Celebrating the Timeless Elegance of the Saree: A Symbol of Culture, Art, and Connection

WOMEN'S FASHION

The saree is a significant part of Indian culture and remains timelessly fashionable. It’s a staple for any celebration or special occasion, adding a touch of elegance and confidence. With different weaves and fabrics, sarees come in various textures and styles. Popular across India, they also hold cultural importance worldwide.

For many, sarees represent more than just clothing. December 21st is celebrated as World Saree Day, honoring this six-to-nine-foot drape worn across India. The saree connects both the wearer and the weaver, fostering a deeper personal bond. As a form of artistic expression, sarees allow people to showcase their creativity, joy, and struggles. Though they are thousands of years old, sarees are only recently recognized as a medium of art, with their flexibility and diverse patterns reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage.

Some sarees which are still widely worn by women

Kanjeevaram (Tamil Nadu)

This is the pinnacle of South Indian exotica. The government has recognised these stunning sarees as a geographical indication since 2005-06. A symbol of Indian culture's which emphasises on aesthetics and beauty, the Kanjeevaram silk saree is made mostly in the Kanchipuram region of Tamil Nadu and is worn by South Indian brides on their weddings and is a must have in their trousseau.

Banarasi (Uttar Pradesh)

Varanasi manufactures Banarasi sarees.. Banarasi weavers advanced handwork with gold and silver brocade or zari and were made with premium silk in the 18^th century. Mughals inspired Banarasi with kalga, bel, (both floral designs) and jhallar (upright leaves) in goldwork. The pallus were decorated with intricately woven katan jal and meenakari. Many women prefer to wear the gorgeous silk Banarasi sarees on their weddings.

Chanderi (Madhya Pradesh)

In the 13th century, Chanderi saris were made. Around 1350, Jhansi-born Koshti weavers settled in Chanderi. The Mughals boosted Chanderi's textile industry.

Chanderi saris contain pure silk and also cotton or silk cotton. Coins, floral themes, peacocks, and geometric shapes appear in Chanderi weave variations. These saris have gold and silver brocade (or zari), excellent silk, and rich embroidery.

Bandhej (Rajasthan)

This tie-dyed cloth is fingernail-bound. Bandh means knot in Sanskrit (to bind, to tie). Bandhani may have originated in 4000 BC. Bandhani has numerous names in different languages and places such as Bandhni, Piliya, and Chungidi (a regional dialect of Tamil). Gujarat and Rajasthan sell Bandhani sarees. It is to be noted that location affects Bandhej saree patterns. Western India uses bandhani, a tie-dye design. Squeezing and binding little cloth squares makes dots. Then, the fabric is coloured.

Mekhela Sador (Assam)

Assamese ladies wear the silk and cotton Mekhela sadors which date back to the Ahom era (from the 13th to the 19^th century). Women wear a mekhela, a skirt which reaches the feet and has three pleats in front and is tucked into a waist girdle. Another piece, the Riha, is added on to this two-piece ensemble, during weddings and other ceremonies. Wrapping a riha around the wearer's waist and chest turns it into a breast band. On the upper part a seleng or sador is worn. The sador's body may be plain or adorned with butis or other traditional motifs of different ethnic communities of the state with a broad border on the anchal end and thinner borders on the other three sides. The traditional Assamese mekhela sadors are made of cotton, muga, paat (silk), eri or tussar threads

Tussar Madhubani (Bihar)

The Madubani art work which adorn the Tussar Madhubani sarees gives the name to these beautiful drapes made with tussar silk. Madhubani artwork originated in Mithila, Bihar (India). Madhubani paintings date to when the Ramayana was written. Some say Madhubani paintings adorned Mithila's walls and streets. A Madhubani painting was created to honour Ram and Sita. Madhubani art's rich colours come from tree twigs and other organic elements. Today's artists use acrylic paints and brushes. Due to the hand-painting method, items may vary in colour, pattern, and efficiency. The handloom textiles also have varying textures.

Kasavu (Kerala)

Keralas traditional Kasavu saree with its typical rich gold border and plain white or cream body stands out for it understated elegance, Kasavu in Kerala means a sari's zari border. A Kasavu mundu is a dhoti which has a gold zari border. Traditional dress in Kerala is called kaithari, which means "handloom" (a two-piece sarong sari).

Baluchari Swarnachari (West Bengal)

Mythology-influenced this Bengali saree. Murshidabad created Baluchari 200 years ago. Baluchar's saris were founded by Bengal's Nawabs. The early Balu (sand) and Char (river banks). The themes revolved around the lives of nawabs riding carriages or women smoking hooka, The Thakurs later resurrected Baluchari with temple-inspired themes.

Baluchari created human, animal, floral, and geometric patterns for the Murshidabad court. Smaller rectangular panels encircled the big mango- or paisley-patterned panel. Paisleys cover the saree. Baluchari sarees included paisley, flowers, birds, and animals. Baluchari weaves thread into its motifs and patterns while Swarnachari weaves gold or silver thread.

Paithani (Maharashtra)

Paithani saris date to mediaeval Paithan near Aurangabad and its royal dynasties. The city-named sari was made with local zari. Each sari's flowery and bird-inspired designs exude richness and Indian handloom grandeur. A six-yard Paithani sari takes 500 grammes of silk and 250 grammes of zari. A nine-yard variants require more raw material and can weigh upto 900 g to a little more than 1kg.

The iridescent weave provides gradation. The Peshwa era featured the Hans, Ashraffi, and Asawalli motifs. Muniya, a red mouthed parrot, is woven in the green and red pallu (anchal) border. The pallus also includes the Panja, a geometric flower-like motif commonly outlined in red, the Barwa (12 ladder strands, 3 on each side), and the panja (peacock).

Sambalpuri (Odisha)

Odisha Ikat Sambalpuri sarees are historic. Sambalpuri silk sarees are tie-dyed. Bargarh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Balangir, and Boudh in Odisha make Sambalpuri sarees. These Ikat Sambalpuri sarees have borders and pallus inspired by Odisha's religious architecture. the conch shell, chakra and phul. Most Sambalpuri sarrees are made in the colours of red, black and white which sybolise the colours of Lord Jagannatha.

Sambalpuri's baandha is unique. Baandha depicts nature or geometric motifs. Baandha weavers make portraits, landscapes, and flower pods. This saree has similar designs on both sides. Skilled artisans can use this procedure to weave sarees with inspiring themes, patterns, and images.

Bhujodi (Gujarat)

Bhujodi is a small town a few kilometres from Gujarat's Bhuj, It has a famous textile centre producing the beautiful soft cotton Bhujodi sarees since more than 1000 years. The Vankars of Kutch region traditionally weave geometrical patterns with the yarn dyed in rich shades of natural colours. The story goes that the Vankars of Bhujodi in the Kutch region were originally the Marwada weavers of the Meghwal community of Rajasthan and had migrated and settled in the Kutch region of Gujarat, It is further believed that the aesthetic weaves of the Marwada weavers and later the Vankars originated in the Rabari community, a nomadic pastoral community of shephards of Afghanistan, who came to Rajasthan about 1000 years ago.

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