Tuesday 29 April 2014

Yards - Going the whole nine


Most of us Indian girls would have experimented with this when they were young, often times with the ladies of the family getting amused at our enthusiastic attempts to get it right.

We would have found it very fascinating. Many of us still do. With the vibrant colours, with the textures, with the materials, with the weave, with the patterns and also the various forms of draping it. The combinations are enough to drive one crazy.

As it takes a while to master the art of draping it the right way, there are many of us who find it difficult to drape it and to retain that drape all day through. The fear of it becoming undone is always at the back of our minds. Some resort to the aid of several 'safety' pins and clips just to hold it together.
Source : Google Images

Of course, you guessed right!

I am talking about our timeless, graceful and elegant saree. One of the significant symbols of Indian culture. Saree is derived from the Sanskrit word "shaatee" meaning 'piece of cloth'. The pallu is named after the Pallavas and choLi is named after the Cholas.

The best part about a saree is that one size fits all. Women of any shape and size can wear it equally gracefully. There are sarees which are typical to a particular place and there are those which are draped for specific occasions.

Different regions and communities wear it differently. It is often easy to identify which region / community a lady is from, just by looking at the way she has draped her saree, provided she is draping it the traditional way of that region. However, a majority of the population wear it in one particular fashion.

Source: Google Images
This is one piece of clothing which I presume, has withstood the onslaught of various cultures that have invaded India. At the same time, it has undergone changes as per the prevailing societal norms. Yes, some designers have incorporated some changes to cater to modern taste, but by and large, it has retained its glorious traditional form.

The way it is draped suits the Indian climatic conditions, providing plenty of cooling in the soaring temperatures as well as warmth during cold months. The accessories that go along with the saree onlly add to the charm of this traditional dress. It can be worn in casual settings as well as extremely formal settings. How much more versatile can a traditional dress be!

Worn well, a saree shows off the curves just enough to make a woman look very feminine, dignified, graceful, elegant, sexy, all at the same time. The same cloth when not worn properly can make her look cheap and slutty.

Sarees come in different lengths too. Usually young girls in certain regions go for the 2 yards measure while the womenfolk usually go for 5.0 yards or 5.5 yards.

Source : Google Images

However, the traditional few go the whole nine yards, both literally and figuratively!

8 comments:

  1. I love sareers...they are elegant and timeless. Yet, I cannot wear it often.

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  2. Ohh....lovely post. I love sarees. Wish could wear them more often.

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  3. Well ,I learnt about Choli named after cholas,pallu & saree named after a piece of cloth ! I loved your post !

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  4. I love sarees but can nver manage them properly - not more than 3 hrs :D

    ReplyDelete