Guess What? Ratih Sanggarwati

Elegantly, clad in white shirt, black pants and blazer, Indonesian supermodel Ratih Sanggarwati walked onto the stage, climbed up the steps draped with red cloth and sat on a chair at the top. Slowly but firmly she read a feminist essay entitled Women and Power written by musician Tommy F. Awuy.

Last week's visitors to The Stage restaurant in Ratu Plaza, South Jakarta, didn't see Ratih stalking the catwalk in glamorous dresses by Indonesian or foreign designers. They saw another face of Ratih: serious, simple and yet amusing.

Were you nervous?

"Oww yes, I was very nervous. You know, it was different from modeling. But, because I am known as a model, if I made a mistake in that essay reading, I believe the audience would understand and forgive me," Ratih told The Jakarta Post. She added that her participation in the essay reading was merely because the writer, Tommy Awuy, is her friend.

Tommy's two other feminist essays were read by actress Nurul Arifin and writer Debra H. Yatim.

But, how can you be here since you are supposed to be in one- month of pingitan (isolation) before your wedding next month?

"Oww yes, during this one month seclusion I cannot meet my future husband. But, I still can do my daily activities. Starting July 13, or seven days before the marriage, I'll be in Ngawi, Central Java, my hometown. There, I should stay in a complete isolation," Ratih explained.

"Oww yes, I cannot meet Budi, my future husband, but we still contact each other through facsimile. This is how we implement the isolation in this modern time," laughed Javanese Ratih, whose future husband is a West Sumatran businessman.

Oww yes, congratulations. (als)