The waning charm of blushing

My father was a handsome man., with the colour of lotus petals,an erudite and distinctive nose and a halo around his face due to hours of prayer and meditation.He however developed sugar and BP problems and being a disciplinarian he completely cut down on sugar and salt.I realized the pitiable nature of his food when one day my mother served food meant for him ,to me.Though he became normal, he continued his frugal saltless sugarless diet.After my third sister’s marriage was over, I served and made him eat the whole range of marriage food[kalyana samayal ]watched in stunned silence by my mother and siblings..When all the ten of us clapped after he finished the meal,he blushed deep and red which is etched in my memory even after 30 years.One year before his final journey I bought a nice pink colour shirt and took him around our street.He looked so handsome blushing all the way through the street.The shirt is preserved by us even after twentyfive years.Whenever I see the shirt I recall the beauty of his blushing.

My mother aged 86 blushed with guilt when I discovered some antacid tablets which I had prohibited her from using,safely tucked away in her surukku pai.She blushed with pride when I discovered thirtysix thousand rupees kept hidden in the saree folds inside her bag and I acknowledged that she was richer than me.Even the blush out of guilt looked charming as did her building a sizeable nest out of the money children and grand children gave her.She had a knack.When they prostrated before her she would bless them and give them fifty Rupees each.In return they would give her between three hundred and five hundred.She would watch my reaction through the corner of her eyes,all the time blushing.I tried this technique and the siblings,nephews and nieces happily pocketed the money and walked away.I blushed because I could not successfully replicate my mother’s technique..
Being a large family every one got married late.Money was a constraint but was more than made up by fun,frolic and generous levels of blushing.Some times it was so spontaneous and boisterous that it broke the feigned reserve of the grooms family and made them unabashedly join in the fun and blushing .I attended quite a few marriages recently.and was struck by the absence of blushing.The boy and the girl were engaged in matter of fact conversation and there was no sign of blushing except what was transplanted by the beautician.When some pretty girl sings and you compliment her she blushes. This has been replaced by a violent orchestra and the drums leave your ear drums shattered giving very little room for blushing.
Rudyard Kipling covered blushing in the following lines:
I cannot control my girlish blush-my colour comes and goes
I redden my finger tips and some times to my nose
Blushing is nothing but reddening of the face neck and ears.When some body praises you or you are in caught in an awkward situation you blush and in such a situation avoid eye contact.In earlier films we saw that the heroine blushed and drew all sorts of lines in the beach sand.Today she perches herself on the hero’s waist in an awkward position –I cant say more. I recall some passages in Empress of Blandings by PG.wodehouse while traveling much to the concern of the fellow passengers.This is in absentia blushing..

Blushing is a unique human trait caused by expansion of the capillaries and greater flow of blood.This is the way the responsive nervous system reacts to pleasure,embarrassment etc.Normally young people blush,. more particularly girls because of self consciousness and active nervous system.As we advance in age we become matter of fact for both accolades and abuse.
Blushing is unique to human beings and in fact can be considered as a conscience keeper and correction mechanism to come back on course.Animals don’t blush as they are not endowed with faculties to differentiate between right and wrong.“When a girl ceases to blush, she has lost the most powerful charm of her beauty.” .Let us revive the waning habit of blushing as the world has lost its beauty and charm when people particularly girls don’t blush.

 

Dear Padmini,
The mere sight of a blush is a picture of beauty.The person need not be slender[ref-Savitri]to make her blush send the beholder into raptures.I am amazed that you remember the lyrics of that lovely song.
Thanks for the FB.
Regards
LAKSHIMINARAYANAN