The Madisar or Koshavam () is a typical way in which the

sari A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO * bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO * gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...

is worn by Tamil Brahmin women. The sari and the tying style dates back to ancient

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, at least as far back as the period between 2nd century BC to 1st century AD when the antariya and uttariya garments were merged to make a single garment. This style of tying the saree is the "koshavam" style (that is going between the legs, in the typical style used by men). Tamil Brahmin women are required to use this style after their marriage. Different communities have evolved different sari styles from the original koshavam style, that requires more material - nine yards. Extant nine-yard sari styles include the nauvari of Maharashtra, the Kannada drape, the Telugu Brahmin style. The name Madisari is however typically associated with

Tamil Brahmins Tamil Brahmins are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, predominantly living in Tamil Nadu, though they number significantly in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, in addition to other regions of India, as wel ...

, with two sub-styles: the Iyer kattu (tie) and the Iyengar kattu (tie). Today, madisar is hardly worn as daily wear, although women do drape the madisar style on select festive occasions and religious ceremonies. The madisar requires a nine-yard sari to wear it, unlike the current modern version of sari wearing style which needs 6 yards. Both

Iyer Iyers (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmin, Hindu Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the ''Advaita Vedanta, Advaita'' philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the ...

and

Iyengar Iyengar (also spelt Ayyangar or Aiyengar, pronounced ) refers to the name of an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, whose members follow Sri Vaishnavism and the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. Found mos ...

Brahmins are supposed to wear madisars at ceremonial/ religious occasions, such as the wedding ceremony, the Seemantham (a religious ceremony conducted for a first pregnancy), all religious ceremonies, Puja, and death ceremonies. Iyers and Iyengars wear Madisars differently. Iyers drape the Pallu (the layer of sari which comes over one's shoulder) over the right shoulder while Iyengars wear it over the left shoulder. Conventionally, the first Madisar a woman wears is maroon or red in colour, nowadays Madisar is being worn in other colours according to people's wishes. Madisars are available in a variety of materials such as

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

, cotton-silk blends,

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

-cotton blends, etc. These days a version of the madisar is also tied using the 6-yard sari. Though not as traditional, it is easier and more convenient to wear.

References

Indian clothing Hindu religious clothing Tamil clothing {{clothing-stub