Day 88 Pt 2-RoSanNa's Baskets

Our Banjara girls are in a frenzy. One of them has seen RoSanNa with her baskets and thought "Hey! Look at RoSanNa with her baskets! How cool! How high fashion! How brilliant" . What she failed to notice was that RoSanNa, their chieftain's wife, was in fact planning a basket making lesson and gathering her baskets for the next day.

The craze was instant. Overnight, all the available baskets were snapped up and you could see them being worn, 2 , some of them 3 at the same time on the same girl!

They wear it on their heads and they wear them in their ears.

They wear them even when their lobes bleed from the weight (who cares as long as my hat matches my earrings!)

And even when it is hazardous to their dearest and nearest

One of them even "basket" to her belly dancing practice which made her extremely popular with the men and angered a few of their girls.

"How audacious!", the other girls complained,"No shame!" they hissed. Although they all reluctantly agreed that those baskets do enhance her assets considerably. And wish they have some of those themselves.

Basket Wear is such a hit that Gypsy Gossip, a community tabloid even publish a 4 page spread on it at page 4 , which is THE page for the hottest and coolest (also the number 4 pic of my 4th folder -see RoSanNa's challenge)

The paper flew off the shelves so much so the other 2 dailies, namely "Once Upon A Tea Time Story" and "Diva Eva" had to organise giveaways in order to lure their readers back.

And so, if you visit Aditi and publish a comment, you stand a chance to win a miniature painting:

Eva's a nice big box of mini goodies:

Anyway, can you imagine the excitement when RoSanNa announce that she is giving a lessons on how to make beach baskets? Especially when the girls misheard and thought she was teaching "How to Make B*tch Baskets".

Of course, all the girls turned up for the lesson which was priceless and everyone eventually went home with the prettiest straw baskets but not before sharing some delightful cakes and tea.

And while the girls were partaking in their tit-bits and gossiping about booby girl, who should walk into the class but Walter, also in a new hat.

Enough of all this nonsense! He barked, I hereby decree that nobody is to wear baskets on their bodies, face, chest, ears or nostrils or anywhere else except your hands or heads and only if they are carrying things! I wish you can see how stupid you look! And what a health hazard it is to everyone! Now go! And take all these off, you basket cases!

And as the girls obediently took off their soon to be discarded fashion from their ears, heads and chest (ah booby girl was wearing something underneath after all, much to everyone's disgust, including the men) and quietly left the premises, Walter turned to RoSanNa.

RoSanNa darling, I have bad news. It is Sans! From the palace! She has copied your basket designs and intends to flood the market with them.

Look, these are the samples I have brought back from our little spy who has seen their little spy here while you were teaching the girls.


Hmm, interesting, RoSanNa remarked as she examined each piece closely. I must say she is quick. This Sans! All these were made within 24 hours of the last one she did. My little spy saw her little spy haggling with a lady who has no feet. Her last piece was sold at such a good price because she claimed it was knitted when it was really a cut and paste job! I could tell a mile away. Tsk! Tsk!

But these ones are interesting..yes, although she did copy my technique entirely.

I think she used caps and lighter for moulds. And some hemp and twisted paper strings and these lovely green round hoops which we use for our ethnic dresses for handles.

I do like this one though with the chrysanthemum.

Oh but look, she has used the flower to hide a flaw..hahhaha! See this corner where the flower is? That's where she made the mistake of not cutting enough cloth. I nearly didn't spot that. Quite clever but not enough to escape my sharp eyes! I will keep this one though .I already have a good use for it.

Now this little one is made from ribbons from Delhi.

The colours actually match the clothes worn by the girl with no feet and her man. I bet this one is to be sold to her as well for a hefty price again since they are such suckers.

Now the last 2 are made of hemp ribbons (left) and hemp cloth (right) and are aged to give it a shabby look. It's all the rage now.

They are made for hardier use too. These can be sold cheaply and quickly.

Look RoSanNa, this will not do. We must start our own shop. And we must start one at Chandni Chowk, the new hip bazaar! Before the palace-cheats start selling copies of your work and passing them off as their own!

But how, darling? And sell what? All the best wares have been commissioned to the Emperor's Emporium and I cannot come up with enough work by myself.

Don't fret, dear. We will start a co-operative of gypsies, selling all of our craft and wares. I can make drums and you can teach the girls to embroider and sew. The men will make some ironwares and woodcarvings. And maybe you girls can come up with different spices. We can also fall back on what we know best, entertainment and fortune telling and...


But, how are we to pay for the space and what are ..?

I will take care of everything. See? I already bought the turban for it already. I have everything under control.. What we have to really worry about is how to brand ourselves..I KNOW! Henceforth, I shall be known as Prince Pandusedeva, or Rolla for short and you my darling, shall be called, Ro..Rolla and Ro.hmm.and..


so the story continues....