It was announced yesterday that today (Friday) would be Traditional Wear day at work. There was going to be a prize for the best dressed person. I would have loved to have worn my lungi with a transparent shirt with a "baniyan" on the inside. All I had was a silk kurta and pajama. Even that could have been jazzed up with a small string of flowers wrapped around my wrist and a gold necklace and shades, but I couldn't find a gold necklace at the last minute.
I did feel a little ridiculous coming to work in a kurta even if I was in India. 20 years ago or so, when I went to visit my dad at his work, there was plenty of evidence that were we in India - the agarbatti, garlanded picture frames of Gods and even the occasional lungis. But now in this company, being a big international one, it felt very much out of place to come to work in slippers. (I brought a pair of shoes just in case they made a fuss about lab safety.)
As I stepped into the office I was worried I was going to be the only one dressed up but my team lead wore a lungi and more than half the women came all dressed up. The office looks really nice and colorful.
(For some reason, all day long, my mind kept going to "Diversity Day" episode of The Office.)
After lunch, the judging team walked around the office asking everyone where they were from and what their dress was supposed to represent. Apparently (and I think this they were making up as they went) you don't necessarily have to represent your region/tradition, but whichever tradition you claim to be representing, you have to present it properly. I staked my claim to the prize by stating that the silk kurta/pajama represents the clothes worn by the wealthy Andhra villagers. (It is indeed a sort of "pimp" gear!)
Finally there was a giant gathering of everyone in the office at 3:30pm and the judges announced the three finalists and winners - one each from the men and women. The best costume among men was our Engineering team leader, Sriram, for his traditional Tamil dress consisting of a silk veshti and shirt. From women, it a lady from admin who wore a Kerala silk sari. (Lots of silk at work today!) The winners won coupons for Rs. 501 each.
(Apparently I wasn't the only one who wondered if the whole thing was a prank. That was cited as the biggest reason why a lot of people didn't dress up.)
I did feel a little ridiculous coming to work in a kurta even if I was in India. 20 years ago or so, when I went to visit my dad at his work, there was plenty of evidence that were we in India - the agarbatti, garlanded picture frames of Gods and even the occasional lungis. But now in this company, being a big international one, it felt very much out of place to come to work in slippers. (I brought a pair of shoes just in case they made a fuss about lab safety.)
As I stepped into the office I was worried I was going to be the only one dressed up but my team lead wore a lungi and more than half the women came all dressed up. The office looks really nice and colorful.
(For some reason, all day long, my mind kept going to "Diversity Day" episode of The Office.)
After lunch, the judging team walked around the office asking everyone where they were from and what their dress was supposed to represent. Apparently (and I think this they were making up as they went) you don't necessarily have to represent your region/tradition, but whichever tradition you claim to be representing, you have to present it properly. I staked my claim to the prize by stating that the silk kurta/pajama represents the clothes worn by the wealthy Andhra villagers. (It is indeed a sort of "pimp" gear!)
Finally there was a giant gathering of everyone in the office at 3:30pm and the judges announced the three finalists and winners - one each from the men and women. The best costume among men was our Engineering team leader, Sriram, for his traditional Tamil dress consisting of a silk veshti and shirt. From women, it a lady from admin who wore a Kerala silk sari. (Lots of silk at work today!) The winners won coupons for Rs. 501 each.
(Apparently I wasn't the only one who wondered if the whole thing was a prank. That was cited as the biggest reason why a lot of people didn't dress up.)
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