On modelling and hairbands and Paalaguttapalle Bags

Something happened in the village yesterday. It throws up important questions. And so I am sharing it here.

In the village we have started making hairbands and scrunchies for girls from cotton fabric. Our friend makes lovely posters. And we caught hold of one of the kids who's curly hair looks best for this and the entire day yesterday Roopa was clicking her in different hairbands. Her hair was shampooed and she was got ready. She enjoyed the attention hugely.

We got excellent pictures. But yet I was a little disturbed. In the evening I called Roopa and told her to get pictures of Keerthana and Pinky also, as I knew they would be feeling bypassed.

Roopa told me, "Madam, I was going to tell you. Thro the afternoon Pinky and Keerthana were telling me. 'Memu kooda paniki vasthaamu le' ... We are also good for this, actually'."

I felt very bad. I should have been more alert to this. And today we are now taking pictures of them. And they will all be there in tne posters.

Marketing very successfully is less impostant than the feelings of each and every child.

And yet its a bigger issue that we need to face.

The modern day obsessive celebration of physical looks. With each celebration/ celebrity, someone somewhere probably feels bad as being below a so called benchmark.

In these times of selfies and over exposure, it is wise to remember. That this is the path to pride and self absorption on one side, and growing diffidence on another.

Celebration of ethics, values is different. It raises us all on the path of goodness.