Sari

A sari (, , ; also called sharee, saree*

• or sadi)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
• is a draped cloth and women's garment in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of an un-stitched stretch of woven fabric arranged over the body as a dress, with one end attached to the waist, while the other end rests over one shoulder as a stole, sometimes baring a part of the midriff. It may vary from 4.5 to 9 yards (4.1 to 8.2 metres) in length, and 24 to 47 inches (60 to 120 centimetres) in breadth, and is a form of ethnic clothing in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan. There are various names and styles of sari manufacture and draping, the most common being the Nivi style. The sari is worn with a fitted bodice also called a choli (inc or inc in southern India, choli in northern India, and ne in Nepal) and a petticoat called hi, mr, or ta. It remains fashionable in the Indian subcontinent and is also considered formal attire in the countries of the region.

Etymology

The Hindi word hi (साड़ी), described in Sanskrit sa which means 'strip of cloth' and शाडी pi or साडी pi in Pali, ಸೀರೆ or sīre in Kannada, and which evolved to inc in modern Indian languages. The word sa is mentioned as describing women's dharmic attire in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist literature called the Jatakas. This could be equivalent to the modern day sari. The term for the female bodice, the hi, evolved from the ancient sa. Rajatarangini, a tenth-century literary work by Kalhana, states that the choli from the Deccan was introduced under the royal order in Kashmir.

The petticoat is called hi (साया) in Hindi, mr (परकर) in Marathi, ta (உள் பாவாடை, "inner womens' clothing") in Tamil (inc in other parts of South India: , , ), inc (সায়া) in Bengali and eastern India, and inc (සාය) in Sinhalese. Apart from the standard "petticoat", it may also be called an "inner skirt" or an inskirt.

Origins and history

The history of sari-like drapery can be traced back to ancient India, 2800–1800 BCE, around the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. Cotton 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, lac, red madder, and turmeric. Silk was woven around 2450 BCE and 2000 BCE.

The word sari evolved from sa () is mentioned in early Hindu literature as women's attire. The sari, or sa, evolved from a three-piece ensemble comprising the sa, the lower garment; the sa, a veil worn over the shoulder or the head; and the sa, a chestband. This ensemble is mentioned in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Pali literature during the 6th century BCE.

The ancient antariya 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 the front of the legs. It further evolved into the Bhairnivasani skirt, today known as the ghagri and lehenga. Uttariya was a shawl-like veil worn over the shoulder or head. It evolved into what is known today known as the dupatta and ghoonghat. Likewise, the sa evolved into the choli by the 1st century CE.

The 7th century Sanskrit work Kadambari by Banabhatta and ancient Tamil poetry, such as the Cilappatikaram, describe women in exquisite drapery or saris. In ancient India, although women wore saris that bared the navel, 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 exposure of the midriff at some times and places.

It is generally accepted that wrapped sari-like garments for the lower body and sometimes shawls or scarf like garments called 'uttariya' for the 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 mention the sa, a form of tight fitting breast band that simply covered the breasts. It was also sometimes referred to as an sa or sa.

Poetic references from works like Cilappatikaram indicate that during the Sangam period 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 in paintings by Raja Ravi Varma in Kerala. Numerous sources say that everyday costume in ancient India until recent times in Kerala consisted of a pleated dhoti or (sarong) wrap, combined with a breast band called sa or sa and occasionally a wrap called sa that could at times be used to cover the upper body or head. The two-piece Kerala mundum neryathum (mundu, a dhoti or sarong, and neryath, a shawl, in Malayalam) is a survival of ancient clothing styles. The one-piece sari in Kerala is derived from neighbouring Tamil Nadu or Deccan during the medieval period based on its appearance on various temple murals in medieval Kerala.

Early Sanskrit literature has a wide vocabulary of terms for the veiling 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.

