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Saree - a brief history, the
famous legend & how to wear
Pakistan & India are known to have wonderful dresses and costumes. The
traditional dress is the Sari which can be worn in many ways. Underneath the
sari one wears a Petticoat: - a waist-to-floor length skirt, tied tightly at
the waist by a drawstring and a Choli : a blouse that ends just below the
bust.
The age old Saree has kept its popularity throughout the centuries because of
its total simplicity and practical comfort, combined with the sense of
luxury and sense of sexuality a woman experiences. For a single length of
material, the sari is the most versatile garment in existence.
A sari is a rectangular piece of cloth which is five to six yards in length.
The style, color and texture of this cloth varies and it might be made from
cotton, silk or one of the several man-made materials. The sari has an
ageless charm since it is not cut or tailored for a particular size.
A Brief History
Any unstitched fabric in history has somehow been given sacred overtones.
The belief was that the unstitched fabric was pure. This garment can fit any
size and if worn properly can accentuate or conceal.
This supremely graceful traditional dress can also be worn in several ways :
Maharashtrian : Navvari, Gujarati style, Bengali style, Kerala style, Irula
style, Pinkosa (farmer) style, etc. Thus there are many ways of wearing a
sari, as well as its color and texture. It could be of shimmering silk or
the finest gauzy cotton. Perhaps a pastel-hued solid color or a myriad of
woven flowers. It may even be embroidered with golden threads, or finished
with a richly tasseled border. The way and kind the sari worn is very much
indicative of the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman
and is true especially in India.
The Famous Legend
One of the famous "Saree legends" has been described in the 5,000 year old
Indian epic, the Mahabharat. Legend has it that when the beautiful Draupadi
- wife of the Pandavas -was lost to the enemy clan in a gambling duel. Lord
Krishna promised to protect her virtue. The enemy was determined on
"bagging" their prize, caught one end of the sari that draped her so
demurely, and pulled and pulled at it to unravel. They continued to pull and
unravel, but could reach no end. Thus protecting her virtue.
 
 
Different regions of India have their own distinct forms of draping a Sari.
Some of these are outlined below:
Gujarati Way
This version of draping, commonly known as the seedha pallu way, is also
found in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar.
Instead of opening to the left, the pleats are tucked so that they open to
the right. Then, the pallu is taken to the back and brought over the right
shoulder. It is then spread across the chest, and the left edge is tucked in
the petticoat at the back.
Maharashtra Method
Instead of the usual five-and-a-half meters, the saree in this version
measures eight meters. One portion of the saree is drawn up between the legs
and tucked in behind at the waist, while another portion is draped as a pallu over the bosom. Thus it forms a kind of divided sari, allowing greater
freedom of movement.
Tamilian Version
Like the Maharashtra version, the saree in this version, too, measures eight
meters. After wrapping around the waist, the pleats are positioned along the
left leg. The rest of the sari is taken over the left shoulder, wrapped once
again round the waist and tucked on the left side.
Bengali Style
The sari is worn pleatless; it is wrapped around the waist, brought back to
the right side and the pallu is thrown over the left shoulder. The pallu is
then brought up under the right arm and once again cast over the left
shoulder.
How to Wear Saree
Tie the petticoat tightly at the waist. Tuck the top right corner of the
saree into the petticoat at the navel and wrap it around the waist anti
clockwise once. Make sure the lower end of the sari touches the floor.
At the tucked-in end hold the top edge of the saree with right hand between
stretched forefinger and thumb and start making pleats. Make about 6 pleats
of about 6 inches wide each, hold them together at the navel level and
ensure they fall evenly on the floor. Crease the pleats with your hand to
ensure that they stay that way.
Tuck the pleats together into the petticoat, keeping the navel at the center
of the pleats. The tucked-in pleats should spread like a Chinese fan as they
fall towards the floor. (Its a good idea to pin your pleats together at the
top with a big 'safety' pin before tucking into the petticoat)
Drape the remaining fabric around the waist anti-clockwise once more and
take it over your left shoulder so that it falls on your back and goes down
till your knees.
Secure the portion of the fabric on
your left shoulder by pinning it to the blouse at the shoulder with a small
'safety' pin. This helps keep the "pallu" in place.
Enjoy wearing this beautiful piece of clothing.
The Choli
It is the tightly fitted, short blouse
that ends just below the bust worn under a saree. It is either long sleeved,
short sleeved or sleeveless. The choli evolved as a form of clothing in 10th
century AD and the first cholis were only front covering; the back was
always bare. Blouses of this type are still common in the state of
Rajasthan. Today, there are numerous styles of cholis inspired by the
booming fashion industry.
Courtesy: Madhu Makrand |
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Madhu Makrand