Sari Central

To the Jayalakshmi department store in Ernakulam, over the water from Fort Cochin. This glass and teak extravaganza advertises itself as THE place to buy wedding saris.

On the top floor (Rs 2000 and over), a family group sits in front of a runway while shop girls unravel bolts of cloth and spread it over themselves. Another girl runs around offering cups of frothy coffee.

The aftermath of choosing a wedding sari

It is all a whirl: green, pink, red, gold and more cloth than I have seen in my life. The effect is not unlike Aladdin's Cave after a few strong G&Ts (I imagine).

Eventually a suspicious and scary assistant approaches me and asks “Are you here to buy a sari?”
I confess that I am not and retreat to the safety of the lower floors.

Even the display models look scary