the saree is a 5-6 meter long piece of fabric that is wrapped and folded around the body to form a full outfit. there is generally a matching shirt and petticoat underneath, and a belly hanging out. after being first in los angeles and then thailand, it’s interesting to see how the indian ideal of female beauty doesn’t include emaciation. i just got back from watching (part of) a bollywood movie, and even the leading ladies were rather rubenesque. it’s very normal for a woman in a saree to have her stomach hanging out a bit.

when i watch my friends struggle to get around in a saree, it amazes me how indian women are able to do anything in one. women cook without letting the fabric dip into the sauces, last year i saw women picking vegetables on the farm in a saree, this woman is taking a break from her construction work. i love how the bright red stands out against the drab gray of the concrete.

i’m off to bangalore this morning to pick up my mom and step dad. they arrive around 22:30 tonight, but i’ll head up early to have a chance to finally see bangalore. from what i hear, the traffic is supposed to be much worse than bangkok which should be rather interesting to see.