In the wake of India's 74th Independence Day celebrations comes this jewel which, in the spirit of that momentous day, carries upon its robust frame the onus of expressing a freedom that has more to with the self and society than with the entirety of the nation and its geopolitical engagement and realpolitik relationship with the world.
In Bengal, there's a popular saying : "Baro Mashe Tero Parbon", meaning there are more festivals than months in any given year or, simply, that in Bengal it's festivities all the time. Not this year. We started off with Poila Baisakh behind closed doors, the country under curfew.Then onwards, it's been continual stoppages and restrictions, and no one's visiting anyone, not even home to home. What possible occasion can be marked socially and which celebrations held with the irreplaceable joy of togetherness? For now, nothing's clear, no real direction has emerged, and we remain as we are, separated and secluded for the sake of the better good of the greater world, and rightly so. Still, we need hope of a return to normalcy and ask upstairs to remedy the state of things as they are now and make a wish to that effect and pledge it in gold to our one and only deity –– You. This necklace of the Thirteen Feasts is that pledge.
A cascade choker with thirteen graduated gote chain strings, each with a lucky clover on them, sees this spectacular guinea gold waterfall culminate in alternating pearl and gold globes, the latter a medley of disco and mesh spheres to reflect, respectively, the aspect of raves and acts of stunning daredevilry.
Tied to each other (so that requisite distance is maintained and they don't get entangled –– sound familiar?) with a certain abandon using gold wires and emerald, ruby and pearl beads, the strings are fastened at the top to a continuous series of bosses imprinted with thirteen six-petalled flowers. All of this is fixed to a thick band with a frieze of square plates mounted with ziggurats, turned corner to corner, in the centre, framed by chhela double-kamal chains. The triangulated endpieces feature chhela wire outlines and sat-karai phuls in each.
This ravishing handcrafted cheekh in antique polished guinea gold is an uncomplicated allegory of hope for deliverance from the pestilence that's causing such untold suffering the world over and one that's clear in its statement of freedom, indicating through its thirteen floral tributes and thirteen strands of cascading chains and thirteen culminating globes that the Tero Parbon is very much on –– in the secure, safe and salubrious sanctuary of our hearts.
Wherever we may be in this country or in the world, nothing can keep us apart. The spirit soars, the soul takes flight, and the heart becomes a planet of our own creation where dwell all those who we hold close and near and dear.
The loved one can never be kept at a distance.