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Deepika Shergill

@bibi.about.town

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Story gatherer, raconteur..a bibi about town on a trot w/ her musings
Mom to a doc n an actor
Biji ki Beti
Thru her lens @deepikashergillphotography

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64th, yes ..

..as I stride into my 65.

And, like I was telling the sons ..there was a time I never thought I’d even get anywhere close. I never thought I’d get here. But ..I did.

And, you know what makes my 64 special?

Each day of my 64 ..I’ve earned. I’ve snatched my years. I own them.

Blessed, yes. Very.

But ..each strand of that silver ..every line around my eyes ..the curve of my smile ..has a story. Creak of the knee too, yes ..the puff of breath as well. But ..those smiles more. The lehrao of my pallu ..the song in my heart.

Yup ..each day of my 64 ..is my own. Earned.

Chardi Kala. Mehr. Shukr.

___

सजी हुई ..

Saree: @suta_bombay
Neckpiece: @mymeerastore
Spec chain: @samoolam

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#64th #birthdaygirl by @bibi.about.town

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9 months ago

Riddling my mamma at lunch. Got a long day ahead still at work ..

..but got my fix ..!

Revived now. 😀

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#mastiwithmymom #mastiwithmom❤️ #kamleshgill by @bibi.about.town

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2 years ago

..and, beyond ..of course.

Kyunki ..guess what, abhi to party shuru hui hai ..!

The 60s ..have a magic their own. Much like those lovely colours of sunsets? Seeped in of richness of living ..of having lived that living. The deep colours (even if those lighten on the crown, just saying) ..carrying multiple hues ..deepening still as the years edge on.

As the colours on the crown lighten (the silvers) ..lightens the heart too. The laughter lines deepen ..crinkling the eyes ..as you trot n dance on ..knowing what you’ve shed are baggages which were dead weights. Some shed off on their own ..some you peel off. You dont need those.

What you need is ..music. And much of that ..plays in your heart already. A heart you’ve retrieved ..and cleansed ..which strums its own music now.

The light dancing strings of music.

So, yeah ..dance on Laila ..aka Baddie Bibi.

___

My phone camera on stand at work here, btw ..as I invite some friends to join me in frame. Just in case you are wondering yeh baddie bibi kissey bula rahi hai.

The lehrataa pallu is ..a #banarasi #kattansilk saree I bought directly from a head weaver in Benaras a few years ago. A favourite.

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#sweet60s #60kepaar #dancing60s by @bibi.about.town

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2 days ago

Bibi here ..as a young friend I made this evening named me ..

..Baddie Bibi ..!

Loved it.

Was 2:00am here ..been dancing 5 hours already ..and this baddie was good to go for another 5 ..! But, well ..music waaley bhi to thakk saktey hain, right?

And ..what music ..! There was live music till 12:30am ..and then the DJ took over. While I did miss the ‘dhol’ shuru shuru mein ..but they soon brought on the music you simply cannot sit out. You HAVE to be on the floor dancing. This bibi was.

Celebrating a dear niece’s 50th in Lucknow .. ❤️❤️ ..and what a celebration it turned out to be too ..!

___

Have music ..this bibi will dance. Kabhi kabhi ..it been begaani shaadi mein abdullah deewaana too. Koi na.
Like I often tell the kids ..if the doctors ever give up on me ..just put on some ‘dhol’ n music ..and your ma shall rise ..!

But, yeah ..freer ..and dancing more now ..unbridled, uninhibited .. than I was in my 30s n 40s ..

..and dont plan to stop anytime soon ..!

And, age ..age is a beautiful number.

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#sweet60s #dancing60s #60kepaar by @bibi.about.town

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3 days ago

The picture here is a quick grab as I got to T2 on Saturday. Oct 10. The protests ..borders barricaded ..I was contemplating my ride to T2 for my 1:30pm flight to Lucknow ..crossing from Gurgaon into Delhi. Had read about snarls n delays the night before.

Decided to travel with a couple of hours margin time. Just in case.

