Vital statistics in the street...

Armed with sari material purchased in Jaipur last summer, Soni, Sunita(two amazing ladies!) Dick and I went to visit the tailor's shop. Here I was asked to choose the style of my blouse from at least 50 designs, this being just the neckline..then another 50 ish designs for the back design. Length Madame? I explained to Soni that I wanted the longest possible as vanity and weight gain, plus rolls of flab were not really pleasant for public viewing...so out comes the tape measure and all my upper bits were measured in full view of the street, who cares eh?! Smiling lads looked on, woman stared...I think unimpressed by this scruffy, paint streaked woman in baggy T shirt and shapeless trousers....yeah yeah, I know vanity, vanity , all is vanity. Dick took photos to record to moment..felt like Exhibit A.

Then we visited the next shop for the petticoat. Now I had imagined just a calico petticoat,plain and hidden....but no, there were shelves of multicolured ones and Soni and Sunita deliberated about which shade and we all discussed it...Dick was offered a chair... The petticoat adds to the colour under the shimmery sari, you see. So length is measure, no problem there...all Indian woman are shorter than me....yes really...

Finished? No next we go next door for the draw string cord and the all important safety pins which I'm told will hold everything together...I do NOT want to unravel...

So three shops later, we return back to the slum. Tomorrow my top will be ready, Friday I shall wear it for the Inauguration ceremony. Sunita will have to dress me for there are many many pleats and folds.....and no doubt much amusement from the other ladies who will be a willing audience!