![Women and Child in Saree](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Maharani_Chimnabai_of_Baroda_with_her_daughter_Indira_Devi.jpg)
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)
[The name of the garment in various ]regional languages
*
A regional language is a language spoken in a region of a sovereign state, whether it be a small area, a federated state or province or some wider area.
Internationally, for the purposes of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Lan ...
include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std=ISO
* hi, साड़ी, sāṛī, translit-std=ISO
* kn, ಸೀರೆ, sīre, translit-std=ISO
* knn, साडी, कापड, चीरे, sāḍī, kāpaḍ, cīrē, translit-std=ISO
* ml, സാരി, sāri, translit-std=ISO
* mr, साडी, sāḍī, translit-std=ISO
* ne, सारी, sārī, translit-std=ISO
* or, ଶାଢ଼ୀ, śāṛhī, translit-std=ISO
* pa, ਸਾਰੀ, sārī, translit-std=ISO
* ta, புடவை, puṭavai, translit-std=ISO
* te, చీర, cīra, translit-std=ISO
* ur, ساڑى, sāṛī, translit-std=ISO is a
women's
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
garment
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials ...
from the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
, that consists of an un-stitched stretch of
woven fabric
Woven fabric is any textile formed by weaving. Woven fabrics are often created on a loom, and made of many threads woven on a warp and a weft. Technically, a woven fabric is any fabric made by interlacing two or more threads at right angles to on ...
arranged over the body as a
robe
A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoils" ...
, with one end tied to the waist, while the other end rests over one shoulder as a
stole (shawl)
A shawl (from fa, شال ''shāl'',) is a simple item of clothing from Kashmir, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folded ...
, sometimes baring a part of the
midriff
In fashion, the midriff is the human abdomen. The midriff is exposed when wearing a crop top or some forms of swimwear or underwear. Cholis worn by Indian women expose a section of midriff, usually .
Etymology
"Midriff" is a very old term in ...
.
[Alkazi, Roshan (1983) "Ancient Indian costume", Art Heritage][Ghurye (1951) "Indian costume", Popular book depot (Bombay); (Includes rare photographs of 19th century Namboothiri and nair women in ancient sari with bare upper torso)] It may vary from in length, and in breadth, and is form of
ethnic wear
A folk costume (also regional costume, national costume, traditional garment, or traditional regalia) expresses an identity through costume, which is usually associated with a geographic area or a period of time in history. It can also indicat ...
in
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 ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. There are various names and styles of sari manufacture and draping, the most common being the
Nivi style.
[Linda Lynton(1995), The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Technique , page 187; Quote: ''It is in the Karnataka (Mysore) and western Maharashtran area that the nivi style is believed to have originated.''.] The sari is worn with a fitted
bodice
A bodice () is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the ...
commonly called a
choli ( or in southern India, and in Nepal) and a
petticoat
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries.
According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British Engl ...
called , , or .
It remains fashionable in the Indian Subcontinent today.
Etymology
The
Hindustani word (, ),
described in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
which means 'strip of cloth'
and or in
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
, and which evolved to in modern Indian languages.
The word is mentioned as describing women's
dharmic
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
attire in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
literature and Buddhist literature called
Jatakas
The Jātakas (meaning "Birth Story", "related to a birth") are a voluminous body of literature native to India which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is ...
.
[Sachidanand, Sahay (1975) Indian costume, coiffure, and ornament. Chapter 2 'Female Dress', Munshiram Manoharlal publishers Pvt Ltd. pp 31–55] This could be equivalent to the modern day sari.
The term for female
bodice
A bodice () is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the ...
, the evolved from ancient .
[Prachya Pratibha, 1978 "Prachya Pratibha, Volume 6", p.121][Agam Kala Prakashan, 1991 "Costume, coiffure, and ornaments in the temple sculpture of northern Andhra", p.118] ''
Rajatarangini
''Rajatarangini'' ("The River of Kings") is a metrical legendary and historical chronicle of the north-western part of India, particularly the kings of Kashmir. It was written in Sanskrit by Kashmiri historian Kalhana in the 12th century CE. The ...
'', a tenth-century literary work by
Kalhana
Kalhana ( sa, कल्हण, translit=kalhaṇa) was the author of ''Rajatarangini'' (''River of Kings''), an account of the history of Kashmir. He wrote the work in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149. All information regarding his life has to be d ...
, states that the choli from the Deccan was introduced under the royal order in Kashmir.
The petticoat is called (, ) in
Hindi-Urdu
Hindustani (; Devanagari: ,
*
*
*
* ; Perso-Arabic: , , ) is the ''lingua franca'' of Northern and Central India and Pakistan. Hindustani is a pluricentric language with two standard registers, known as Hindi and Urdu. Thus, the langu ...
,
() in
Marathi
Marathi may refer to:
*Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India
*Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people
*Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece
See also
*
* ...
, () in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
( in other parts of South India: ml, പാവാട, pāvāṭa, translit-std=ISO, te, పావడ, pāvaḍa, translit-std=ISO, kn, ಪಾವುಡೆ, pāvuḍe, translit-std=ISO), () in
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
and eastern India, and () in
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
. Apart from the standard "petticoat", it may also be called "inner skirt" or an inskirt.
Origins and history
History of Sari-like drapery is traced back to the
Indus Valley civilisation
The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
, which flourished during 2800–1800 BCE around the northwestern part of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
.
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 ...
was first cultivated and woven on the Indian subcontinent around the 5th millennium BCE. Dyes used during this period are still in use, particularly
indigo
Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...
,
lac
Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''.
Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infes ...
,
red madder and
turmeric
Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asi ...
.
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 ...
was woven around 2450 BCE and 2000 BCE.
The word ''sari'' evolved from ( sa, शाटिका) mentioned in earliest Hindu literature as women's attire.
[Mohapatra, R. P. (1992) "Fashion styles of ancient India", B. R. Publishing corporation, ] The sari or evolved from a three-piece ensemble comprising the
, the lower garment; the
; a veil worn over the shoulder or the head; and the , a chestband. This ensemble is mentioned in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
literature and Buddhist
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
literature during the 6th century BCE. Ancient
antariya
An antariya () is a lower body garment from ancient India. It is a long white or coloured strip of cotton passed through the legs, tucked at the back and covering the legs loosely, then flowing into long pleats at front of the legs.
History
Antr ...
closely resembled the ''dhoti'' wrap in the "fishtail" version which was passed through the legs, covered the legs loosely and then flowed into long, decorative pleats at front of the legs.
It further evolved into ''Bhairnivasani'' skirt, today known as ''
ghagri'' and ''lehenga''.
Uttariya
An uttariya () is a loose piece of upper body clothing. It is a single piece of cloth that falls from the back of the neck to curl around both arms and could also drape the top half of the body. An Uttariya is similar to a veil, a long scarf an ...
was a shawl-like veil worn over the shoulder or head. It evolved into what is known today known as
dupatta
The dupattā is a Hindu shawl traditionally worn by women in Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders. The dupatta is currently used most commonly as part of the women's shalwar kameez outfit, and worn over the kurta and the gharara.
