The princess complex

My earliest memory takes me back to one of those magical evenings in my childhood. It was about dusk; noisy birds in the sky were returning home, bees and butterflies buzzed about, drunk on the nectar of the blowsy roses and marigolds in our garden.
The air was redolent with the promise of imminent excitement, as it was that time in the day when time would stand still. I'd put away my kitchen sets and Barbie dolls, for Mother would bring out the precious storybooks.
In an instant, fancy toys would lose their appeal and I'd get lost in the wondrous stories of Disney and Bengali fairytales where the princesses had hair as long as the towers they were trapped in and their skin was as fair as milk.
For an hour I'd remain transfixed, enamoured by the fantastical description of their beauty that was of mythical proportions.
With their Bambi eyes, long, blonde locks and pink-as-petal lips my impressionable, five-year-old mind would forever be bewitched. And oh, the beautiful garb these princesses were clad in!
Long, trailing gowns in candy colours were offset with glittering jewellery that added fantastic sparkle to their appearance. These beautiful dresses would swish and swing from side to side, making us girls swoon and giddy with sheer delight.

Among all others my favourites were Cinderella and Jasmine. Cinderella was absolute fantasy with her pale blue ball gown and beautiful up-do, and Jasmine with her dark hair and kohl-rimmed eyes was a natural favourite, as an ode to my South Asian roots!  
My cousin's favourite was Snow White. Her ruby-red lips shone like jewels in her snow-white face and provided a stunning contrast with her jet-black hair.
While the Disney princesses are highly visible and popular, another aspect of this storytelling tradition that is not very popular, yet equally pervasive is the Bengali fairytale princesses who are an inseparable part of our oral culture.
A lot of us grew up with fascinating tales of Rupkothar Rajkonna, the mythical, doe-eyed dame whose beauty was the stuff legends were made of. Her hair was dark as night and her complexion pink as a lotus flower.
She wore her sari in neat pleats, and fragrant flowers adorned her thick, long plait. The silvery twinkle of her anklets would drive her suitors crazy, the tinkle of her glass bangles would inspire poetry. Oceans of ink would be spilled describing her grace, poise and her astounding looks.
As loved as the Disney princesses are, the sultry, earthy princesses of the Bengali fairytales are no less in terms of fan following. Regardless of the difference in their attires or hairstyles, all fairytale princesses are equally loved by women. And why shouldn't we love them? They represent all that our fantasies are made of. The princess complex is something every girl possesses, and for right reasons. We all want a touch of magic in our lives and fairytale princesses give us just that!
                     

Photo: LS Archive