Saree the traditional dress of Indian women which enhances the beauty of women when she wear it . A saree makes a women look elegant, gorgeous and stylish. women of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka also prefer saree as their traditional comfort dress. A saree is a very long strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from five to nine meters in length. saree can be draped in various styles. The most common style is to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. The saree is usually worn over a petticoat, with a blouse known as a choli forming the upper garment.
History Of Sarees :
The term "saree" is derived from a Sanskrit word Prakrit sattika , as mentioned in earliest Buddhist and Jain literature meaning "strip of cloth".
The history of Indian saree traces back to the Indus valley civilization, which flourished from 2800-1800 B.C.E. Some costume historians believe that the men's dhoti, which is the oldest Indian draped garment, is the forerunner of the saree. They say that until the fourteenth century, the dhoti was worn by both men and women .It is generally accepted that wrapped saree-like garments, shawls, and veils have been worn by Indian women for a long time, and that they have been worn in their current form for hundreds of years .The history of the choli, or saree blouse, and the petticoat is a subject of controversy. Some researchers state that these were unknown before the British arrived in India, and that they were introduced to satisfy Victorian ideas of modesty. Previously, women only wore one draped cloth and casually exposed the upper body . Other historians point to much textual and artistic evidence for various forms of upper-body shawl which were worn much earlier.
Types of sarees :
Saree is a traditional female garment with various styles of draping, varying from five to nine yards length. There are more than 30 types of sarees available in India they are :
Kantha-sarees: "Kantha sarees" are traditionally worn by women in Bengal region of the India. In kantha the entire cloth is covered with running stitches, employing beautiful motifs of flowers, animals birds and geometrical shapes, as well as themes from everyday activities. The stitching on the cloth gives it a slightly wrinkled, wavy effect. Contemporary kantha is applied to a sarees mostly using fabric of cotton and silk.
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| Kantha sarees |
Banarasi Saree : Banarasi sarees are made in Varanasi and known for their gold and silver zaari. The sarees are made of finely woven silk and among the finest sarees in India. The banarasi sarees has four types :
Korial Banarasi, Pashmina Banarasi, Traditional Banarasi and Tanchoi Banarasi Sarees.
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| Banarasi Sarees |
Tant Saree: Tant Saree is a traditional Bengali style saree made by the weavers and meant for daily use. Tant saree are most comfortable saree for the hot Indian summer.
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| Tant Saree |
Chanderi Saree : it is made in Chanderi town of Madhya Pradesh, produced from pure silk, chanderi cotton and silk cotton. Chanderi saree are also known for gold and silver brocade.
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| Chanderi saree |
Sambalpuri Saree: Sambalpuri Saree is a traditional Handloom sarees, produced in Sambalpur and near by district of Odisha. The Sambalpuri saree reflect an original style of craft made from fabric woven on a hand loom.
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| Sambalpuri Saree |
Kasta Saree :Kasta Saree also referred to as
Nauvari is the traditional Marathi style of saree, a single nine yard saree
that is worn very similar to the Maharashtrian dhoti.
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| Kasta Saree |
Chiffon Saree :Chiffon Sarees are light weight
fabric sarees made purely from silk. These sarees are one of the most appealing
attire for Indian women.
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| Chiffon Sarees |
Georgette Saree :Georgette Sarees are also light weight attire made from silk with highly twisted yarns. These sarees are made in solid colors and prints.
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| Georgette Sarees |
Kosa Saree :Kosa Sarees are one of the most popular sarees in India, available in different colors, patterns and designs. Kosa silk produced from larvae of several species of silkworms in Chhattisgarh.
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| Kosa Sarees |
Net Saree :Net Sarees are made with a fabric with open spaces and come in different varieties. Different weaving patterns can be used for different kinds of netting.
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| Net Sarees |
Bandhani Saree :Bandhani is a tie dye textile
process and the technique ,variety and colour used in Bandhani are highly
decorated. Bandhani Sarees are being sold all over India, especially during the
festive and wedding seasons.
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| Bandhani Saree |
Kasavu Saree :Kasavu Sarees from Kerala are the traditional clothing of women in the state,especially during the festival and wedding seasons. The Kasavu Sarees is traditionally white or cream in color and consists of two pieces of cloth.
Patola Saree :Patola Saree is a double ikat saree made from silk in Patan of Gujarat. These sarees are most popular and very expensive, once worn only by royal and aristocratic families.
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| Patola Saree |
Kanjeevaram Saree :Kanjeevaram Saree are
weaved from pure mulberry silk thread, made by the weavers of kancheepuram.
Kanchipuram Sarees has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the
Government of India.
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| Kanjeevaram Saree |
Kalamkari Saree :Kalamkari Sarees produced in many different regions of South India and There are two distinctive styles of kalamkari art in India – the Srikalahasti style and the Machilipatnam style.
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| Kalamkari Sarees |
Paithani Saree :Paithani Sarees are made from
very fine silk, produced in Paithan town in Aurangabad. Paithani variety of
Sarees are considered as one of the richest sarees in India.
