Exotic Royalty Does anyone else remember the day that Indian royalty visited Mrs Cheshire’s classroom at St. Helens? We had no warning of the treat that was to come, that magic was about to happen, that I would have my eyes opened to a sea of possibilities. I can’t remember the lesson we were having but Mrs Cheshire suddenly went to the door and opened it to a lady wearing a sari that seemed to bring the room to light. I cannot for the life of me remember what was said, I was too busy taking in the magic... she must be a princess I thought because it was as if a rainbow had come to life. Behind her was another lady, in robes but without the lovely glitter of the first. I was stunned because I never knew that the princess would have a lady-in-waiting. I was swallowing a whole fairy-tale come to life. I took in the fact that the second lady was going to demonstrate how to put on a SARI. A new word for me to add to my growing vocabulary. It seemed to take only a few seconds to reveal that she was unwinding yards and yards and yards of flimsy material to reveal that she had a long plain skirt to her feet and a short-cropped blouse on her top. Quickly and smoothly the sari was pleated and tucked into the long skirt and the end was thrown over her shoulder. It took only a few minutes and I was astonished. The demonstration was over; it’s funny how things stick in your mind but I think that, when I was reading Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim”, it came flooding back and there it has lodged in my mind.