...
and
ghoonghat
A ghoonghat (''ghunghat'', ''ghunghta'', ''ghomta'', ''orhni'', odani, ''laaj'', ''chunari'', ''jhund'', ''kundh'') is a headcovering or headscarf, worn primarily in the Indian subcontinent, by some married Hindu, Jain, and Sikh women to cov ...
. Likewise, the evolved into the ''
choli'' by the 1st century CE.
The ancient
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
work ''Kadambari'' by
Banabhatta and ancient
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
poetry, such as the ''
Silappadhikaram
''Cilappatikāram'' ( ta, சிலப்பதிகாரம் ml, ചിലപ്പതികാരം,IPA: ʧiləppət̪ikɑːrəm, ''lit.'' "the Tale of an Anklet"), also referred to as ''Silappathikaram'' or ''Silappatikaram'', is the e ...
'', describes women in exquisite
drapery
Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles (Old French , from Late Latin ). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothin ...
or sari.
In ancient India, although women wore saris that bared the midriff, the
Dharmasastra writers stated that women should be dressed such that the navel would never become visible, which may have led to a taboo on navel exposure at some times and places.
[Encyclopedia of Indian Women Through the Ages: Ancient India – Simmi Jain](_blank)
It is generally accepted that wrapped sari-like garments for lower body and sometimes shawls or scarf like garment called 'uttariya' for upper body, have been worn by Indian women for a long time, and that they have been worn in their current form for hundreds of years. In ancient couture the lower garment was called '
nivi' or 'nivi bandha', while the upper body was mostly left bare.
The works of
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa (''fl.'' 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and ...
mention the , a form of tight fitting breast band that simply covered the breasts.
It was also sometimes referred to as an or
.
Poetic references from works like
Silappadikaram
''Cilappatikāram'' ( ta, சிலப்பதிகாரம் ml, ചിലപ്പതികാരം, IPA: ʧiləppət̪ikɑːrəm, ''lit.'' "the Tale of an Anklet"), also referred to as ''Silappathikaram'' or ''Silappatikaram'', is the ...
indicate that during the
Sangam period
The Sangam period or age (, ), particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka (then known as Tamilakam) spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. ...
in ancient Tamil Nadu in southern India, a single piece of clothing served as both lower garment and head covering, leaving the midriff completely uncovered.
Similar styles of the sari are recorded paintings by
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma ( ml, രാജാ രവിവർമ്മ; 29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist. He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. His works are one of the best examples ...
in Kerala.
Numerous sources say that everyday costume in ancient India until recent times in
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
consisted of a pleated dhoti or (
sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...
) wrap, combined with a breast band called or and occasionally a wrap called that could at times be used to cover the upper body or head.
The two-piece Kerala mundum neryathum (mundu, a dhoti or sarong, neryath, a shawl, in
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
) is a survival of ancient clothing styles. The one-piece sari in Kerala is derived from neighbouring Tamil Nadu or Deccan during medieval period based on its appearance on various temple murals in medieval Kerala.
[Miller, Daniel & Banerjee, Mukulika; (2004) "The Sari", Lustre press / Roli books]
Early
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
literature has a wide vocabulary of terms for the
veiling
A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent i ...
used by women, such as ''Avagunthana'' (oguntheti/oguṇthikā), meaning cloak-veil, ''Uttariya'' meaning shoulder-veil, ''Mukha-pata'' meaning face-veil and ''Sirovas-tra'' meaning head-veil.
[Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) "Indian Costume.", p.236] In the ''Pratimānātaka'', a play by Bhāsa describes in context of ''Avagunthana'' veil that "''ladies may be seen without any blame (for the parties concerned) in a religious session, in marriage festivities, during a calamity and in a forest''".
The same sentiment is more generically expressed in later
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
literature.
[Sulochana Ayyar (1987) "Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum.", p.152] Śūdraka
Shudraka ( IAST: ) was an Indian playwright, to whom three Sanskrit plays are attributed: '' Mrichchhakatika'' (''The Little Clay Cart''), ''Vinavasavadatta'', and a ''bhana'' (short one-act monologue), ''Padmaprabhritaka''.Bhattacharji, Sukumari ...
, the author of
Mṛcchakatika
''Mṛcchakatika'' ( sa, Mṛcchakaṭikam मृच्छकटिकम्), also spelled ''Mṛcchakaṭikā'', ''Mrchchhakatika'', ''Mricchakatika'', or ''Mrichchhakatika'' (''The Little Clay Cart'') is a ten-act Sanskrit drama attributed ...
set in fifth century BCE says that the ''Avagaunthaha'' was not used by women everyday and at every time. He says that a married lady was expected to put on a veil while moving in the public.
This may indicate that it was not necessary for unmarried females to put on a veil.
This form of veiling by married women is still prevalent in Hindi-speaking areas, and is known as ''
ghoonghat
A ghoonghat (''ghunghat'', ''ghunghta'', ''ghomta'', ''orhni'', odani, ''laaj'', ''chunari'', ''jhund'', ''kundh'') is a headcovering or headscarf, worn primarily in the Indian subcontinent, by some married Hindu, Jain, and Sikh women to cov ...
'' where the loose end of a sari is pulled over the head to act as a facial veil.
Based on sculptures and paintings, tight bodices or ''
cholis'' are believed to have evolved between the 2nd century BCE to 6th century CE in various regional styles.
Early ''cholis'' were front covering tied at the back; this style was more common in parts of ancient northern India. This ancient form of bodice or choli are still common in the state of
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
today. Varies styles of decorative traditional embroidery like gota patti, mochi, pakko, kharak, suf, kathi, phulkari and gamthi are done on ''cholis''. In Southern parts of India, choli is known as ''ravikie'' which is tied at the front instead of back, kasuti is traditional form of embroidery used for cholis in this region.
[History of Kasuti is mentioned by ] In Nepal, choli is known as ''cholo'' or ''chaubandi cholo'' and is traditionally tied at the front.
Red is the most favoured colour for
wedding sari
A wedding sari is the traditional wedding dress of South Asian women. The sari is traditionally a combination of red and green, with golden brocade.
Hindu wedding sarees are predominantly red, a colour associated with married women, and never w ...
s, which are the traditional garment choice for brides in
Hindu wedding
A Hindu wedding, also known as Vivaha (Devanagari: विवाह; Kannada script: ವಿವಾಹ; ''Vivaaha'') (), Lagna (लग्न), or Kalyanam (Devanagari: कल्याणम्; Kannada script: ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಮ್; ta, கல ...
. Women traditionally wore various types of regional
handloom sari
Handloom saris are a traditional textile art of Bangladesh and India. The production of handloom saris are important for economic development in rural India.
Completion of a single sari takes two to three days of work. Several regions have th ...
s made of silk, cotton, ikkat, block-print, embroidery and tie-dye textiles. Most sought after
brocade
Brocade is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in colored silks and sometimes with gold and silver threads. The name, related to the same root as the word "broccoli", comes from Italian ''broccato'' meaning "embos ...
silk saris are Banasari, Kanchipuram, Gadwal, Paithani, Mysore, Uppada, Bagalpuri, Balchuri, Maheshwari, Chanderi, Mekhela, Ghicha, Narayan pet and Eri etc. are traditionally worn for festive and formal occasions. Silk
Ikat
''Ikat'' (in Indonesian languages means "bind") is a dyeing technique originating from Indonesia used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric.
