A Second Learning

Midlife Crisis !

Ageing Woes!

Everyone goes through it .

You wake up one morning, look into the mirror and wonder when the heck did these lines appear ?When did the jaw begin to hang so ? When did the lips loose their lusciousness??!

Off you rush to a dermatologist ! Do something , you plead !

Well Aneeta M did just that !

‘Doc!’ she moaned, ‘ I hate these frown lines , placed like unwanted guests right on top of my forehead ,’’

“Please suggest some ‘Upaay’! ”

I gently explained that lines develop over time according to how much we emote , how much we use our facial muscles to express . To reduce fine lines one can apply retinol creams , have dollops of oral collagen , but to ERASE them , nothing is more effective than Botox shots once in 8 months !

No doubt ,practising placidity a la a Buddhist monk could take off a year or two .. but hey …that’s tough to do!

Aneeta listened wide eyed , asked relevant questions , then finally decided to bypass all suggestions and try a bit of facial yoga , some meditation instead. In other words , ACCEPT and stay comfortable in her skin !

Some years later she shared pictures of her visit to Cuba . The colours , vibrant pop art , pink Cadillacs on the streets made one want to board the next flight to Havana !

In all those photos , I noticed how happy , lovely and lively Aneeta looked . Travel , Art and a doting partner are a heady mix !

Lines don’t show. Glow definitely does !

And then struck the dreadful Pandemic ! The ground seemed to give way beneath our feet , ready to swallow us whole and alive . Engulfed unimaginably in fear we were ‘ locked in’ and ‘locked out’ from the breath of fresh air .

But the human spirit is made of sterner stuff . Slowly and surely we groped our way out of this quagmire ,pulling each other up , reinventing ourselves , baking bread , exercising , living in gratitude , relieved we were still alive !

6 months into the pandemic , sometime around the end of August , Aneeta decided to hold online Zen Doodling Art classes .

Zen Doodling Art … now what was that???

I am not an artist . Far from it . The closest I have been to painting is creating eyebrows by micropigmentation using a delicate vibrating needle .

But in this COVID period , I felt I could definitely do with a bit of ‘Zen’ ! With some trepidation , I signed up .

Aneetas class had me ‘hooked ‘ from the word go . She was simply FABULOUS !

She would give us each a template drawing , teach simple doodles to fill this in with and Lo and behold .. a piece of ART would emerge .

She would share tricks and techniques which she had honed in art school and draw from her tremendous experience as an established artist to fine -tune our efforts .

LUCKY US !

She interspersed each art class with interesting life anecdotes and teachings from Zen Buddhism which made us fledgling artists more centred , focussed and ready to face the uncertain morrow ….WOW !!

She gave ,she gave, she gave…. Her time , her learnings , her love.

And then the icing on the cake !

All the earnings from these art classes she gave away (100% !) in charity to pay for the treatment of street children afflicted with treatable cancer .

MY GOODNESS!!!

ART and the ART of GIViNG!

I reflected on this as I adjusted my hand painted saree .

I can now truly imagine the love in each brush stroke .

This one is done by Shubhangi Samant whose special subject is Lord Krishna .

Here she has painted the Ringan ceremony , held in July each year to venerate Vithobha ( Lord Krishna ) in Pandharpur . Lakhs of pilgrims gather to take home the soil on which the horse gallops.. ..it is auspicious to do so .

For us students , ANEETA is THIS spectacular galloping HORSE , showering sparkles of Zen dust , Zen art , Zen teachings , Zen Love in its wake !

Thankyou ANEETA !Thankyou for all you do !

Wish you a very very HAPPY BIRTHDAY !✨✨✨✨✨

I sat tense , waiting expectantly for the next patient .
Clad in my PPE ( personal protective equipment ) mask , gloves , face shield , I looked more like an astronaut or a deep sea diver than a dermatologist /cosmetologist.
Gone was my saree ! Gone was my friendly banter !
And the comforting pat on the shoulders ? Heavens .. No !
Corona times are such !

‘’Hiiiiii Doc!’’, breezed in Hirral Merchant .
‘’How are you , doc? Really glad you have kept your clinic open .I need to get FIXED real fast !’’
I wondered , for what ?
Have known Hirral for several years , evolving from a shy Kutchi mother -of -two ( two sons 17 and 10 years )
to becoming a healer and a numerologist .
Maybe she had begun online healing sessions and needed to look more presentable .
A quick laser hair reduction of the lower face would do the trick. I suggested the same .

