the unexpected status symbol

I know now why the shop in the biggest mall in India didn't have any ironing boards. Ironing boards are a status item! They're really quite expensive. I went shopping in Lifestyle (a department store) and bought a saucepan, frying pan, storage boxes, a toilet brush, a bath mat and the only ironing board in the shop and the ironing board cost more than all the rest put together! When I expressed interest in buying the ironing board, two assistants came to demonstrate how one worked. "See, pull this lever and you can adjust the height, Madam." Obviously I was one of Gurgaon's last big spenders, because his next line was "Madam, can I show you some bed sheets?". I have bedsheets, I say, so he tries again. "Madam, some bath towels?" I have bath towels, I reply.

When we get home Raju, our driver, carries the ironing board into the lift to help me get my goodies upstairs. He looks at it quizically, and asks what it is. I say "an ironing board", and mime ironing some clothes (Kate, I may not do it often, but I do know how it's done!). Then I realise there's a picture of an elegant lady in a sari (definitely not a maid!) ironing on the packaging of the board. Ah, he says, in my country we call that press. So there's a little bit more Hindi in the bank!