Samadhi’s Ramblings
Sarongs - a most practical garment. Gaston de Rosayro referred to it
as `a garment of admirable elegance’. It provides natural ventilation
and is easy to wear. Above all its multipurpose, it can be worn as
pajamas and women even use it as a bathing costume.
In short it’s a fashion marvel. But mind you, if you are very fond of
the sarong, it has its own set of flaws.
The sarong is fast becoming a fashion statement in the West, thanks
to tourism and the likes of David Beckham, who is seen wearing one in
advertisements and billboards.
Batik sarongs with their colourful, eye-catching designs are
specially popular in the West. Sri Lanka’s most famous `foreign’
resident Sir Arthur C Clarke regularly sported a sarong and many
tourists who come here can be seen wearing sarongs.
With all its plus points, the sarong is quite precarious if one does
not take enough care to secure it properly. It’s not wise to engage
oneself in athletic activities - such as taking a ride on a foot board
of a crowded private bus - wearing a sarong.
 One
such poor soul learned the lesson of his life when he ran to the private
bus, while hurriedly tying his sarong. He made it to the footboard. But
only seconds after the bus pulled off, the sarong came undone. It blew
off in the wind, leaving our young man literally exposed to the
elements.
The lesson: It is always wise to wear a belt if you do not know how
to secure it properly. Wearing underwear is a must as well, for obvious
reasons. One should not choose flimsy materials for the sarongs. It
should be a hardy garment material that stands repeated washing.
The price is not always an indicator of a sarong’s quality - there
are pavement sarongs that last for years, while some shop-brought ones
tear apart easily.
If you are in a bus, no matter how hard the driver hits the breaks,
do not, I repeat, do not hang on to someone else’s sarong. It’s reflex,
but in case the guy’s not wearing a belt, or underwear for that matter,
it’ll probably be better to fall on your face.
These are some of the plus points and vagaries of sarongs. It is a
garment that deserves respect and care in more ways than one. After all,
nothing beats it for simplicity and ingenuity. |