‘’No , no Doc ! I need my hair gone , not only from my face , I want a whole body laser treatment! ‘’

‘’Sure Hirral ..can do !
But it is expensive , are you sure?’’
‘’Yes Doc ! I have to be my best ! And I need more than just laser hair reduction . I am contesting for the MRS INDIA Contest !’’
My jaw dropped !
In these times ?
Was there even a ‘Mrs India ‘ Contest happening ??
‘’Yes , yes Doc !There are 145 participants .I have cleared the auditions and have reached the last 30 !
The orientations will be in September in Dehradun (maybe ) and then the SemiFinals , probably in a safe international environment like NewZealand or the Maldives .’’
My jaw dropped further , but the mask I wore somehow held it up !
What drive , what a feat …
to prepare for a beauty contest , in these most uninspiring of times .

‘’ You have the most charming gamine eyes Hirral , a very attractive face but your ‘ thighs ‘ ? How do you propose to get them shipshape ??’’
‘’I consider my flaws , my strength ,Doc !
I will diet , I will exercise , I will get to where I have to !
And you will have to help me !’’

‘’ Mrs India Contests are hard Hirral . They assess not only your face and figure but also how talented you are , your self confidence , your desire to win . ‘’
‘’Yes , I am aware Doc .Every week all of us participants are given Tasks , which test our abilities in a variety of ways .
I have made videos of myself cooking and dishing out healthy recipes , demonstrated effective concoctions for Face and Body Scrubs, made workout videos .
For Sushant Singh Rajput , I did a spontaneous dance tribute and a devotional number dressed like Radha on Janamashthami . Like our yesteryear actresses I have even danced carrying double ,triple earthen pots on my head!
I am on a roll Doc , today sitting for photo shoots sporting the 60’s look , tomorrow the 70s rock and roll look !
I am enjoying myself !
And the best part Doc , the more I work on myself , the more I want to run out and help others . Make meals for the hungry on the streets , participate in any and every civic activity to help those in need .
And all this whilst looking after my own family , my work !
God and the Universe are helping me find TIME for EVERYTHING!

I was amazed !
Hirral had lofty dreams but also the spunk to scale them .
‘’What about your family ? Are they supportive ??’’
‘’ Yes doc , I
have got quite a lot of encouragement from my husband who though a financial wizard himself kicked up his job and started an online portal performing online Poojas , the EPooja ! You must have heard of it !’’
Wowww ! I was awestruck !

‘’Tell me what has been the most difficult part of this journey ?’’
‘’Oh , it was when the judges asked me to introduce myself and my vision .. all in 1 minute !
I thought about this question .

She was right ! To try and
précis oneself , ones life , one’s desires …in 1 minute ! Not a cakewalk at all !

‘’This has been a period of the greatest growth for me . I am constantly working on the way I walk , talk , my manners, etiquette.. but Doc you really have to help me LOOK my best !’’

‘’ Yes , yes Hirral ! I will , I will !
But let me tell you whether you get the Mrs India crown or not ,
in my eyes you are already
a WINNER !
A role model for everyone , including me !’’

That evening , fully inspired , I prized open my cupboard of treasured sarees after 4 months and took out an AJRAKH.
What type of saree is that you might ask .

It is a saree made of the softest cotton, soft enough to swathe a baby , painstakingly blockprinted on both sides with natural dyes over and over again to form complex geometric and floral patterns .
It is a 4000 year old technique native to Sindh and Kutch , a product of patience and arduous labour.
The word Ajrakh comes from Azurakh which means indigo in Persian . The indigo represents the sky , the red madder natural dye superimposed is twilight and the
white dots strewn all over are the stars which illuminate the deep blue sky !
And that is what Hirral is !
Standing out in this sea of forlornness with hope and light !
Simply beautiful!

It was a warm April morning the day Nihaal ,a 45 yr old business tycoon walked into my clinic.

”Good morning Doc !”

he said , taking off his Gucci shades, ”I am not exactly sure what is bothering me but definitely something is amiss! I FEEL dynamic, on -the -go , but DONT LOOK it !”

It took me all of one minute to size up my handsome patient but how was I to tell him???

That Nihaal, my dear, you need a Brow job !!

