‘Sa se sattika se Saree’
An article in The Hindu Metro Plus prompted me to do a quick Google on our desi haute couture – the Sari!
True, much has been said about the timelessness of a Sari and there is not much ‘value add’ that I can bring… but I can’t help but marvel at the grace of this six yard sentiment…
Whether it was Draupadi’s Vastrapaharana or merely a weaver-lover’s day dreams of his doe-eyed - which gave birth to the Sari remains unknown, but the fact remains that we have embraced the Sari in a way no other civilization has held on to its ethnic dress.
Originating from the Prakrit word Sattika or Sanskrit ‘sati’ meaning a piece of cloth, the sari is as old as the Indus Valley Civilization and currently is designed in dimensions of 47X326 inches… Worn over a long skirt and a short blouse, saris are draped to be one of the most sensual of clothes. More importantly, it’s the most suitable garment, given the big busted, pear-shaped Indian frame and the tropical climes of the Indian sub-continent!
Interestingly, blouses (in essence, stitching and tailoring) were unknown in these parts of the world, until the advent of the Mughal Empire! Imagine the men’s merriment - must have had a field day, everyday (or did they grow indifferent?)!!!
I remember reading somewhere that it was not until the early 20th century that the sari got its current draping style! Mind you, there are quite a few draping patterns too – the normal one, the Gujarati ishtyle, the Coorgi version and of course the more filmy ones (remember Asha Parekh and Mumtaz in their fish-like layered saris?)
Silk textures are invariably the Kanjeevaram (prima donna, no doubt), Benares, Tussar, Raw and Mysore; and there are ofc the ubiquitous cottons, the sensual chiffons and crepes! Each suited in particular for a specific frame and occasion!
And how about the designs? Numerous - am just gonna attempt listing down a few… feel free to add more
1. Chikan – the single strand running stitch originating in UP!
2. Bandhini – the Gujju and Madu tie and dye patterns!
3. Kantha – another running stitch pattern and authentically Bengali
4. Chettinad – the Tam checks and boxes and weave patterns
5. Coimbatore – our Manchester of the South’s own cotton variety
6. Mangalagiri – with its traditional color combinations and borders
7. Ikkat – Orissa’s famous block prints
8. Pochampalli – the Andhra version of the geometrical Ikkat prints
9. Kota, Chanderi, Gadwal, Dharwad etc…
Fine tune the material/texture and the accessories according to the occasion and lo, you have a garment that can never stop being a show stopper, be it at a party or to the office, a wedding or, god forbid, even a funeral!
Guess the biggest and most powerful brand ambassador for saris these days is, well, not an Indian by birth! Yeah, the Italian-born Ms Sonia Gandhi is known all over for her charismatic and yet simplistic style statements!
My all time favourites – the ever so elegant Rajmata Gayatri Devi and of course, the diva of Ind Biz - Chanda Kochhar :D
