There’s nothing like the end of the year to think about new beginnings. And what could be better than the arrival of a baby? As I was admiring the superbly curated textile show to celebrate 30 years of the boutique Ensemble on a Monday evening, in walked half a dozen social swans. They had just attended Kokilaben Ambani’s baby shower for her granddaughter, Nayantara. By all accounts, the soiree was impeccably done; the beautifully turned out women at Ensemble confirmed this. Social media posts subsequently offered some visuals — balloons, table settings and flowers galore. Later that week, I found myself at another baby shower, smaller in scale of course, but nevertheless elegant. It was for my friend Gauri Nayar, co-founder of Twain, a PR firm. The catering, done by Pooja Raheja of Eat Drink Design, was exquisite.
In the midst of the madness that is this season, it’s wonderful to attend an event like this. In the past month, I’ve been invited to a few and each has left me impressed with the level of care and attention to detail. Having thrown a few showers of my own in the past, it’s incredible to see how far things have come. Flowers, table arrangements, food, gifting, it’s all such a chic affair nowadays. And, of course, the mum-to-be is even chicer. Godh-bharais , the Indian version, are equally refined, and it’s a feast for the eyes to look at the women, decked up in their finery.
At Gauri’s, as I did a whirl of air-kissing around the room and sipped my Moet, I found myself with a group of 20-somethings. They had to leave the shower and get ready for a wedding event. If I wasn’t mistaken, I could hear some sighs. And then it began — the rumblings of wedding fatigue. “Already?” I asked in surprise, since it was only the middle of the month. “Oh God, I can’t tell you, I am attending weddings from now till March,” said Reyna Jagtiani, Gauri’s business partner and fellow co-founder, looking exasperated. I felt for her. Forget holiday parties, end of the year festivities, charity galas, Parsi Navjots , and birthday parties. If there’s anything that takes celebrations in this season to a fever pitch, it’s our desi weddings. And because you’re often meeting the same people, outfits can’t be repeated! Oh, the pressure, especially on us women.
I nodded in sympathy and the talk turned to an on-going blogger’s wedding. “Babe, did you know everything was sponsored?” said one lithe lass. Indeed, I did. These days, if you’re a social media influencer, you can get pretty much everything for free. Why not your own wedding, too? I could think of a million reasons, but before cynicism got the better of me, I decided to shake off any negativity and, instead, celebrate the new.
December in India — when our cities go full throttle in terms of events and joyous occasions, the weather finally cooperates, and when everyone always looks so well turned-out — is a remarkable month. What with the swell of NRIs and out-of-town friends and family visits, the slightly less serious attitude at work, the entertaining with abandon, having fun is almost… infectious.
And now here I was, at a lovely baby shower, feeling a warm glow within (must have been the Moet!). Babies are capable of making even the most hard-nosed individual’s heart melt. As Anand Mahindra tweeted earlier this month, “After a few weeks with my newly-born grandson, I have come to the profound conclusion that there are few things in life that can make your mind as focused & provide as much sense of achievement as getting a baby to burp post a feed.”
I looked around the room, where everyone had gathered to cut the cake, a two-tiered confection decorated with white stars. Toasting an impending arrival was a fitting way to close 2017. New beginnings, new attitudes and new ways of embracing the world. A baby makes one realise all that and more. Happy New Year!
This fortnightly column tracks the indulgent pursuits of the one-percenters.
