Bengal cotton sarees online shopping by Silkpetalss: Sari might be a fashionable garment now, but it started from being a humble drape used by women thousands of years ago. The origin of the drape or a garment similar to the sari can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which came into being during 2800–1800 BC in north west India. The journey of sari began with cotton, which was first cultivated in the Indian subcontinent around the 5th millennium BC. The cultivation was followed by weaving of cotton which became big during the era, as weavers started using prevalent dyes like indigo, lac, red madder and turmeric to produce the drape used by women to hide their modesty. Find even more info at Shop Indian Sarees Online.
Kanjeevaram silk saris originate from Kanchipuram, a temple town in Tamil Nadu, and use a special weaving technique that makes the sari last for generations. The saris have contrasting bright colours with designs of the border and the pallu being different from the body of the sari. The sari has golden weaves and bold, colourful motifs like flowers, peacocks and elephants, says 71-year-old Deepa Sharma from Delhi, who owns Arankri, a 30-year-old establishment that curates handcrafted saris. The Baluchari saris from West Bengal incorporate designs based on mythological stories from the great Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Some women, particularly in rural areas, still wrap and fold themselves into lengths of cotton, linen, or other fabrics for everyday work. “You’re more likely to see saris on older women, the aunties and grandmas in some regions. They might wear one all the time,” says Cristin McKnight Sethi, a South Asian textile expert and professor of art history at George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. Younger women and city dwellers, she says, might opt for Western clothing or a salwar (tunic and pants suit) most days but a vibrant sari for a wedding or other party. The textile is a symbolic rite of passage for young Hindu girls, who wear a sari or half-length sari for a Ritu Kala Samskara coming-of-age ceremony. The garment has even been wielded as a political prop.
The stitched fabric was deemed unclean in ancient times. The one-piece saree was considered auspicious and was (and still is) worn for significant Hindu occasions such as religious ceremonies, marriages, festivals, childbirth rites, and so on. The saree draping style evolved from the concept that the navel and belly should be left uncovered since they were regarded as the life source (as they connect to the umbilical cord). This is documented in the Natya Shastra, a 200-year-old South Indian scripture. With the mention of Rani of Jhansi wearing a sari and fighting the atrocities of the colonizers, one can only wonder about the feeling of empowerment while wearing a sari that has been bestowed with such a heroic legacy.
Silk Petalss was born from a career Investment Professional’s love for the rich heritage of Indian handcrafted textiles and artefacts. Her admiration for the beautiful heritage weaves and products saw her travelling widely through interior villages and towns of India, interacting with the weaving community and understanding their perspective and concerns. Awareness about their issues, specifically post Covid19, the need to protect the community and our rich heritage led to Silk Petalss being created. See extra info at silkpetalss.com.
My fondest childhood memories were going sari shopping with my mother and grandmother. I was fascinated by the endless shelves piled with neatly folded, colourful saris, entertained by the salespeople, who were always men, unfolding and draping the whole sari on themselves, and educated by the haggling over the prices while countless cups of coffee were consumed. When Matthan received a gift of 47 Kanjeevaram silks from her ailing grandmother, she was inspired to start the 100sareepact, a social media movement, along with 52-year-old Anju Maudgal Kadam, which encourages women to wear saris and share their stories online.