GIFTS OF LOVE AND BONDING: GIFT HOUSE OF VELACHERY
On 14th Feb. when my husband came home with my favourite bunch of red roses, a piece of delectable chocolate cake and a unique gift of mirror frame for me and wished me ‘HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY’, I also secretly brought out the little but loving gift for him a unique wooden mobile holder, that I had purchased with my little savings hunting all the gift shop nearby. The situation reminded me the story of O’ Henry ‘The Gift of the Magi’ where Dell and Jim both sacrificing their cherished possessions, bought loving Christmas gifts for one another. Really gift is the expression of trail of love and care, gifts also nurtures the relationship into a long lasting one. Exchanging of gifts is just like a fragrance that evokes a sense of nostalgia as they always take us to long past only to revive our memories and experiences.
GIFTS: LET’S TRACE BACK
Exchange of gift is so addicting and fascinating only for the euphoric feelings it caters us. But perhaps it began with on part of a male counterpart to show love by gifting food to his female one in primitive era. Then gradually it flourished to express social bonding and intimacy. The accounts of History inspire us to dive delve to find the origin of gifting.
EGYPTIAN HISTORY:
Ancient Egyptians perhaps were one of the earliest civilizations who brought the traditional gift giving in existence. In addition to birthday they celebrated the day of coronation which was marked as the Pharaohs transformation into God. They received gifts like jewellery, flower grain and crop to prepare them for bountiful afterlife.
ROMAN HISTORY:
In ancient Roman civilization it was the tradition to show loyalty to the Emperor by presenting him good luck token called strenae (named after Goddess Strenia), a laurel twig, figs, honey cake and dates. It is interesting to notice that in those age, the holidays from 17th to 23rd December, were celebrated on the occasion of Saturnalia, a Roman festival in the honour of the God Saturn .It was celebrated with private gift giving , party and carnival.
GREEK HISTORY:
Homer, who was considered of having the greatest influences on Greek culture and education, portrays in Odyssey the concept of hospitability and gift giving .It was believed that the extending gifts towards travellers and strangers are the symbol of generosity and social bonding.
MIDDLE AGE:
In Middle Age gifts were given for personal favour of the King. Gifts were also offered at the time of betrothment on behalf of the bride’s family, which was turned in dowries later. This tradition like dowry was prevalent for centuries in Europe; dowry is still persisting in many parts of the world but negating the term of gift.
MEANING OF GIFTS:
“A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place and when we expect nothing in return”.
---The BHAGAWAD GITA
TO BOND UP INTIMACY:
Often we exchange gift with relatives, friends, followers to ensure our intimate connection and to communicate our emotions and appreciation for them. In fact being gregarious creature, we the human beings seek social recognition and affection. Gift is such a mean that confirms this craving. The French sociologist Marcel Mauss opines in his book “The GIFT” that not offering a gift or refusing is a great disapproval of relationship.
A VERSION OF LOVE:
A love stricken soul or a love seeking girl only understands the language of gift, given with love and emotion. Male though stout in physique or tough at heart cannot ignore the spell of gift, by his lady love. Gifts ensure the love among siblings, children and parents, friends, colleagues, boss and sub –ordinates.
ENCOURAGEMENT:
Gifts are the symbol of encouragement to the children trying to do their best in any faculty, an inspiration to the staffs from their employer, an appreciation to caretaker from the service recipient.
FINDING A MATE:
As biological research reveals animals like gibbons, chimpanzee offer gift to their mate to retain the mating relationship, human being especially the males are in practice of doing so, whereas woman finds gifts for strengthening her family network.
POPULAR OCCASION AND FESTIVITY TFOR GIFTING
· BIRTHDAY GIFT
· ANNIVERSARY GIFT
· WEDDING OR MARRIAGE GIFT
· HOUSE WARMING GIFT
· THREAD CEREMONY
· RICE CEREMONY
· GRADUATION CEREMONY
· WELCOME CEREMONY
· FAREWELL
· CORPORATE GIFT
India is a large country of festivity, so we need not create any special occasion to gift our loving ones. We may gift on
· DIWALI
· DUSSERAH
· NAVRATRI
· DURGA PUJA
· BHAIDOOJ
· RAKSHABANDHAN
· PONGAL
· HOLGANESH CHATURTHI
· LOHRI
· NEW YEAR
· CHRISTMAS
· FATHER’S DAY
· MOTHER’S DAY
· VALENTINE’S DAY
Gifts may be as show piece, home decor, wall decor, wall art. They also are meant Office decor, cafe, hotel, wedding decor, Christmas decor, navratri golu decor or diwali decor Or garments, jewellery, toys , perfume, clutch etc
RETURN GIFT:
Though in ancient Indian history gift was synonymous to “DANA”, it cannot be denied some hidden expectation of receiving return gifts lay at our heart. As reciprocations are the norms of a society, we something in exchange of giving. Marriage is the great institutional ceremony, both the party receives huge and costly gifts and in turn they offer return gift to make it all like to receive memorable.
MAY I EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF RETURN GIFT ?
It is amazing to date back the history of return gift, but it is true. In ancient Europe the King, the Queen and the members of the royal family used to present the guests and subjects a small box of gift called bonbonniere. This custom became popular among the aristocrats and nobles and thus prevalent among the commoners.
Now it is a part of ritual to offer return gift on marriage, birthday and navratri and on the occasion of haldi kumkum.
WHAT BE INCLUDED IN RETURN GIFTS:
Usually return gifts are be in huge in number as they are for all the guests, so they are bought in bulk which afford the pocket of the host. The return gifts may be some small gift like hand crafted key chain for ladies, jute wall hanging, small mirror sets, and wooden small sets of birds, unique showpieces.
CATEGORIZE THE GIFTS:
· First of all we have to particularize the number of gift. That means, whether it would be few or bulk in number.
· We have to select whether for male or female.
· We need to choose whether for kids, young ones or elderly.
· We have to select the occasions, like birthday, anniversary ,wedding or holi, diwali , pongal, navratri , corporate
· Next we choose whether the gift would be for home decor, office, cafe, hotels or wedding decor.
When we will be confirm the targeted persons and particular occasion we should bend on whether we would buy machine made or hand crafted Ecofriendly wooden, jute, clay or paper mache Hastshilp gifts.
GIFTS: MACHINE MADE OR HAND MADE:
In this mechanical era we are weary of leading a racing and monotonous life. Nowadays on line work, on line chatting have intruded in our social life. We lack energy to mix up with others in person. In such social degeneration if a piece of handmade rural gift soothes our eyes, enchants our minds, or tranquil our excited brain, what’s wrong it would be? The choice is obviously of the buyer, whether he would hop about the gift shop of “Hastshilp” or “Yantrashilp”.
Nandalal Bose, one of the great artist of Shantiniketan, West Bengal substantiate in one of his essays “Shristi O Drishti”that “The absence of sense of beauty not only cheats man of aesthetic experience but it harms his physical and mental well- being.
”VELACHERY, the heart of Chennai may be described as the Mecca of gifts. As I once resided at VELACHERY and I myself am always in sought of gifts , I can assure the gift hunters whether they are after Hastshilp (hand crafted) or Yantra shilp (machine made) gifts, they must visit the gift shops of VELACHERY, and I think VELACHERY never disappoints one.
A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place and when we expect nothing in return.