Sarees, Over the Ages

    When one hears the word saree the immediate imaginations are colourful, intricate,

cultural picturization of India through a piece of fabric. It had been one of the popular choices

of clothing in India and its subcontinents. From being cultural apparel to becoming a formal

dress code, sarees have seen many changes through and through.

The origin of sarees can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization and the

recently encountered radical changes in British Culture. Originally the saree was supposed to

be a single piece of clothing covering a woman's hips and breasts. Every regional area

of the subcontinent developed its ways and styles of draping one of these. It was mostly

influenced by the locally available material for the garment, the weather and climatic

conditions, the art, and architectural practices and many such factors. For instance; the Ilkal

sarees have designs inspired by the temple architecture of Aihole (the Chalukyan

Architecture) which is still prevalent in the saree. The Navari saree (that translates to nine

yards) became popular during the rule of Marathas when women started taking part in the

military force and that style has sustained to date. There are many such endless narrations as

to how the saree has become what it is. Even though the saree is commonly associated with

Indian Culture as a contradiction to this, the blouses and petticoats of the sarees were never a

part of them until the colonial period when it tasted British Culture.

Though this array has been a part of such a great culture, in the Modern era, it gained

its popularity and became a standard fashion through cinema in the mid-1940s when " The

Venus of Indian Cinema"- Madhubala chose to make it one. "She represented the modern

Indian woman in newly independent India, maintaining a balance between personal freedom

and traditional norms." Says Srishti Jha in her article 'Madhubala and the eternity of style and beauty' 

in The Hindustan Times. Madhubala mostly wore light fabric and floral sarees; in a tick, it became a 

trend of the time. Bala happens to be only an example out of many.

Apart from being mere fashion, sarees have also been a household ware for many women

over many years, they are commonly but not necessarily associated with married women and

young girls. But in today's changing times many saree architects have emerged, Natasha

Thasan (as @natasha.thasan on Instagram) explores and educates many on the vast creative

field of the Art of Draping. Many men as well drape and style sarees on the media platforms

giving us a glimpse of how a piece of cloth can let us time travel.