A Dupatta Is . . .

A Dupatta Is. . . , written by Marzieh Abbas and vividly brought to life by the artwork of Anu Chouhan, is a loving and lyrical ode to the dupatta.

A dupatta is so much more than a beautiful piece of fabric.

A dupatta is sound - swooshing and swashing like a superhero cape.

A dupatta is scent - cinnamon and cardamom, crushed coriander and peppermint oil.

A dupatta is fun - playing peekaboo and building cushion forts with dupatta canopies.

Dupattas - shawls traditionally worn by women in various cultures of South Asia - are beautiful and colorful of course, but they're also fun, functional, and carry the sounds and smells of family and identity.