In ''ikat'', the resist is formed by bi ...
and cotton saris known as Patola, Pochampally, Bomkai, Khandua, Sambalpuri, Gadwal, Berhampuri, Bargarh, Jamdani, Tant, Mangalagiri, Guntur, Narayan pet, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Nuapatn, Tussar, Ilkal, Kotpad and Manipuri were worn for both festive and everyday attire.
Tie-dye
Tie-dye is a term used to describe a number of resist dyeing techniques and the resulting dyed products of these processes. The process of tie-dye typically consists of folding, twisting, pleating, or crumpling fabric or a garment, before binding ...
d and
block-print saris known as Bandhani, Leheria/Leheriya, Bagru, Ajrakh, Sungudi, Kota Dabu/Dabu print, Bagh and Kalamkari were traditionally worn during monsoon season.
Gota Patti is popular form of traditional
embroidery
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...
used on saris for formal occasions, various other types of traditional folk embroidery such mochi, pakko, kharak, suf, kathi, phulkari and gamthi are also commonly used for both informal and formal occasion.
Today, modern fabrics like polyester,
georgette
Georgette is a feminine given name, the French form of (''Geōrgia''), the feminine form of George.
Georgette may refer to:
People
* Georgette Barry (1919–2003), stage name Andrea King, American actress
* Georgette Bauerdorf (1924–1944), Ame ...
and charmeuse are also commonly used.
Styles of draping
![Styles of Sari](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Styles_of_Sari.jpg)
There are more than 80 recorded ways to wear a sari. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the midriff. However, the sari can be draped in several different styles, though some styles do require a sari of a particular length or form.
Ṛta Kapur Chishti
Ṛta Kapur Chishti is a sari historian and a textile scholar. She is the co-author and editor of two books namely ‘Saris: Tradition and Beyond’ and 'Handcrafted Indian Textiles: Tradition and Beyond'. ''Saris of India: Tradition and Beyond'' ...
, a sari
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
and recognised
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
scholar, has documented 108 ways of wearing a sari in her book, 'Saris: Tradition and Beyond'. The book documents the sari drapes across fourteen states of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
,
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
,
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
,
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
,
Jharkhand
Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
,
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
,
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...
,
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
, and
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
. The French cultural
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
and sari researcher
Chantal Boulanger categorised sari drapes in the following families:
[Boulanger, Chantal; (1997) ''Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping'', Shakti Press International, New York.]
The Sari Series, a non-profit project created in 2017 is a digital anthology documenting India's regional sari drapes providing over 80 short films on how-to-drape the various styles.
* Nivi sari – style originally worn in Deccan region; besides the modern nivi, there is also the ''Nauvari'', ''kaccha'' or ''kasta nivi'', where the pleats are passed through the legs and tucked into at the back. This allows free movement while covering the legs.
*
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
,
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
,
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
,
Rajasthani
Rajasthani may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India
* Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there
* Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region
* Rajasthani architecture
* Rajasthani art ...
– It is worn similar to nivi style but with loose end of sari ''aanchal'' or ''pallu'' placed in the front, therefore this style is known as ''sidha anchal'' or ''sidha pallu''. After tucking in the pleats similar to the nivi style, the loose end is taken from the back, draped across the right shoulder, and pulled across to be secured in the back. This style is also worn by Punjabi and Sindhi Hindus.
*
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
and
Odia
Odia, also spelled Oriya or Odiya, may refer to:
* Odia people in Odisha, India
* Odia language, an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family
* Odia alphabet, a writing system used for the Odia languag ...
style is worn with single box-pleat. Traditionally the Bengali style is worn with single box pleat where the sari is wrapped around in an anti-clockwise direction around the waist and then a second time from the other direction. The loose end is a lot longer and that goes around the body over the left shoulder. There is enough cloth left to cover the head as well.
*
Himalayan - Kulluvi Pattu is traditional form of woolen sari worn in Himachal Pradesh, similar variation is also worn in
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
.
*
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
i: Nepal has many different varieties of draping sari, today the most common is the Nivi drape. The traditional Newari sari drape is, folding the sari till it is below knee length and then wearing it like a nivi sari but the pallu is not worn across the chest and instead is tied around the waist and leaving it so it drops from waist to the knee, instead the pallu or a shawl is tied across the chest, by wrapping it from the right hip and back and is thrown over the shoulders. Saris are worn with blouse that are thicker and are tied several times across the front. The Bhojpuri and Awadhi speaking community wears the sari sedha pallu like the Gujrati drape. The Mithila community has its own traditional Maithili drapes like the madhubani and purniea drapes but today those are rare and most sari is worn with the pallu in the front or the nivi style.
The women of the Rajbanshi communities traditionally wear their sari with no choli and tied below the neck like a towel but today only old women wear it in that style and the nivi and the Bengali drapes are more popular today. The Nivi drape was popularized in Nepal by the
Shah
Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
royals and the
Ranas
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
.
*
Nauvari and
Kasta
Kasta (russian: Каста, Russian for caste) is a Russian rap group from Rostov-on-Don. The group is led by MC and producer Vladi. Other members include MCs Shym, Khamil and Zmey, as well as DJ Khobot. Kasta is notably influenced by New York C ...
: this drape is worn similar to ancient form of navi sari worn in ''"Kacche"'' style where pleats in the front are tucked in the back, though there are many regional and societal variations. The style worn by
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
women differs from that of the
Maratha
The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...
s. The style also differs from community to community. This style is popular in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
and
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
.
*
Madisar
The Madisar or Koshavam () is a typical way in which the sari is worn by Tamil Brahmin women. The sari and the tying style dates back to ancient India, at least as far back as the period between 2nd century BC to 1st century AD when the antariy ...
– this drape is typical of Iyengar/Iyer Brahmin ladies from Tamil Nadu. Traditional Madisar is worn using 9 yards sari. The Parsi ‘gara’ is a quintessence of embroidery, art and history, and it has a Chinese link
* Pin Kosuvam - this is the traditional Tamil Nadu style
* The
Brahmika sari was introduced to Bengal by
Jnanadanandini Devi
Jnanadanandini Tagore (''née'' Mukhopadhyay; 26 July 1850 – 1 October 1941;''Gyanodanondinee Debi'') was a social reformer who pioneered various cultural innovations and influenced the earliest phase of women's empowerment in 19th century Beng ...
after her tour in Bombay in 1870. Jnanadanandini improvised upon the sari style worn by Parsi and Gujarati women, which came to be known as Brahmika style.
*
Kodagu
Kodagu (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State.
It occupies ...
style – this drape is confined to ladies hailing from the
Kodagu
Kodagu (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State.
It occupies ...
district of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
. In this style, the pleats are created in the rear, instead of the front. The loose end of the sari is draped back-to-front over the right shoulder, and is pinned to the rest of the sari.
* ''Gobbe Seere'' – This style is worn by women in the
Malnad
Malnad (; Malēnādu) is a region in the state of Karnataka in India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountain range, and is roughly 100 kilometers in width.