Three cabs canceled. Kept my fingers crossed till the 4th attempt reached to pick me up.

Smooth traffic ..n as we neared the border to cross into Delhi ..

I asked my driver - ‘Kya lagta aapko ..border ka kya haal hai? Rok rahey hain logon ko. Suna raat mein dikkat rahi. ..’
(‘Do think there will be a delay at the border? Heard they are stopping people ..’)

He - ‘Koi problem nahin hai, Ma’am ..sab khula hai ..’. (‘There is no problem ..all is open ..’)

And, then ..he added - ‘Sab ko jaaney de rahey hain ..sirf ..cockrocho’n ko rokk rahey hain ..’
(‘They are letting everyone go ..except cockroaches ..’)

I nodded briefly ..choosing to keep my counsel. Not sure which side of the fence he is on ..n am in his cab. Rather avoid any ‘charcha’. I’ve had instances where some people have turned aggressive in conversations. Bibi is sensible of late. I just need the ride completed.

He carried on though - ‘..parr, Madam ji ..cockroach hain. Kitna rokk logey? Aa to jaayeingey. Dekh lijiye ..pahunch gaye wahaan already. Dartey thode hi hain!’
(‘..but they are cockroaches, how much can you stop them? They will find their way. See, reached there already. They dont fear.’)

I sensed a fervour n spied a smile ..as he sat up straighter.

Was a 20-25min snarl at the border. Reached the airport with 2 hrs still on me. Koi na. Snoozed ..n made sure to catch the flight.

___

While I have my thoughts on CJP ..ek leher तो है. Different forces ..different voices ..but together ..ek aawaaz तो है.

Whoever ..n wherever each of those voices land upon ..ek jaagrukta तो है.

Being silent is becoming less an option. And ..more a choice to not.

Badlaav. Change.

We are seeing the times. And, again ..by whoever n for whatever reason the voices are being driven ..

..the slumber is broken.

Takes a shor sometimes to wake one up, yes.

. by @bibi.about.town

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4 days ago

..ji ..muskuraa rahi hoon :)

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#lucknow #travels taken in Lucknow - the City of Nawabs by @bibi.about.town

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6 days ago

A baking afternoon ..

..and hope we are sorted for at least a week ..? Or maybe not. Sigh. Chetti mukk-shukk jaanda sab kuj ..

Banana Walnut n Black Raisin Cake
Coconut Cookies
..and a first attempt at Potato Buns

The cake n cookies on point ..just right sweet, crumbly n light ..parr buns ka mazaa nahin aaya. Koi na. Kinda figured what to do differently the next time. Nail to isko bhi karna hai, boss.

Find myself mulling too.

If cakes n cookies for mom are home-baked ..then why not bread too ..? Am getting increasingly uncomfortable ordering it in of late. Mom ne khaani hai. Merii nikki jayee bachchi ne. Apney haath se banaaongi.

Been browsing recipes for a while ..and would like to attempt soon. Mushkil nahin hona chahiye. Artisan, sourdough ..garlic ..or regular multigrain. Even lentil bread ..so that I can dig into it too for a gluten free. Buns, paos.

I know many friends here do breads at home. Even if not on a regular basis.

Bibi ko educate karo please. Maybe some recipes ..or tips that matter ..?

I think am ready.

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#baking #bibikadhabba #kitchentales #breads by @bibi.about.town

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7 days ago

Yup.

And ..make them more mine
The rain ..or the shine
Not sure if I’ll be exactly fine
But, yeah ..make them more mine

Of course ..there’ll be tears
Sniffles too ..and the fears
But soon ..the clouds will clear
And, I’d ..I’d still be here

Coz ..rain or shine
I’d have made them mine

More mine

___

True too, no?

We live it all. And, become more the people we become. With our definitions, our chisels ..and our scars. We’ve lived them. We earned them.

We own them.

