India, the land of curry, spice and everything…hot! My first month in India as an IPL cheerleader has passed by so quickly and with only 4 weeks to go I have decided to make the most of this colourful once in a lifetime adventure. Arriving in the spring time, temperatures around India reach a MINIMUM of 30 degrees most days with over 50% humidity. Considering we travel around with our cricket team- Kolkata Knight Riders, it is easy to say we’ve experienced everything from rural desert land with not one tourist in site to the hustle and bustle of the streets of Mumbai. As soon as we leave the serenity of our air-conditioned hotel room it feels as if a hair dryer is being blown into your face. If you don’t carry a bottle of water around at all times, it is almost certain you will pass out from the heat. You’d think in such heat the most sensible thing would be to wear as little clothing as possible. There is such a vast cultural gap between my home in South Africa and this poverty stricken yet colourful land far away.  The religions of India- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism demand modesty in their dress code. It was difficult for me to relate to this tradition as the social significance of what we wore meant more than we could ever imagine. The most important aspect as a woman of the Indian dress code is to cover ones shoulders. Whether you’re walking down to the super market or shopping mall you’re expected to follow the code.  If you have failed to cover up you will surely be subjected to nasty and judgemental stares from almost everyone you walk past. Never mind the fact that you’re dripping in sweat and about to pass out, this has to be done. The traditional dress for woman in India is known as the Sari. It comes in every colour, and fabric with all sorts of patterns and jewels. Every woman from the highest of royalty to a homeless woman living on the street will be wearing a sari of some sort. Costume jewellery almost always accompanies the sari. I tried on a beautiful turquoise sari only to discover it cost 12 000 Rupees and decided not to buy it.  The men wear cotton shirts and long pants, this only enhances the smell of body odour which roams the streets of India. We decided to visit a sacred temple in Chennai, this temple was situation on the Bay of Bengal- the longest (and dirtiest) beach in the world. Obviously it is respectful to cover up even more so here and after half an hour of exploring the temple we were ready for a nice cold shower and an air conditioner. Thereafter we went exploring through the markets and what a treat that was! To experience to culture, atmosphere and vibrancy of the nation is just something remarkable in itself! The market shopping is not very mainstream, but you do find some gems, especially if jewelry is your thing.   We decided to also get henna tattoos, because, well, when in Rome (or when in India I should rather say). We were also fortunate enough to witness a fashion show held exclusively for cricket players and special guests. This was extremely fascinating to witness for me, because although the norm is for women to cover up in India, these designs were particularly skin-showing in terms of the Indian dress code. Nonetheless, they were absolutely beautiful and showed off the culture in such a fashionable yet still modest way! I am looking forward to another month of exploration through the fashion in India with its fine fabrics, traditional themes, elaborate embroidery and timeless silhouettes. About the author: Beth Sher was recently chosen to be a cheerleader for the Calcutta Night Riders in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL). She spent two months travelling all around India, boarding on more than 30 flights. She is a former  Business Science graduate from the University of Cape Town with honours in Marketing and completed her thesis on the effect that positive word-of-mouth on Twitter has on a brand’s image.