In my class 11, I had this story called "Poets and Pancakes", which majorly dealt with the make-up department in the Gemini studios, and then the other things that usually happened there.. Back then, I had no idea what a pancake was.. I only had this vague idea that it was some kind of a make up stuff. Today, I totally understood that.
Today was the second day of Navarathri, and being a member of the Shivajali's Temple of Fine Arts, it does mean a lot to me. There are some people who will tell you exactly how much. :P Each year we have this Annual Day kind of events for the entire stretch of 9 days before admissions begin on Vijayadasami. Today I was to give my performance, and obviously I had to meet standards set by my seniors and expectations set by my Guru.
The preparations started at 11 am, much earlier than the usual 3 pm. We had to learn to wear our 9 yard saris - those that never seemed to have an end - in the Marati Style.. This took about 3 hours, where we tied, re-tied, and did it all over again till everyone was satisfied. Then for the "neat presentation" there was a round of ironing, for which we thankfully found an "iron-man". Think of ironing the entire length of that sari!! And that into 8 numbers!!
What I wanted now was a good nap. But sine there was no time for that, I had lunch in two small parts. Then made sure I took whatever I needed and went back to class an hour later.
Dressing and make up started at around 4 pm, with the easiest thing. Hair.
Simple - Put on a LOT of hair gel, pull your hair into a ponytail and pull it through a "vada kondai" - gather the hair around this kondai that looks much like a ulundhu vadai, or for the "I know only English" people - donuts. Put on the hair net and slide a few hair pins to keep stray hair in place. Put a string of malli poo around this, slide in a few more pins to make sure the kondai will hold on for the next 5 hours at least and there you go!!
Somewhere between all this I remember that forgot to bring my comb and a rubber band.
We still have time right? Our dance is not until 7.30 pm at least.. Which was why we took things at ease.. The make-up session started. With pancake.
So this thing looks something like a lip-stick, but is used to give that creamish colour to the face and neck. Maybe that's what some others call the "foundation". If you were looking for some one there in the dressing room, I'm sure you'd never identify that person immediately. That was what pancake did - remove most traces of identification. And what pancake did to me - it activated the sweat glands all over my face in 5 minutes! Being someone not used to sweating, this was tough. But there was absolutely NO time to worry about this. I had to move to my next work.
The sari. I love draping saris. Every kind. But 9 yards, on a day when I have no time to sit and do it with perfection, and when this particular Marati style was complicated - it was Terrible! This was not just about getting myself dressed, it was also about helping the other equally stressed dancers from my group.
Back to make-up. Oh fish! There's a huge line now. Did I just forget to mention? We were 4 different groups getting dressed at the same time. With 4 of the staff to do the make-up. I get into one of the lines, not knowing what should be done on my face next. Thankfully a girl there volunteered to powder my wet face, which sort of controlled the sweat. Another long wait. I put on my jewelry, and then there was rouge and eye shadow. Some more waiting, and then my eyebrows were done. By now, 2 of the staff were not satisfied by my make-up. When I went to get my eyes done, my Guru did not like the make up too. It was past 6, and we had one hour leave the dressing room. Still think there's enough time?
Since my make-up was bad, it was applied all over again, between which I somehow managed to get some more of the accessories on me. The others were all set, and I started to panic. I wanted to cry. I did not remember that last time we had a proper practice, and I needed a quick run-thorough of the dance. I was tired. I needed water. I needed a hug. I needed someone to assure me I can nail this.
It is fifteen past 7 now. I was the last to leave, after a quick gulp of water to calm myself. We gathered in a room near the stage, said our prayers and did the customary namaskaram. A run-through, some time alone to calm down, some last minute "things to remember". Ours was the second performance, and our turn came rather quickly.
Just before we got onto the stage, I got the hug I needed badly. She reduced my anxiety, but energy cant be destroyed right? It had to change form. I was starting to cry. And then somewhere the signal kicked in: 3 hours of make-up! Better not to destroy that at the last minute. And another girl from my group assured me that we'll be alright. It definitely helped too.. :)
I decided to give my soul into this one performance. After all, this is what I put so much effort for. It started quite well, I had a smile on my face, the nervousness had reduced considerably. The lights no longer scared me, and the crowd ceased to exist. Then the trouble started. I mixed my steps, wasn't sure if I did the right step - which is important if you're in a group, I missed a beat, and there was some confusion in a small kolattam portion. I was swearing on stage, with a smile on my face :P I forgot another step, and thankfully my partner did too. I couldn't maintain my balance throughout the dance. And I was worried if all this happened only to me.
The result. Everybody liked our dance. Mistakes somehow found a way to hide. The song was soothing, which relaxed everyone. Everybody I talked to had a good impression about the dance on the whole. Which means, there was a meaning to all the effort we put into this. And the meaning? A smile on everybody's face, and a word of appreciation for us.
Back home almost an hour later. My hands felt like they were made of stone. Taking off the dozens of pins of all kinds was hectic. The make-up that is supposed to beautify me becomes a problem. I can't take it off! 2 rounds of face-wash did not help. Next resort, the ever helpful coconut oil. Extra virgin, please. Then a paste of payathamaavu - some gram flour which is good for the skin - to wash off the oil with all of the make up.
