A pretty yellow silk duppatta flutters in the wind as the cycle rickshaw lurches past a traffic signal.
And then it snags in the wheel as the cycle gathers momentum to make the light in time.
So what the person wearing the (pretty yellow silk) duppatta feels is a sudden binding around herself as the duppatta gets looped in the wheel. It pulls her down violently, tightening at the same time as it shortens, so in seconds you have an unbearable pain around your stomach, your wrists are pinned down to the seat and you can't breathe from the stomach constriction.
I've heard horror stories of people dying like this, but you never really think this kind of completely silly thing could happen to you. When the pain begins you don't even realise what it is that's hurting so much. I'm surprised my cycle rickshaw driver even grasped so quickly why I was screaming hysterically, but he noticed the cause in seconds and quickly retraced his path so the duppatta could unwind.
Now it has black streaks and is crumpled forlornly in my wash, but it serves as a warning... if you went to MAIS (I'm still smiling at this Wiki entry) you know why Ms. Warrior never allowed duppatas, and even if you didn't... don't ever ever wear duppattas on a bike or, hell, any uncovered vehicle with spokes!
