Our Lady of the Sari

The clothes that Indian women wear are stunning. I have never seen so many beautiful, flowing fabrics worn with such grace. Rich or poor, the women in India all look elegant.

So naturally I wanted to bring something home, but after a brief time shopping on our third day in India, as part of our tour of Jaipur, there was never time or opportunity. Plus, I really needed help and though Fr. Jose has many gifts, shopping for women's clothes is not one of them. So I pretty much gave up on that idea.

But, while Jose may not be into fashion, he does know how to make things happen. Once my paper was over at the Scholar's Conference, on our last evening in India, Jose told me he had arranged for me to go get a sari.

Sr. Jacintha Prakashappa, SMMI (pictured with me above) took me out for a wonderful shopping adventure on Commercial Street in Bangalore. It started with a ride in one of those little 3-wheeled open-air taxis I'd seen so many of but not yet experienced. I hung on for dear life as we rounded the corners and swung through the traffic. Like all the driving experiences I'd had in India, it was a thrill.

Once we were deposited on a side street, I honestly didn't know how to act. The street was like a pedestrian mall full of people coming and going, except there were also cars and scooters coming and going! Only the terror of losing track of Sr. Jacintha got me moving. If I lost her, I had NO idea how I'd ever re-connect with my group--I didn't even know the name of the place we were staying as it was a rather obscure Indian name. I was ill-prepared to get lost.

I walked down the street praying I'd not be run over. No one else seemed to worry about the traffic, which of course was their secret. I did kind of get the hang of it and so much wanted to look around at the fascinating sights I'd seen only from a vehicle before. I'd take a glimpse of the stores and then look back quickly to make sure I was still following Sr. Jacintha. I began to get the hang of it and looked down another narrow cross street and there was a huge Brahman cow! Just not Dayton at all.

Sr. Jacintha was a masterful negotiator and knew all about the stores and fabrics. After being disgruntled by the first sidewalk shop, she took me to a Western-type store where I got a tunic and tights outfit, then it was back to the sidewalk shops for a sari. I eventually did get one and the accompanying skirt and "sari fall." (Sr. gave me one of her blouses the next morning, since the lady who makes them at the shop was on holiday.) Then we went to have marsala doce and tea at a wonderful eatery in the midst of all the shops. It may have been the best meal ever (I was famished) and definitely the most amazing shopping I ever enjoyed.

Fran Plude took the full-length photo of me in my sari and dubbed me Our Lady of the Sari. I like that title!

By the way, Sr. Jacintha holds a diploma in Communications from Lyon and Rome and is currently working on a PhD in Christianity at Mysore University. A member of the congregation of Selesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, she is Director of Vijayavani Kalavidaru, which presents multimedia, folk and popular theater presentations. She attended our 2-day workshop at United Theological College and the 3-day Scholar's Conference where we presented papers. She has published articles on the Creation and Fall stories in a book of feminist writings, Envisioning a New Heaven and a New Earth. I am honored to call her "friend" and I hope she will take me shopping again someday.