Nostalgia

I have some memories regarding this family photograph. I saw this photograph at my grand parents Yalamanchili Kutumba rao garu and Padmavathi"s house in Singampally (Nizamabad district). Ammamma told me...

" It was very difficult for me to pose for the picture. I wore a gajjela vaddanam... and your mamayya (Chakradhara rao) was kicking it off.  I could not stand properly. Your mother (my mom late smt. Suseela) is not at home. And within days we took this photo.. my  mother in law( i.e. Bhushamma garu) died."

During summer holidays we all cousins used to meet at their house. And atleast one day we used to spend talking about the photograph... wondering how beautiful they are!  They wore crepe sarees and blouses with puff sleeves. You know... this picture is taken before independence!!!
Those days our grannies used to spin cotton, made rice for daily use by hand.. early morning lechi, vadlu danchi biyyam chesi vaati tho annam vande varata. And one more interesting anecdote... when they are doing this, men should not hear the sound of their bangles it seems. So they used to tie cloth around the bangles... she told. After all... they were the days of parda in the society.