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| Paithani Sarees |
Muga Saree :Muga Sarees are produced in Assam
from wild Muga silks,Pat and warm Eri silk. Muga silk was recognized as a
protected geographical indication and used in products like sarees, mekhalas
and chadors.
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| Muga Sarees |
Puttapaka Saree :Puttapaka Sarees made in
Puttapaka village of Nalgonda district in Telangana. These Sarees are known for
its unique Puttapaka tie and dye style and closely resembles Sambalpuri saree.
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| Puttapaka Sarees |
Pochampally Saree :Pochampally Sarees are made
of one of the ancient Ikat weaving with traditional geometric patterns. Air
India cabin crew wear specially designed pochampally silk sarees.
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| Pochampally Sarees |
Gadwal Saree :Gadwal Sarees is registered as
one of the geographical indication from Telangana and are most notable for the
best Zari on the sarees. These sarees have been popular and consists of cotton
body with silk pallu.
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| Gadwal Sarees |
Konrad Saree :Konrad Sarees also known as
Temple Sarees are well known sarees from South India, originated from Tamil
Nadu. These sarees were originally woven for temple deities and one of the most
expensive sarees in India.
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| Konrad Sarees |
Ilkal Saree :Ilkal Sarees produced in the town of Ilkal in the Bagalkot district and use of a form of embroidery called as Kasuti, a traditional form of folk embroidery from Karnataka. The embroidery include in Ilkal Sarees are like gopura, chariot, palanquins and elephants.
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| Ilkal Sarees |
Kerala Saree :Kerala Sarees is verly closely related to mundum neriyathum but consists of a single piece of cloth. Traditional and modern styles of Kerala Sarees are regarded as the cultural costume of women.
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| kerala saree |
Phulkari Saree: Phulkari is a embroidery technique from the Punjab region and mostly used during marriage and other festivals. Phulkari embroidery most favoured color is red and its shades.
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| Phulkari saree |
Chikankari-Saree :Chikankari embroidery is a traditional embroidery style from Lucknow and one of the best known textile decoration styles. Lucknow Chikankari work embroidery sarees are one of the best sarees in India.
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| Chikan embroidery Sarees |
Kota Doria Saree :Kota Doria Sarees made at
Kota,Mau and and its nearby area, know for a bit of embroidery and border
patches. Kota sarees are are popularly known as Masuria in the region.
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| Kota Doria Sarees |
Baluchari Saree :Baluchari Sarees worn by
women across India, mostly Bishnupur and its surrounding places of West Bengal.
The Baluchari Saree has been granted the status of Geographical indication in
India.
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| Baluchari Sarees |
Mangalagiri Saree :Mangalagiri Sarees and
Fabrics are produced in Mangalagiri town of Guntur and registered as one of the
best handicraft from Andhra Pradesh. Mangalagiri sarees are very unique in
variety and has the most characteristic features.
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| Mangalagiri Sarees |
Bomkai Saree :Bomkai Saree are produced by Bhulia community from Odisha state. Because of Bomkai sarees, the place is identified Geographical Indications of India and Aishwarya Rai wore a kind of Bomkai Saree.
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| Bomkai Saree |
Gota Saree :Gota Patti Sarees originated in
Rajasthan,This type of Indian embroidery used extensively in wedding and formal
clothes. The metal embroidery of Rajasthan is known as Gota work.
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| Gota Patti Sarees |
Along with these Mysore Silk Saree, Bhagalpuri Saree, Bengali sarees, Gujrati Stitch sarees, Maheshwari sarees are also an outfit for the Indian women.
Styles of saree Draping :
Nivi – styles originally worn in Tamil Nadu; besides the modern nivi, there is also the kaccha nivi, where the pleats are passed through the legs and tucked into the waist at the back. This allows free movement while covering the legs.
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Gujarati – This style differs from the nivi only in the manner in which the loose end is handled: in this style, the loose end is draped over the right shoulder rather than the left, and is also draped back-to-front rather than the other way around.
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| Gujarati style saree draping |
Maharashtrian/Kache – This drape (front and back) is very similar to that of the male Maharashtrian dhoti. The center of the saree (held lengthwise) is placed at the center back, the ends are brought forward and tied securely, then the two ends are wrapped around the legs. When worn as a saree, an extra-long cloth is used and the ends are then passed up over the shoulders and the upper body. This style is primarily worn by Brahmin women of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
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| Kache style saree draping |
Madisaara style – This drape is typical of Brahmin ladies from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Kodagu style – This drape is confined to ladies hailing from the Kodagu district of Karnataka. In this style, the pleats are created in the rear, instead of the front. The loose end of the saree is draped back-to-front over the right shoulder, and is pinned to the rest of the saree.
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| Kodagu style |
Gond/mundum style– saree styles found in many parts of Central India. The cloth is first draped over the left shoulder, then arranged to cover the body.