In the Pratimānātaka, a play by Bhāsa. it is described in the 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 literature. Śūdraka, the author of Mṛcchakatika, set in the fifth century BCE, says that the Avagaunthaha was not used by women every day and at every time. He says that a married lady was expected to put on a veil while moving in 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 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 and 6th century CE in various regional styles. Early cholis were front coverings tied at the back; this style was more common in parts of ancient northern India. This ancient form of bodice, or choli, is still common in the state of Rajasthan today. Various 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 the back, kasuti is a traditional form of embroidery used for cholis in this region. 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 saris, which are the traditional garment choice for brides in Hindu weddings. Women traditionally wore various types of regional handloom saris made of silk, cotton, ikkat, block-print, Ilkal sari, embroidery, and tie-dye textiles. The most sought after brocade silk saris are Banasari, Kanchipuram (sometimes also Kanchipuram or Kanjivaram), 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 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-dyed 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 a popular form of traditional embroidery used on saris for formal occasions; various other types of traditional folk embroidery, such as mochi, pakko, kharak, suf, kathi, phulkari, and gamthi, are also commonly used for both informal and formal occasions. Today, modern fabrics like polyester, georgette, and charmeuse are also commonly used.

Styles of draping

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, exposing the navel. 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, a sari historian and recognised textile 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: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. 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.

The French cultural anthropologist and sari researcher Chantal Boulanger categorised sari drapes into the following families:

• Nivi sari – style originally worn in the 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 in at the back. This allows free movement while covering the legs.
• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarati, Rajasthani – It is worn similar to the nivi style but with the loose end of sari, aanchal or pallu, placed in the front; therefore, this style is known as sidha anchal or sidha pallu or sojha paala. 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 Hindus and Sindhi Hindus.
• Bengali and Odia style is worn with a single box-pleat. Traditionally the Bengali style is worn with a 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. The Brahmika sari was introduced to Bengal by Jnanadanandini Devi 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.
• Himalayan – Kulluvi Pattu is traditional form of woollen sari worn in Himachal Pradesh, similar variation is also worn in Uttarakhand.
• Nepali: 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, Maithil and Awadhi speaking community wears the sari sojha palla like the Gujarati drape. 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 popularised in Nepal by the Shah royals and the Ranas.
• Nauvari and Kasta: 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 women differs from that of the Marathas. The style also differs from community to community. This style is popular in Maharashtra and Goa.
• Madisar – this drape is typical of Iyengar/Iyer Brahmin ladies from Tamil Nadu. Traditional Madisar is worn using 9 yards sari.
• The Parsi 'gara' is worn by Zoroastrian women in Gujarat in India and Sindh in Pakistan, it is worn similar to sidha pallu, it unique compared to traditional sari due to its Chinese style embroidery.
• Pin Kosuvam – this is the traditional Tamil Nadu style
• 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 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 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 – 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. Usually made of unbleached cotton and decorated with gold or coloured stripes and/or borders.
• 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 is a wrap around style cloth similar to other Southeast Asian garments. it is originally a four-set of separate garments known Riha-Mekhela, Kokalmora, Chador or 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 blouse from mainland India. 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 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 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|Plaque of goddess Lakshmi dressed in ancient sari, 1st century BCE File:MET h1 1990.281.jpg|Plaque with female figure dressed in ancient variation of sari, 1st century BCE. File:Female figure holding a fan, Kausambi, terracotta, 200 BCE.jpg|Female figure dressed in ancient form of sari, 200 BCE File:Female figure, Kausambi, Uttar Pradesh,1st century BCE.jpg|Female figure dressed in early form of sari, 1st century BCE File:Female figure with a hand-fan, Kausambi, Uttar Pradesh, 1st century BCE.jpg|Female figure dressed in early form of sari, 1st century BCE File:(Detail) Rear Side - Stupa 1 - Sanchi Hill 2013-02-21 4484-4487.jpg|Women dressed in ancient form of sari, 1st century BCE File:Ajanta Paintings.jpg|Women in choli (blouse) and antariya , Gupta Empire File:Detail of a leaf with the birth of mahavira.jpg|Kalpa Sūtra manuscript File:Detail from Kalpa Sutra Manuscript, c.1375–1400.jpg|Dancing women depicted in three-piece attire, Kalpa Sutra manuscript 1375 CE. File:Praying woman, detail from Kalpa Sutra Manuscript, c.1375–1400.jpg|Women dressed in sari, Kalpa sutra manuscript, ca 1375 CE. File:Details from cotton tapestry, ca.1640-50 (3).jpg|Women dressed in sari, deccan, ca.1640-50 File:Flames of unrequited passion arise from Mahji as she mourns for her lost beloved. Deccan, c. 1600.jpg|Women dressed in sari, c.1600s. File:Malla-queen of Bhaktapur.jpg|Bronze portrait of Malla queen, 1696-1722 CE, Nepal. 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:Jnanadanandini_Devi.JPG|Jnanadanandini Devi styling the Bengali drape with British-style blouse with lace collar File:Hermann Linde - Girl standing in a veranda wearing a Pochampalli sari (ca.1895).jpg|Girl in Pochampally Ikkat sari worn in Nivi style, 1895 CE File:Marathi Women.jpg|Woman in Nauvari sari File:Tanjore sadir temple dancer Gnyana seated - L’Ancien musee des colonies, Fedor Jagor, ca. 1850.jpg|Tamil dancer dressed in sari, c. 1850