Malnadis a region of Karnataka ...
or Sahyadri and central region of Karnataka. It is worn with 18 molas sari with three-four rounds at the waist and a knot after crisscrossing over shoulders.
*
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
– In Karnataka, apart from traditional Nivi sari, sari is also worn in ''"Karnataka Kacche"'' drape, kacche drape which shows nivi drape in front and kacche in back, there are Four kacche styles known in Karnataka - "''Hora kacche''", "''Melgacche''" ,"''Vala kacche''" or "''Olagacche''" and "'' Hale Kacche''".
*
Kerala sari style – the two-piece sari, or
Mundum Neryathum, worn in
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. Usually made of unbleached cotton and decorated with gold or coloured stripes and/or borders. Also the
Kerala sari, a sort of mundum neryathum.
* Kunbi style or ''denthli'': Goan Kunbis and Gauda, and those of them who have migrated to other states use this way of draping sari or ''kappad'', this form of draping is created by tying a knot in the fabric below the shoulder and a strip of cloth which crossed the left shoulder was fasten on the back.
* Riha-Mekhela, Kokalmora, Chador/Murot Mora Gamusa - This style worn in
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
is a wrap around style cloth similar to other wrap-around from other parts of South-East Asia and is actually very different in origin from the Mainland Indian sari. It is originally a four-set of separate garments (quite dissimilar to the sari as it is a single cloth) known ''Riha-Mekhela, Kokalmora, Chador/Murot Mora Gamusa''. The bottom portion, draped from the waist downwards is called ''Mekhela''. The ''Riha'' or ''Methoni'' is wrapped and often secured by tying them firmly across the chest, covering the breasts originally but now it is sometimes replaced by the influence of immigrant Mainland Indian styles which is traditionally incorrect. The ''Kokalmora'' was used originally to tie the ''Mekhela'' around the waist and keep it firm.
* ''Innaphi'' and ''Phanek'' - This style of clothing worn in
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
is also worn with three-set garment known as ''Innaphi'' Viel, ''Phanek'' lower wrap and long sleeved ''choli''. It is somewhat similar to the style of clothing worn in Assam.
* Jainsem - It is a Khasi style of clothing worn in
Khasi
Khasi may refer to:
* Khasi people, an ethnic group of Meghalaya, India
* Khasi language, a major Austroasiatic language spoken in Meghalaya, India
* Khāṣi language, an Indo-Aryan language of Jammu and Kashmir, India
See also
* Khasi Hills
* Gh ...
which is made up of several pieces of cloth, giving the body a cylindrical shape.
Historic photographs and regional styles
File:Shri Lakshmi Lustrated by Elephants (Gaja-Lakshmi) LACMA M.85.62 (cropped).jpg, Lakshmi depicted in ancient variation of sari, 1st century BCE
File:Ajanta Paintings.jpg, Women in ''choli'' (blouse) and antariya , Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Gol ...
File:Detail of a leaf with the birth of mahavira.jpg, Kalpa Sūtra
The ''Kalpa Sūtra'' ( sa, कल्पसूत्र) is a Jain text containing the biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, notably Parshvanatha and Mahavira. Traditionally ascribed to Bhadrabahu, which would place it in the 4th century BCE, i ...
manuscript
File:Green Tara. Sumtsek hall at Alci monastery, Ladakh, ca. 11th century.jpg, Green Tara
Tara ( sa, तारा, ; bo, སྒྲོལ་མ, ), Ārya Tārā, or Shayama Tara, also known as Jetsun Dölma (Tibetan: ''rje btsun sgrol ma'') is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. She appears as a f ...
depicted with sari,
File:Lovers in graden, Deccan, 1600 CE.jpg, Woman dressed in sari, deccan, ca. 1600
File:Women in Garden, Deccan, 1565 CE.jpg, Women dressed in sari, deccan, ca. 1565
File:Flames of unrequited passion arise from Mahji as she mourns for her lost beloved. Deccan, c. 1600.jpg, Women dressed in sari, ca. 1600
File:Gujrati Sari.jpg, Girl in Gujarati sari; in this style, the loose end is worn on the front
File:Tamil Sari.jpg, Woman in Tamil sari; in this style, the loose end is wrapped around the waist
File:Bengali Sari.jpg, Girl in Bengali sari; in this style sari is worn without any pleats
File:Ceylon India 1880.jpg, Kandyan Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
lady wearing a traditional Kandyan sari ()
File:Girl standing in a veranda wearing a Pochampalli sari.jpg, Girl in nivi Pochampally
Bhoodan Pochampally is a census town in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Pochampalle mandal of Bhongir division. This village is Known for woven products, especially hand-woven Ikkat sarees. ...
ikat sari, 1895 CE
File:Marathi Women.jpg, Woman in Nauvari sari
File:Mysore Women.jpg, A member of the royal family of Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
in Mysore sari
File:Karnataka kacche drape.jpg, Women depicted in Melgacche drape, from Karnataka , Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
manuscript 16th17th century
File:Hale Kacche sari(ಹಳೆಕಚ್ಚೆ ಸೀರೆ).jpg, Sari draping style of Karnataka, Hale Kacche sari/ಹಳೆಕಚ್ಚೆ ಸೀರೆ.
File:Telugu Lady.jpg, Woman in Nivi sari & vaddanam
Vaddanam is a gold ornamental belt worn by South Indian women on special occasions.
These occasions can include festival days, major family occasions, and weddings. like marriages as a status symbol in South India
South India, also ...
File:Newar bride 1941.jpg, Women in Nepali style sari, 1941
Nivi style
![Maharani Ourmilla Of Jubbal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Maharani_Ourmilla_Of_Jubbal.jpg)
The Nivi in most common style of sari worn today, which originated in Deccan region.
In the Deccan region the Nivi existed in two styles, a style similar to modern Nivi and the second style worn with front pleats of Nivi tucked in the back.
The increased interactions during colonial era saw most women from royal families come out of
purdah
Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu , , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that wom ...
in the 1900s. This necessitated a change of dress. Maharani
Indira Devi
Indira Devi, born as Indira Raje (19 February 1892 – 6 September 1968), was the Maharani of the princely state of Cooch Behar, British India. She was the daughter of Chimnabai II. She broke her arranged engagement to marry Jitendra Narayan ...
of Cooch Behar popularised the
chiffon sari. She was widowed early in life and followed the convention of abandoning her richly woven Baroda shalus in favour of the unadorned
mourning
Mourning is the expression of an experience that is the consequence of an event in life involving loss, causing grief, occurring as a result of someone's death, specifically someone who was loved although loss from death is not exclusively ...
white as per tradition. Characteristically, she transformed her "
mourning
Mourning is the expression of an experience that is the consequence of an event in life involving loss, causing grief, occurring as a result of someone's death, specifically someone who was loved although loss from death is not exclusively ...
" clothes into high fashion. She had saris woven in France to her personal specifications, in white chiffon, and introduced the silk chiffon sari to the royal fashion repertoire.
Under colonial rule,
petticoat
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries.
