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Sarees are a quintessential part of the Indian fashion experience. Whenever there’s a conversation about Indian dresses, sarees always come first. While they are commonly used for special occasions, their significance has changed with time. The history of Indian sarees reveals that they’ve gone through constant evolution. While the first account of sarees comes from the Indus Civilization, they’ve come a long way in the modern-day era.
The style of modern-day sarees is very diverse. To understand the stylistic and designer influences of India’s most celebrated dress, we have to look at the most prominent periods of Indian history during which its appearance and manufacturing technique changed significantly.
The origin of sarees
Sarees can be traced back thousands of years. Historians believe that sarees emerged about 4,000 years ago in the Indus Civilization era (2800-1800 B.C.). Considering that the era is about 5,000 years old, some historians theorize that sarees might have an older point of origin. Red madder, turmeric, indigo, and natural dyes were used in creating the then-sarees.
The name saree also underwent a change. The word ‘Saree’ or ‘Sari’ comes from the word ‘Sattika,’ which is mentioned in the ancient Buddhist scriptures. The Prakrit word subsequently became shortened to ‘Sati,’ which later changed to ‘Sari.’
The word ‘Sari’ is mentioned in the Rig Veda (3000 B.C.) and is meant to represent a women’s attire or “strip of cloth.” Some statues from the 1st and 6th century A.D. show female priests wearing a sari. The sari gave a different look back then, as they draped in a likeness to trousers. This style of draping is called Odissi Fishtail and allows for free movement of the body for activities such as running and dancing. The general design of the sari consists of the “antariya,” which is positioned lower; the “uttariya,” which is draped over the head and shoulders; and the “stanapatta,” which is worn in the middle. Saris have been mentioned throughout Indian folklore and mythological epics, such as the Ramayana and Mahabharatha.
The Mughal period
The Mughal era changed sarees radically, as the cultural sensitivities of the Mughals made them frown upon the former rendition of the dress. The Mughal period spanned from the 16th century to the 18th century. They weren’t tolerant of sarees because of the exposed skin, so the first change in the style of the dress was the covering of the chest and shoulders.
During the same period, stitched garments made their way to India. Eventually, the Mughals accepted the saree as the standard wardrobe for women, and they quickly evolved to have interwoven embroideries as well as embellishments. This introduced an entirely new level of creative potential for sarees that wasn’t considered before.
The British period
The Mughals made significant changes in sarees, but another change was introduced in the British era. While the British didn’t have any conservative concerns with sarees, they wanted to modify them culturally. That’s when saree designs started coming in the mixture of Victorian/English styles. These aesthetics skyrocketed sarees as a predominant fashion choice in India.
Sarees started coming with blouses and petticoats, which became a new norm, as women had to wear them under their sarees. During this period, new techniques of stitching, dyeing, and printing also changed the way sarees looked. The saree was now an entirely new dress, bearing some foundational similarities to its original version.
Sarees as a modern-day fashion statement
Sarees have come a long way from their Indus Civilization roots. Nowadays, they are worn by people of all faiths and cultures. It’s an attire that passes the test of fashionable, traditional, and cultural standards.
India is a country with many different states, and Sarees were localized differently as well. Varanasi has Banarasi sarees, which are famous for their gold and silver zari, embroidery as well as employment of fine silk. The Taant sarees from Bengal are also well-known due to their easy-to-wear nature and stylistic borders around the printed cloth. Other styles of sarees, such as the Kasavu from Kerala, Kanjeevaram from Tamil Nadu, and Paithani from Maharashtra, are frequently worn all around the country.
Sarees are comfortable, specialized for different climates, and versatile. If you wish to pick sarees as your next fashion statement, then look no further. The choices are near infinite, and there’s something particular for the liking of every single person.