And finish it off with a suthi pottufying ceremony (to ward off evil eyes).
Today was the second day of Navarathri, and being a member of the Shivajali's Temple of Fine Arts, it does mean a lot to me. There are some people who will tell you exactly how much. :P Each year we have this Annual Day kind of events for the entire stretch of 9 days before admissions begin on Vijayadasami. Today I was to give my performance, and obviously I had to meet standards set by my seniors and expectations set by my Guru.
The preparations started at 11 am, much earlier than the usual 3 pm. We had to learn to wear our 9 yard saris - those that never seemed to have an end - in the Marati Style.. This took about 3 hours, where we tied, re-tied, and did it all over again till everyone was satisfied. Then for the "neat presentation" there was a round of ironing, for which we thankfully found an "iron-man". Think of ironing the entire length of that sari!! And that into 8 numbers!!
What I wanted now was a good nap. But sine there was no time for that, I had lunch in two small parts. Then made sure I took whatever I needed and went back to class an hour later.
Dressing and make up started at around 4 pm, with the easiest thing. Hair.
Simple - Put on a LOT of hair gel, pull your hair into a ponytail and pull it through a "vada kondai" - gather the hair around this kondai that looks much like a ulundhu vadai, or for the "I know only English" people - donuts. Put on the hair net and slide a few hair pins to keep stray hair in place. Put a string of malli poo around this, slide in a few more pins to make sure the kondai will hold on for the next 5 hours at least and there you go!!
Somewhere between all this I remember that forgot to bring my comb and a rubber band.
We still have time right? Our dance is not until 7.30 pm at least.. Which was why we took things at ease.. The make-up session started. With pancake.
So this thing looks something like a lip-stick, but is used to give that creamish colour to the face and neck. Maybe that's what some others call the "foundation". If you were looking for some one there in the dressing room, I'm sure you'd never identify that person immediately. That was what pancake did - remove most traces of identification. And what pancake did to me - it activated the sweat glands all over my face in 5 minutes! Being someone not used to sweating, this was tough. But there was absolutely NO time to worry about this. I had to move to my next work.
The sari. I love draping saris. Every kind. But 9 yards, on a day when I have no time to sit and do it with perfection, and when this particular Marati style was complicated - it was Terrible! This was not just about getting myself dressed, it was also about helping the other equally stressed dancers from my group.
Back to make-up. Oh fish! There's a huge line now. Did I just forget to mention? We were 4 different groups getting dressed at the same time. With 4 of the staff to do the make-up. I get into one of the lines, not knowing what should be done on my face next. Thankfully a girl there volunteered to powder my wet face, which sort of controlled the sweat. Another long wait. I put on my jewelry, and then there was rouge and eye shadow. Some more waiting, and then my eyebrows were done. By now, 2 of the staff were not satisfied by my make-up. When I went to get my eyes done, my Guru did not like the make up too. It was past 6, and we had one hour leave the dressing room. Still think there's enough time?
Since my make-up was bad, it was applied all over again, between which I somehow managed to get some more of the accessories on me. The others were all set, and I started to panic. I wanted to cry. I did not remember that last time we had a proper practice, and I needed a quick run-thorough of the dance. I was tired. I needed water. I needed a hug. I needed someone to assure me I can nail this.
It is fifteen past 7 now. I was the last to leave, after a quick gulp of water to calm myself. We gathered in a room near the stage, said our prayers and did the customary namaskaram. A run-through, some time alone to calm down, some last minute "things to remember". Ours was the second performance, and our turn came rather quickly.
Just before we got onto the stage, I got the hug I needed badly. She reduced my anxiety, but energy cant be destroyed right? It had to change form. I was starting to cry. And then somewhere the signal kicked in: 3 hours of make-up! Better not to destroy that at the last minute. And another girl from my group assured me that we'll be alright. It definitely helped too.. :)
I decided to give my soul into this one performance. After all, this is what I put so much effort for. It started quite well, I had a smile on my face, the nervousness had reduced considerably. The lights no longer scared me, and the crowd ceased to exist. Then the trouble started. I mixed my steps, wasn't sure if I did the right step - which is important if you're in a group, I missed a beat, and there was some confusion in a small kolattam portion. I was swearing on stage, with a smile on my face :P I forgot another step, and thankfully my partner did too. I couldn't maintain my balance throughout the dance. And I was worried if all this happened only to me.
The result. Everybody liked our dance. Mistakes somehow found a way to hide. The song was soothing, which relaxed everyone. Everybody I talked to had a good impression about the dance on the whole. Which means, there was a meaning to all the effort we put into this. And the meaning? A smile on everybody's face, and a word of appreciation for us.
Back home almost an hour later. My hands felt like they were made of stone. Taking off the dozens of pins of all kinds was hectic. The make-up that is supposed to beautify me becomes a problem. I can't take it off! 2 rounds of face-wash did not help. Next resort, the ever helpful coconut oil. Extra virgin, please. Then a paste of payathamaavu - some gram flour which is good for the skin - to wash off the oil with all of the make up.
And finish it off with a suthi pottufying ceremony (to ward off evil eyes).
