by Gauri Dalvi Pandya
illustrated by Avani Dwivedi
illustrated by Avani Dwivedi
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LearningTranscript
00:00A Curta to Remember By Gauri Dalvi Pandya
00:15Illustrated by Avani Dwivedi Tomorrow is moving day
00:20To a new home To a new country
00:24Far far away from Arji and Ajabah In one room
00:29Mama packs, unpacks and packs again Barbara fills box after box with all the
00:35things we will need What about the things my heart will miss?
00:41In the other room With her hands moving back and forth and her
00:45glass banged ear jingling clink clink Arji sews me a curta
00:51Not just any curta A curta with pockets
00:56Do you know what the pockets will carry gap you?
01:00Arji asks I shrug
01:03They can't carry you, can they?
01:06I kick my suitcase away But they can carry my sweet fragrance
01:12Arji says patting my cheek Plucking the mogra from her fragrant gajra
01:17that adorns her plait She places the flowers in the pockets
01:23What if the fragrance fades away?
01:26I ask hiding my face in the softness of Arji's sadi
01:30Then the clink clink of my bangdia will be there to stay
01:33Arji says Ah, what if the bangdia break?
01:38I grumble Then my little tiklis will be there
01:43What if the tiklis get lost?
01:45I ask Then this diva will help you find your way
01:49Ajabar chimes in What if I forget to light the diva?
01:54I groan Then your favorite shloka will remind you
01:58Ajabar says Shubham karoti kalyaranam arajim dana sampadar
02:04shachabudhavina shaya dipujyoturnam astute With the ocean so wide and thousands of miles
02:11between us What if you forget me someday?
02:16What if I forget you someday?
02:18I ask, burying my face in my hands With her big smile
02:24Arji sings my special lullaby Nimbona shaya zadamaj chandra zo palagabai
02:30Nimbona shaya zadamaj chandra zo palagabai Behind the majestic neem tree
02:37The moon is finally fast asleep Together we stare at its soft glow
02:44When suddenly, I have an idea Arji, we need two more kurtas
02:50Kurtas with bigger pockets What for?
02:54Arji asks One for you and one for Ajabar of course
03:00I say As I place my hand on hers with her bangdia
03:04jingling clink clink we sew two new kurtas Kurtas with bigger pockets
03:10Do you know what these pockets will carry?
03:13I ask You tell me
03:15Ajabar replies They will carry my favorite vegetable ghandi
03:20that Arji makes I squeal
03:24What if it gets spoiled?
03:26Arji asks Then the chum chum of my tiny gangroos will
03:31always stay I reply
03:33What if the gangroos break?
03:36Then my collection of peacock feathers will be in there
03:40I say What if we lose them?
03:44Then this picture of us will always be with you
03:46I say What if the picture fades away?
03:50Arji sighs Then my book of jokes will make you smile
03:55How do you make an octopus laugh?
03:59I ask With tentacles
04:02We laugh Ajabar places my kurta in my suitcase and
04:07I place Arji's and Ajabar's kurtas in their dresser
04:12Kurtas with pockets Pockets that will remind us no matter how
04:16wide the ocean No matter the thousands of miles between us
04:20that we are with each other Always
04:24When I arrive in my new room in my new home far far away
04:28I will put on the kurta that Arji sewed And Arji and Ajabar will put on the kurtas
04:34that we sewed together Whirling and twirling
04:38We will hold on to each other And just like that, we will not feel so far
04:44away The end
04:47Glossary This story uses words that are spoken in
04:51the Marathi language from the western region of India
04:54Phendi, okra Gajra, a small garland made with different
05:00flowers Sometimes jasmine or even roses worn on the
05:05bun or braid Deva, a small lamp that when lit, symbolizes
05:10enlightenment knowledge and wisdom Bangdya, Bengal's jewellery worn around the
05:16wrist Ajabar, ajoba grandfather
05:21Baba, baba father Arji, aagi grandmother
05:28Gangurus, tiny bells strung together A musical anklet tied to the feet
05:34Kurta, traditional Indian attire worn by women and men
05:38Shloka, a sacred Sanskrit chant chanted before lighting the Deva
05:44Shubham karati kalyanam arajim dana sampada Shachubha divinashaya daipujiyata namastute
05:59Salutations to the light of the lamp which brings auspiciousness health prosperity and
06:04knowledge Mugra, a type of jasmine native to the Indian
06:09subcontinent Sadi, a stretch of woven fabric gracefully
06:14draped by women with one end attached to the waist while the other end rests over one shoulder
06:19Tikli, a mark applied in the centre of the forehead, close to the eyebrows
06:26or in the middle of the forehead Traditionally believed as the third eye in
06:30Indian culture For the little Devi, goddess, in my life,
06:36I a Gauri
06:39To the ones who had to leave their homes and families in search of new adventures
06:44Avani The end