Thank you - I

I love knitting and designing is my favorite part. Knitting is my favorite pass time, stress buster and needless to say, its my passion, pride and hobby too. I am really good at it. Every winter, I have to knit to relax my otherwise very busy mind, did not know what to do with this. But, at the beginning of this year, my usually crowded mind with new designs went blank, when it comes to coming out with new designs, whether its for sweater, caps for new pattern to try out. I was totally blank. But, interestingly, it does also mean that I should not knit, because I can't stay without knitting, not in winter months.

Then I got a simple idea in my brain and I wrote, couple of my facebook friends, to help me to take shape of this idea, which I have in my mind. Just like that, they funded my small wish. I just wanted to make caps for all the children in Bal Mandir and needed some money for wool, all the rest I will see; they just said, ‘okay’ to send me money for that.

So, from about last week of January, I started making caps and the money started coming in from February onwards. It took me, just couple of months, to make two caps for everyone in Bal Mandir. Making caps for the children was not much tough task for me, what was more challenging for me, was to not to repeat the same color and designs twice; so that the one of them lose it, and will go to the other one claiming to him/her saying its mine. You know, I myself grew up in Bal Mandir, so I know all kind of things, that happens there. This is one of the best challenge for me as a designer.

Its bit strange, why I came up with caps to give all of them.

Last December, when we had gone to reunion picnic; one of my friend was wearing a cap, which I had made for his first child and told me “Sunita, do you remember this cap, I have been wearing this for the last 16 years.” It was simple knit, yet  that cap sure had my signature style on it. I found it amazing, a simple hand knitted cap, can last more than 15 years, which takes only couple of hours to make it ! One of the reason I came up to make caps for all is, because I learn knitting in Bal Mandir. Another is, I have received so many things and kindness, from so many people in my life; so why not give something back when I can ! One more reason, I do not remember wearing caps, when I was in Bal Mandir during winter. Its really hard to believe that we did not take much notice of it then.

There is one more reason to make caps for all of them, I got this inspiration, seeing those who spin cottons to make butter lamps of 100,000 and some times 125,000 thousand butter lamp to offer it on temple of thier choice of God. Do I have to tell you how much time it involves when they spin it with so much devotion. Not to forget about the cost whatever money they spend for this particular reason. Then, all they do, is to go to the temple and then, Whoop ! burn it out in the name of God. Are they trying to find peace of mind doing this kind of work in the name of God ? Its really hard for me, even try to understand; why they do this ? But, doing something like that, my hours of work and money should help some group of people, but not see it burn into ashes, not even; in the name of God. Besides this work will sure last more than 10 years so why not make it for them.

I would like to thank my facebook friends, Pankaj Bastola [USA], Girish Pokharel [USA], Govind [Khatri][Canada] jee for helping me to take this plan into reality. Gobind [Yadav] jee, you know why I should not forget to thank you for saying ‘Okay, I will give you money’ and thats what all of the other people said, when I wrote them a letter. Last but not the least I would also like to thank Rebecca Ordish, Executive Director of Mitrataa Foundation, which has been taking care of the Management of Bal Mandir now a days. I did not know, it was not easy to enter in the Bal Mandir [even if we grew up there] and give them what we want to give them.

This years thanksgiving day, holds a lot more meaning and importance in my life; as I have got the genuine reasons to be thankful. Whether, I was giving it to say thank you to all the people who made me thankful towards them, or remain genuinely thankful; to so many people in my life. No doubt, I love being in social network like facebook, as long as my virtual friends, keep giving me reasons to remain thankful, for so many reasons.