How a Kanchipuram Saree Turned a Foreign Festival into a Homecoming

Pongal in New York felt strange. No sugarcane, no kolam. Just winter chill. But when I wore the silk Kanchipuram saree from Dakshin Vastram, I felt anchored. It brought my childhood back — the temple bells, Appa’s filter coffee, the laughter of cousins. That saree became my anchor. People asked where it’s from. I proudly said, “From Chennai. My Chennai.