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#life #rainorshine by @bibi.about.town

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8 days ago

With @bibi.about.town Deepika Shergill, whom I've met a few times before, always at the homes of mutual friends - at Teej parties, a wedding, a literary event. She has long been a person I've admired, for her dignity, her sense of style, and the self-confidence (though never arrogant, never anything but warm and kind) she exudes.

Yesterday, finally, we got a chance to sit down and talk. And what a lovely person Deepika is, so wise and witty and totally emulatable, if I may be allowed to coin a phrase. So articulate, so very professional, and yet so down to earth, sensible. Jisko 'shareef' kehte hain, you know.

Thank you, Deepika. This was such a wonderful day. (And thank you for the photos!, this one included). taken in Bikaner House by @bibi.about.town

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9 days ago

Windy morning ..as I slid open the balcony door. Bibi’s hair (whatever of) were going udh-pudd ..fly-shly, you know. Itna time lagaa key set kiye the before I step out. Koi na ..messy hair is in anyways :))

The saree too could have gone udh-pudd. But had already attempted a keep-pallu-in-place hack. Spot it? My first attempt 😎 ..and I love it already.

A sheer saree can get in easy through a ring. And ..I keep it flowy still (the lower end of the saree not pulled up more). Pinned it to the top a little above the ring. Stayed put ..!

I cabbed it to the Metro Stn and a fair amount of walking already ..carrying a backpack, sling bag n phone sling. And ..the last thing I had to sambhaalo or manage was the saree pallu. The ring (an old pick from Janpath) worked n shone both.

The saree, meanwhile ..is an @inde_loom fine silk kota doria with kalamkari. The top ..a much seasoned @fabindiaofficial ..with @samoolam holding my specs.

Ki kehndey ..?

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#bibiabouttown #sareehacks #sareestories by @bibi.about.town

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10 days ago

..and the day of the son’s movie screening at the festival ..soon moved to a celebratory gals day ..and night out ..!!

Anu had hosted me (and helped me with identifying n firming my transport too) ..as Rhea and Juhi joined in too. We kinda went high n wild as the evening wore on as you can see ..:)). While I knew Rhea already ..Juhi is a new friend I made.

And ..what better vibing than over tequilas and live Sufi music on a terrace, dasso?

From a fairly sedate lunch at Loulou ..the charming cottage cafe ..to taking over the dance floor at Romeo Lane as the evening wore on. To soon moving to the discotheque a level below.
Like I joked with the girls - ‘in case i get lost ..will be easy to find me in the discotheque ..coz of my silvers ..!’ They were shining. My chitta-chitta was on fire.

We lived it up. And ..how ..!

___

Thank you, girls. The day turned more special for the bibi ❤️

Thank you, Anu ..for orchestrating this ..and looking out for me every which way ..love you ..😘
Belated happy birthday again, Rhea :)
And, Juhi ..we’ve many more conversations pending ..! Loved the ride back to Delhi together.

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#girlsday and night! #partying taken in Dehradun The City Of Love by @bibi.about.town

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11 days ago

‘Unspoken’ ..directed by Zenon Samuels got screened at the 11th Dehradun International Film Festival on the 4th. It starred bibi’s son @soorajohri1 ..so she HAD to be there for the screening, right?

And, she was :)

Still processing the experience ..and maybe will get around finding words. Tab tak ..some pics. A proud momma, yes. Her son’s film showcased along with some other very powerful films.

This category of films ..consisted of docu stories, along with some other sensitive awareness narrations. Enthralling.

‘Unspoken’ touched upon a certain mental condition which many are not even aware of. I dint know of it. A very intense projection. As I watched ..I forgot it was my son who was portraying it. Powerful. Incidentally, as Sooraj tells me ..this was the first project he did when he moved to LA early last year.

The directors/makers present got felicitated too. Since no one from ‘Unspoken’ is in India right now ..I took it on their behalf being the key actor’s mom present ..and will ensure it reaches them too.

So, yeah ..bibi at the movies. And ..and a very special outing too.

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#filmfestival #dehraduninternationalfilmfestival #proudmom taken in Silver City Multiplex, Dehradun by @bibi.about.town

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11 days ago