{{anchor|Nivi}}Nivi style

Main article: Nivi (garment)

The increased interactions during colonial era saw most women from royal families come out of purdah in the 1900s. This necessitated a change of dress. Maharani Indira Devi 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 white as per tradition. Characteristically, she transformed her "mourning" 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, the petticoat was adopted, along with Victorian styles of puffed-sleeved blouses, which was commonly seen among the elites in Bombay presidency and Bengal presidency. Nivi drape starts with one end of the sari tucked into the waistband of the petticoat, usually a plain skirt. 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. 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. 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 chains. They are sometimes worn as a part of bridal jewellery.

Professional style of draping

Similarly, the female politicians of all three countries wear the sari in a professional manner. Bangladeshi politicians usually wear saris with long sleeve blouse while covering their midriff. Some politicians pair up saris with hijabs or shawls for more coverage.

The women of the Nehru–Gandhi family like Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi 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 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 wear a Kandyan osari. This includes prominent women in politics, the first female premier in the world, Sirimavo Bandaranaike and President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Contemporary examples include Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the sitting health minister in Cabinet. The adoption of the sari is not exclusive to Sinhalese politicians; Muslim MP Ferial Ashraff combined a hijab with her sari while in Parliament.

Saris in various countries

Bangladesh

Sari is the national attire for women in Bangladesh, 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.

There are many regional variations of saris in both silk and cotton. e.g., Dhakai Banarasi sari, Rajshahi silk, Tangail sari, Tant sari, Tassar silk sari, Manipuri sari and Katan sari.

The sari is reserved as the dress of choice for important occasions and events. In 2013, the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In 2016, Bangladesh received geographical indication (GI) status for Jamdani sari.

Sri Lanka

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 si 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 exposing the navel. 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.

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 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

In Pakistan, the saris are still popular and worn on special occasions. The Shalwar kameez, 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 women in Sindh to show their status or to enhance their beauty. Phulkari, Kota doria, banarasi, Ajrak are the most worn. The sari is worn as daily wear by Pakistani Hindus, by elderly Muslim women who were used to wearing it in pre-partition India and by some of the new generation who have reintroduced the interest in saris.

Black Sari Day, is a celebration of Iqbal Bano a woman 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 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, as seen in the Burmese longyi (; ), Filipino malong and tapis, Laotian xout lao (; ), Laotian and Thai suea pat (; ) and sinh (, ; , , ), Cambodian sbai () and sampot (, saṃbát, ) and Timorese tais. 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 exposing the midriff.

Ornamentation and decorative accessories

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 or cotton. The rich could afford finely woven, diaphanous silk saris that, according to folklore, could be passed through a finger ring. The poor wore coarsely woven cotton saris. All saris were 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, 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 butti or bhutti (spellings vary). For fancy saris, these patterns could be woven with gold or silver thread, which is called zari work.

