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Rooster in a Lota

“I need a lota, I want to make a rooster out of it,” Omar informs me.

I tell him it seems too far-fetched an idea. But Omar is adamant, even surprised that I can’t see the obvious.

“It is a ready-made rooster; you just need to do a little bit of work. Just look at this, it’s a rooster’s neck,” Omar brings a lota and points towards the spout.

I try to see it with Omar’s eyes and yes…the lota does seem like a rooster in making.

And then, I am put to work. A bottle of glue, a paintbrush, a cotton roll, and some chart paper are placed before me. And I am told to follow the instructions.

“Now with the help of this paintbrush cover the lota with glue, don’t leave any uncovered area,” Omar instructs and warns.

I set to work, diligently so. Obediently I follow the instructions that are constantly being hammered into my ears.

Lovingly I make the rooster’s white round body (it’s a fat rooster) and triangular face, tenderly I fashion its wattle, its comb, and its tail with red glazed paper, and gently I stick a red button on its triangular face to help it see.


“Do we need to cover the big hole in the rooster’s belly?” I ask my instructor.

“No,” he chuckles, “we will put golden eggs inside it and then my rooster will lay eggs.”

Sure. Everything is possible. All you need to do is to see the possibility of a rooster in the good old lota.

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