Indian Sari
The traditional Indian dress is the Sari which can be worn in many ways. Underneath the sari one wears a Petticoat, a waist to floor length skirt, tied tightly at the waist by a drawstring and a Cholli ; a blouse that ends just below the bust. The Salwar Kameez in India is the second most popular dress and is gaining in popularity fast with the younger generation. The Salwar Kameez in India too has had many design changes. The new designers have come up with great variations of the Salwar Kameez. Women also wear Lehengas.
The Indian Saree (or Sari) boasts of oldest existence in the sartorial world. It is more than 5000 years old! Patterns of dress change throughout the world, the Sari has survived because it is the main wear of rural India. 75% of the population (now a billion as per official estimate) wear versatile sari. We can certainly call this cloth versatile because it could be worn as shorts, trousers, flowing gown-like or convenient skirt, all without a single stitch!
Saree is of varied length. From 5 yards to 9.5 yards tied loosely, folded and pleated, it could be turned into working dress or party wear with manual skill. For day today dress of middle class women, 5-6 yard sari is comfortable to manage household chores.
Working class tucks the same length above the ankles and if they have to work in water or fields, they would tuck the front pleats between the legs to the back, and tie the upper portion round the waist. This left them free movement of hands and legs.
A nine yard saree used to be a connoisseurs pleasure with embellishments, embroidery and fine designing. Generally the climate of India is warm and humid. Saree and its male counterpart dohti was most suited for this land. Styles of wearing saree vary from region to region. Gujarat style and Bengali style are different. So are Mangalorean, Kannadiga, Kodava, Tamilian, Malayali, etc. The Saree is worn in at least 10-15 styles throughout the India.
Saree is essentially Indian and designed to suit local conditions.
Raja Ravi, the distinguished painter of 19th century, toured the entire sub continent in search of the ideal female wear. He wanted the best dress for the various goddesses he was asked and commissioned to paint. He selected the a nine yard saree which drapes the body beautifully at the same time exhibiting contours of female anatomy; bust, waist, hips.
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