An EYE BROW job to be more precise !

Eyebrows frame a face …uplifting it instantly !

They introduce a person even before he speaks !

One would think that eyes are expressive but eyebrows can really blow your mind away !

A twitch here, a raise there , the nuance of a dip there !

Expressing surprise , anger , joy , defeat , devotion ! The animation they give your face is limitless !

What if these seemingly unimportant part of ones countenance were missing or were thinned out considerably as were Nihaals??!

What was one to do?

Use hair sprouting solutions for an endless length of time?

So time consuming and results not even satisfactory, especially if one has a concomitant autoimmune condition .

How about then , an Eyebrow enhancement with micro pigmentation as a viable option ??

Suggesting such a solution to a woman usually makes her squeal with pleasure , but suggesting the same to a man is like crushing his manhood !

I ventured delicately !

”Nihaal, I must say you are are really tall !

Did you play basketball for your college team ?

Must have been quite a catch for those pretty young gals with your superbly cut , square jawline, your Roman nose !

And even at 45 , your forehead hardly has any creases .. and those that are there ,show character !

What could do with some improvement however , are your eyebrows! Have they diminished over the years?

They seem a tad thin , a tad insipid !

Not that I would advocate a bushy unibrow and – yes – it is all hogwash that unibrows are directly proportional to male virility!”

Nihaal looked himself up and down , from head to toe in the huge mirror in front of him , while I continued,

”But colouring yours with a technique akin to tattooing would bring back the dynamism you are looking for !”

The procedure is called

MicroPigmentation or Microblading and it is performed with a special vibrating needle using very special pigments at a level more superficial than a conventional tattoo, hence there is no bleeding . It is semi permanent , lasting 3-5 years.

It would take me two hours to do a single session but the results are terrific ! Your eyebrows will look fuller , more expressive , even make a statement .. and not a jarring one at that!”

” This might sound crazy Doc but I was hoping against hope you would NOT notice my eyebrows!

Now, you are going to give me a killer set of eyebrows and make a woman out of me !”

” On the contrary , Nihaal !

Haven’t you heard ‘Great eyebrows don’t happen by chance ,

They happen by appointment!

To begin with …the male eyebrow is tattooed differently … they are not arched like those of females , they are flatter , they are also thicker .

Each stroke is like a hair strand , and all the strokes are set very close to each other !

HAIRSTROKE EYEBROWS!

I will use anaesthetic cream an hour prior , draw a precise shape with ruler measurements and then tatoo in .

Micro pigmenting eyebrows is more than just a treatment , it is an ART !!”

Nihaal looked at himself again and again , this angle now, that profile next !

He somehow got convinced that for him micro pigmentation was indeed the ONLY way forward !

He scheduled his procedure that very day and followed up for a touchup three weeks later!

Once done , he was gratified to note that his friends didn’t notice that his eyebrows had had any work done on them !

They just remarked that of late he seemed to look younger and fresher !

That is the response I most want to get .. that there ‘ IS’ a difference , but noone can say WHAT .

Of all the treatments I have learnt , the one that took me the longest to master was this very procedure of micro pigmenting eyebrows .

Surprisingly it is the most satisfying one too !

Both for the Practitioner and the patient !

No one leaves unhappy !

And let me repeat Eyebrows actually do frame a face !

Just like the black French chiffon saree I am wearing today …!

Here I am in Plain Jane Black ….

And now draped in the same black sheer but with a smart border ..

Come on now … tell me which one looks better ??

Hey , You don’t have to look twice!

Not convinced ?? How about this red Muslin saree

with its striped border ?

Nice ??

Not boring like this one …

Get my drift ???

Sareees must have borders !

Faces must have eyebrows !

Byeeee!!!!

Folder

I do not like to keep patients waiting !

The patient in my consulting room had tested my patience beyond measure with her notepad of google queries .

To get a breather from the barrage ,

I excused myself and sauntered out into the waiting room to meet the 57 yrold lady who had requested a ‘mild Rejuvenating treatment’.

What instantly struck me was, despite her elegance , her perfect shape of lips , there was an unidentifiable anxiety in her eyes .

”Good afternoon Doctor , I am Deepa !

I am travelling to the USA tonight ! I just want a little brightening and tightening of my face. I am NOT looking for anything invasive , certainly no lasers , no ultrasound treatment , no injectables , no PDO threads ! Just a brightening and tightening ‘glow’ treatment that would be effective for at least a month .”

