The sari has dominated the Asian woman’s dress code for centuries. Women clad in coloruful sari dazzled and captivated us .Yet is this once vibrant hand woven cloth losing its fashion allure? Is it becoming a form of dressing reserved for cultural and religious occasions? Is the seductive sari being replaced with kinky western vogue?
The origins of this spectacular garment can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization in India, where it was draped around the human body over one shoulder. The word sari (or saree) comes from the Sanskrit word which means strip of cloth. Initially the sari was worn by women and men- both in bare chest form! The early saris ranged from 5 to 9 yards and present ones being kept at 6. Wearing a blouse came into fashion during the era of the Moghul Raj, and we can assume it was a welcome shift which sustained the cleavage and dignity of the woman. In Kashmir the choli (blouse) came into effect after a royal decree. In Rajasthan the choli still makes a colourful statement. Later it was the South Indian states that introduced the petti coat (today’s inner garment).
Cotton saris remain at the top echelon of Indian saris. Cotton was cultivated and woven in the 5 century in India. Mixing dyes into the fabric remains an art that has been passed down for generations. We can see in Pali and Buddhist literary work the mention of a 3 piece garment for women- the lower garment called Antriya, the Uttariya a veil worn on head or shoulder and the blouse like chest band the Stanapatta.
The sari was at times extended as Mukhapata- a face veil. During its stages of evolution there was some bias when the wearer’s midsection was revealed, and some sages and pious folks insisted that the navel must be covered. Isn’t it strange that with modern day attire women boldly display their gym hardened abs and gain many likes on facebook! In ancient times married women had to extend their sari and wear it as a veil, so did it imply that young women with uncovered faces were available for matrimonial viewing?? Let us not forget that all veils and saris came down before the ancient kings and emperors, in their royal lust.
The Indian sari makers dominate and sustain the demand for their saris which manifest as – kanchipuram, Manipuri, managlagiri,banasari, mysore, maheshwari, narayan and mekhala. Today there is a rise in polyester and georgette garments. Among many Tamil/ Hindu bride’s red remains the desired hue for weddings. Hand embroidered saris fetch top dollars and Sri Lankans are known to visit India for sari shopping or at least get a friend from India to send the garment across. Our own home grown Kandyan sari is the choice for many Sinhala Buddhist brides. Wearing the sari is an important role in the wedding process and bridal designers and hairdressers have redefined their skills in draping the sari.
So what is the next step for this ladies garment that has such a magnificent heritage of its own. In the age of i-phones and online shopping where does the sari stand? An observation of “Colombo women”- our dear city workers clearly shows that women aged 20-30 are keeping with western designs and brand names. For these gym oriented girls the sari is worn for a friend’s wedding or a festive event where the family is present- and whenever mother insists on a marriage proposal! To many of the “government sector” ladies (mostly matured married aunties) wearing the sari is an act of “patriotic indulgence with dignity”. Ah, we must also mention that our national carrier elegantly embellishes her beautiful female staff in Sri Lankan sari, a proud image of what Sri Lankan women are to the aviation industry and the world. Having visited some fashion shows and cocktails with our celebrity photographer Vipula I have seen designers trying to add a sense of fusion to the sari- which is cool. Even diplomats wives and other “white” women take a shot at wearing the sari and some look nice. So many of my young friends say that the sari is not convenient and they would rather wear pants to travel to work and even on the weekends- fair enough. Even the white sari on religious days is replaced with other modest garments in white. So in the next 10 years will the sari satisfy the women in SL? Will it be relegated as a form of ceremonial attire??