According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British Engl ...
was adopted, along with Victorian styles of puffed-sleeved blouses, which was commonly seen among the elites in
Bombay presidency
The Bombay Presidency or Bombay Province, also called Bombay and Sind (1843–1936), was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India, with its capital in the city that came up over the seven islands of Bombay. The first mainl ...
and
Bengal presidency
The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...
. Nivi drape starts with one end of the sari tucked into the
waistband
A waistband is a strip of material that is either elastic or some other confining fabric that encircles the waist, usually as a component of clothing such as skirts, trousers, shorts, swimsuits, and undergarments.
A waistband can be a complete un ...
of the
petticoat
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries.
According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British Engl ...
, usually a plain
skirt
A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards.
At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos). However, most skirts are fi ...
. The cloth is wrapped around the lower body once, then hand-gathered into even pleats below the navel. The pleats are tucked into the waistband of the petticoat.
[Dongerkerry, Kamala, S. (1959) ''The Indian sari''. New Delhi.] They create a graceful, decorative effect which poets have likened to the petals of a flower.
After one more turn around the waist, the loose end is draped over the shoulder.
The loose end is called the ''aanchal'', ''pallu'', ''pallav'', ''seragu'', or ''paita'' depending on the language. It is draped diagonally in front of the torso. It is worn across the right hip to over the left shoulder, partly baring the midriff.
The navel can be revealed or concealed by the wearer by adjusting the ''pallu'', depending on the social setting. The long end of the ''pallu'' hanging from the back of the shoulder is often intricately decorated. The ''pallu'' may be hanging freely, tucked in at the waist, used to cover the head, or used to cover the neck, by draping it across the right shoulder as well. Some Nivi styles are worn with the ''pallu'' draped from the back towards the front, coming from the back over the right shoulder with one corner tucked by the left hip, covering the torso/waist. The Nivi sari was popularised through the paintings of
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma ( ml, രാജാ രവിവർമ്മ; 29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist. He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. His works are one of the best examples ...
.
[Miller, Daniel & Banerjee, Mukulika, ''The Sari'' (2004), Lustre press / Roli books.] In one of his paintings, the Indian subcontinent was shown as a mother wearing a flowing Nivi sari.
The ornaments sometimes worn in the midriff region on top of a sari are
waist chain
The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On people with slim bodies, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso.
''Waistline'' refers to the horizontal line where the waist is narrowest, or to the general appearan ...
s. They are sometimes worn as a part of bridal jewellery.
Professional style of draping
![An Oberoi Hotel employee doing Namaste, New Delhi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/An_Oberoi_Hotel_employee_doing_Namaste%2C_New_Delhi.jpg)
Because of the harsh extremes in temperature on the Indian subcontinent, the sari fills a practical role as well as a decorative one. It is not only warming in winter and cooling in summer, but its loose-fitting tailoring is preferred by women who must be free to move as their duties require. For this reason, it is the uniform of
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Biman Bangladesh Airlines ( bn, বিমান বাংলাদেশ এয়ারলাইন্স) commonly known as Biman ( bn, বিমান), pronounced (), is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazra ...
and
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, headquartered at New Delhi. It is owned by Talace Private Limited, a Special-Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited's former owner, the Government of India, completed the sa ...
uniform for
air hostesses.
An air hostess-style sari is draped in similar manner to a traditional sari, but most of the pleats are pinned to keep them in place.
Bangladeshi
Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay.
Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...
female newsreaders and anchors also drape their sari in this particular style.
Saris are worn as uniforms by the female
hotel staff of many five-star luxury hotels in
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 ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, and
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
as the symbol of
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
,
Sri Lankan, and
Bangladeshi culture
The culture of Bangladesh is intertwined with the culture of the ''Bengal region'' of the Indian subcontinent. It has evolved over the centuries and encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh. The Bengal Renaiss ...
, respectively.
Similarly, the female politicians of all three countries wear the sari in a professional manner.
Bangladeshi
Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay.
Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...
politicians usually wear saris with long sleeve blouse while covering their midriff. Some politicians pair up saris with
hijab
In modern usage, hijab ( ar, حجاب, translit=ḥijāb, ) generally refers to headcoverings worn by Muslim women. Many Muslims believe it is obligatory for every female Muslim who has reached the age of puberty to wear a head covering. While ...
s or
shawl
A shawl (from fa, شال ''shāl'',) is a simple item of clothing from Kashmir, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folded ...
s for more coverage.
The women of the
Nehru–Gandhi family
The Nehru–Gandhi family is an Indian political family that has occupied a prominent place in the politics of India. The involvement of the family has traditionally revolved around the Indian National Congress, as various members have traditi ...
like
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (; Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was elected as third prime minister of India in 1966 ...
and
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi ('' née'' Maino; born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician. She is the longest serving president of the Indian National Congress, a social democratic political party, which has governed India for most of its post-independ ...
have worn a special blouse for the campaign trail which is longer than usual and is tucked in to prevent any midriff showing while waving to the crowds. Stylist
Prasad Bidapa
Prasad Bidapa is a Bangalore based fashion stylist and choreographer for various fashion events and shows. He is known to be a fashion consultant, choreographer, image consultant and stylist.
Career
He is the pioneer in the Indian Fashion Ind ...
has to say, "I think Sonia Gandhi is the country's most stylish politician. But that's because she's inherited the best collection of saris from her mother-in-law. I'm also happy that she supports the Indian handloom industry with her selection."
Most female MPs in the Sri Lankan
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
wear a Kandyan osari. This includes prominent women in politics, the
first female premier in the world,
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike ( si, සිරිමා රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක; ta, சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே; 17 April 191 ...
and
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
. Contemporary examples include
Pavithra Wanniarachchi
Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi ( si, පවිත්රා දේවි වන්නිආරච්චි) is a Sri Lankan lawyer and politician. The current Minister of Transport, she is a Member of Parliament from the Ratnapura District.
Earl ...
, the sitting health minister in
Cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
. The adoption of the sari is not exclusive to Sinhalese politicians;
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
MP
Ferial Ashraff combined a hijab with her sari while in Parliament.
Bangladesh
Sari is the national wear of
Bangladeshi
Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay.
Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...
women. All girls and married women used to wear sari as their regular clothes but nowadays most working women choose to wear
shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia.
''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
or western outfits instead.
However, almost all women wear sari as an on formal event and social gatherings. Women of certain occupation such as teachers wear sari to their workplace. Young girls also wear it on special occasions.
Sari is the national attire for
women in Bangladesh
The status of women in Bangladesh has been subject to many important changes over the past few centuries. Bangladeshi women have made significant progress since the country's independence in 1971, where women in the region experienced increa ...
, Although
Dhakai Jamdani (hand made sari) is worldwide known and most famous to all women who wear sari but there are also many variety of saris in Bangladesh. There are many regional variations of them in both silk and cotton. e.g.- Cotton sari,
Dhakai
A Dhakai ( Daccai) is a type of sari (traditional cloth for women of South Asia) made with cotton. The name comes from the Dhaka (Dacca)city, capital of Bangladesh, where this type of sari is usually made.
History
The unique hand technique of wea ...
