The sari is a traditional garment worn by most Indian women. Although at present there is a lotof western influence in the way people dress. Today, sari comprises over 30% oftotal textile production in India. Apart from large textile mills, the numberof sari-manufacturing centers are in hundreds and so the there are innumerabletypes of fabrics, weaving techniques, methods of dying, printing orembellishing, designing patterns, kind of motifs, color scheme etc. can befound There is something about the sari that makes a woman look dignified,charming and every bit stylish. Over the years, the sari has evolved into afashion statement, which most fashion designers glorify the look and feel ofthis traditional garment. In this article an overview of traditional saristhat are found in India have been described in brief


History of Saris


The origins of saris are obscure, in part because there arevery few historical records in India. Yet, we know that Indians were wearingsaris draped around their bodies long before tailored cloths arrived. The origin of a sari can be datedback in history and there are various references of it during the Indus ValleyCivilization. In more recent times, it is believed that the women in most partsof India have been wearing saris for many years.


The Indian Sari is more than 5000 years old. It was firstmentioned in Rig Veda, the oldest surviving literature of the world, writtensomewhere around 3000 BC. The Sari, originally intended both for men and women,is probably the longest incessantly worn dress in the history of mankind.


One of the earliest depictions of a Sari-like drape coveringthe entire body dates back to 100 B.C. A North-Indian Terracotta depicts awoman wearing a Sari wound tightly around her entire body in the trouser style.


This elaborate sculpture represented in the terracotta mayhave evolved among India's temple dancers in ancient times to allow their limbsfreedom of movement while at the same time maintaining their standards ofmodesty.


There are many sculptures of Greco-Indian Gandhariancivilization which show a variety of different Sari draping styles.


Tailored clothes arrived in India with the arrival ofMuslims. Hindus believed that any cloth pierced by needles was impure.


It is commonly believed in India that petticoat or Ghagraand the blouse or Choli which are worn under the Sari are later additions whichstarted with the coming of British in India. Increasing number of upper classwomen in the early 20th century did adopt items of European style clothing asthe fitted blouse and slim petticoat. This was also adopted due to the fashionof transparent chiffon Saris during that particular period. Some of the wivesof Indian Kings draped themselves in Saris that were made by Persian designers.




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