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 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 Shaina NC 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), hand-woven saris are still popular for weddings and other grand social occasions.

Saris outside the Indian subcontinent

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 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 first red carpet appearance at the 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, 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 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 a 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 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 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 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), 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

• Banarasi – Uttar Pradesh
• Shalu – Uttar Pradesh
• Tanchoi – Uttar Pradesh
• Pattu – Himachal Pradesh
• Chanderi sari – Madhya Pradesh
• Maheshwari – Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh
• Kosa silk – Chhattisgarh
• Dhokra silk – Madhya Pradesh
• Tussar silk- Bhagalpur, Bihar
• Aari Kashida- Bihar
• Zari Chhaapa- Bihar
• Baavan Booti weave- Bihar
• Madhubani sari- Mithila, Bihar
• Sujni sari- Bihar
• Pindna cotton sari- Jharkhand

Eastern styles

• Tant sari – throughout Bangladesh and West Bengal
• Baluchari sari – Bishnupur, West Bengal
• Kaantha sari – throughout Bengal
• Garode / Korial – Murshidabad, West Bengal
• Shantipuri cotton – Shantipur, Phulia, West Bengal
• Jamdani / Dhakai – Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Murshidabad silk – Murshidabad, West Bengal
• Rajshahi silk / Eri – Rajshahi, Bangladesh
• Dhakai Katan – Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Georgette sari – Bangladesh
• Mooga silk – Assam
• Mekhla Cotton – Assam
• Sambalpuri silk & cotton sari – Sambalpur, Odisha
• Ikkat silk & cotton sari – Bargarh, Odisha

• Bomkai sari – Bomkai, Ganjam, Odisha
• Khandua Silk & Cotton sari – Nuapatna, Cuttack, Odisha
• Pasapali sari – Bargarh, Odisha
• Sonepuri Silk & Cotton sari – 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
• Moirang Phi sari – Manipur
• Patt Silk sari – Assam
• Kotki sari – Orissa
• Kotpad sari – Orissa

Western styles

• Paithani – Maharashtra
• Yeola sari – Maharashtra
• Peshwai shalu – Maharashtra
• Mahalsa sari – Maharashtra
• Narayanpeth – Maharashtra
• Khun fabric – Maharashtra
• Karvati tussar sari – Maharashtra

• Bandhani – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Pakistan, Sindh
• Kota doria – Rajasthan, Pakistan, Sindh
• Lugade – Maharashtra
• Patola – Gujarat
• Rogan sari - Gujarat
• Bhujodi sari - Gujarat
• Bagru – Rajasthan.
• Phulkari – Punjab.
• Ajrak – Sindh, Rajasthan, Gujarat
• Bhujodi sari – Gujarat

Southern styles

• Mysore silk – Karnataka
• Kanchipuram Silk (locally called Kanjipuram pattu) – Tamil Nadu
• Arani silk – Tamil Nadu
• Ilkal sari – Karnataka
• Molakalmuru sari – Karnataka
• Sulebhavi sari – Sulebhavi, Karnataka
• Venkatagiri – Andhra Pradesh
• 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 silk sari – Andhra Pradesh
• Chettinad saris – Tamil Nadu
• Thirubuvanam, Kumbakonam – Tamil Nadu
• Coimbatore cotton – Tamil Nadu
• Salem silk – Tamil Nadu
• Chinnalampattu or Sungudi – Tamil Nadu
• Kandangi sarees – from Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu
• Madurai Sungudi sarees - Tamil Nadu
• Rasipuram silk saris – Tamil Nadu
• [[File:Koorai silk saree 6.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Koorai silk saree [[Mayiladuthurai]] [[Tamil Nadu]]]] Koorai silk saree, Mayiladuthurai – 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
• 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 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|A classic drape sari 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 (si). File:Weaving machine, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu (7642250402).jpg|Weaving saris in Kancipuram. File:Kanchipuram sarees (7642285396).jpg|Display of handloom saris. 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 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 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 Poure draping style. File:Sari 2.jpg|Sari in modern India File:Maithil Saree Style in Kanyadan Maithili movie.jpg|Maithil sari style in Kanyadan Maithili movie File:Maharani Vijaya Raje Scindia of Gwalior, ca.1940.jpg|Maharani Vijaya Raje Scindia of Gwalior, ca.1940 File:Monica Bedi at the 8th Aap Ki Awaz Media Excellence Awards.jpg|Monica Bedi, an Indian actress in sari File:Maharani Ourmilla Of Jubbal.jpg|Maharani Ourmilla Devi of Jubbal in modern style of Nivi sari, 1935.