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| Gond/mundum style |
The two-piece saree, or mundum neryathum, worn in Kerala. A two-piece saree is usually made of unbleached cotton and decorated with gold or colored stripes and/or borders.
Sarees outside the Indian subcontinent :
The traditional saree made an impact in the United States during the 1970s. Eugene Novack who ran the New York store, Royal Saree 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 sarees 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 saree report that it is comfortable to wear, requiring no girdles or stockings and that the flowing garb feels so feminine with unusual grace. The saree has gained its popularity internationally because of the growth of Indian fashion trends globally.
Many foreign celebrities have worn traditional saree attire designed by Indian fashion designers. While an international image of the modern style saree may have been popularised by airline flight attendants, each region in the Indian subcontinent has developed, over the centuries, its own unique saree style. Following are other well-known varieties, distinct on the basis of fabric, weaving style, or motif, in the Indian subcontinent.
Importance of saree in Indian Culture :
One of the
importance of wearing saree in India is to prosper the culture of India. Every
woman in India needs to conserve their culture. One of the importance of
wearing saree in India is to nurture their tradition and pass it to the coming
generation as well. No matter how every woman wears western culture, they never
forget to carry Saree on special occasions such as weddings, worshipping,
Diwali, and any other special Hindi festivities.
Considered as an indian traditional attire :Our country is considered a country of numerous traditions, dialects, attires, and forms of worship. The eminence of the country consists of housing perfect from the international influences incorporating into several well-off heritage of Indian culture. This is where the importance of saree in Indian culture plays its role. The Indian culture set-up characteristic can be processed in Indian tradition attire growth which is Indian saree. It does not only reflects the Indian tradition but also highlights love for the value and sentiments of Indian culture.
Expression of indian pride :Another importance of saree in Indian culture is to flaunt your Indian Pride. Wearing a saree is a must for women to conserve the culture of India. Women wear saree to express the pride of their nation and tradition.One of the essential aspects of the culture of India sets-up lead to growing Indian traditional saree. It is also considered as inspiration for costume lovers across the world.
Considered as a bridal wear :In several parts across the country, Saree is considered an essential attire for Bridal wear. The great cultural diversity shows modesty on Indian brides. Traditional Christian brides prefer wearing a white saree with a long white sleeved blouse instead of Christian wedding gown in India. In South India, saree is draped differently adorned with ethnic accessories and jewelry.
Reduction of stress :You won’t believe the fact that wearing a saree can result in spiritual healing which in turn reduces distress energy of the body caused by negative energies. Women with negative distressed energy might have a negative thought about saree and wearing it. An attempt to wear a saree even after experiencing difficulties can reduce stress.
Religious significance of saree in our indian culture :
Wearing a saree depicts the importance of religion for the person who wears it. Religious value is considered one of the importance of saree in Indian culture. Saree lies in the heart of every Indian woman no matter how modern they are and no matter how much saree has been revolutionized throughout time. The design, patterns, and colors of the saree depict virtues, and the region the person came from. The Fish and Paisley pattern on a saree depict fertility while the elephant symbol symbolizes wealth and Good luck.Since our early times, the designs and patterns used in the attire had hidden meanings in it which symbolized several things associated with it. When we think of special festive occasions in India, getting perfect and right Indian attire becomes essential because without a perfect dress up you won’t be confident enough to indulge yourself in merriment .Women are most often spotted in sarees when it is about an ordinary everyday Indian clothing while they also wear the attire for some special occasions as well. Some women prefer to stick to their tradition and culture while some prefer wearing it occasionally .No matter what your reason is to carry or not to carry a saree, the essential thing is that whenever you wear it, you look gorgeous every time. We very well know that only someone’s clothing does not only show their character and personality however the forgotten tradition and culture of our country do reflect. So, now that we have concluded, we are sure you will remember the above information as immeasurable importance of saree in Indian culture and across the world as well.
Benefits of sarees:
Another
significant reason for its never-ending popularity is that a saree offers
multiple benefits. The most prominent ones include:
You look gorgeous in them :One of the best things about a saree is that every woman looks beautiful in it, no matter their body type. Whether tall or short, thin or curvy, you can't go wrong with a saree if you drape it right.
They are versatile :Another thing that makes a saree unique is wearing it in multiple ways. Wear it traditionally or drape it with the pallu on the front or look chic by draping it in the modern infinity style. With a saree, your options are endless to wear the same saree again in a different way entirely.
Works for every occasion :Whether you want to attend a family function or an office evening party, you can slay both the looks in a saree. Choose the right accessories and makeup to amp up your look or downplay it. No other Indian ethnic wear offers you such flexibility as a saree does.
Unlimited options :Sarees have been part of our culture for a long time, so every traditional weaving and printing art form can be seen in sarees. Whether you want bandhani sarees, chanderi saree, kosa saree, Ajrakh print sarees, batik work sarees, or kalamkari sarees, you can easily find it all. Sarees celebrate the Indian culture in the most beautiful ways.
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