Wrapped in a Timeless Culture
21 st December was World Sari Day, but to me every day is sari day.
It is an attire that I respect, adore and love. I have grown up seeing all the women around me draped sometimes 6 yds, 8 yds, 9 yds and an aunt of mine in 10 yds. The splash of colours when we all met was such a joy to perceive.
The sari to me is a symbol of my heritage, legacy and culture. It is a symbol of national pride, design, craftsmanship, variety and diversity that our country embraces in her bosom.
To me it is a mark of freedom, for we can wrap these yards of fabric, in so many varied ways. Imagine even after thousands of years of its existence the sari is a source for creativity, be it the design or the way it is worn. The way the sari is draped reveals your identity and the design and fabric unfolds the occasion.
The weavers who put their heart and soul into every sari are both invested in designs that have been passed down from their ancestors and also in reigning in their minds to create new permutations and combinations of thread counts on their looms bringing forth unseen patterns that will appeal to the contemporary world. The sari is worn across the country and the variety of traditional weaves are mind boggling as are the assortments of fabric. There are so many kinds of natural yarns, then synthetic ones and blends too.
The colour palette that they use is so varied and so beautiful. Once again, the diversity of fabric dyes is amazing, natural plant extracts, mineral colours and of course todays synthetic ones too.
With the advent of graphic designing sari varieties are practically countless. Poetry has been interpreted into designer saris, rangoli patterns adorn saris, artists paint while the sewing fraternity decorate the saris with embroidery, sequins, semi-precious stones, zari work and cutwork.
The sari is a work of art that is imbued with the love and care of the weaver, designer and even the traditional sari store owner who has a deep connect with the sari. It embodies the legacy, culture and tradition of a very ancient civilisation.