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Ambrose, Kay (1950). Classical Dances and Costumes of India. London: A. & C. Black.
• Banerjee, Mukulika & Miller, Daniel (2003). The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History. Oxford: Berg Publishers.
• Craddock, Norma (1994). Anthills, Split Mothers, and Sacrifice: Conceptions of Female Power in the Mariyamman Tradition. Ph.D. thesis. University of California, Berkeley. . UMI number 9529271.
• Lynton, Linda (1995). The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Technique. New York: Thames & Hudson.

References

1. (1997). "Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping". Shakti Press International.
2. Lynton, Linda. (1995). "The Sari". Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated.
3. "History of Sari and Draping Styles | JD Institute of Fashion Technology".
4. (1979). "Thai Art with Indian Influences". Abhinav Publications.
5. Alkazi, Roshan (1983) "Ancient Indian costume", Art Heritage
6. 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)
7. Boulanger, Chantal. (1997). "Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping". Shakti Press International.
8. Boulanger, Chantal. (1997). "Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping". Shakti Press International.
9. Boulanger, Chantal. (1997). "Saris: an illustrated guide to the Indian art of draping". Shakti Press International.
10. Linda Lynton(1995), The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Technique {{ISBN. 978-0-8109-4461-9, page 187; Quote: ''It is in the Karnataka (Mysore) and western Maharashtran area that the nivi style is believed to have originated.''.
11. (2009). "Indian saris : traditions, perspectives, design". Wisdom Tree in association with National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
12. "Sari, Always in Vogue". [[Hinduism Today]].
13. (1892). "The Imperial Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Knowledge Unabridged". Belford Publishing Company.
14. (1997). "The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary". Oxford University Press.
15. Monier-Williams, Monier. (1995). "A Sanskrit-English Dictionary". Motilal Banarsidass.
16. Kapoor, Subodh. (2002). "The Indian encyclopaedia: biographical, historical, religious, administrative, ethnological, commercial and scientific. Reunion-Satya Yauvana, Volume 20". Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd.
17. Sachidanand, Sahay (1975) Indian costume, coiffure, and ornament. Chapter 2 'Female Dress', Munshiram Manoharlal publishers Pvt Ltd. pp 31–55
18. Prachya Pratibha, 1978 "Prachya Pratibha, Volume 6", p.121
19. Agam Kala Prakashan, 1991 "Costume, coiffure, and ornaments in the temple sculpture of northern Andhra", p.118
20. (26 March 2015). "How to wear saree perfectly – Glowpink".
21. Stein, Burton (1998). ''A History of India''. Blackwell Publishing. {{ISBN. 0-631-20546-2, p. 47
22. "What did the Indus people wear and what material were their clothes made of?". Harappa.com.
23. Abbott, Phill. (19 February 2009). "Rethinking silk's origins : Nature News". Nature.
24. (2009). "New evidence for early silk in the Indus civilization". Archaeometry.
25. Mohapatra, R. P. (1992) "Fashion styles of ancient India", B. R. Publishing corporation, {{ISBN. 81-7018-723-0
26. Prasad Mohapatra, Ramesh. (1992). "Fashion Styles of Ancient India: A Study of Kalinga from Earliest Times to Sixteenth Century Ad". B.R. Publishing Corporation.
27. Linda Lynton (1995) "The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Techniques.", p.170
28. Dipak Sharma (2012) "SOUVENIR of 2nd International Science Congress (ISC-2012).", p.282