I was surprised she could rattle off so many scientific options !

”Any particular reason you would NOT like to try a skin laser ?” I asked ,” Our ELOS Refirme Laser is really very effective, both for Skin Rejuvenation and Skin Tightening !”

”And I can also offer you The HIFU ( A highly focused ultrasound skin treatment) akin to the Ulthera , but way cheaper with perhaps even better results , lasting up to a year !

Non invasive , can be completed in one and a half hours ….An instant face lift !

She smiled shyly , then said ,

”Actually I have had a heart transplant and am wary of any risks ”

I was caught completely off guard !

A HEART transplant!!!

My own heart skipped a beat !

Trying to recover ..

I held her hand warmly

-then quickly made a mental note scanning options to offer an effective but a primarily safe solution that would last at least three weeks.

Lasers can never be used if there is a pacemaker or some sort of mechanical device in place .

She answered as if she read my mind ..

” Yes , I did have a LVAD (a left ventricular assisted device ) to bide my time and help me live , BEFORE my heart transplant surgery was done , but it is disconnected . However I am not sure if I have some sort of other device to treat fibrillation .

I decided she would be safest with a surface treatment , brightening the skin using microdermabrasion ( a skin polish ) followed by a no -needle mesotherapy ..driving a cocktail of ingredients by ultrasound only upto the dermis to nuture and tighten !

Safe , effective , it would last three weeks .

I would give her some Antiageing creams to nourish and lift , to maintain the effect . Hey folks, they really work !

I explained this to my trusted skin practitioner and sent the lovely lady in for her treatment !

Expeditely I saw the rest of my patients including the tiresome one , tiring her out by answering each query exhaustively and in monotone!

I was desperate to spend more time with Deepa !

An hour or so later she emerged from her treatment room brighter , glossier , definitely more confident !

I instantly and stupidly burst forth with a question !

‘What was wrong with your heart Deepa ?’

”Cardiomyopathy , hereditary in nature .. the ejection fraction was just 15 % !” She said matter -of -factly .

”There was no other option for my survival other than a heart transplant !

So off I went to Chennai ,

rented a home in the city centre for 4 months waiting ( regretfully )each day FOR SOMEONE to DIE for ME to LIVE !

Then one day THE CALL came !

Within 4 hours I was operated and given a new lease and chance of life !

Laws and protocol are such

that I will never know whose heart I have been blessed with !

My prayers will forever remain with his or her departed soul and the generous , altruistic nature of the donor family .

” Do you feel your personality has changed with this new heart ?”

” No ! ” she said very surely , ” but one thing is there , although

I have been bought up in Mumbai , it is Chennai that I love. ”

I thought romantically to myself , Maybe because her new heart belonged to an accident victim, born and brought up in Chennai , who was declared brain dead and his / her family had allowed this surgical lifegiving exchange to happen !

Again she seemed to read my mind

‘No , no it is not Chennai but the

Chennai Nurses that I love!

They are simply excellent , so loving , so caring .

One night , post the operation, I was in intractable pain !

My shoulders , chest , back were burning and sore.

The young Chennai nurse tried everything in her power to alleviate the pain but to no avail ,

I just would not sleep .

She began to weep bitterly

She felt she had failed in her duty as caregiver !

I remember feeling so touched that somehow I willed myself to sleep , just so that she would settle down !

Many people just die WAITING for heart transplant surgery . Some are just NOT ELIGIBLE because they have other medical complications or are immunocompromised.

I was one of the LUCKY FEW who was eligible ,

lucky enough to get a new heart , and even more lucky that my body did not reject this new , foreign organ !

Rejection of the donor heart happens at least 2-3 times in the first year post a heart transplant !

It is only after the first year that there are only 10% chances of rejection .

Of course I was given immunosuppressants and had regular heart biopsies to monitor my status .

People say that there is a 75 % chance I will live for at least 5 years , but I take heart from the fact

that the longest survivor after a heart transplant lived 33 years !

Now I want everything .. I want to live each day , I want to step out , meet people ,get back to work . I want to BE my best , LOOK my best …

that’s why I am here !”

I held her hand even more tightly , nodding full approval ! Then trying to lighten the moment I said

‘ Travelling to New York for a holiday ?’

