सभी का स्वागत
All Welcome
All Welcome
Siblings can be frustrating, can’t they? Know-it-all elder sisters. Pesky little brothers, bullying big ones. There’s always naughtiness, teasing, sniffling, snitching. Sharing, borrowing, breaking, side-taking. As we crawl past toddler-hood, jostle one another through childhood, mope into teenage angst and emerge, somewhat baffled and bruised by the transition, into adult life, we come to know each other only too well (and of course, we get especially good at knowing how to wind each other up). There’s no airs and graces amongst siblings. No boundaries between us – you might try to put them there, but they’ll no doubt be trampled down again. These are relationships of tears and tantrums, just as much as of fun and laughter.
Yet despite (and because of!) this proximity, the endless chafing and bickering, a unique bond develops. Friendships and partnerships ebb and flow over time, and life may take you in odd directions, but your siblings will always be a part of you, and you will come to be glad of that. It will no longer matter whose colouring book it was (and in truth, it never really mattered – just saying). Although you might never admit it, those careworn hand-me-down clothes that you claimed to resent can actually be comforting in their familiarity.
Your siblings are your confidantes, your playmates, your partners in crime. They’re your own personal compass to guide you when you need guiding, and anchor you when you’re getting carried away. They’ll shoo you away from danger and encourage you towards your goals. They buck up your burdens when they’re too heavy to shoulder alone, scold you (rightly!) when you’re out of line, share your deepest secrets, and are a truly lifelong source of joy, support and companionship. You knew them from birth, and you will know them all your life.
The festival of Raksha Bandhan celebrates this most enduring of bonds. According to the Hindu legend, in order to protect the good people, Lord Krishna had killed the evil King Shishupal. During the battle, Krishna was left with a bleeding finger. Seeing this, Draupadi (Krishna’s sakhi – beloved friend) immediately tore off a strip of cloth from her sari and tied it around his wrist to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna was deeply touched by her concern, and declared himself bounded by her sisterly love, and vowed to repay this debt by protecting Draupadi whenever she was in need.
And so Raksha Bandhan came to be the embodiment of this deep sense of loyalty and protection, a celebration of the love that exists between a brother and sister. On the day of the festival, the first day of the lunar month of Shravan, the sister prepares a pooja thali (plate) bearing red kumkum powder, a rakhi (piece of thread), and her brother’s favourite mithai (traditional Indian sweets). The sister prays for raksha (protection) over him, and puts a tilak on his forehead (smudginess often correlates directly to the sister’s mischievousness!). She ties the rakhi around the wrist of her brother, and feeds him the mithai. In return, the brother promises to return her love and protect her from life’s harms, and offers her a gift.
The ceremony now complete, the band laced around his wrist is thought to be stronger than a metal chain, thanks to the bond between them.
In 2013, Raksha Bandhan falls on Wednesday, August 21st. To celebrate this gentle festival of love and loyalty, we’ll provide rakhis and a special pooja thali for your ceremonies, along with our favourite, festive chocolate barfi.
So, faithful sisters, bring your brothers… and protective brothers, bring your sisters! It’ll be an honour to be part of your Raksha Bandhan this year, so if you come as a pair to celebrate at Dishoom on August 21st, it definitely deserves a drink on us.
We often find it too easy to hurtle through the days, in an attempt to outpace the bustling city – be it London or Bombay – which always seems to be running away like a steam-engine train on a rickety track. Occasionally, it does us good to pause for thought, to disembark the carriage and sit on the platform awhile.
How does one create a space where people can truly connect over food? How can a host make their guests feel relaxed, at ease, and suitably cared for? Since launching our all-new Dishoom Crockery, we have been pondering the answers to these questions even more than usual. We recently discussed them with Creative Director - and frequent dinner party hostess - Kirthanaa Naidu when we invited her to create a first-class tablescape in our Canary Wharf café.
Each year, the spring equinox – when day and night are equal length – marks a transition in earth’s relationship with the sun. This event, sacred to many cultures throughout history, today thrives as a new year celebration for hundreds of millions.
In Bombay, London, and throughout the South Asian diaspora, you’ll find many folks of the Zoroastrian faith (amongst others) celebrating this new year, or Navroz as we like to call it.
A nurturing presence, neatly packed lunches, and homes that exude warmth – radiating from the walls and from the person within. In uncertain times, we look to the motherly figures in our lives for gentle guidance, affection and life’s most important lessons. For those looking to show gratitude this Mother’s Day, new curiosities have appeared on the Dishoom Store. We hope to impart a little inspiration as we share gifts to guarantee warm smiles.