29. J. Correia-Afonso, (1984) "Indica, Volume 21, Issue 2", p.126
30. Chintaman Vinayak Vaidya, (2001) "Epic India : India as Described in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana", p.144
31. Roshen Alkazi, 1996 "Ancient Indian Costume", p.48
32. (2008). "IndiaColor: Spirit, Tradition, and Style". Chronicle Books.
33. Parthasarathy, R.. (1993). "The Tale of an Anklet: An Epic of South India – The Cilappatikaram of Ilanko Atikal, Translations from the Asian Classics". Columbia Univ. Press.
34. Emma Tarlo (1996) "Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India.", p.154
35. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) "Indian Costume.", p.154
36. [https://books.google.com/books?id=NH1qr33kfXAC Encyclopedia of Indian Women Through the Ages: Ancient India – Simmi Jain].
37. Anant Sadashiv Altekar. (1987). "The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization, From Prehistoric Times to the Present Day". Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
38. Linda Lynton, Sanjay K. Singh (2002) "The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Techniques.", p.40
39. Wall paintings in North Kerala, India: 1000 years of temple art, Albrecht Frenz, Ke. Ke Mārār, page 93
40. Miller, Daniel & Banerjee, Mukulika; (2004) "The Sari", Lustre press / Roli books
41. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) "Indian Costume.", p.236
42. Sulochana Ayyar (1987) "Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum.", p.152
43. Kusumanjali Prakashan, 1993 "The Natyasastra tradition and ancient Indian society", p.63
44. Katiyar, Vijay Singh.. (2009). "Indian Saris – Traditions – Perspective – Design". Wisdom Tree in association with National Institute of Design.
45. (2003). "India: past & present – Prakash Chander – Google Books". APH.
46. Victoria and Albert Museum, Rosemary Crill. (1999). "Indian embroidery Fashion". V&A Publications.
47. Govind D. Belgaumkar and Anil Kumar Sastry. (27 October 2006). "Unique symbols of Karnataka". [[The Hindu]].
48. Indra Majupuria (2007) "Nepalese Women: A Vivid Account of the Status and Role of Nepalese Women in the Total Spectrum of Life, Religious, Social, Economic, Political, and Legal.", p.291
49. Ava Laboy Capo (2013) "Wedding Traditions from Around the World.", p.18
50. (5 April 2009). "Saree saga: Draped for elegance, growth too". [[The Economic Times]].
51. Jay Narayan Vyas, Textile Review, 2007 "Indian Textiles 2015: Comprehensive Forecast on Indian Textiles Industry in 2015 with an Exhaustive Buyer's Guide for Textile Machinery", p.126
52. Wada, Yoshiko Iwamoto. (2002). "Memory on Cloth: Shibori Now". Kodansha International.
53. (24 November 2011). "Embroidery on Indian wedding wear | Gota work". Marrymeweddings.in.
54. Anne Morrell (1995) "The Techniques of Indian Embroidery.", p.68
55. "Indian Bridal Wear Trends 2014, Photos & Review".
56. Sandhu, Arti. (2015). "Indian Fashion: Tradition, Innovation, Style". bloomsbury.
57. Rocca, Federico. (2009). "Contemporary Indian Fashion". Damiani.
58. Anita Rao Kashi. "How to Wear a Sari in India". World Hum.
59. (13 February 2020). "The History of Indian Sarees – Hatena Blog". nidhishekhawat.hatenablog.com.
60. (2010). "Saris of India: Tradition and Beyond". Roli Books, Lustre Press.
61. (2018-03-31). "Sari story: How its 108 wearing styles represent India, its people – and their many mutinies". Firstpost.
62. (2017-10-12). "Styling the Sari: New Anthology Broadens Sartorial Reach of Indian Garment".
63. Boulanger, Chantal; (1997) ''Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping'', Shakti Press International, New York.
