New Delhi, Dec. 1 -- I recently spent a weekend in my hometown in Himachal Pradesh to get some respite from the Delhi pollution. During an impromptu visit to a temple, I saw a pandit wearing an exquisite accessory on his Kullu topi: a tutti-fruity coloured kalgi. I had seen my great-grandmother once wear a kalgi, essentially a brooch, on her cap, but I was too young to know its significance. Made in silver and gold, kalgi is worn in the Kullu region on special occasions like weddings, pujas and festivals, though it's a dying tradition now. I had to buy one from the jewellery shop before heading back to Delhi. I can wear it the traditional way or as a brooch or a hairpin-it's perfect for all seasons.

The patch of green in my apartment com...