Banarasi sari
A Banarasi sari is a sari made in Varanasi, an ancient city which is also called Benares (Banaras). The saris are among the finest saris in India and are known for their gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk and opulent embroidery. The sa ...
,
Rajshahi silk
Rajshahi silk is the name given to the silk products produced in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is famous because it is a high quality fabric used for clothing, especially for saris.
In 2021, it was given Geographical indication status as a product of B ...
,
Tangail sari
The handloom industry in Tangail is one of the oldest cottage industries of West Bengal. This traditional saree is produced in Tangail district and is named after the place.
Origin and evaluation
The handloom industry in Tangail was evolved d ...
,
Tant sari
Tant sari is a traditional Bengali sari, originating from the Bengal region in the eastern part and usually used by Bengali women. Tant sari are woven from cotton threads and distinguished by its lightness and transparency. It is considered t ...
,
Tassar silk
Tussar silk (alternatively spelled as tussah, tushar, tassar, tussore, tasar, tussur, or tusser, and also known as (Sanskrit) ''kosa'' silk) is produced from larvae of several species of silkworms belonging to the moth genus ''Antheraea'', inclu ...
sari,
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
i sari and Katan sari are the most popular in Bangladesh.
Sari is considered as a dress code in news channels, educational institutions, workplaces and formal events etc. of Bangladesh and the uniform of the air hostesses of
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Biman Bangladesh Airlines ( bn, বিমান বাংলাদেশ এয়ারলাইন্স) commonly known as Biman ( bn, বিমান), pronounced (), is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazra ...
.
In 2013, the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergove ...
.
In 2016, Bangladesh received
geographical indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...
(GI) status for
Jamdani
Jamdani ( bn, জামদানি) is a fine muslin textile (figured with different patterns) produced for centuries in South Rupshi of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh on the bank of Shitalakhwa river. The historic production of jamdani was ...
sari.
Sri Lanka
![Sinhalese Girl Wearing A Traditional Kandyan Saree (Osaria)-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Sinhalese_Girl_Wearing_A_Traditional_Kandyan_Saree_%28Osaria%29-2.jpg)
Sri Lankan women wear saris in many styles. Two ways of draping the sari are popular and tend to dominate: the Indian style (classic nivi drape) and the Kandyan style (or in Sinhala). The Kandyan style is generally more popular in the hill country region of Kandy from which the style gets its name. Though local preferences play a role, most women decide on style depending on personal preference or what is perceived to be most flattering for their figure.
The traditional Kandyan (Osariya) style consists of a full blouse which covers the midriff completely and is partially tucked in at the front. However, the modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring the midriff. The final tail of the sari is neatly pleated rather than free-flowing. This is rather similar to the pleated rosette used in the ''Pin Kosuvam'' style noted earlier in the article.
The Kandyan style is considered the national dress of Sinhalese women. It is the uniform of the air hostesses of
SriLankan Airlines
SriLankan Airlines (formerly known as Air Lanka) is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka and a member airline of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is currently the largest airline in Sri Lanka by number of aircraft and destinations and was launched i ...
.
During the 1960s, the mini sari known as 'hipster' sari created a wrinkle in Sri Lankan fashion, since it was worn below the navel and barely above the line of prosecution for indecent exposure. The conservative people described the 'hipster' as "''an absolute travesty of a beautiful costume almost a desecration''" and "''a hideous and purposeless garment''".
Nepal
The sari is the most commonly worn women's clothing in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
where a special style of sari draping is called ''haku patasihh''. The sari is draped around the waist and a shawl is worn covering the upper half of the sari, which is used in place of a ''pallu''.
Pakistan
![BushraAnsariLuxStyleAwards](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/BushraAnsariLuxStyleAwards.jpg)
In Pakistan, the saris are still popular and worn on special occasions. The
Shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia.
''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
, however, is worn throughout the country on a daily basis. The sari nevertheless remains a popular garment among the middle and upper class for many formal functions. Saris can be seen worn commonly in metropolitan cities such as Karachi and Islamabad and are worn regularly for weddings and other business types of functions. Saris are also worn by many
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
women in Sindh to show their status or to enhance their beauty.
Phulkari
Phulkari ( pa, ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ) refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab. Although Phulkari means floral work, the designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes.
The main characteristics of Phulkari embr ...
,
Kota doria,
banarasi,
Ajrak
Ajrak ( sd, اجرڪ), also known as Ajrakh, is a unique form of blockprinting found mostly in Sindh, Pakistan and Ajrakhpur, Kutch district, India. These shawls display special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps. Over the ...
are the most worn.
The sari is worn as daily wear by
Pakistani Hindus
Hinduism is the second largest religious affiliation in Pakistan after Islam. While Hinduism was one of the dominant faiths in the region a few centuries back, today Hindus account for 2.14% of Pakistan's population or 4.4 million people accor ...
, by elderly Muslim women who were used to wearing it in
pre-partition India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
and by some of the new generation who have reintroduced the interest in saris. Non-
dharmic
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
of
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
are not the only ones who have normalized the cultural appropriatness of saris since it has been happening all over the world.
Black Sari Day, is an celebration of Iqbal Bano a women who fought in a Black sari in Lahore against Zia. She sang Hum Dekhenge. Although this event is to bring family closer and to enjoy the day of Iqbal Bano.
Similarities with other Asian clothing
While the sari is typical to traditional wear for women in the Indian subcontinent, clothing worn by women in Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos resemble it, where a long rectangular piece of cloth is draped around the body. These are different from the sari as they are wrapped around the lower-half of body as a skirt, worn with a shirt/blouse and resemble a
sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...
, as seen in the Burmese (; ), Filipino and , Laotian (; ), Laotian and Thai (; ) and (, ; , , ), Cambodian ( km, ស្បៃ) and ''sampot'' ( km, សំពត់, , ) and Timorese . Saris, worn predominantly in the Indian subcontinent are usually draped with one end of the cloth fastened around the waist, and the other end placed over the shoulder baring the midriff.
Ornamentation and decorative accessories
![Whitechapel dresses 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Whitechapel_dresses_1.jpg)
Saris are woven with one plain end (the end that is concealed inside the wrap), two long decorative borders running the length of the sari, and a one to three-foot section at the other end which continues and elaborates the length-wise decoration. This end is called the ''pallu''; it is the part thrown over the shoulder in the nivi style of draping.
In past times, saris were woven of Silk in the Indian subcontinent, silk or cotton. The rich could afford finely woven, Transparency and translucency, diaphanous silk saris that, according to folklore, could be passed through a finger ring. The poor wore coarsely woven cotton saris. All saris were weaving, handwoven and represented a considerable investment of time or money.
Simple hand-woven villagers' saris are often decorated with checks or stripes woven into the cloth. Inexpensive saris were also decorated with block printing using carved wooden blocks and vegetable dyes, or tie-dyeing, known in India as ''bhandani'' work.
