🌄🌿 Village Days Begin with Neem

✉ Dear Reader, 

Have you ever wondered how our ancestors took care of their skin? 🌿

I’m sure they had their own old-school routines — simple, handmade ways that still live quietly in our homes even today.

But sometimes I find myself curious… what kind of soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and especially toothbrushes did they use? 🪥 

When I think of those days in my village, it feels like opening an old diary, softly tucked away with memories. 📖 

We used to wake up early in the morning 🌅.

I would stretch a little, sometimes sing a song 🎶, sometimes help with the chores 🧺. Life moved slowly then, but it felt gentle, peaceful. 

And as far as I remember, my grandparents always gave me a neem stick to clean my teeth 🌿🪥.

Yes — a real stick! I know it sounds funny, and neem is bitter, but it’s true. 

My grandfather would tell me how neem fights harmful bacteria, prevents cavities, and keeps gums healthy.

But, as children do, I would complain: 

❝This bitter stick is making my mouth smell weird!❞ 

Yet something magical happened ✨.

After a couple of days, the neem didn’t taste bitter anymore… it started tasting a little sweet 🍃. I was amazed. 

When I told my grandfather, he smiled and shared a teaching from the revered Telugu poet Vemana, whose simple verses are filled with timeless wisdom ✍️: 

"Just like your raaga improves when you practice singing every day,

in the same way, when you chew neem repeatedly… its bitterness turns sweet." 🎵 

He explained that the verse means much more than just neem or music — it’s about life itself.

If we practice patiently and repeat our efforts, even difficult or bitter things become easier, and with persistence, we can achieve perfect results. 

Those words stayed with me, quietly, like a gentle whisper from the past 🌸. 

And today, when I think of beauty routines, I realize something simple but true: 

Sometimes, the purest things are the simplest 🌿.

And sometimes, sweetness comes only after a little patience ⏳. 

I would love to hear your memories of old-school techniques 🏡. Please do share — it warms the heart to remember together ❤️. 

With warmth and love,

✍ Raasi