| A 6 yard of exquisite drapery is what the sari is all | | | | There is however some light controversy surrounding |
| about. It is feminine garment that is a long strip of | | | | the drapery of saris amongst costume historians. |
| unstitched cloth, which can be draped in diverse styles. | | | | Some historians believe that before the modern period |
| Its extensive usage can be seen in the Indian | | | | women only wore one draped cloth that casually |
| subcontinent. An attire worn primarily by Hindu women; | | | | exposed the upper body. Others wish to differ as |
| once draped about the lower body it gathers in the | | | | there are a lot of textual and artistic grounds for |
| front in a graceful and decorative effect like the petals | | | | various forms of breast band and upper-body shawl. |
| of a flower . | | | | They believe that ancient artifacts do show existence |
| The word 'sari' germinated from the Prakrit word | | | | of bandeau and shawls that were exclusively used by |
| 'sattika' as mentioned in ancient Jain Buddhist | | | | the women. But certain sculptural carvings do not |
| scriptures. Its history can be traced back as early as | | | | manifest the aforementioned. It is also believed by |
| the Indus valley civilization that prospered during the | | | | some, that only as respect to the queen did the |
| early 1800 BC. Archeological artifacts testified to this, in | | | | women in ancient India commence wearing upper |
| the statue of a priest wearing a drape. | | | | body shawls and blouses as a bid to live up to the |
| Saris consist of one plain end and one decorative end. | | | | modesty of the Victorian era. |
| The plain end is the one that is wrapped around the | | | | Some ancient works of art and poetry demonstrate |
| body while the decorative end is the one that falls as | | | | women in dainty drapery. |
| pleats on the front or as a veil (pallu) on the shoulder | | | | For instance the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art |
| depending upon the style in which the sari is adorned. | | | | (which flourished in the 1st to 4th century) described |
| The sari is believed to have originated from the | | | | the goddesses and dancers wearing a sari that |
| men’s dhoti which is one of the oldest versions of | | | | flowed as a long decorative cloth in front, in all their |
| draped garment in India. It was considered as a unisex | | | | sculptures. Even the carvings adorning the walls of the |
| garment worn by both men and women alike. In those | | | | Hindu temples stand as a classic illustration to the |
| times saris were hand woven. They were tailored | | | | ancient history of the sari. Thus it is accepted that |
| either in silk or in cotton. While the rich could afford the | | | | wrapped sari-like garments, shawls, and veils have |
| gossamer silk ones but the poor resorted to the cotton | | | | been worn by Indian women for a long time, and that |
| ones which in most occasions were very coarsely | | | | they have been worn in their current form for |
| woven. Earlier saris were hand woven which naturally | | | | hundreds of years. |
| made them more expensive and a considerable | | | | What so ever be the style of draping, the sari has had |
| investment in money and time. The advent of the | | | | a long history. The 9 meters of wonder when donned |
| British saw the start of the modern era wherein saris | | | | really accentuates the beauty of women. Saris |
| were increasingly woven on mechanical looms and | | | | however made are still a common facet in the Indian |
| made of artificial fibers, such as polyester, nylon, or | | | | subcontinent. The sari was stemmed in both South and |
| rayon. This greatly reduced the cost of production | | | | North India and is now a symbol of India. |
| which caused the handloom industries huge losses. | | | | |