More expensive saris had elaborate geometric, floral, or figurative ornaments or brocades created on the Loom#Handloom, loom, as part of the fabric. Sometimes warp and weft threads were tie-dyed and then woven, creating ''ikat'' patterns. Sometimes threads of different colours were woven into the base fabric in patterns; an ornamented border, an elaborate ''pallu'', and often, small repeated accents in the cloth itself. These accents are called ''buttis'' or ''bhuttis'' (spellings vary). For fancy saris, these patterns could be woven with Gold thread, gold or silver thread, which is called ''zari'' work.
![WLA haa Gold belt Tamil Oddiyanam 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/WLA_haa_Gold_belt_Tamil_Oddiyanam_3.jpg)
Sometimes the saris were further decorated, after weaving, with various sorts of embroidery. ''Resham'' work is embroidery done with coloured silk thread. ''Zardozi'' embroidery uses gold and silver thread, and sometimes pearls and Gemstone, precious stones. Cheap modern versions of ''zardozi'' use synthetic metallic thread and imitation stones, such as fake pearls and Swarovski crystals.
In modern times, saris are increasingly woven on mechanical looms and made of artificial fibres, such as polyester, nylon, or rayon, which do not require starching or ironing. They are printed by machine, or woven in simple patterns made with ''floats'' across the back of the sari. This can create an elaborate appearance on the front, while looking ugly on the back. The ''punchra'' work is imitated with inexpensive machine-made tassel trim. Fashion designer Aaditya Sharma declared, "I can drape a sari in 54 different styles".
Hand-woven, hand-decorated saris are naturally much more expensive than the machine imitations. While the overall market for handweaving has plummeted (leading to much distress among Indian handweavers), weaving, hand-woven saris are still popular for weddings and other grand social occasions.
Saris outside the Indian subcontinent
![Aishwarya bachchan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Aishwarya_bachchan.jpg)
The traditional sari made an impact in the United States during the 1970s. Eugene Novack who ran the New York store, Royal Sari House told that he had been selling it mainly to the Indian women in New York area but later many American business women and housewives became his customers who preferred their saris to resemble the full gown of the western world. He also said that men appeared intrigued by the fragility and the femininity it confers on the wearer. Newcomers to the sari report that it is comfortable to wear, requiring no girdles or stockings and that the flowing garb feels so feminine with unusual grace.
The sari has gained its popularity internationally because of the growth of Indian fashion trends globally. Many Bollywood celebrities, like Aishwarya Rai, have worn it at international events representing Culture of India, India's cultural heritage. In 2010, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone wanted to represent her country at an international event, wearing the national costume. On her very first red carpet appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes International Film Festival, she stepped out on the red carpet in a Rohit Bal sari.
Many foreign celebrities have worn traditional sari attire designed by Indian fashion designers. American actress Pamela Anderson made a surprise guest appearance on Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother (TV series), Big Brother, dressed in a sari that was specially designed for her by Mumbai-based fashion designer Ashley Rebello. Ashley Judd donned a purple sari at the Kate Roberts (YouthAIDS), YouthAIDS Benefit Gala in November 2007 at the Ritz Carlton in Mclean, Virginia. There was an Indian flavour to the red carpet at the annual Fashion Rocks concert in New York, with designer Rocky S walking the ramp along with Jessica, Ashley, Nicole, Kimberly and Melody – the Pussycat Dolls – dressed in saris. in 2014, American singer Selena Gomez was seen in a sari for an UNICEF charity event at Nepal.
In the United States, the sari has recently become politicised with the digital-movement, "Sari, Not Sorry". Tanya Rawal-Jindia, a gender studies professor at University of California, Riverside, UC Riverside, initiated this anti-xenophobia fashion-campaign on Instagram.
While an international image of the modern style sari may have been popularised by airline flight attendants, each region in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
has developed, over the centuries, its own unique sari style. Following are other well-known varieties, distinct on the basis of fabric, weaving style, or motif, in the Indian subcontinent
Handloom and textiles
Handloom sari weaving is one of India's Textile industry in India, cottage industries. The handloom weaving process requires several stages in order to produce the final product. Traditionally the processes of dyeing (during the yarn, fabric, or garment stage), Warp (weaving), warping, sizing, attaching the warp, weft winding and weaving were done by weavers and local specialists around weaving towns and villages.
Northern and Central styles
!['Sari' from Varanasi (north-central India), silk and gold-wrapped silk yarn with supplementary weft brocade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/%27Sari%27_from_Varanasi_%28north-central_India%29%2C_silk_and_gold-wrapped_silk_yarn_with_supplementary_weft_brocade.jpg)
* Banarasi sari, Banarasi –
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
* Shalu (sari), Shalu – Uttar Pradesh
* Tanchoi – Uttar Pradesh
* Pattu - Himachal Pradesh
* Chanderi sari –
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
* Maheshwari – Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh
* Kosa silk –
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...
* Dhokra silk – Madhya Pradesh
Eastern styles
![Folded sari in purple and magenta shot-silk with gold pattern, 1970](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Folded_sari_in_purple_and_magenta_shot-silk_with_gold_pattern%2C_1970.jpg)
*
Tant sari
Tant sari is a traditional Bengali sari, originating from the Bengal region in the eastern part and usually used by Bengali women. Tant sari are woven from cotton threads and distinguished by its lightness and transparency. It is considered t ...
– throughout
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
and
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
* Baluchari sari – Bishnupur, West Bengal
* Kantha, Kaantha sari – throughout Bengal
* Garode / Korial – Murshidabad, West Bengal
* Shantipuri cotton – Shantipur, Phulia, West Bengal
* Jamdani, Jamdani / Dhakai – Dhaka, Bangladesh
* Rajshahi silk, Rajshahi silk / Eri – Rajshahi, Bangladesh
* Dhakai Katan – Dhaka, Bangladesh
* Mooga silk –
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
* Mekhla Cotton – Assam
* Sambalpuri saree, Sambalpuri Silk & Cotton sari – Sambalpur,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
* Ikat, Ikkat Silk & Cotton sari – Bargarh, Odisha
![Bomkai3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Bomkai3.jpg)
* Bomkai sari – Bomkai, Ganjam district, Ganjam, Odisha
* Khandua, Khandua Silk & Cotton sari – Nuapatna, Cuttack, Odisha
* Pasapali sari – Bargarh, Odisha
* Sonepuri Silk & Cotton sari – Subarnapur district, Subarnapur, Odisha
* Berhampuri silk – Behrampur, Odisha
* Mattha Silk sari – Mayurbhanj, Odisha
* Bapta Silk & Cotton sari – Koraput, Odisha
* Kotpad Pata sari – Koraput, Odisha
* Tanta Cotton sari – Balasore, Odisha
* Manipuri Tant sari –
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
* Moirang Phi sari – Manipur
* Patt Silk sari – Assam
* Kotki sari – Orissa
* Kotpad sari – Orissa
Western styles
![Kota sari with gota patti by ashish 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Kota_sari_with_gota_patti_by_ashish_01.JPG)
*Paithanpattu - Maharashtra
*Yeola sari - Maharashtra
*Peshwai shalu - Maharashtra
*Mahalsa sari - Maharashtra
*Narayanpeth - Maharashtra
*Khun fabric - Maharashtra
*Karvati tussar sari - Maharashtra
![Bandhej](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Bandhej.JPG)
* Bandhani work, Bandhani –
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, Rajasthan, Pakistan, Sindh
*
Kota doria – Rajasthan, Pakistan, Sindh
* Lugade – Maharashtra
* Patola sari, Patola – Gujarat
* Bagru – Rajasthan.