”No , actually I have an international business of hand embroidery .I need to delegate and expand !”

My , my , my , I gasped ‘ what a lady !’

I wished her all the superbest , telling her I would love to meet her again , whenever she liked ,

then gazed in wonderment at my own handembroidered Chanderi saree from Kolkata .

It had cheerful little birds sitting on boughs embroidered in colourful hues , painstakingly and artfully done by some loving soul .

I gave a warm caress to my saree , then to my OWN heart , spontaneously deciding to speak to it !

” HEART ” I said ,”You maybe fist sized but you have an enormous mind of your own !

You know things deep inside of me , even my MIND cannot explain !

You are the seat of all my feelings HEART !

Please DONT ever let me down !

Love me like I love you , HEART!

❤️

Hi !

This is Twinny reporting from

the Little Queen Embroidery Shop ,a tiny shop in the synagogue lane of the Jew town in Matancherry ,Kochi !

The owner , a Keralite gentleman Thomas P.E introduces me to a whole new world … the painstaking art of HAND EMBROIDERY

‘adornment by

threadwork ‘ of apparel , and tableware, towels ,what -have – you !

I pick up an organza throw and remark how gorgeous the design on it is .

‘Oh that is Spanish shadow work ‘ he informs me .

Motifs are drawn on sheer fabric like organdy , silk backstitch is used to outline these motifs , then ‘filling ‘ is done from behind with herringbone or double back stitches .

This produces a shadow of colour on the front of the fabric . Whilst in Spain ( the land of fringes and tassels! ) a blue background is used , the Italians prefer a

white on white .

Any which way the final look is dignified and aristocratic .

I marvel at how neat the stitches at the back of the fabric are .

From the front..

From the back …

Sensing my awe , Thomas says lightly ,

‘Oh , this embroidery is easy compared to

the French Knot ,’ demonstrating to me how exactly a single French knot is done .’ Stretch the cloth on a small embroidery hoop , wind a silk thread twice around the needle , pierce the cloth ,pull back , voila !’

Easier said than done !

I try my hand at it.. it takes me a tense two minutes to get one knot done !

Naturally I am left dumbstruck when Thomas displays a table runner which has 2800 knots in its every inch !

Wowwww!

Haha .. Thomas laughs wickedly .. enjoying my bewilderment.

‘Look here! ‘he said pointing to a unique embroidery on white linen .

‘This is Hapdanger embroidery from Norway .It is rich in ‘drawn thread work’ and the cloth has plenty of ‘voids ‘ traversed by delicate threads , sometimes by just a single thread!

I gasped !

‘Yes ,Hand embroidery is a very skilled ,a very laborious art .. unfortunately it’s a dying art. The first hand embroidery Machine was introduced in France in 1832 .. (though he added that’s no match for the all original hand embroidery) and now with computerised embroidery machines ,

embroidered garments are churned out by the dozen .

Here in Kochi there are barely a handful of women who actually hand -embroider !

St Gallen embroidery which is also whitework ,was such a productive part of the Swiss economy , a picture of it is imprinted on the Swiss Franc ..

And you must know that Michelle Obama chose to wear a St Gallen lace overcoat at the swearing in ceremony of her husband Barack Obama .

Wowwww again !

Now mostly machine -made pieces available …it is only here in Kochi that women sit together and sew 8 hours for a paltry 150 Rs !

A deep respect grew in my heart for the artisan who produced such beauty .

But Thomas was not finished .

He theatrically unfolded an heirloom Venetian piece of exquisite craftsmanship …

gossamer lace used to adorn royal Victorian dresses , the detailing amazing because of the number of bobbins used, not 24 , good grief as many as 84 ! Once again I was starryeyed !

No wonder the Prince of Wales and His wife Camellia have visitedThomas ‘ shop to buy lace !

They liked my

‘petite point ‘ a lot , said Thomas proudly ‘ The Prince was very knowledgeable.. he wanted to know how many counts were in each inch ! Of course an answer to his every question !

Thomas .. you have mentioned French/Spanish / Italian / Swiss embroidery .. all European , but we in India have so many hand embroidered fabrics ..

Yes , yes , hand embroidery is as old as the hills .. it’s in China , Japan , in the Middle East , Turkey ,everywhere !These were luxury items catering to the elite choices of aristocrats , of royalty.