64. "Regional Styles of Wearing A Sari By Indian Women".
65. Embroidered Tales of India's Parsi Community https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70644/did-you-know-about-the-parsi-gara
66. (5 February 2013). "Madisar Pudavai". Tamilnadu.com.
67. Sikka, Raghav. "Wendell Rodricks showcase". Hindustan Times.
68. Kumar, Rita. (May 2008). "A story of sartorial amalgamation". Seminar.
69. Marriage and Modernity: Family Values in Colonial, page 47, Rochona Majumdar 2009
70. Gupta, Toolika. (2011). "The Effect of British Raj on Indian Costume".
71. Dongerkerry, Kamala, S. (1959) ''The Indian sari''. New Delhi.
72. Miller, Daniel & Banerjee, Mukulika, ''The Sari'' (2004), Lustre press / Roli books.
73. (June 2004). "Indianapolis Monthly – Jun 2004".
74. (25 January 2017). "18 Traditional Saree Draping Styles From Different Parts of India". The Ethnic Soul.
75. "Now Banarasi sarees for Taj staff". Rediff.com.
76. (15 March 2005). "How haute couture went on to even greater heights". Financial Times.
77. Akanksha Swarup & Soni Sangwan. (20 April 2009). "Sari secrets of politicians!". India Today.
78. (17 November 2016). "Jamdani Sari gets GI registration certificate". [[The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
79. (11 July 1969). "Minisaree causes uproar in Ceylon". [[The Gadsden Times]].
80. (6 July 1969). "Eastern Miniskirt causes considerable uproar". [[Reading Eagle]].
81. "Bollywood, saris and a bombed train". [[Asia Times]].
82. (24 October 2004). "The spread of the salwar". [[The Hindu]].
83. (10 July 2023). "How the saree is bringing Pakistan back into its fold". [[India Today]].
84. Davina Raisinghani. (12 January 2009). "Sari, it's a wrap". Khaleej Times Online.
85. (4 January 1977). "Sari is coming trend in USA". The Hour.
86. Helen Hennessy. (20 April 1965). "Indian Sari is Exotic Style". The Leader-Post.
87. Helen Hennessy. (22 April 1965). "Stylish Set Only Six Yards Away From Sari Fashions.". Eugene Register-Guard.
88. (17 June 2010). ""Ravan's star-studded premiere in London," ''The Indian Express''". The Indian Express.
89. "Indian threads: When Bollywood celebrities went ethnic at Cannes". Th Indian Express.
90. (14 May 2010). ""Deepika walks Cannes red carpet in saree," ''The Hindu''". The Hindu.
91. "Deepika always wanted to wear saree at international do". Movies.ndtv.com.
92. "Saree – Re-emerging as the Fashion Icon of Indian Youth!".
93. Bhushan, Nyay. (19 November 2010). ""Pamela Anderson Gets Indian Makeover for TV Turn," ''The Hollywood Reporter''". The Hollywood Reporter.
94. "Firang babes in saree-Ashley Judd". The Times of India.
95. "Around the world in 9 yards". Hindustan Times.
96. (28 May 2007). "Ashley Judd Is So Very Sari". TMZ.
97. (12 September 2008). "Saree jahan se achha, ''The Times of India''". [[The Times of India]].
98. (24 May 2014). "Spotted: Selena Gomez shows off her sexy curves in a sari". India Today.
99. (27 December 2015). "Twitter Campaign #SareeNotSorry Fights Xenophobia".
100. Bordelon, Pam. (29 April 2017). "'Saree Not Sorry' campaign aims to break down cultural walls". The Advocate.
101. (11 November 2015). "The #SareeNotSorry Movement Is Taking a Beautiful Stand Against Xenophobia".
102. Rathore, Reena. "Professor Tanya Rawal's #SareeNotSorry Campaign Uses Fashion to Fight Racism".
103. [http://www.sarisafari.com/handlooms.html "Origin of Handloom Saris"]
104. "History of Chanderi sarees". Albira.
105. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071102040912/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/28/stories/2005122805151800.htm GI registration: Pochampally sarees set the trend], ''[[The Hindu]]'', 28 December 2005.