*
Phulkari
Phulkari ( pa, ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ) refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab. Although Phulkari means floral work, the designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes.
The main characteristics of Phulkari embr ...
- Punjab.
*
Ajrak
Ajrak ( sd, اجرڪ), also known as Ajrakh, is a unique form of blockprinting found mostly in Sindh, Pakistan and Ajrakhpur, Kutch district, India. These shawls display special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps. Over the ...
- Sindh, Rajasthan, Gujarat
Southern styles
![Mysore Silk Saree](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Mysore_Silk_Saree.jpg)
* Mysore silk –
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
* Kanchipuram Silk (locally called Kanjipuram pattu) –
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
* Arani silk - Tamil Nadu
* Ilkal sari – Karnataka
* Molakalmuru sari – Karnataka
* Sulebhavi, Sulebhavi sari – Sulebhavi, Karnataka
* Venkatagiri –
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
* Mangalagiri Silk saris – Andhra Pradesh
* Uppada Silk saris – Andhra Pradesh
* Chirala saris – Andhra Pradesh
* Bandar saris – Andhra Pradesh
* Bandarulanka – Andhra Pradesh
* Kuppadam saris – Andhra Pradesh
* Dharmavaram, Anantapur district, Dharmavaram silk sari – Andhra Pradesh
* Chettinad saris – Tamil Nadu
* Kumbakonam – Tamil Nadu
* Thirubuvanam – Tamil Nadu
* Coimbatore cotton – Tamil Nadu
* Salem silk – Tamil Nadu
* Chinnalampattu or Sungudi – Tamil Nadu
* Kandangi – Tamil Nadu
* Rasipuram silk saris – Tamil Nadu
* Koorai – Tamil Nadu
* Arni silk sari – Tamil Nadu
* Chennai – Tamil Nadu
* Karaikudi – Tamil Nadu
* Madurai cotton saris – Tamil Nadu
* Tiruchirappalli saris – Tamil Nadu
* Nagercoil saris – Tamil Nadu
* Thoothukudi – Tamil Nadu
* Thanjavur saris – Tamil Nadu
* Tiruppur – Tamil Nadu
*
Kerala sari silk and cotton –
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
* Balarampuram#Weaving, Balarampuram – Kerala
* Mundum Neriyathum – Kerala
* Mayilati silk – Kerala
* Kannur cotton – Kerala
* Kalpathi silk saris – Kerala
* Maradaka silk – Kerala
* Samudrikapuram silk and cotton – Kerala
* Kasargod – Kerala
* Pochampally sari or Puttapaka sari – Telangana
* Gadwal sari – Telangana
* Narayanpet – Telangana
Images
File:Woman's Wedding Sari LACMA M.71.37.2 (2 of 2).jpg, 19th century example of weft-resist dye (patola) or double Ikat
File:A silk saree loom in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.jpg, A silk sari loom in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
File:Raja Ravi Varma, Galaxy of Musicians.jpg, ''Galaxy of Musicians'' by Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma ( ml, രാജാ രവിവർമ്മ; 29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist. He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. His works are one of the best examples ...
depicting women in various styles of sari.
File:Silk Sari Weaving at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.jpg, Silk weaving at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
File:Textile printing blocks at the Horniman Museum 1.jpg, Wooden printing-blocks used for block-print saris.
File:India - Colours - Fine silk thread 2 (2576645773).jpg, Dyed silk yarns for sari.
File:Kanchi Silk.jpg, Handloom Kanchivaram silk sari.
File:India - Varanasi loom - 0987.jpg, Handloom in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
File:India - Varanasi loom - 0985.jpg, Handloom in Varanasi
File:Saree draping.jpg
File:Silk saree on the making at Kanchipuram (7642281054).jpg, Weaving at work in Kanchipuram
File:Colours of India - Silk yarn waiting to be made into saris.jpg, Dyed silk yarns for weaving saris.
File:Loom to weave patola.jpg, Double-Ikat handloom for Patola sari in Gujarat.
File:Description- Textile artists demonstrate double ikat weaving at the 2002 Smithsonian Folklife Festival featuring The Silk Road. (2548928970).jpg, Double ikat (Patola) weaving
File:Making of Jamdani-10.jpg, Weaving Jamdani sari in handloom, Bangladesh.
File:Making of Jamdani-9.jpg, Weavers at work in Bangladesh.
File:Bangladeshi children wearing sari at Pohela Boishakh celebration (01).jpg, Child wearing sari in Bangladesh.
File:Coorgi Dress Doll.jpg, Style of sari worn in Coorg.
File:Dhaka Weaving Center, Nepal (10692229944).jpg, Handloom weaver at work.
File:Devadasi 1920s.JPG, Devadasis from Goa.
File:Sinhalese Girl Wearing A Traditional Kandyan Saree (Osaria)-1.jpg, Sinhalese woman wearing a traditional Kandyan sari ().
File:Weaving machine, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu (7642250402).jpg, Weaving saris in Kancipuram.
File:Kanchipuram sarees (7642285396).jpg, Display of handloom saris.
File:Bride of Bangladesh (06).jpg, Bangladeshi bridal handloom sari.
File:North Karnataka saree draping style.png, Picture shows sari draping style of North Karnataka by Raja Ravi Varma.
File:Bangladeshi bride in Jamdani sari.jpg, Bride in traditional Bengali sari
File:Karnataka kacche drape 1.jpg, Woman in Karnataka kacche drape by Raja Ravi Varma.
File:Hillarydipumoni.jpg, Education Minister of Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
Dr.Dipu Moni wearing sari with Hillary Clinton
File:Russia-Bangladeshi talks Moscow 2013-01-15 05.jpeg, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Rajshahi silk
Rajshahi silk is the name given to the silk products produced in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is famous because it is a high quality fabric used for clothing, especially for saris.
In 2021, it was given Geographical indication status as a product of B ...
sari at the Moscow Kremlin
File:Women in Karnataka wearing Kodagu style sari.jpg, Women in Karnataka wearing Kodagu style sari.
File:A Traditional Bengali Attire- Saree draped in the Bengali way.jpg, Sari is worn in Bengal using the Aat Puroure draping style.
File:Sari 2.jpg, Sari in modern India
See also
* Ghagra choli
* Clothing in India
* Indian wedding clothes
* Lehenga-style sari
*
Shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia.
''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
* Sari cancer
*Dhoti
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Ambrose, Kay (1950) ''Classical Dances and Costumes of India''. London: A. & C. Black.
* Craddock, Norma (1994) ''Anthills, Split Mothers, and Sacrifice: Conceptions of Female Power in the Mariyamman Tradition''. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley.
External links
*
Sari vs. salwar kameez on the subcontinent
{{Silk fibre
Saris,
Dresses
Indian clothing
Nepalese clothing
Bangladeshi clothing
Pakistani clothing
History of Asian clothing
History of fashion
Sri Lankan clothing