In India there are so many varieties of handembroidery …

Kantha from West Bengal,

Phulkari from Punjab ,

Aari from Kashmir!

In fact Chikankari from Lucknow is exactly similar to shadow work and probably originated here in India much earlier than it did in Europe !

In the court of Akbar too brocades were enriched with gold threads ( zardosi ) , mirrors , precious gems !

As for the elaborately embroidered Parsee Gara sarees .. they are sold in Mumbai but toiled over right HERE in Kochi !

Did you know it takes 2 years to make an 8 metre saree border ?!

Once again , I gasped !

My head was swimming with images of beautiful borders , royal dresses,embroidered shoes.

The warm Kochi sun, the gentle whirring of the fan , the sinking in of all this information made me long for a cup of hot Kerala chai .

I mentioned this and Thomas instantly whisked out a beautiful teacosy complete with tray cloth .

It was simply irresistible!

It was now definitely TIME to BUY and buy I did … a dozen embroidered napkins, 6 placemats , a set of embroidered towels, 2 dresses for a three year old , a runner here , a lace doilie there !

Armed with all these pretty purchases I am now set to invite my stylish nephew Ranveer all the way from California for a cup of tea . He is a boy of exquisite taste and has a keen eye for all things fine , for all things beautiful !

There you go Ranveer …

”a pristine white ,scalloped tray mat with a pleasing embroidered napkin placed in an appliquéd pocket on the left hand corner.

Oh yes and

here

is your cup of tea!

😊 Byeeeee!

My favourite Earl Grey cup of tea in my hand, a gentle breeze from Mumbai’s cool weather thanks to global warming, and my new parrot green Chanderi sari on me!

Could life get better I was thinking on a break when the receptionist announced the next patient and I hurriedly gathered my pleats as I rushed to my room.

One look at Bina Shah and I was instantly reminded of the talented actor Om Puri! The exact same pitted scars landscaped her face!

Here was this smiling, almost cherubic 35 year old but oh-my-goodness what deeply cratered skin!

I sat her down in my clinic and without wasting any time embarked on listing a series of treatments

I could do to bulldoze acne scars away!

You can start with a moderate strength salicylic peel or a stronger retinol peel I informed her.

Then move onto dermaroller therapy, showing her a pinwheel needled instrument much like a mini lawn mower!

It’s an age old French technique to

produce pinpoint bleeders and incite collagen production in the scars I explained.

Or you could avail of the latest fractional lasers, these also fill up scars more or less permanently with a 70- 80% improvement.

Of course, slowly but steadily over a couple of months, I will simultaneously prescribe some scar diminishing creams for a more efficacious result. Just ready yourself for a longish treatment I cheerfully told her, you will get the smoother skin you desire!

She listened patiently, then shyly said,

‘Actually these scars are my friends.

I am used to them.

If I didn’t have them no one would recognise me !

They don’t trouble me in the least!’

I squirmed, mentally kicking myself for forgetting the first rule in medicine – Listen carefully to what the patient has to say!

Rather than smugly listening to the sound of one’s own voice!

She gently continued,

‘All I want is a general skin care routine for my oily skin and the itchy oily scales I have on my scalp.’

I rushed to do a thorough assessment of both face and scalp and then a tad selfconciously pronounced that she had mild seborrhaeic dermatitis .

Simple creams and shampoos on a daily basis would sort the problem.

I wrote these out, then spoke of this, that and the other, everything under the sun other than acne scars, before bidding her goodbye.

We met again two months later, this time for a papular urticaria she had developed.

Since then I have treated her, her husband, her only daughter, her in-laws and extended family, her friends, all for their various skin and hair issues, sometimes a herpes simplex, at other times a stress eczema, a contact dermatitis here to a sebaceous cyst there!

It’s been 15 years and Bina is still bright and ever-smiling, her face still pockmarked with pitted scars.

Though newer and progressive treatments to treat scars have emerged (like Botox and PRP with micro needling) I have never suggested them.

Neither has she ever complained!

A woman in total equanimity,

content and happy in herself!

A woman who within a year of her daughter’s marriage, in the blink of an eye, donated her healthy kidney to save the life of her

son-in-law in acute renal failure.

‘Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself’ famous words by the timeless Coco Chanel rang in my mind as I reminisced my first encounters with Bina Shah, a BEAUTIFUL woman indeed!

