The Blue Bedspread

 The Blue Bedspread:

It was the Monsoon of 1982, it was early August in Delhi and it hadn't rained as yet. My brother got married amidst a lot of celebrations and it was a posh wedding. Then arrived,my sister-in-laws trousseau, we were awestruck and amazed at the  packing, neatness, quality, care and affection which went into everything. I was most awestruck by the enviable clothes my brother got apart from the formals, the casual wear was interesting (Wrangler, Levis, Nike the works) , it was a big deal, remember, it was India in the early 80s.

Amidst all the finery there was this blue bedspread, which found its way to me. It was my bedspread in the graduation years. I carried it along when I joined the Army and travelled with me for 6 years as part of my tour of duty, Madras, Pathankot, Ahmednagar, Amritsar, Sonmarg, Srilanka and Mhow. I adorned it on my bed in many rooms and brightened up the drab surroundings. It served the country along with me and was robust and received many compliments from fellow visitors.

A year of education, Post- graduation, the tour of duty over, I was back to my parents home and the bedspread was back with me.... slowly , life turned a new leaf and I was married and bed spread became one that many my wife brought and bought in. I met the fellow far and few times as there was a wide variety. Twenty years of marriage and togetherness and the bedspread made a guest appearance in the three homes we lived in, sorry a fourth home too (was our weekend home for a while). The came the daughter, and she played and grew from a toddler to nearly a teenager, meeting the bedspread.

Then Boomerang,nearly 10 years ago, I was back to my parents home and somehow the bedspread followed me. By now over the years, with hundreds of washes it had become so soft and smooth that I prefer it over any other. While I write this piece in the Monsoon of 2021, it's my Brothers and Sister-in- laws 39th Wedding anniversary that's coming up and that makes this bedspread that old with me. I understand it has American Origins and looks store bought, but what a bedspread it has brought joy to me in all situations and circumstances. Thank you Poonam and your parents for this lovely gift amongst others that came my way in my life.