Yesterday was our first Sari shopping adventure. We were invited to a wedding next weekend (!!!) and needed the proper attire for the occasion. Katie Jo took us to Udapi and first stop, Bridal World. Seemed appropriate. As soon as we entered, there was a flurry of commotion and sales members appearing out of nowhere. The shop was fairly large and stocked floor to ceiling with saris on saris. The associates eagerly started yanking the fine cloth from the shelves, tossing them hastily on the counters, telling us how nice they were. They showed us all sorts of varieties and materials. They were quick to our demands for colors and styles. It was so overwhelming, I froze, not having the faintest idea what color I wanted it to be or what designs I enjoyed. As people started finding options they liked, the women in the shop helped wrap the brilliant fabric around their wastes, finishing by tossing the material over their shoulders so we could all see the finished product. It was fantastic. Frantic. Beautiful. I finally settled on a bright purple chiffon with gold embroidery and sequins. There was no denying it was beautiful, but there was just something about it I didn’t love. Something didn’t feel right. I put it off to the side in case and again dove into scanning the walls for an interesting color to examine closer. People were starting to pay and soon it was only two of us left at the counter, associates buzzing around us, telling us which ones to buy. Under the pile of fabric that had accumulated on the counter I caught a glimpse of a brilliant blue. I pulled it out to find it was multi-colored, the top blue with simple beautiful gold designs and the bottom, the color of sand with deep blue and gold patterns. They wrapped me up in it and I stood in front of the group tilting my head, asking for their opinion. One of the men tied the purple sari around his body and we stood side by side for a vote. It was almost unanimous. Blue it was. As I went to the counter to pay, I felt more and more sure about my decision. By the time I took it to the tailor to get the blouse made, I could not wait for next Sunday when I will finally have the chance to wear it and to see everyone else in theirs. It was a whirlwind experience, but something I wouldn’t dream of leaving India without doing!
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AuthorAmerican University Student studying abroad in Kenya and India and wandering the world Archives
May 2015
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