Hi all !

It’s me Twinny .. reporting from chilly

St Petersburg , Russia 🇷🇺 …

Dressed in aristocratic Russian cap , muffler and gloves…

St Petersburg founded in 1703 by Peter the Great is an incredibly beautiful city with elegant churches, palaces , canals …90 at last count ….the Venice of the East !

Its RICH too!

Capital of Russia for 300 years , it was home to several generations of Russian TSARS .

Both The HERMITAGE and Catherine’s SUMMER PALACE designed by Bartholomew Rastrelli bear testimony to the EXTREME WEALTH of the Romanovs……..

The palaces are replete in opulent splendour housing the world’s biggest Vase ,

the world’s biggest chandelier ,

Walls of amber and lapis lazuli ,

Pillars of malachite ,

Cabinets inlaid with tortoise shells ,

Pink porcelain vases gilded with gold,

Gigantic Tapestries,

Clocks , writing desks, sledges, ..

All EXQUISITE !!

In a bid for a more equitable distribution of wealth the Bolsheviks under Lenin deported Nickolas the second , his wife , four daughters and lone son to Siberia in 1917 .

They were subsequently brutally killed making

Nikolas the LAST Romanov , the LAST TSAR to rule Russia .

At the time of his death , he was touted to be the richest man on the PLANET !

Blimey !

This blog is dedicated to a girl by the name of DILKHUSH whose birthday it is today .

Presently she is shooting as creative director for an Indian period film in Indore which is taking an excruciating 2 years to make !

But then all things of great beauty DO take TIME for their creation !

Here in St Petersburg, the Jeweller PETER CARL FABERGE took TWO years (averagely ) to create an EGGSHAPED bejewelled case for the Royal family , even though it was just 2 1/2 to three inches in size !

Several such eggs were made …

The Imperial FABERGE EGGS !

These eggs were mystifying masterpieces in gold and precious stones gifted by the Tsar to his wife or mother each year at EASTER .

The tradition began in 1885 when Alexander the third gifted a FABERGE EGG to his wife . So enthralled was she .. that the tradition just carried on !

The original Faberge egg was probably the simplest in design . A white enamel case, a gold yolk , a little gold hen with a pendant inside ….Yet it is valued at between 3-4 million US dollars today !

Goodness gracious !

Each Faberge egg was UNIQUE and held a FASCINATING SURPRISE ,created with supreme craftsmanship, WITHIN !

There were 50 eggs in all , seven were lost , and some were resold .. The QUEEN of ENGLAND owns three and JEFF BEZOS, the owner of Amazon owns one…along with several other enamelled Faberge creations.

But back to DILKHUSH !

She is actually a very simple girl but one with surprisingly exquisite taste !

On her SEVENTH Birthday her mother organised a TREASURE HUNT for her and her seven friends .

Here she is .. wearing a suede grey gown and pendant…

Imagine the shock of her friends when after hours of searching .. the treasure unearthed turned out to be nothing more EGGZOTIC than an EGG!

A simple EGG ??!!

They were aghast!

They were expecting a PRINCESS BARBIE complete with tiara and gown.. and all they got was a silly egg !

Quickly and innovatively they smashed the hapless egg on Dilkhush’s bewildered head !

She was livid but did not show it ( as is her nature).

Holding back her tears , she gamely shot off to the kitchen fridge , took out a handful of fresh farm eggs and proceeded to smash each one of her friends with them!

What an EGGCITING turn of events !

Well not EGGZACTLY !

This was 20 years ago !

Do you remember Dilkhush ??

This year , on your 27 th birthday , to make up for your mothers RIDICULOUS sense of humour , I , Twinny would like to gift you a FABERGE EGG …..

Bought here in St Petersburg…..

And sent all the way FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE!

Faberge Eggs???

Well Not EGGZACTLY!

These are MICRO-MINI imitations but

you can choose from THREE ..

Wear as charms on a bracelet or as pendants on a chain ..Like so…

YOUR CHOICE !

The world is your oyster ..….er Egg Darling !

‘ Hatch ‘ it the way you wish

🐣 !

My my ….You’ve come a long way KARINA!

May the road ahead be

EGGCITING , EGGSQUISITE, and yes …a tad EGGSTRAORDINARY!

☺️!

Happy happy birthday darling braveheart daughter…

Love you forever

Mama ❤️