chappan bhog . “A number of dishes are prepared, not necessarily 56,” says Vinita. On the tenth day of the festival, the family looks forward to the ankut chappan bhog at the temple inside the Hussain Shah Wali Dargah. “The 400-year-old Balaji temple at Lakshman Bagh prepares food the South Indian way with sooji appams, pongal, pulihora etc. and I wish I had two stomachs that day.”
Dev Deepavali, which falls on the purnima (this year on November 21), marks the end of the festival. “I look forward to a break after all this. Perhaps from next year, I shall cut down on elaborate preparations and make time to play a game of cards (without stakes, she stresses) and games like ludo and dumb sherads for fun. I believe that a festival should not tire you down; you should also be able to sit back and enjoy the proceedings,” she says.
For Vinita, who grew up in Bangalore, marriage at the age of 16 ushered in a new chapter. “I was so giddy headed, stupidly optimistic and immature but yet very strong. I had my son Stouvant when I was 19,” she reminisces. She took her baby steps as a designer encouraged by her husband and in-laws. “It was tough. I was a housewife and not into the fashion circuit.”
Today, though, thanks to years of showcasing her collections at Bridal Asia and loyal A-list clientele, her saris and bangles have become legendary. She says about women trying to balance home and work, “The toughest age group to be in is 26 to 35. The ‘Me' aspect disappears. The woman feels bogged down with the duties. Her lifestyle goes for a toss that it hurts so much. It is in this age group that women endure the maximum trials and tribulations. Not many are gifted to have the right kind of support system at home.”
As a parting shot, she says, “I am happy to do my designing and be a hostess to both Indians and foreigners. When people come to meet me, they also come to see a relic of old Indian architecture and share a terracotta cup of tea.” She pauses with a beaming smile. Of course, the piping hot tea in the terracotta cup is perfect for the winter evening.
