She went on to explain, "Now only old women wear those coarse cotton saris, control cheeralu [cheeralu is the Telugu word for saris]. They are like gunnysacks. Poonams are modern. They are brightly colored and do not fade. But they cling to the body, and you need a separate underskirt and blouse to wear them." Still later she added, "What else will we wear? We work in the field all day -- in the sun, in the rain. Poonams don't tear. They don't fade. They don't crumple. Dirt and mud just wash away. they dry easily."